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Online! | | The mortifying of your darling sins -brooks | |
[b]The mortifying of your darling sins[/b]
(Thomas Brooks, "Heaven on Earth" 1667)
Most professing Christians have not the right art of
mortifying sin. All their attempts are to hide a lust,
not to quench it.
A great motive to provoke you to the mortifying of
your darling sins, is solemnly to consider, that the
conquest and effectual mortifying of one bosom sin,
will yield a Christian more glorious joy, comfort, and
peace--than ever he has found in the gratifying and
committing of all other sins.
The pleasure and sweetness which follows victory over
sin, is a thousand times beyond that seeming sweetness
which is in the gratifying of sin. The joy which attends
the subduing of sin--is a noble joy, a pure joy, a special
joy, an increasing joy, and a lasting joy. But that joy
which attends the committing of sin--is an ignoble joy,
a corrupt joy, a decreasing joy, a dying joy.
The truth is--if there were the least real joy in sin, there
could be no hell-torments, where men shall most totally
sin, and be most totally tormented with their sin.
Ah! Christians, be restless, until, in the spirit and power
of Jesus, you have brought under control, that sin which
sticks so close unto you!
Remember this, nothing below the conquest of bosom
sins can make a jubilee in the heart. It is not a man's
whining and complaining over sin--but his mortifying
of sin, which will make his life a paradise of pleasure!
If, notwithstanding all that has been said, you are still
resolved to dally with sin, then you must resolve to live
as a stranger to God; you must expect sad trials without,
and sore troubles within; this shall be your just wages
for playing with sin! If you like the wages, then dally
with sin still; if otherwise, then sacrifice your Isaac!
Ah! souls, of all unpardoned sins, your bosom sins will
be presented by God, conscience, and Satan at last
--as the most filthy and ugly, as the most terrible and
dreadful. Your bosom sins at last will appear to be those
monsters, those fiends of hell--which have most provoked
God against you, which have shut up Christ's affections of
love and compassion from you, which have armed conscience
against you, which have barred the gates of glory against you,
which have prepared the hottest place in hell for you, and
which have given Satan the greatest advantage eternally
to triumph over you!
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SI Moderator - Greg Gordon
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|  2006/9/15 2:11 | Profile | enid
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Joined: 2006/5/22
Posts: 2680
Nottingham, England
| | Re: The mortifying of your darling sins -brooks | | Greg,
Can I just say, you find the most incredible articles! Wow!
However, they are not to be ignored. They seem to be. I see a pattern emerging.
I can't remember who said it, but they said people seem to like the most controversial threads. Anyway, enough said about that.
Darling sins. Sins we love and would gladly perish for, for all eternity, rather than give them up.
We close our eyes to them, after all, there are others involved in worse sins than we are involved in, aren't there?
1 Corinthians 11v31 says if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged.
We judge ourselves by the word of God, not by others. My husband or children are not my yardstick, the word of God is.
Brooks says most Christians have not the art of mortifying sin. It is an art we need to learn.
There seems to be no anguish at sin in ourselves, the Church or the world. We seem to just take it for granted, just accept it.
Maybe that is why we are content with our spiritual condition. God might hate it, but, so what, who's complaining?
Let's do ourselves a favour, don't be trite with God. Don't ignore Him. Don't deny Him. 2 Tim 2v12...if we deny Him, He also will deny us.
Do you want God to deny you? He can and will. The onus is on us to see that doesn't happen. God bless. |
| | 2006/9/15 9:01 | Profile | sermonindex
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Joined: 2002/12/11
Posts: 39795
Canada
Online! | | Re: | | Quote:
However, they are not to be ignored. They seem to be. I see a pattern emerging.
I can't remember who said it, but they said people seem to like the most controversial threads. Anyway, enough said about that.
That is a great point that alot of good threads on revival and bible subjects are not discussed much at all. But as you said those more controversial subjects are discussed without end. I think devotions such as these by Thomas Brooks is very worthy of discussion and contemplation.
Quote:
Brooks says most Christians have not the art of mortifying sin.
This is one of the crying needs for the day. This type of talk is considered legalism and outwright work in the flesh but our master commands it and gives us the divine ability to do so. Jesus Christ came to the earth to die for sinners, yes! but also to destroy the works of the devil which is sin.
I hope many more people have the time to read this devotion by brooks.
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| | 2006/9/15 11:35 | Profile | PaulWest
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Posts: 3405
Dallas, Texas
| | Re: | | I believe the doctrine of mortification is the most neglected, most misunderstood, most despised and misconstrued topic in all of Christianity. Some call it legalism, others claim that sin and everything connected to sin as a whole has been totally destroyed at Calvary and subsequent attepts at mortifying sin is useless and deceptive. To these people, all that's left for us to do is glide effortlessly into heaven on magic carpets of their chosen denomination (that is, if you're on the right carpet)!
I really believe mortification needs to be taught in depth from the pulpit, needs to be expounded and elucidated as to what [i]true[/i] mortification is, how it is wrought - and most importantly, what it is [i]not.[/i] It's one thing to have a theological understanding of mortification; it is another thing altogether to [i]mortify[/i]. When we fail in our efforts of mortification, we sabotage our entire Christian walk, irrespective of how theologically-savvy we are.
Lord, open our eyes to the beauty and power and the utmost necessity of mortification! We desire to be a generation of spiritual sin-morticians, low in humility and high in purity. Oh God, give us a deep hatred for the little things, the little foxes, the shadows of our heart that conspire against the ministerial reign of the Holy Spirit in our flesh temples. Lord God, that we would be fierce executioners of [i]any thought or impulse[/i] that might exalt itself against the excellency of Jesus Christ in the deep inward places that only You can see.
Saints, if we are to be victorious and share with Christ in the high, glorious places, we must also run the sword through sin and be victorious on this fleshy battlefield. Are you a mortifying soldier of the cross?
Brother Paul
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| | 2006/9/15 12:54 | Profile |
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