We Have a Book Title! (and old notes)

I've literally been searching for a title for my next book for two years. Those of you on the paid side have read chapter drafts which, with all your wonderful, insightful feedback, have gone through massive changes. My working title was The Art of Unlearning, which was difficult to let go, except for the fact that most of you agreed with my publisher that The Art of Unlearning isn't a very compelling title. So I even offered a $500 reward for anyone who could come up with a better one, if the publisher chose it. Sorry to say, my publisher didn't choose any of your ideas either.

But the marketing team came up with one that my agent says is a "home run." It doesn't strike me as a home run, but we can't put a book out there with a blank cover (it worked for the Beatles with the White Album, but I'm definitely not the Beatles). Ultimately, my publisher settled on The Life You Were Reborn to Live: Dismantling the 12 Lives that Rob Your Intimacy with God. It's set to be released in early October.

I just sent the final draft to Zondervan this week, so it was a bit of a stretch to think about anything else this week. But I've been meaning to share my notes from the Substack book club on John Owen's book Of the Mortification of Sin in Believers (now, there's a title!). The book "group" ended up becoming a few friends, as we learned that many Christians do think it's a bit weird to read ancient books. But I loved the conversation and grew to deeply love the few who participated. They feel like friends to me now.

For this week's post, I'm sharing the notes I compiled for all 14 chapters, to lead the discussion. Mortification (attacking sin prior to temptation) was seen by the Puritans as such an essential part of the Christian life but today it is virtually a lost art. You may not be inclined to read an entire book on the subject, but perhaps these notes can whet your appetite. If you do decide to read the book, I highly recommend the one edited by Kelly Kapic and Justin Taylor, published by Crossway. It's a combo of three books, with the overall title Overcoming Sin and Temptation.

---

John Owen: On the Mortification of Sin in Believers

“Christians are called to war against sin. According to Owen, this means they are called to learn the art of battle, which includes understanding the nature of sin, the complexity of the human heart, and the goodness and provision of God.” Justin Taylor

Chapter 1

“If you through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body you shall live” Romans 8:13

Mortification isn’t easy; the church needs motivation to do it

There is a better life ahead

Who is mortification for? (page 46)

BELIEVERS—not to be forgiven, but to live

“The choicest believers, who are assuredly freed from the condemning power of sin, ought yet to make it their business all their days to mortify the indwelling power of sin”

How many do this? Not one in a thousand

Who is involved in mortification?

The Christian, BY THE SPIRIT

“All other ways of mortification are vain”

Lots of pushback on Catholic forms of mortification

Fasting, lashes (the discipline), vigils, sackcloth, living on a pole, creating cages too small to lie down or sit in, walking barefoot in winter, crawling over glass

John Climacus: describes self-imposed torture

St. Pio (20^th century): “the perfect Christian must not be satisfied with a kind of mortification which merely appears to be severe. He must make sure that it hurts."

Very helpful summary, pg. 48: Put to death means “have its power, life, vigor, and strength to produce its effects taken away by the Spirit.”

Brings LIFE; just as sin brings DEATH

The lie that calling people to righteousness lacks kindness or love

Kindness and love is showing people how to kill SIN, not deaden their conscience

Stark challenge to end chapter 1: “the vigor, and power and comfort of our spiritual life depends on the mortification of the deeds of the flesh”