Knitting and the Mortification of Sin

Is this the title for a previously unknown book by Mrs. John Owen?

What does knitting have to do with the mortification of sin?

Absolutely nothing.

Well, why bring it up?

Because I am still ruminating over the whole issue of fellowship and if we need to talk explicitly about Christ to make it true fellowship. I'm still not satisfied with what I wrote yesterday.

Maybe the question needs to be reworded from "Is it fellowship if we don't talk about Christ?" to "Should it be normal for believers to be together and not talk of Christ?" I am not saying that we shouldn't get together for picnics to fly kites, or go skiing, or participate in soft ball. But if we are together and love the Lord, why would we not speak of Him even in our every day conversation? I'm talking about more than just giving thanks for the food.

It reminds me of a line from Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen:

"Brandon is just the kind of man," said Willoughby one day, when they were talking of him together, "whom every body speaks well of, and nobody cares about; whom all are delighted to see, and nobody remembers to talk to."

Do I treat Christ like that?

So bear with me for more talking through my hat.

For example, I belong to two online knitting forums. People there can get quite intense about their knitting. I used to be on a listserv for house rabbit owners. People can get very passionate about their bunnies especially when they get sick. Sounds absurd but it's true.

Last night, I had dinner with some brothers and sisters that I have recently met. After dinner, there was a very intense discussion about the glory of Christ in relation to a quote from John Owen and Sunday's sermon. Scripture was shared and there was prayer. Very intense and focused. It was a little uncomfortable. But the discomfort wasn't that I felt left out or new to the group but that the conversation was too close to home. The conversation was convicting which is uncomfortable. But isn't conviction of sin a good thing?

Well, what's the difference between being passionate about knitting or rabbits and being passionate about the glory of Christ?

Talking about knitting will likely never convict me of sin.

Talking about rabbits will likely not be a means of grace for my sanctification.

Although by His grace, we are regenerate and have a new nature, we must go through this process of mortifying sin. I think deep down there is resistance to that both conscious and unconscious. We still want to hold onto our sin and resist the work of the Holy Spirit in bringing that about. It's a sin because I think that what I am holding onto is greater and more satisfying than Christ Himself. That's idolatry and unbelief.

So my thesis is, even as a believer, I am more comfortable about talking about anything but Jesus Christ because I am resistant to being changed by the Holy Spirit. The real root is self preservation.

Why do I resist God, who only has my good in mind? To save myself. Why do I resist being vulnerable and making sure I have a good face for my brothers and sisters? To save myself.

True fellowship is a means of grace, and the transformation can only take place when Christ is lifted up. In His light, we see light and, by default, see our sin. By contrast, compared to His glory and sinless perfection, I become aware of my imperfection and need of Him.

In Isaiah 6, Isaiah beheld the holiness of God in His temple. His reaction wasn't a warm, fuzzy emotion or a happy, clappy spiritual high but "Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!"

Fellowship is not a diagnostic tool to make me feel better about me. Fellowship is not where community and togetherness are exalted but where Christ is exalted in community and togetherness. The end of fellowship is that Christ would be glorified and by that, we are changed. Not in some mystical way. But as the Word is shared, as we share our struggles to follow after Christ, confess our sins, where He is the focus - not us, the Holy Spirit can take that means and use it to convict, bring repentance, and transform us.

And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3:18