Fighting for Peace

Here is a link to the book by John Owen referenced below. It is not an easy read partly because it was written in the 1600’s, but it is definitely worth reading. http://www.ccel.org/ccel/owen/mort

“…the life and vigour, and comfort our spiritual life depend much on our mortification of sin.”

-John Owen ch 4 of, Of the Mortification of Sin in Believers

True sorrow over sin will lead to repentance, and the guilt and sorrow will be short, but the joy and comfort in the work of Christ is profound and lasting. Though more sorrow, guilt, and then again repentance will come, our joy and comfort in Christ can be ever increasing. Speaking of the comfort from God, John Owen says,

“The use of means for the obtaining of the peace is ours; the bestowing of it is God’s prerogative.”

We are to be actively fighting our sin with the power given to us by the Holy Spirit and by the understanding we have been given of God’s word. While studying the mortification of sin, the following question repeatedly comes to mind. How does this constant battle with sin fit with the peace and rest in God? It seems that the constant battle and rest go together, and that you can’t have one without the other.