For nearly 350 years, believers have been encouraged to do battle against sin as they have read John Owen’s Christian classic, The Mortification of Sin. Thanks to encouragement from Tim Challies’ influential blog (www.challies.com), that audience was expanded the last few months. Tim invited people to read a given chapter each week, and then the following Thursday would provide his own summary and observations of that section, inviting others to post their reflections and applications as well. It has been a joy to be a part of this virtual book club. Each chapter of The Mortification of Sin is filled with rich truth and practical strategies for “putting sin to death.” Chapter 12 was particularly powerful to me, as Owen encourages the reader to do battle with sin by considering the majesty and glory of God. I found this incredibly helpful! Here is the concluding paragraph of that chapter: “Let us, then, revive the use and intendment of this consideration: Will not a due apprehension of this inconceivable greatness of God, and that infinite distance wherein we stand from him, fill the soul with a holy and awful fear of him, so as to keep it in a frame unsuited to the thriving or flourishing of any lust whatever? Let the soul be continually wonted to reverential thoughts of God’s greatness and omnipresence, and it will be much upon its watch as to any undue deportments. Consider him with whom you have to do, –even ‘our God is a consuming fire;’ and in your greatest abashments at his presence and eye, know that your very nature is too narrow to bear apprehensions suitable to his essential glory.” I would highly recommend the book. And if the language seems a little too archaic (it was written in 1656), a quick Amazon search will return editions that have been put into more readable, modern English. –Pastor Greg
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Gilded Torments