The Bible is God’s word. Therefore, it is profound. How could it not be? God inspired it. He understands himself and the human heart infinitely. He is not playing games with us. He really means to communicate the profoundest things about sin and hell and heaven and Christ and faith and salvation and holiness and death.
Paul does not sing out in vain, “Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!” (Rom. 11:33).
No.
He summons us to stop settling for pop culture and to learn what the Bible really has to say about the imponderable depths of sin and grace.
Owen is especially worthy of our attention because he is shocking in his insights. That is my impression again and again. He shocks me out of my platitudinous ways of thinking about God and man. Here are a few random recollections from what you are (I hope) about to read. You will find others on your own.
“There is no death of sin without the death of Christ”[i].
Owen loves the cross and knows what happened there better than anyone I have read. The battle with sin that you are about to read about is no superficial technique of behavior modification. It is a profound dealing with what was accomplished on the cross in relation to the supernatural working of the Holy Spirit through the deep and wonderful mysteries of faith.
“To kill sin is the work of living men; where men are dead (as all unbelievers, the best of them, are dead), sin is alive, and will live”[ii].
Oh, the pastoral insights that emerge from Owen! As here: If you are fighting sin, you are alive. Take heart. But if sin holds sway unopposed, you are dead no matter how lively this sin makes you feel. Take heart, embattled saint!
“God says, ‘Here is one, if he could be rid of this lust I should never hear of him more; let him wrestle with this, or he is lost’”[iii].
Astonishing! God ordains to leave a lust with me till I become the sort of warrior who will still seek his aid when this victory is won. God knows when we can bear the triumphs of his grace.
“Is there the guilt of any great sin lying upon you unrepented of? A new sin may be permitted, as well as a new affliction sent, to bring an old sin to remembrance”[iv].
What? God ordains that we be tested by another sin so that an old one might be better known and fought? Sin is one of God’s weapons against sin?
“The difference between believers and unbelievers as to knowledge is not so much in the matter of their knowledge as in the manner of knowing. Unbelievers, some of them, may know more and be able to say more of God, his perfections, and his will, than many believers; but they know nothing as they ought, nothing in a right manner, nothing spiritually and savingly, nothing with a holy, heavenly light. The excellency of a believer is, not that he has a large apprehension of things, but that what he does apprehend, which perhaps may be very little, he sees it in the light of the Spirit of God, in a saving, soul-transforming light; and this is that which gives us communion with God, and not prying thoughts or curious-raised notions”[v].
How then will we labor to help people know much and know it “in a right manner”?
What is that?
“[Christ] is the head from whence the new man must have influences of life and strength, or it will decay every day”[vi].
Oh, that our people would feel the urgency of daily supplies of grace because “grace decays.” Do they know this? Is it a category in their mind—that grace decays? How many try to live their lives on automatic pilot with no sense of urgency that means of grace are given so that the riches of Christ may daily be obtained with fresh supplies of grace.
The list could go on and on. For me, to read Owen is to wake up to ways of seeing that are so clearly biblical that I wonder how I could have been so blind. May that be your joyful experience as well.
—John Piper, Foreword: Overcoming Sin and Temptation (Wheaton, Illinois: Crossway, 2006)
Read the whole of this most edifying work on Christian Sanctification, mortification of sin and holy living, here. If you’ve found great help in John Owen’s Mortification of Sin, I am persuaded that you would find the same in this work, if not more so. It is my hope and prayer that it would lead you ever close to the Lord Christ Jesus as you tread the Pilgrim’s life of holiness for the glory of God.
P.S. Kelly Kapic and Justin Taylor has done an awesome job in this. I’m sure you would appreciate it as much as I have.
Just wondering where you live? We would be glad to send you some free materials that would be a blessing. We supply the books for the Book Giveaway to the Reformed Voices site.
Just let us know,
Mona & Charles Leiter
Hello! Wow, what a tremendous privilege!
I live in the Philippines (Which is why I can't join the ReformedVoices Book giveaways—but then I would like to say a great thank you for your endeavors in making the God of the Bible be known through the books you provide. It's such an immense blessing.)
I know how shipping costs are and they could be a pain, but the thoughts and intentions are taken into heart and I give you my sincere gratitude.
You can contact me also at jm@newdemonstration.com