“Heart-work is hard work indeed. To shuffle over religious duties with a loose and careless spirit, will cost no great difficulties; but to set yourself before the Lord, and to tie up your loose and vain thoughts to a constant and serious attendance upon him: this will cost you something. To attain ease and dexterity of language in prayer and to be able to put your meaning into appropriate and fitting expressions is easy; but to get your heart broken for sin while you are actually confessing it; melted with free grace even while you are blessing God for it; to be really ashamed and humbled through the awareness of God’s infinite holiness, and to keep your heart in this state not only in, but after these duties, will surely cost you some groans and travailing pain of soul.”

Just a few random thoughts on Joel Osteen’s drivel. A Section from Chapter 1 of Joel Osteen’s “Your Best Life Now”. 

  Chapter One Enlarging Your Vision 

I heard a story about a man on vacation in Hawaii with his wife. He was a good man who had achieved a modest measure of success, but he was coasting along, thinking that he’d already reached his limits in life. One day, a friend was driving the couple around the island, showing them the sights. They stopped to admire a gorgeous house set high on a hill. The property was replete with beautiful palm trees and lush green gardens in a picturesque, peaceful setting with a panoramic view overlooking the ocean. As the man gazed at the magnificent home, he commented to his wife and friend, “I can’t even imagine living in a place like that.” Right there, something inside him said, Don’t worry. You won’t. You will never live in a great place like that. Startled at his own thoughts, he asked himself, What do you mean? As long as you can’t imagine it, as long as you can’t see it, then it is not going to happen for you. The man correctly realized that his own thoughts and attitudes were condemning him to mediocrity. He determined then and there to start believing better of himself, and believing better of God.

In classic Osteen style, Joel starts out with an anecdote. “The man correctly realized that his own thoughts and attitudes were condemning him to mediocrity.” Hmm…let me ask, “Who defines mediocrity?” What if I don’t like hills? What if I hate palm trees and gardens? What if I hate the ocean? What if I like my one room log cabin in Colorado on the river? Is that mediocrity? Not for me!

It’s the same way with us. We have to conceive it on the inside before we’re ever going to receive it on the outside.

Not true. I didn’t “receive” my salvation firstly because of some inner conception derived in and of and by myself. God determined long ago that I would receive this salvation. Blessed be His Name.

If you don’t think you can have something good, then you never will. The barrier is in your mind.

What is this garbage? Please define “good”, Mr. Osteen. The barrier is not in my mind, but in God’s will. His boundaries are for my good and His glory. He may never want me to own a “gorgeous house”. He may want me to ride a bike for the rest of my life. He MAY BE TEACHING ME something through my trials. “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you face trials of various kinds…” (James 1). Or what of, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made known in weakness.”

It’s not God’s lack of resources or your lack of talent that prevents you from prospering. Your own wrong thinking can keep you from God’s best.

I’m getting sick now.

You, too, may have assumed that you’ve already peaked, that you’ve reached your limits in life, that you will never be more successful. I’ll never achieve significance, do something meaningful, or enjoy the good things in life that I’ve seen others enjoy. Sad to say, you are exactly right … unless you are willing to change your thinking. That’s why the first step to living at your full potential is to enlarge your vision. To live your best life now, you must start looking at life through eyes of faith, seeing yourself rising to new levels.

Why must everything be “prosperous” from the eyes of man? What if achieving significance means martyrdom, persecution, or affliction? What, then, Mr. Osteen? Will your positive prosperity theology give me solace and comfort? Let me say, “new levels” doesn’t necessarily mean “higher” levels in the sense you might think, Mr. Osteen.

See your business taking off. See your marriage restored. See your family prospering. See your dreams coming to pass. You must conceive it and believe it is possible if you ever hope to experience it.

See your business go under. See your marriage ripped apart. See your family dying with sickness and disease. See your dreams fade like a vapor in the wind. You must concede that these things can very well happen, and you must prepare to worship God despite such occurrences. “The Lord makes everything for its purpose. Even the wicked for the day of doom”—Proverbs 16. Mr. Osteen, when things seem to be all “wrong”, what then do we do with your shallow words? God have mercy on the souls of those who’ve fallen prey to your deception…your wolf-like deception in sheep’s clothing.

To conceive it, you must have an image on the inside of the life you want to live on the outside. This image has to become a part of you, in your thoughts, your conversation, deep down in your subconscious mind, in your actions, in every part of your being.

