Obedience and Seven Deadly Symptoms

Well, my poetry well is running a bit dry.  For some reason or another, Leah came home the other day determined to write several acrostic poems for each month of the year.  She inspired me!  Below is an acrostic for chapter eight of OST, in which Owen maintains that the believer's obedience must be universal: that is, if you determine to mortify one besetting sin while neglecting other Christian duties, your attempts will fail.  Here's a notable quote:

"There are no less sins and evils than that under which you groan.  Jesus Christ bled for them also…If you hate sin as sin, every evil way, you would be no less watchful against everything that grieves and disquiets the Spirit of God, than against that which grieves and disquiets your own soul…Do you think He will ease you of that which perplexes you, that you may be at liberty to that which no less grieves Him?  No.  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.'"

Striking to me was the realization that God sometimes allows us to struggle with particular sins in order to chasten or curb other sins.  For example, Peter’s denial of Jesus chastened his self-confidence; likewise, the "messenger of Satan" that buffeted Paul prevented his pride (2 Cor. 12:7).

O – Occasioned by trouble and fear, and 

B – Bothered by its consequences, a man

E –Exercises himself against a sin.  His attempts are

D - Driven by self-love.  True mortification –

I  - Infused with a hatred of sin as sin –

E – Entertains no thought of a hierarchy of sins, nor is it

N – Negligent to watch against anything that grieves the Spirit of God, to

C – Cleanse the self from all filthiness of flesh and spirit to

E – Engage in an obedience that is universal, deep and wide.

- Sarah Mowery

Owen diverts a bit in chapter nine to address sins that are so deeply-rooted they threaten the very life of one who calls himself a believer.  Sadly, I think each of us has probably experienced some - if not all - of the seven deadly symptoms below.

Seven Deadly Symptoms

Consider the symptoms of your favorite sin

to know if you’re losing the battle that rages within.

Is your sin habitual and deeply-rooted?

     Your sensitivity to God’s chastening is woefully diluted.

Do you claim God’s approval while loving your lust?

     He cures not welcome diseases; they bring him disgust.

Do you apply grace and mercy to a sin never treated?

     Such wounds will soon stink; your judgment be meted.

Does this sin often seduce your inward desires?

     Your immunity’s weak; your condition is dire. 

Do you fight this sin out of fear of pain that may come?
                 What the gospel can’t cure won’t to the law’s treatment succumb.

Does your sickness spawn further disease or affliction?

     God’s allowed further ills so you know your condition.

Do you fail to heed warnings from the Great Physician?

     Only one near to death will not heed admonition.

If these things are true regarding the sin you’ve contracted,

no ordinary prescription will make it be extracted.

- Sarah Mowery