2. The other reason is the profound, intimate, and unparalleled
There are two more things necessary for the same purpose, at least in my understanding, which I hope to cover now.
II. In order to achieve this great objective, there must be a readiness and willingness to part with the physical body we carry and lay it to rest in the ground. The soul's inherent reluctance to let go of the body is what we call an unwillingness to die. It has led some to say, like the ancients, "I do not wish to die," etc.—"I can accept being dead, but I do not want to go through the process of dying."
There are two reasons why the soul has a natural unwillingness to part with the body:
1. Because the body has been the sole instrument for all the operations and functions of the soul since its existence. The essence of being lies in its faculties and actions. From the very beginning of its existence, the soul has had no other instrument for its actions than the body. Not only does the body perform outward actions, but it is also essential for all internal, rational activities of the soul. Thus, we know that an injury to the body, particularly to the head, can completely deprive the soul of the exercise of its faculties and powers during life. The soul cannot engage in rational, internal activities without the body. It does not know how it can act without the body. This has naturally instilled an aversion in the soul to let go of the body, which has been its constant means of action since the moment of its inception. This is one reason for its unwillingness, but there is a greater reason.
2. The other reason is the profound, intimate, and unparalleled union and relationship between the soul and the body. There is a close union between parents and children, a closer one between husband and wife, but they pale in comparison to the union
between the soul and body. The union between the two is indescribable, beyond comprehension. In the person of the Son of God, there is an ineffable and eternal union between the divine and human natures. Even when the body and soul of Christ were separated, they remained united with the person of the Son of God just as much as before or as they are now in heaven. However, here on earth, there is a dissoluble union between a heavenly spirit and an earthly, carnal body—two essential parts of the same nature. Allow me to elaborate on this.
I have contemplated what it means to die and explored the source of the difficulty. I can affirm that it arises from this unique constitution of our nature, which has no parallel in all of God's works, whether in heaven above or on earth below. Angels are pure, immaterial spirits; there is nothing in them that can die. God can annihilate an angel—He who created all things out of nothing can reduce all things to nothing—but an angel cannot die based on its own constitution. A brute creature has nothing within it that can live when death arrives. Solomon speaks of the "spirit of a beast" that "goeth downward." It is not within the scope of almighty power to preserve it because it is merely a manifestation of the body's activity within its temperament and constitution.
However, humankind is a "medium participationis"; we possess a divine nature from above that cannot die, as well as a nature from below that cannot always live due to the entrance of sin, although it could have before.
Therefore, in the creation of humankind, there were two distinct acts of creation, whereas only one act sufficed for the creation of any other creature. The creation of angels is not explicitly mentioned, except perhaps in the phrase "Let there be light, and there was light." However, when it came to creating humankind, two distinct acts of creation occurred: "God made man from the dust of the earth." And then? "And breathed into him the Spirit
of life." Here, something unique is introduced that is absent in all of God's other creations. Now, upon dissolution, all the actions of this nature, as one person, must cease until the day of resurrection. It is a remarkable change that there will be no complete action of human nature until the resurrection. Only one part of this nature continues to function according to its own powers. One purpose of God's work in the grave is to sever all connection, relationship, and resemblance between our bodies and those of beasts. As our Saviour tells us in Luke 20,
"Do not be mistaken. In the resurrection, people will neither marry nor be given in marriage. They will no longer engage in actions common to animals. Instead, they will be like angels."
This is the great privilege of our nature, as the wise man declares in Ecclesiastes 3:19, where he responds to the objection of an epicurean: "What happens to humans also happens to animals; the same fate awaits them both. As one dies, so dies the other.
All have the same breath; humans have no advantage over animals. Everything is meaningless. They all go to the same place; all come from dust, and to dust all return." "From what I can see, it is true," says the person. But what does the wise man say? "Who knows the spirit of humans that goes upward and the spirit of animals that goes downward to the earth?" "Alas! You are mistaken. The difference does not lie in this outward nature, where humans and animals share a close kinship. The difference lies in the spiritual, heavenly nature that originates from above.
Unless you understand that, you will consider all beings to be no different from beasts." This, then, is the foundation of the unalterable reluctance in the mind and soul to part with the body—this peculiar constitution of our nature that has no likeness in all of God's creation, nothing to give us a point of reference except our own experience. And this dissolution only occurs once. It is noted that when ancient heroes, who were
willing to risk their lives and sacrifice themselves for great causes, came to die, when they either killed themselves or were killed by others, their souls departed with groaning and indignation. They did not know how to bear the dissolution of the union.