“Delight yourselves in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.” –Psalm 37:4. There’s an order there. It’s not, “Conceive on the inside, what you want to live outwardly and God will bless it. You’re limited by your thoughts.” Where’s submission to the Lord Almighty found? Not in your “gospel”, Mr. Osteen.

Envision Your Success From the time she was a little girl, Tara Holland dreamed of becoming Miss America. In 1994, she entered the Miss Florida pageant and won the title of first runner-up. She decided to try again the following year. She entered the same contest, and once again, won the prize as first runner-up. Tara was tempted to get down and discouraged, but she didn’t do that. She stayed focused on her goal. She decided she needed to change her environment, so she moved to Kansas, and in 1997, she entered the Miss Kansas pageant and won the title. That same year, she went on to be crowned Miss America. Tara Holland saw her dream come to pass. In an interview after the pageant, someone asked Tara the secret to her success. She admitted that after she had lost twice in a row at the state-level competitions, she had been tempted to give up, but instead she went out and rented dozens of videos of local pageants, state pageants, Miss Teen, Miss Universe, Miss World-whatever she could find. She rented hundreds of videos of various pageants and watched them over and over again. As Tara watched each young woman crowned a winner, she pictured herself in that situation. She pictured herself receiving the crown. She pictured herself walking down the runway in victory. Time and time again she envisioned herself winning. Seeing herself as a winner, said Tara, was the key to her success. Another reporter asked her if she was nervous walking down the runway in front of millions of people watching on television and with the announcer singing the famous Miss America song. Tara’s response was interesting. “No, I wasn’t nervous at all,” she said. “You see, I had walked down that runway thousands of times before.” Have you ever walked down that runway? Have you ever seen yourself accomplishing your dreams? Do you keep that vision of victory in front of you? Tara Holland knew she would never be a winner until she first saw herself as a winner. She had to reprogram her mind, to rid herself as much as possible of the hurtful memories of losing. She had to replace that vision in her mind of herself as Miss Runner-up. She had to develop a can-do attitude. She saw herself stepping onto the winner’s platform. She saw herself walking down that runway in victory. She created an environment of faith and success.

Where do the Scriptures tie in, Mr. Osteen? Did her positive thinking accomplish all of this? Are you suggesting that we treat our Christian lives like a beauty pageant? If so, we’ve all lost. We can only be made beautiful by the imputed righteousness of our Lord Jesus Christ. What a shame…

What you keep before your eyes will affect you. You will produce what you’re continually seeing in your mind. If you foster an image of defeat and failure, then you’re going to live that kind of life. But if you develop an image of victory, success, health, abundance, joy, peace, and happiness, nothing on earth will be able to hold those things from you.

Is anyone else noticing all of the psychological can do found herein? This is absolutely sickening. A “minister” of the Word, and this is what comes out? Can you imagine the Apostle Paul preaching such? Peter? John? JESUS???!!!?

Too many times we get stuck in a rut, thinking we’ve reached our limits. We don’t really stretch our faith; we don’t believe for anything bigger. But God wants us to constantly be increasing, to be rising to new heights.

Oh, really? Well sheesh, Joseph! Sheesh, Job! Sheesh, Paul, Peter! Sheesh, John, you weren’t supposed to end up at Patmos! You should’ve thought more positively! And those evil end times…if we would just think more positively…well, people wouldn’t want to hear what their itching ears want to hear, etc.

He wants to increase you in His wisdom and help you to make better decisions.

Yeah…His kind of wisdom. That which is foolishness and a stumbling block to those who are perishing.

God wants to increase you financially, by giving you promotions, fresh ideas, and creativity.

If Paul had only known!

The Scripture says that God wants to pour out “His far and beyond favor.” God wants this to be the best time of your life. But if you are going to receive this favor, you must enlarge your vision. You can’t go around thinking negative, defeated, limiting thoughts. Well, I’ve gone as far as my education will allow. Or, I’ve had this sickness for years. I guess it’s my lot in life.

Where?

To experience this immeasurable favor, you must rid yourself of that small-minded thinking and start expecting God’s blessings, start anticipating promotion and supernatural increase. You must conceive it in your heart and mind before you can receive it. In other words, you must make room for increase in your own thinking, then God will bring those things to pass. Until you learn how to enlarge your vision, seeing the future through your eyes of faith, your own wrong thinking will prevent good things from happening in your life. God will not pour fresh, creative ideas and blessings into old attitudes.

