TEXT: Romans 8:13

SUBJECT: Mortification #11

Tonight brings us to chapter eleven of John Owen's great book, On the Mortification of Sin. He began by expounding our verse and is now helping us apply it to our lives.

Thus far, four "rules" have been given. Each occupied one chapter. But now, Owen picks up the pace by giving five rules in only one chapter! Do you think the publisher was breathing down his neck? Who knows?

In any event, here are some ways we can "mortify the deeds of the body".

The key word here is "load". The Puritan says,

In other words, make your sins look as sinful as they really are. How do you do this? Owen says "start with the Law".

By "the Law" Owen means the Ten Commandment. And, of course, I have no quarrel with him on that. But to maximize the guilt of sin, I think we lay it alongside "the Law of Christ". When I compare my actions, words, and thoughts to the Sermon on the Mount, for example, I begin to feel "the exceeding sinfulness of sin".

Having begun with the Law, Owen adds "go to the Gospel". Not for peace--at this time--but for a deeper sense of guilt. He puts it this way,

In light of the Gospel, sin becomes even more sinful.

"Ye who think of sin but lightly,

Nor suppose the evil great;

Here may view its nature rightly,

Here its guilt may estimate".

Where? At the cross. It is there, Toplady tells us, the believer,

"Pours contempt on

all [his] pride".

And so, if you want to mortify your sins, start by "loading your conscience with their guilt".

To some people, "guilt" is a bad word. But it isn't. Abused, it is a dreadful enemy. But rightly used, it can be a dear friend. But, like the Law, it has to be "used lawfully".

The key words here are "constant" and "longing". The desire for holiness mustn't be "now and then"--but "all the time". The desire can't be a slight wish, but an intense longing. Owen cites Psalm 42:1--"As the deer pants after the water brooks, so my soul pants for you, O God".

He goes on to make an astute observation:

In other words, ordinary desires don't obtain what we want. I make long for riches, but unless I work for them, my cravings will be useless.

But, as for holiness?

In other words: Wanting to be holy has a way of making you holy. The desire to overcome sin, well, overcomes sin.

In short,

Everyone is bent by original sin. But not everyone is bent in the same way. Some people are passionate; others are low-key. Emotional people tend toward what kind of sins? Things like anger and impatience, and overwork, and so on. Slower people aren't bothered much by these, but have real problems with laziness, apathy, and so on.

These weaknesses are not wrong. But they have to be respected. Owen says,

How often have we heard--or even said--"That's the way I am!" That may be true, but so what? The way you are is sinful. The Lord doesn't say, "Accept the way you are", but "mortify the deeds of the body".

These natural weaknesses can only be mortified by special efforts.

Identify your sin. And take extreme measures to overcome it. For example, if you have a drinking problem, maybe you shouldn't go to a restaurant. If you overeat, maybe you shouldn't keep any snack foods around the house. If you can't control your spending, stay away from the mall. If you waste all your time in front of the TV (or computer!) get rid of it.

If this sounds too radical, you ain't heard nothing yet! Our Lord talked about "cutting off right hands" and "plucking out right eyes" if either make you "stumble".

Here, we have to be careful to not judge others. My weaknesses are different than yours. Thus, I can't tell you to avoid movies or stay off the internet, but you have to make these choices for yourself. "All things are lawful, but all things are not expedient".

This is quite a bit like #3, and so I won't say much on it. You know what circumstances stir up your sins. It may be a topic you can't discuss without getting mad (like politics). It may be a home you can't visit without feeling envious. It may be friends you can't keep without gossiping.

If it makes you sin, avoid it. This may not be possible in all cases, but it is in many. To people tempted by false gods, Paul says, "Flee idolatry". Stay as far away from it as you can.

Owen says,

An avalanche can be easily stopped. But not whenever you'd like. Only at the beginning. Sin is the same. The more momentum it has, the harder it is to stop.

Owen makes no bones about it:

Let's review. According to John Owen, if you want to mortify your sins, you must:

This advice, it seems to me, is perfectly agreeable to the Bible and common sense. Maybe Owen organized his thoughts better than you and I would, but--basically--we know all these things, don't we?

Of course we do. But what are we doing about them? Do we just them? Or do we practice them? Remember, it is not "the hearers of the Law who will be justified, but the doers of the Law".

Let's get cracking! Depending on God's Spirit, let us "mortify the deeds of the body...and "live".