Therefore, my dear brethren, this is inherent in all of us. It is our initial desire when we realize that we cannot remain here—to be clothed with a new body. As the apostle says, "that mortality may be swallowed up by life," so that the body and soul together may enter immortality and glory. However, this is not the way of God. He desires us to be ready and willing to part with these bodies of ours, despite this union, or else we cannot die cheerfully and comfortably.
So, how can a person be ready and willing to lay down their mortal body in the dust? I will focus on two reasons, both provided by the same apostle:
(1.) The first reason is found in Philippians 1:23, where the apostle says, "I have a desire to depart and be with Christ." The word used for "desire" (ἐπιθυμίαν) signifies a strong inclination or craving. It is not a sporadic desire that arises only in times of trouble, sickness, or pain, but a constant and habitual inclination. But what is the desire for? It is to depart, to leave this physical body. The word is often translated as "dissolved," but its actual meaning is to have the contexture of our nature reduced to its distinct principles, to be analyzed. Here lies the challenge. As I mentioned before, the soul has an aversion to this dissolution, yet the apostle declares that he has a continuous and strong inclination towards it. Why? Pay attention to the answer: "To be with Christ." His inclination is not towards dissolution as an end in itself, but as a means to reach another end— being with Christ. That is the ultimate goal. Therefore, unless it is for
the purpose of enjoying Christ, no one willingly parts with their body or desires to be dissolved. Your bodies may be more valuable to you than the whole world, all your possessions, or anything else, but Christ is more valuable to the soul than anything else. Consequently, unless it is for the sake of being with Christ, no one truly desires to let go of their body. Cultivate a strong desire to be united with Christ, and you will overcome the unwillingness to face death.
(2.) The second reason is found in Romans 8:10: "The body is dead because of sin, yet the Spirit is life because of righteousness." The body is not only subject to death due to original sin, as death entered the world through sin, but the body must also die in order for sin to be rooted out of it. Sin has taken such a close and inseparable residence in the body that only the death of the body can bring about a separation. The body must die because of sin. A sincere soul may say, "God knows that I have attempted countless times to completely mortify every sin, and He has helped me in my efforts to ensure that it no longer reigns in me. At times, I believed I was close to achieving this, only to experience disappointment. I am now fully convinced that as long as I have this body, I will never be without sin. The body must die because of sin, otherwise, its fibers and roots will never be uprooted, its nature will never be extinguished, and it will never be entirely separated from it." Here lies the great mystery of the grave within the covenant of grace and through the death of Christ. What is it? Worms and corruption? No, it is God's refining pot, His means of purification. The only way to achieve an eternal separation between sin and the body is through its consumption in the grave. From the death of Christ, a secret virtue will flow into the body of a believer laid to rest, purifying it eternally at the time of resurrection, removing all traces of sin. I will refrain from discussing certain speculations concerning the state of souls after the body is consumed in the grave, as I do not wish to introduce any questionable matters.
Therefore, the second reason is that all other attempts to eradicate sin have failed and not produced the desired outcome. These attempts have led me to be ashamed of my own nature, its obstinacy, darkness, and unbelief. As a result, I am willing to part with my body. A person with this mindset will say, "This is what God calls me to. Therefore, mortal, sinful flesh, go—'Dust thou art, and unto dust thou shalt return.' I surrender you to the decree of the Holy One, whose mouth has spoken that you must return to the dust. It is there that He will refine and purify you. Despite this departure, 'my glory shall rejoice,' and you, 'my flesh, shall rest in hope.' For the time will come when He will take pleasure in the work of His hands, and He will call, and you shall answer Him from the dust" (Job 14:15). Do not be afraid to enter into darkness; there is no sting in death, and there is no darkness in the grave where you are going. It is simply a period of being in the hands of the great Refiner who will purge, purify, and restore you. Therefore, lie down in the dust in peace.
This completes the second requirement for those who wish to die with their eyes open, to die cheerfully and comfortably according to the will of God—to be willing to leave the body in God's hands, to be laid to rest in the dust. By doing so, one will come to see Christ and will experience an end to sin.
