John Owen

I'm being tutored--along with few other guys-- in the art of killing sin. Our most recent lesson was on not being fooled that sin has been killed just because we have gotten really upset about it... or really started to focus on it. (FYI, the sin can be anything... discontentment; coveting; demanding heaven NOW; fear of man, etc)

The whole man, spiritual and natural, being now awakened, sin shrinks in its head, appears not, but lies as dead before him: as when one that has drawn nigh to an army in the night, and has killed a principal person—instantly the guards awake, men are roused up, and strict inquiry is made after the enemy, who, in the meantime, until the noise and tumult be over, hides himself, or lies like one that is dead, yet with firm resolution to do the like mischief again upon the like opportunity. … So it is in a person when a breach has been made upon his conscience, quiet, perhaps credit, by his sinful desire, in some eruption of actual sin—carefulness, indignation, desire, fear, revenge, are all set on work about it and against it, and sinful desire is quiet for a season, being run down before them; but when the hurry is over and the inquest past, the thief appears again alive, and is as busy as ever at his work. --John Owen