How presumptuous! God forgive any of us for believing such foolishness!

I just can’t waste any more typing about this nonsense.

So I found my copy of Owen’s Mortification and figured I’d contribute. This particular chapter has several of my favorite quotes from the whole work. Dr. Owen lays out several principles in this chapter summized as follows:

1. Mortification is the duty of all believers (He remarks the “best” and “choicest” of believers to show that the duty is not merely for those who might be considered “weak” Christians, but for all believers).

2. Indwelling sin always abides until the state of eternal glorification.

3. The activity of indwelling sin in the lives of believers.

4. Its fruitfulness and tendency

5. The Spirit and new nature given to fight abiding sin.

6. The dangers of neglecting the duty of mortification

Outline:

I. That the choicest believers, who are assuredly freeed from the condemning power of sin, ought yet to make it their business all their days to mortify the indwelling power of sin.

A. Indwelling sin always abides whilst in this world.

B. Not only does it abide, but it is still very much active.

C. Not only is it still active, but if mortification thereof is neglected it will bring forth great, cursed, scandolous, soul-destroying sins.

D. The aformentioned subpoints are one primary reason we have been given the Spirit and new nature-a way to oppose and fight the power of indwelling sin.

E. Negligence in the duty of constant mortification casts the soul into a perfect contrary condition to that which the apostle affirms was his, 2 Cor iv.16, “Though our outward man perish, yet te inward man is renewed day by day.” Owen says further:

Sin is as the house of David, and grace as the house of Saul. Exercise and success are the two main cherishers of grace in the heart; when it is suffered to lie still, it withers and decays: the things of it are ready to die, Rev. iii.2; and sin gets ground towards the hardening of the heart, Heb. iii.13. This that which I intend: by the omission of this duty gace withers, lust flourisheth, and the frame of the heart grows worse and wordse; and the Lord knows what desperate and fearful issues it hath had with many. Where sin, through the neglect of mortification, gets a considerable victory, it breaks the bones of the soul, Ps. xxxi.24; and when poor creatures will take blow after blow, wound after wound, foil after foil, and never rouse up themselves to a vigorous opposition, can they expect any thing but to be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin, and that their souls should bleed to death?

F. You cannot perform the duties of “perfecting holiness in the fear of God” or “growing in grace” without the daily duty of mortifying sin.

End Outline

There’s more to chapter 2, but this time we will limit ourselves to this first portion I’ve presented. Again, as I’ve hopefully properly conveyed before, I’m not trying to (nor am I capable of) enhancing what John Owen has written concerning the subject. Any attempt on my part would be quite futile. However, if by my commenting on his work will encourage, motivate, or persuade other Christians to read Dr. Owen’s contributions, I will have succeeded, as far as I am concerned.

The main argument Dr. Owen is making is that even the ‘best’ of believers are in need of constantly giving attention to the duty of mortification. He gives several reasons why this is so. In a sense, some believers are stronger than others, whether it be in areas of strength, maturity, etc. However, here Dr. Owen makes the point that regardless of one’s maturation (or lack thereof), he ought always be mindful of indwelling sin because all Christians, whether “strong” or “weak” are subject to their own indwelling sin.

That being the case, Christians of all stripes ought need never think their “faith” is so strong as to overcome sin in this lifetime. That being so, they should know that indwelling sin, thought it cannot condemn the Christian to hell, still very much abides, and is active. If this indwelling sin is not met with another active force, namely mortification, it will bring scandal, lack of assurance, and other terrible things in the life of the believer. See the extended quote above from Owen’s Work.

Thus, we have been given the Spirit to comfort, strengthen, and guide us in our fight against sin, along with the new nature, which is not, nor can it be ruled by sin. Knowing that we possess these gifts, we ought never be found negligent in the daily duty of mortifying those things which cause us to transgress God’s law or cause us to not conform to it. If we wish to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to grow in our holiness, we must also be active in mortifying our sin. May God give us new vigor in daily recognizing, confessing, hating, and mortifying the sins which nailed His Son to His cross…His cross that should have been ours. Blessed be the Name of the Lord!

Chapter 1

Basically, in the preface of Owen’s book, we have established the reasons for which he published the work:

1) The easy believism that had so prevailed upon professing believers of his day and age (not too different from those of our own day, I’m sure).

