Discerning Between God’s Voice and My Own

by | May 17, 2007 | Christian Living

What Owen dealt with in the 17th century is nothing less than the same questions I hear and personally consider on a weekly basis. Here Owen answers hypothetical questions brought up about his directive to make sure we do not speak peace to our hearts too quickly, but wait for God to do it. How shall we know when we go alone ourselves, and when the Spirit also does accompany us? he will not let you always err (123). When God speaks there is not only truth in his words, that may answer the conviction of our understandings, but also they do good; they bring that which is sweet, and good, and desirable to the will and affections; by them the “soul returns unto its rest” (Ps 116:7) (124). We speak peace to ourselves when we do it slightly. Whoever speaks peace to himself upon any one account, and at the same time has another evil of no less importance lying upon is spirit, about which he has had no dealing with God, that man cries ‘Peace’ when there is none (125). When men of themselves speak peace to their consciences, it is seldom that God speak humiliation to their souls. When may we take the comfort of a promise as our own in relation to some peculiar wound, for the quieting the heart? When God speaks it, be it when it will, sooner or later (126). When God speaks it, we must receive it, that is true; but how shall we know when he speaks? There is, if I may so say, a secret instinct in faith, whereby...

Don’t Speak Peace Too Soon

by | May 16, 2007 | Christian Living

Back to Kapic and Taylor’s edition of John Owen’s Of the Mortification of Sin in Believers Chapter 13 Owen’s ninth directive in mortifying sin: Do not speak peace to yourself before God speaks it, but hearken to what God says to your soul. [God] yet reserves this privilege to himself to speak peace to whom he pleases, and in what degree he pleases, even among them on whom he has bestowed grace (119).     As God creates it for whom he pleases, so it is the prerogative of Christ to speak it home to the conscience. Men certainly speak peace to themselves when their so doing is not attended with the greatest detestation imaginable of that sin in reference whereunto they do speak peace to themselves, abhorrency of themselves for it. When men measure out peace to themselves upon the conclusions that their convictions and rational principles will carry them out unto, this is a false peace and will not abide...