Faithful Steward Ministries and FSM Women's Outreach

John Owen – January 6th 2019

chapel@mountzion.org • www.ChapelLibrary.org

4. The Spirit: The Principal Efficient Cause

The principal efficient cause of the performance of this duty is the Spirit: “If by the Spirit.” The Spirit here is the Spirit mentioned in Romans 8:11—the Spirit of Christ, the “Spirit of God” (v. 14), Who dwells in us (v. 9), Who quickens us (v. 11), the “Spirit of adoption” (v. 15), the Spirit that “maketh intercession for us” (v. 26). All other ways of mortification are vain; all helps leave us helpless. It must be done by the Spirit. As the apostle shows, men may attempt this work on other principles, by means and advantages administered on other accounts as they always have done and do (Rom 9:30-32). But, he says, this is the work of the Spirit; by Him alone is it to be wrought, and by no other power is it to be brought about. Mortification from a self -strength, carried on by ways of self-invention, unto the end of a self-righteousness, is the soul and substance of all false religion in the world. And this is a second principle of my ensuing discourse.