2) The false method of mortification which led to a perfectionism and a works-based salvation, which was a major assault on the doctrine of Sola Fide (Justification by Faith Alone).

Now we begin this book of immense practical value in the life of the believer and of great need of immediate application in my own life. As we begin, let us pray:

God, make me know and understand the true sinfulness of my own sin and its utter despicableness before you, never casting it off lightly, as if it cost You little. I know my sin and it is ever before me, now let me be resensitized to its great rebellion against You, that I may actively pursue the mortification thereof and the pursuit of holiness. I confess my need of not only your pardon, but also your restraining grace which leads me not into temptation. Have mercy on this wretch, O Lord.

The reason I am wanting to outline Owen’s chapters is because of the need for application in our lives. By studying the outline form we can place a “quick-reference” guide, if you will, into our minds in time of need. You say, “Well, Josh, that’s why we have the Holy Spirit, for the application of Scripture in times of need.” And to such I would agree whole-heartedly. However, Owen’s words gives us systematized stratagem in our war against indwelling sin because this is, in fact, exegesis of the very Scriptures that the Holy Spirit brings to mind in times of trouble, trial, and temptation. Take it to heart, readers.

Scripture Text:

Romans 8:13b If ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body ye shall live.

Excerpt from The Mortification of Sin (Chapter 1)

In the words peculiarly designed for the foundation of the ensuing discourse there is, -

-First, A duty prescribed: “Mortify the deeds of the body.”
-Secondly, The persona are denoted to whom it is prescribed: “Ye,”–”If ye mortify.”
-Thirdly, There is in them a promise annexed to that duty: “Ye shall live.”
-Fourthly, The cause or means of the performance of this duty, –the Spirit: “If ye through the Spirit.”
-Fifthly, The conditionality of the whole proposition, wherein duty, means, and promise are contained: “If ye,” etc.

Just to note, if you’re following along in the book, you’ll notice that Owen sets up his extrapolation of his aforementioned principles chronologically different in the actual chapter. I will be outlining according to the above standards.

Outline

I. The Duty: Mortify the deeds of the body

A. The terms body and flesh are interchangeable.

1. Body and flesh in this particular case are speaking of indwelling sin, the sin nature, the “old man”. It is the outworking of the depravity of man in unbelievers, but that which wars with the Spirit in unbelievers.

B. The deeds of the body.

1. These are those actions which result as fruition of not dealing with the root of the problems. So, in saying that, Paul is also speaking of the root, then. Why? Because “the deeds of the flesh are to be mortified in their causes, from whence they spring.”

C. To mortify.

1. “Indwelling sin is compared to a person, a living person, called ‘the old man,’ with his faculties, and properties, his wisdom, craft, subtlety, strength; this, says the apostle, must be killed, put to death, mortified, — that is, have its power, life, vigour, and strength, to produce its effects, taken away by the Spirit.

II. To Whom this Duty is Prescribed: “Ye”

A. Namely, believers. Those who are under no condemnation (verse 1).

B. Duty is impossible for any others (See IV) to perform.

-With these first 2 points (Duty and Persons addressed) this proposition is made:

The choicest believers, who are assuredly freed from the condemning power of sin, ought yet to make it their business all their days to mortify the indwelling power of sin.

III. The Promise: “Ye shall live”

A. The Antithesis: (v. 13a)

1. 13 …if you live according to the flesh you will die

B. Not just speaking of the eternal state, but the quality of temporary life. Consider:

1. I Thess 3:8 For now we live, if you are standing fast in the Lord.

-So we see: The vigour, and power, and comfort of our spiritual life depends on the mortification of the deeds of the flesh.

IV. The Cause/Means of Mortification: “If by the Spirit”

A. The Spirit of Christ (v.11), of God, that “dwells in us” (v. 9), etc. True effective mortification must be by the Spirit of God.

B. All other ways are futile, which is why, as mentioned in II, it was noted that only believers are prescribed in this duty, for the purposes of holiness, assurance, and sanctification.

-Concerning this point, Owen says, like in the second portion of his preface:

Mortification from a self-strength, carried on by ways of self-invention, unto the end of a self-righteousness, is the soul and substance of all false religion in the world.

