I didn’t quit reading, I just got way behind on writing the RCT posts. I started one each week and then abandoned it. So, this is a pasted together post of all the other posts.

Chapter 7
Owen explains that there are some general principles without which no sin will ever be mortified. The first is “There will be no mortification unless a man be a believer.” Why? “Because they seek it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law” (Romans 9:31-32). Without the Spirit, we cannot mortify sin. Owen writes that we ought not focus on fighting one particular sin, and thus think ourselves born again (or something like that). Rather, he writes that we need to first be certain of a true conversion, a sincere interest in Christ, before attempting anything like mortifying sin. (If you’ve read the book, and I’ve misunderstood Owen (which is entirely possible), then please let me know and set me aright). Owen writes that I, my very self, am sin. It’s not just something I “do.” It’s who I am. And until I get that fact and the hope of the gospel straight, I cannot begin to fight sin. Again, it’s not about fighting a particular sin. Doing so may only make me a hypocrite. I have to go after Christ. Then he takes me to the root of sin. This is very interesting. I’m not sure I’m getting it, but it’s interesting.

Chapter 8
The second principle to explain before moving on to the task of mortification is that “there will be no mortification of any sin without sincerity and diligence in a universality of obedience.” Owen explains it better than I,

A man finds any lust to bring him into the condition formerly described; it is powerful, strong, tumultuating, leads captive, vexes, disquiets, takes away peace; he is not able to bear it; wherefore he sets himself against it, prays against it, groans under it, sighs to be delivered: but in the meantime, perhaps, in other duties–in constant communion with God–in reading, prayer, and meditation–in other ways that are not of the same kind with the lust wherewith he is troubled–he is loose and negligent. Let not that man think that ever he shall arrive to the mortification of the lust he is perplexed with…[E]very lust, every omission of duty, is burdensome to God.

Chapter 9
Apparently, some lusts are worse than others. There are some accompanied by dangerous symptoms and Owen says we must consider whether our lusts have them. The first dangerous symptom is inveterateness, or the state of being hardened, habitual, and/or deep-rooted. If your lust has this one, it’s going to take some radical mortification work.

The second is “secret pleas of the heart for the countenancing of itself without a vigorous gospel attempt for its mortification.” That happens when we are convicted of sin and, rather than seeking to destroy the sin with the gospel, we look inward to determine if there is any good quality about us so that we can excuse our sin. Owen offers the example of Naaman in 2 Kings 5:18, “In all other things I will walk with God, but in this thing, God be merciful unto me.”

A third dangerous symptom is exhibited when a sin is successful in seducing us. We may not act on the temptation, but the thought of doing it brings delight.

A sign that sin has taken great possession of the will is seen when a

man rights against his sin only with arguments from the issue or the punishment due unto it. Such a man as opposes nothing to the seduction of sin and lust in his heart but fear of shame among men or hell from God, is sufficiently resolved to do the sin if there were no punishment attending it; which, what it differs from living in the practice of sin, I know not.

We ought to fight with the weapons of the gospel rather than the fear of shame and punishment.

A fifth dangerous symptom: “When your lust has already withstood particular dealings from God against it.”

And now Owen comes to particular directions for the mortification of sin.
#1 Consider whether the lust or sin you are contending with has any of these dangerous symptoms attending of it.

Um, yes. Yes, I do contend with sin attended by these dangerous symptoms.

Chapter 10
#2 “Get a clear and abiding sense upon your mind and conscience of the guilt, danger, and evil of your sin.”

• Consider your guilt in tolerating indwelling sin
• Consider the danger of being hardened by deceitfulness
• Consider the danger of some great temporal correction (from God), such as the loss of peace and strength all of man’s days, and eternal destruction
• Consider the evil of sin, how it grieves the Holy Spirit, that Jesus Christ is wounded afresh by it, and that it will take away a man’s usefulness in his generation

Owen writes in such a way as to provoke the hearts and minds of his readers to desire to live a life worthy of Christ and His indwelling Spirit. Owen successfully drives home his point that nothing good is going to come to you from God as long as you tolerate habitual sin. And one way to fight it is to always keep in mind the guilt, danger, and evil of sin. If we do not keep these things in mind in an effort to keep sin in check, then the power of sin will grow into a terrible influence in our souls. Owen says we are to consider these things until the truth of them causes us to tremble in our souls.

Chapter 11
#3 Load your conscience with the guilt of sin.

Well, that statement right there just flies in the face of all the popular books at the local Christian bookstore! It seems as if the last thing this generation of authors wants us to do is load our consciences with guilt.

Owen gives specific directions for doing this:

• “Bring the holy law of God into your conscience, lay your corruption to it, pray that you may be affected with it. Be much, I say, in affecting your conscience with the terror of the Lord in the law, and how righteous it is that every one of your transgressions should receive a recompense of reward.” Owen goes on to say that we ought not fool ourselves into believing that we are free from the condemning power of the law nor that we do not have to conform to it. If you ever tell your conscience that you are free from the condemning power of the law while you secretly harbor unmortified sin in your heart, then you cannot possibly use the gospel as a grounds to believe you have any “tolerable spiritual security.” You are pretending with yourself that you do not have to deal with sin when it is shown you in God’s law. To do so demonstrates the hardness and deceitfulness of sin in your heart.
• “Bring your lust to the gospel–not for relief, but for further conviction of its guilt.” Owen writes that we need to give thoughtful consideration to the blood of Christ spilled for our cleansing and whether we would spurn that precious gift in favor of sin. We ought to meditate on the blessings of God in Christ and so let them aggravate our guilt. He writes, “If this make it not sink in some measure and melt, I fear your case is dangerous.”
• Consider the infinite patience and forbearance of God toward you in particular.
• Consider all God’s gracious dealings with you.

#4 Constantly long and breathe after deliverance from the power of sin
Longing for deliverance from sin is a grace in itself. And Owen says that many times we become that which we long for. We must follow the example of David in the Psalms to long, desire, and pant, and sigh, and cry out for deliverance from the power of sin and presence of God in our lives.

#5 Consider whether the distemper is rooted in your nature and increased by your constitution
“A proneness to some sins may doubtless lie in the natural temper and disposition of men.” When we see that this is the case, we cannot use it as an excuse to sin. Rather we must discipline our bodies, like Paul says he does in 1 Corinthians 9:27. Owen writes that we can use various spiritual helps such as fasting and watching, etc., but with the understanding that these disciplines are not a power in themselves. Only the Holy Spirit can mortify sin in a regenerated person.

#6 Consider the occasions and advantages your distemper has taken to exert and put forth itself, and watch against them
In my case, I know that if I do not get enough sleep, if I do not eat right, if I do not get any exercise, if I watch certain programs on television, etc., then I am opening the doors for my nature. If I neglect certain things like prayer and scripture meditation and journaling, then I am opening a door for my nature to take over.

#7 Rise mightily against the first actings and conceptions of your distemper
Here Owen says that we cannot afford to allow sin to take one step. We cannot “play” with it for one instance, otherwise it will completely take over. That is its desire–to have you. Owen reminds us of James’ teaching that we must conquer sin at the first thoughts of it. We cannot allow it to grow and carry us on to its completion.