존 오웬의 죄죽임론(죄억제론)에 나타난 성화론의 은혜와 의무의 상관관계에 대한 개혁주의적 이해

Reformed Theological Understanding the Relationship between Grace and Responsibility on Sanctification in John Owen's Doctrine of Mortification

In the historical unfolding of the doctrine of sanctification, a great deal of debate had centred on the agent of believers' sanctification. In the Arminian perspective, the responsibility for sanctification was placed on man himself, whilst the Calvin position considered this to be a supernatural and gracious work of the Holy Spirit. Owen also felt a kind of tension between the grace of the Spirit and human duty in the process of mortification. In dealing with the believers’ sanctification, most puritans, William Perkins, Richard Sibbes, Richard Baxter, and Thomas Manton among them, acknowledged that mortification has two aspects: passive and active. Owen gave the priority to and emphasized the grace of the Holy Spirit more than the actions and duties of human beings in the tension between the grace of God and the duty of men in Mortification. At the same time he did not overlook the importance of the believers' duty by using the example of horticultural metaphor: the tree has its own principle of growth in itself- it has a seed, a root, leaves and a stem. All grace is immortal seed, and contains in it a living, growing principle. If believers are not supplied with grace like dew from heaven in their wills, minds and affections, their souls will decay and die. If they are, their souls will thrive and grow, although it is impossible to discern the process of thriving and growing, except by the manifestation of the fruits and effects that can be seen. To explain it more clearly, Owen suggested the general and particular, practical directions at length for mortification. By these directions, he urges his readers to watch for the dangerous symptoms of the sinful nature in us, and that we should set faith at work on Christ for the killing of our sin and should lean upon the Holy Spirit.