V. The Conditionality of the Proposition: “But if”, denoting one of two things:

A. The uncertainty of the fruition of the promise, to whom the duty is prescribed.

1. This cannot be the case in v. 13, since the people addressed are believers, those who are not under condemnation.

or

B. The certainty of the connection that is between the condition and the promise.

1. Quote: …we say to a sick man, “If you will take such a potion, or use such a remedy, you will be well.” The thing we solely intend to express is the certainty of the connection that is between the potion or remedy and health. And this is the use of it here. The certain connection is that between the mortifying of the deeds of the body and living in this conditional particle.

-That being said, Dr. Owen qualifies, noting that the means (mortification) and end (life) is “not of cause and effect properly and strictly”, rightly recognizing that eternal life was purchased for the believer by the merits of Christ alone and His righteousness imputed into us, but that mortification is that means which he has appointed for such an end.

- If you use this means, you shall obtain that end; if you do mortify, you shall live.

End Outline.

I, by no means, intend to imply that I am, in any way, capable of improving upon Dr. Owen’s work. Rather, I’m sort of sifting through, sloppily posting my own thoughts. So if, in any way, God wishes to direct one who is not familiar with the Puritans or Dr. Owen, maybe this will point in that direction.

In chapter 1, Dr. Owen lays out the exposition of the passage. All of this can be seen in the outline, and even more so, I’d encourage you to read along, taking in all the details he so articulately lays out. Paul has been setting up for this discourse throughout the first chapters of Romans by teaching about the law, the fall, and the sin of man. However, he has just started a chapter which gives hope. “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (Rom 8:1). That being the case, since such a truth is so wonderful and great, how much more ought we seek to honor the Lord Jesus with our lives. Those of us who are no longer under condemnation, the result should be this: mortification of sin, sanctification, pursuit of holiness, etc.

So the audience is the Christian. In thinking along the lines of his second preface statement, we see that an assault on justification by faith alone is exemplified in the idea that man can merit himself before God by a self-wrought mortification. If you think of today’s culture, you realize that many professing Christians are caught in the lie that, in order to retain their salvation, they must work feverishly. The problem with most is this: they are not doing so “by the Spirit”. Christ’s yoke is easy, His burden is light. Yes! we must be diligent in the things of God. Yes! we must fight temptation, trials, and hardships. But we must do so “by the Spirit of God”.

Thus, Dr. Owen is quick to show that this war of mortification is for the believer, not the unbeliever. We must never encourage an unbeliever to “clean his life up” before casting himself at the mercy of Christ. Such an admonition denotes that he might earn God’s favor with his filthy rags. No! We must preach the law of God, and the man’s transgression thereof, and that his only hope. . .his only prayer is to realize his absolute destitution and inability to save himself and throw himself at the feet of the Almighty God with a broken, contrite, and repentant heart. Then, and only then, can this man, “by the Spirit”, clean up his life.

In the last entry I established the first reason Dr. Owen gave for publishing his work. Today, we’ll look at the second.

Preface 1b

1.  
   1.  
      1.  
         i. superstition
         ii. self-righteousness
         iii. anxiety of conscience in those who try to carry such an operation out.

      -such a burden produces         

   1. Ignorance of both the gospel and the efficacy of Christ’s death (i.e Justification) as can be seen in their:         2. Imposition of the yoke of self-wrought-mortification that none could bear.

B. The Observation of Some Men’s Dangerous Mistakes Concerning the Method of Mortification. These mistakes being due to:         

So, in essence, there are 2 reasons he has written the book. And like any good pastor, his reasons are borne from necessity. Not only did he see the foolishness of the culture’s easy-believism…the kind of “faith” that would send them straight to hell, but he also saw the need to warn those who trusted in themselves for righteousness and mortification.

In some form or another, this perfectionism has been seen in the likes of the teachings of Jonathan Wesley and Charles Grandison Finney. It is a misunderstanding of the purpose, power, and provision of Christ’s death on the cross. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not mixing justification and sanctification here. But that is the very error that can come out of such a lifestyle of self-mortification.

Owen is not arguing for the believer to not put forth effort in their mortification (as seen in his first reason given for publishing), but he’s arguing for the right understanding of the roles men play in their own sanctification. You see, his two reasons for publishing the work are the two extremes that he found in his time were most prevalent. And we also see these 2 extremes prevalent today.

How do we differentiate and distinguish? Dr. Owen shall give us some guidelines. Let us take the initiative in mortifying the deeds of the flesh and to be always watching, always vigiliant against the devil. For such an endeavor as we are about to execute, temptation may be all the more present, trials may be all the more painful, and persecution may be all the more difficult.