MORTIFICATION

OF SIN

CHAPTER 6

WHAT
MORTIFICATION
IS

[1]
A habitual
weakening of sinful
desire.

We may take comfort in that

particular sins in our lives seem
occasional rather than constant.
Why is this deceptive?

In what way is lust a habit?

How can we make sense out of the

varying experience individuals may
have in their struggle with lusts?
How might this create a false sense
of mortification?

How is this habitual

weakening of our lusts related
to the death of Christ on the
cross?

How does the pattern of death on a

cross provide the guideline for our
expectations and our experience as
we set out to develop a habit of
weakening our lusts?

As a man nail to the cross; he first

struggles, and strives, and cries out with
great strength and might, but, as his
blood and spirits waste, his strivings are
faint and seldom, his cries low and
hoarse, scarce to be heard.

when a man first sets on a lust

or distemper, to deal with it, it
struggles with great violence to break
loose; it cries with earnestness and
impatience to be satisfied and
relieved.

but when by mortification the

blood and spirits of it are let out,
it moves seldom and faintly, cries
sparingly, and is scarce heard in
the heart.

it may have sometimes a dying

pang, that makes an appearance of
great vigor and strength, but it is
quickly over, especially if it be kept
from considerable success.

[2]
Constant fighting
and contending with
sin.

To be able always to be laying

load on sin is no small degree of
mortification.

What keeps us from this

continued warfare? What must
you know before you can
engage yourself in this warfare?

What strategies are we to

develop to fight this war?

[3]
Frequent success in
mortification.

What will this success look

like? How is it to be measured?