I will mention one more thing, and I'll keep it brief. It is the most important thing I want to impress upon my own soul, with God's help. And that is this:
III. Let us be cautious not to be caught off guard by death.
This is the particular wisdom that God calls us to embrace in these times. We do not know when death may come upon us. It may not follow the usual course of a prolonged illness that gives us warning, nor does it wait until we have reached the age of seventy, as the
psalmist says. We may be taken by surprise when we least expect it.
Those who have not learned this lesson from observing God's dealings in the world and in our congregation will not believe it, even if someone were to come back from the dead and tell them.
Therefore, let us firmly fix in our minds that regardless of our present state and condition—whether we are strong, young, and healthy, or old and feeble, nearing the end of our lives—we can still be taken by surprise. Therefore, be careful not to be caught off guard while in a negative state of mind. I hope none of you are unaware that believers experience various states of mind. Sometimes they are in a good state—grace is active and responsive, they are receptive to the Word and warnings, and take pleasure in holy thoughts. At other times, the world, temptations, or self-love intrude, and they become indifferent and lethargic, making it difficult to perform their duties with joy and spiritual vitality. Although they continue to fulfill their obligations, they lose the fervor they once had. I believe you can attest to this through your own experiences. Maintaining a lively, holy, and vibrant state of mind is not possible without diligently contemplating and consistently focusing on heavenly matters. Many will tell you that when they kept their minds fixed on heavenly things and their affections attached to them, everything went well for them.
Every prayer, sermon, and duty was filled with life, pleasure, and joy.
Their hearts were at peace. However, when they lost sight of spiritual matters, everything else remained the same, but a sense of lifelessness accompanied them. Therefore, our wisdom in this matter is to strive to keep this spiritual perspective of eternal things alive, continuously contemplating and cleaving to them in our affections.
Otherwise, death will take us by surprise. Whenever it comes, we will be caught off guard. But if we maintain this mindset, what is the purpose of this messenger called death? Death is a messenger sent by God. It knocks at the door, but why? To perfect the frame of mind you are in so that you can have a clearer vision of heavenly things. It
has come to free you from the burden of lifelessness and darkness, and to grant you perfect freedom in the enjoyment of the things your soul clings to. How can your soul not welcome this messenger? Pray, therefore, that God will sustain your souls with fresh supplies of His
Spirit, keeping you constantly focused on heavenly things. You must also pray for fresh oil to increase the light in your minds and understanding. Some can testify from experience that when they made it their priority, with all their strength and effort, to live in this frame of mind, they discovered that their own light began to fade. It was no longer as steadfast and unwavering towards heavenly things, nor did it affect their hearts as strongly as before. Their light ceased to work until fresh supplies from the Holy Spirit reinvigorated it and increased their ability to discern the beauty of spiritual and heavenly matters. To put it plainly, I speak to those who are facing their mortality without knowing when death may come. May God remind my own heart of this matter, that I should labor and watch so that death does not find me without a focus on spiritual things! If it does
—if we are consumed by worldly matters and our eyes are fixed on the ground—if we are preoccupied with other things and death approaches, do you think it will be easy to gather our minds and affections to face it willingly? It will not be so. When David was in a good state of mind, he could say, "You have redeemed me, O LORD,
God of truth. Into your hand I commit my spirit." He was willing to come and lay down his mortal body and embrace this messenger. But when David fell from his good state, experiencing spiritual decline in Psalm 39, he made a great complaint about it. Where is the readiness now of the righteous man? Where is his willingness to entrust his spirit into God's hand? "Spare me a little, that I may regain my strength," he says in verse 13. Not physical strength, but a better state of mind suitable for death. Even the best among us, if overtaken by death in such a state, will cry out, "Oh, spare me a little, that I may regain my strength." They will lament the entanglements brought
upon them by various temptations and distractions, by spiritual coldness and decline. "Oh Lord, spare me a little." There is mercy with God for those in this state. However, if it were up to me, I would rather say, "LORD, into your hands I commend my spirit, for you have redeemed me, O LORD, God of truth."
-----
MONERGISM BOOKS
Dying Daily by John Owen, Copyright © 2023 All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright
Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of Monergism Books. ePub, .mobi & .pdf Editions July 2023 Requests for information should be addressed to: Monergism Books, PO Box 491, West Linn,
Oregon, 97068
Table of Contents
THE CHRISTIAN'S WORK OF DYING DAILY - Sermon I
THE CHRISTIAN'S WORK OF DYING DAILY - Sermon II
THE CHRISTIAN'S WORK OF DYING DAILY - Sermon III