Can a man who has been dead over 300 years have any relevance or significance to us now? Can anything in his life hold our interest? Although we know little of his life, we have many of his Biblical studies and theological works. These remain as some of the finest theology ever written. But one thing about his life, which stands out, we do know:
He was married 31 years. In that time, his wife bore 11 children, all but one of whom died as a child. The one who lived to adulthood herself died young and childless. In 31 years, John Owen saw the loss of 11 children and his wife. That is an average of one child’s death every three years through 31 years of his life.
His faithfulness as a Christian and as a minister of Christ, through a life of suffering makes him much more “relevant” to me than the “rock star” preachers making the circuit today. God still mightily uses his works today; will anyone a generation from now even know who Jakes, Meyers, Olsteen, Hagee, Crouch, Robertson, et al and ad nauseum were? Will they be found “relevant?”
I challenge anyone reading this to find John Owen’s works, abridged or unabridged, ebook or print, and dig in for some real soul-food. J. I. Packer (someone who will be remembered) credits Owen with saving his spiritual life. God might use Owen’s works for you, too.
Favorite work from Owen?
The quote is from “The Mortification of Sin.” I am also working on “The Death of Death in the Death of Christ.” I don’t have a lot of his books, just two in the Logos software library, and a couple of paperbacks. My favourite so far is “the Mortification of Sin,” but I’ve barely cracked “Death of Death.” The latter is so highly praised by others that I expect it will be very encouraging. And you?
I’ve never worked all the way through one of his books, but I’ve read bits and pieces of “The Death of Death…” I have that one and “The Mortification of Sin,” and one day soon I’ll work through them!