A Fight Worth Picking (Week 5)

The following blog entry is part 5 in a series of blog posts entitled “A Fight Worth Picking,” in which I’m writing about John’s Owen’s Biblical principles for fighting sin in ‘The Mortification of Sin.’  I’ll be referencing Banner of Truth’s 2004 edition, abridged by Richard Rushing.

(If you’d like a detailed outline of Owen’s work, click here.)

John Owen lays out 2 general directions (or rules) and 11 particular directions for mortifying sin.  This week, we’ll look at his 2 general directions.

The first rule – become a Christian.  Mortifying sin is impossible for someone who is not a Christian.  To clarify, a Christian is someone who is devoted to Jesus as his highest King, Savior, and Treasure.  Jesus alone saves me (Savior); Jesus alone rules over me (King); and Jesus alone is the greatest source of my joy (Treasure).  I’m guessing if you’re reading a blog about ‘fighting sin’ you consider yourself a Christian.  But, as Owen would say, make sure.

Is Jesus your King, Savior, and Treasure?  Remember, the validity of your Christianity does not hang on what you do, but on whom you worship.  You’re not a Christian because you’re a good person, you go to church, you like Michael W. Smith, you pray before you eat, you raise your hands in worship, you tithe, you lead Bible studies, you dress modestly, you home-school your children, you only watch PBS (except for specials on evolution), you say ‘God bless you,’ you don’t smoke, drink, or cuss.  The validity of your Christianity hangs on whether or not Jesus is the center of your universe.  Is He the one you submit to?  Is He the one you rest in?  Is He the one you delight in?  Don’t answer quickly.  If you try to fight sin without Jesus you’ll either fail and be devastated or you’ll seemingly succeed and exalt yourself.  Simply put, God does not refine silver (unbelievers), but only gold (believers).

Jeremiah 6:29-30

The bellows blow fiercely; the lead is consumed by the fire;
in vain the refining goes on, for the wicked are not removed.
30 Rejected silver they are called, for the LORD has rejected them."

The second rule – hate all sin.  Do you see all your sin (from minute to massive) as offensive to God and in need of mortification?  Or are you only concerned with those sins that cause you heartache, embarrassment, or shame? 

“We must hate all sin, as sin, and not just that which troubles us.  Love for Christ, because He went to the cross, and hate for sin that sent Him there, is the solid foundation for true spiritual mortification.  To seek mortification only because a sin troubles us proceeds from self-love.” (page 50)

Many are content to leave private sin alone while they invest passion in purging public sin that causes great humiliation.  We must understand that God is equally grieved over our quietest sin.  Sins such as white lies, common gossip, complaining, meddling, and private gluttony all served to further excruciate Christ on the cross.

2 Corinthians 7:1

Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.

Brothers and sisters, let us love only Jesus and hate every sin.