Mortification of Sin (5) - What the Mortification of Sin is Not

Sometimes, when a man yields to temptation and commits a sin willfully, it disturbs his peace, convicts his conscience, causes him to fear embarrassment of scandal, and convinces him he has surely provoked God. When this happens, the man wakes up to the ugliness of sin. This recognition brings him to hate his sin and himself for committing it. It sends him to God, makes him cry out as if to plea for his life, to hate his lust as he hates hell and to set himself against it. Then, since the whole man, both spiritual and natural, is awakened, sin shrinks back, hides, and appears to be dead. It is like when an assassin sneaks into an army and kills a high-ranking officer—immediately the guards are awake and alert, carefully searching for the assassin, who, in the meantime, hides himself or plays dead, yet fully intending to strike again when given the opportunity.