LOCATION OF THE SIN PRINCIPLE

     Varied and fanciful ideas have been set forth as to the location of the sin principle.

     1. Somehave interpreted the following words of St. Paul literally, thus making sin dwell in the flesh: "I know that in me (that is' in my flesh), dwelleth no good thing" (Rom. 7:18). The expressions, "walking after the flesh," "minding the flesh," "being in the flesh," and "living after the flesh" (Rom. 8) all have reference to following the demands of the flesh or body to the neglect or hindrance of the soul. Sin is not "in the flesh," but it is that "other law in the members" which works death by using that which in itself is good and innocent as a channel for the operation of its unholy demands. That this is true is quickly seen by reference to such passages as the following: "From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?" (James 4:1). See also Rom. 7:13,17,20,23; and 8:13.

     2. Others would locate evil in the mind, and declare that a man is only evil as he thinks evil. But to the contrary of this we know that the mind often consents to good and purposes to follow it, but by some mysterious inward principle the man is forced to the wrong. ^[1] He is "led captive by the devil at his will." Resolutions fail and the sinner cries out, "O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" The apostle says, "With the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin;" and, again, "I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind" (Rom. 7:24, 25, 23) -- No matter how often or how strongly the unsanctified soul may resolve to feel no evil, this vile sin principle will arise in spite of his resolves as though it would mock his good resolutions and cast a shadow over his most sacred longings.

     3. That sin dwells in the moral or affectional nature is clear from the fact that Jesus says, "From within, out of the heart, proceed evil thoughts, murder," etc. The heart is the source, the thoughts the channel or medium for the transmission of the knowledge of the demands of the heart, and the body is the tool for accomplishing the desired evil. Again, there may be a reverse action (i. e., coming from the flesh to the soul), but this becomes sin only when the heart accepts and consents to do evil. The apostle says, "Abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul." While every fleshly indulgence may not of itself be sinful, yet its tendency is toward gratifying and thus enlivening the principle of evil within, provided this principle remains, and if it does not remain the tendency of such gratification, if continued, is toward the reestablishing of evil with all its vicious outcroppings.

     While it is true that the "heart knoweth its own bitterness," yet, in spiritual things, it is quite often a very difficult matter to discover the source and cause of this bitterness. This source of evil is so far back that it is hidden from view in the unfathomable depth of our own nature, and can be brought to view only when the Holy Ghost turns on the searchlights of divinity; then its endless ramifications will appear, as clearly as the fiber that binds the leaf together or as ink dropped in a glass of pure water. "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?"

     That the principle (not the outcroppings or manifestations) of carnality is below or beyond the line of consciousness must be acknowledged when we consider that no man knows his own heart until the light of God reveals it to him. Some persons use this fact as proof that we cannot certainly know that we are delivered, concluding that since we cannot see the depth of our hearts, when we think we are delivered some evil bent may appear of which we were previously unconscious. At first this argument seems quite plausible, but quickly vanishes when we consider it from the standpoint of genuine experience.

     1. We might be thus mistaken were we to judge our heart condition by our feelings at any given time, and be led to conclude that since just now we feel no carnality within, therefore we are entirely delivered. But this is not of necessity true, for this freedom from conscious stirrings may result from different things, either from the exuberance of joy caused by the blessing of God, or by sluggishness of soul, or the absence of anything that might have a tendency to arouse sinful impulses.

     2. The certainty of the absence of heart evil is seen in continued absence of all of its inward strivings, not for a day, nor for a month, but continually. If evil were present, at some time its stirrings would be seen, for it will not long remain quiet. (Note: Do not place too much confidence in the self-consciousness which operates independent of direct divine illumination, for if you do many things might arise which would prejudice your decisions contrary to the facts in the case; particularly, the blindness of the sinful heart which may not see the real conditions, and ignorance as to what real carnality is, caused often by shallow or erroneous teaching.)

     3. But we have a more sure ground for knowing that the heart is clean in the direct witness to that fact given by the Holy Ghost. By His divine power and omniscience He searches through and through the soul, sending the purifying energies of the blood coursing in every avenue thereof, cleansing from every vestige of the carnal man; then, when His work of cleansing is completed He does not cease but immediately bears the news to spiritual consciousness, testifying that the work is done and the soul is clean. And His Witness is true.

     Let us anticipate some objections:

     1. We might be mistaken. Where the seeker does not obtain the experience this objection is readily admitted, but when the experience is received there is a freedom from the possibility of mistake which closely approaches the infallible; this freedom is argued from the fact that the Bible says, "His record is true," and when He really testifies that a thing is done that thing is truly done even if the facts in the case arising from the recognized absence of the stirrings of sin are not as yet acknowledged by the observation of personal consciousness. The witness of the Spirit can be trusted independent of such knowledge. The witness of our own spirits will follow, but, as Wesley says, the witness of God's Spirit comes first.

     2. But how do you know by the witness which you claim is given of the Spirit of God that this work is really accomplished, and might you not be mistaken in the fact testified to? The witness of the Spirit to cleansing stands on just as sure or it may be more sure grounds than does the witness of the Spirit to forgiveness. The latter is the testimony of the Spirit to a judicial act outside of ourselves, performed for us in the mind of God, while the former is' a testimony concerning a real work accomplished now in the heart of the seeker. True, along with justification comes regeneration, but even this stands on no stronger ground than cleansing, for each is a local act performed in the heart of the seeker. You cannot see your name recorded in heaven, you cannot see your sins blotted out of the book, yet you believe that these things are done because you have the witness of the Spirit to that fact.

     Hence we conclude that we know that our hearts are cleansed because we have the witness of the Spirit, and because spiritual consciousness of the condition of our souls eventually agrees thereto. If one is denied the other must be denied, and all spiritual religion or spiritual witnessing is made a dead letter.

     3. Again, there is a deep undercurrent of consciousness, which, if it is properly heeded, will inform me of my state of soul. As long as carnality remains there is a deep, internal consciousness of that fact, and if I insist on claiming that my heart is clean my better judgment says, "No;" but when God really accomplishes the work there is a rest and assurance that never came before -- a deep feeling that the goal is reached. Do not stop short of the direct witness of the Spirit. He will make it plain.

     "That you may have a full view of the sin of your nature, I would recommend to you three things: 1. Study to know the spirituality and extent of the law of God; for that is the glass wherein you may see yourselves. 2. Observe your hearts at all times, but especially under temptation. Temptation is a fire that brings up the scum of the unregenerate heart. 3. Go to God through Jesus Christ for illumination by His Spirit. Say unto Him, 'What I know not, teach Thou me,' and be willing to take in light from the Word. It is by the Word the Spirit teacheth; but unless He teach, all other teaching is to little purpose. You will never see yourself aright till He light His candle in your breast. Neither the fulness and glory of Christ nor the corruption and vileness of our nature ever were or can be rightly learned but where the Spirit of God is the teacher." -- Wesley's Treatise on "Original Sin."

1 See Chapter 4, page 32.