Refiner's Fire

Below is my verse summary of chapter 7 of OST, in which Owen maintains that unbelievers are incapable of mortification because they do not have the Spirit of Christ.  Challies summarized the chapter with this title: "Do Not Expect Unbelievers to Act Like Believers!"  Do you long for the salvation of a family member, friend, or neighbor?  Their conversion must precede the mortification of their sinful deeds.

Refiner’s Fire

Through trial of faith the vessels of grace are by God purified –

and when the dross that dwells within is daily mortified.

This – the task of every saint the Lord has justified.

So do not expect that vessels made of iron, brass, or tin

will want to cease from evil deeds or purge the filth within –

they have not the Spirit of Christ – such work will be in vain.

It is their calling first of all to convert their wicked way:
if they do not, they’ll be consumed on the great judgment day.

The sovereign Smith must make them new before sin will melt away.

For only vessels made of silver and vessels made of gold

will emerge from fiery trial more lovely to behold,

for He who walked the furnace hot will still His saints uphold.  

-Sarah Mowery

Seven excuses and two poems

Well, I've fallen behind on my goal of posting a poem here every week.  This old blog is cold more often than not, but just when I thought I'd decided to take it down, my sister said I shouldn't, if only for the sake of past posts.  (Bless your heart, Val.  :-)

I have seven excuses for my inconsistency - and photographs to prove them.  They are below, in no particular order or number of appearances.  ;-)

"When I wear my striped cap, I'm the engineer..."
(Quoted from I'm Taking a Trip on My Train, one of Eli's favorite books of late.)

This one of several photos we took for cousin Ariana's Flat Stanley project.

Here is my response to John Owen's 5th chapter of Overcoming Sin and Temptation: "What Mortification is Not."  I hope you are able to figure the five things it isn't from the verse below.

Master of Disguise

First, he’d have you believe his Demise is actually a probability

 –which it isn’t, though at times you chose to believe it, scraping

by as you are on your own self-righteousness and quasi-strength.

If playing dead doesn’t work, there’s Dissimulation –slander

masquerades as concern, pride plays as prudence.  You’re convinced

your heart is cleaner, too: in reality, it’s only more cunning.

Then there’s his intent to maintain an appearance of Dignity-

to persuade you that as long as you present a sedate

exterior, wickedness within is of no consequence.

If you rally on one front, he will attack another; you celebrate

at the northern border, only to be conquered from the west,

sin’s servant still – your master has merely Diverted.

At your periodic disgust or pain-fueled determination, he may

withdraw under pretense of defeat; but Discontinuous will strike

as soon as your alert abates, in full strength to seek your death.

-Sarah Mowery

And here is my response to the 6th chapter, in which Owen asserts that mortification consists in a habitual weakening of sin at the root.  This is a very rich chapter.  When it comes to summarizing the depth of the ideas contained therein, my poem lacks.  But here it is, regardless.  (Just a note: the title is a word-play.  "Barabbas" means "son of the father.")

Son of the Father

The old man is crucified – in principle, that is,

which leaves you the task of daily crucifixion.

Oh, your desire will struggle at the first!

He will cry out at the pounding of the nails.

The weight and the writhing when the cross is lifted up

may be more than you think you can bear.

But you must!  Listen, listen -

his cries grow hoarse, he gasps for breath.

Yet his dying pangs may be fierce: be strong!

This, your assignment every day,

lest Barabbas return, to murder in your streets.

-Sarah Mowery

Liar, Liar

It is a conversation that I dread:

                “Do not lie to me.”

                “I’m not lying, Mom!”

                “But I think you are lying.”

                “No, Mom, I’m not!  I promise I’m not!”

                Last spring our Ladies’ Bible discussion group tackled the topic of lying.  I went looking for advice from other moms regarding how they discipline their children when they suspect them of lying.  What does one do when she suspects that her child is lying, but the son or daughter insists that he or she is not?  We discussed that briefly that morning, but most of our time was spent discussing lying in a broader sense.  I left Bible study convicted of the lies that I tell myself, lies that I believe.

                Our pastor pointed out that at the root of every sin is pride.  That pride comes to expression in the form of a lie.  At the very heart, that lie is the lie that Satan believed of himself: “I will be like the Most High” (Is. 14:14b).  It is the lie with which He tempted Eve, and through Eve, Adam: “Ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil” (Gen 3:5b).  It is the lie the Old Testament Israelites believed when “every man did that which was right in his own eyes” (Judges 21:25).  It is the lie that we believe every time we sin.  For every time we break one of the Ten Commandments, we demonstrate that we have a god whom we worship before the one, true God.  The name of our god?  Self.  At the root of every sin is our belief that we have the right to be God and determine for ourselves what we may or may not do, what is good and what is evil.

                When we dishonor those who are in authority over us – government officials, office bearers in the church, parents, teachers, husbands – we believe this lie:  They don’t deserve my respect.  After all, I could fill their position more ably than they do.  We deny that he who resists the powers that be resists the ordinance of God (Rom. 13:2).

When we steal – possessions from our neighbor, time from our employer, wages from our employees – we believe this lie:  Those possessions, time, and wages are rightfully mine!  I have more need of this thing or that money than they do!  We deny that we will appear before the judgment seat of Christ and answer for everything that we have done (2 Cor. 5:10).

When we gossip or slander, we believe this lie:  My chit-chat is harmless.  We deny the truth that the tongue is a little flame that is capable of igniting a great fire (James 3:2-13).  We deny that we will give account for every idle word that we have spoken (Matt. 12:36). 

 When we covet – another’s house, another’s spouse, another’s looks, or another’s life – we believe this lie:  As long as I’m not doing anything outward, it’s not sin.  I can’t be condemned for my thoughts.  We deny that while men look on the outward appearance, the Lord looks at the heart (1 Sam. 16:7).  We reject the truth that each of us is fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14).  We deny God the right to providentially direct every detail of our lives.

                When we allow ourselves to wallow in self-pity or discontent, we believe the lie that we have not been given self-control and its accompanying fruits: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, and meekness (Gal. 5:22).

                Our pastor consented that it is difficult to discipline our children when we suspect them of lying, but he encouraged us to discipline them for lying as if it is most the serious sin they could ever commit.  Why?  Because at the root of every sin, there is a lie.  The Lord hates the lying tongue (Prov. 6:16-19), and all liars shall have their part in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone (Rev. 21:8).  We must guard our own hearts and the hearts of our children from the lie by nurturing them with the truth.  Read the Bible daily, and be constant in prayer.  Ask the Lord to set a watch before the door of your mouth and the door of your heart (Psalm 141:3).  For there is no hope for the one who believes the lies that he tells himself. 

This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:

And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.

He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.

1 John 1:5 – 2:5