Affections for Christ

In Owen’s book Overcoming Sin and Tempation:

Labor to possess the mind with the beauty and excellency of spiritual things, so that they may be presented lovely and desirable to the soul; and this cursed aversation of sin will be weakened thereby. It is an innate acknowledged principle that the soul of man will not keep up cheerfully unto the worship of God unless it has a discovery of beauty and comeliness in it. Hence when men had lost all spiritual sense and savor of the things of God, to supply the want that was in their own souls, they invented outwardly pompous and gorgeous ways of worship, in images, paintings, pictures, and I know not what carnal ornaments; which they have called “The beauties of holiness!” Thus much, however, was discovered therein, that the mind of man must see a beauty, a desirableness in the things of God’s worship, or it will not delight in it; aversation will prevail. Let, then the soul harbor to acquaint itself with the spiritual beauty of obedience, of communion with God, and of all duties of immediate approach to him, that it may be rifled with delight in them. (pg 269-270 Overcoming Sin and Tempation edited by Kapic and Taylor, 2006)

Owen concludes that affections for Christ require labor. They do not come instantly by mere light thoughts but must be sought out. In the seeking out of God there must be discovery of beautiful things. That means that in our studying of God’s word, there must be an excitement in our own personal discovery of the beauty of God that then leads us to personal worship of God!