The Mortification of Sin (John Owens)

The choicest believers, who are assuredly freed from the condemning power of sin, should also make it their business all of their days to mortify the indwelling power of sin. - John Owen, 1656

The Mortification of Sin, by Puritan John Owen, charges the Christian to mortify (put to death) the sin that remains in them. He looks at the topic through various lenses.

Summary

Christians are commanded to mortify sin. We see this all over the Bible (see Romans 8 , Colossians 3, and Galatians 5 as examples). We are saved from the penalty of our sins by Jesus Christ, and there is no condemnation for those who are in Him (again, Romans 8). Yet "indwelling sin continues to live in believers in some measure and degree while we are in this world," which is why the Bible talks about putting off the old sinful man and putting on the new righteous one (see Ephesians 4:22-24). God is holy and demands the same of His people (1 Peter 1:15-16). Conforming to God's holiness is a lifelong charge [and desire] of the Christian.

"Sin is always active," so "we should therefore fight against it and be vigorous at all times . . ." If we don't, it can decay and destroy us- "it gradually prevails to harden man's heart to his ruin (Hebrews 3:13)." Indeed, not only us, but those around us- the sins of one are felt by many.

It can be helpful to talk about what mortification is not. Though the goal is utter destruction of a given sin, we cannot expect that in this life. (We all stumble in many ways- James 3:2.) Nor is mortification about "the substitution of one sin for another." "You cannot mortify a specific lust that is troubling you, unless you are seeking to obey the Lord from the heart in all areas!" "We must not be concerned only with that which troubles us, but with all that troubles God. God's work is to have full victory, and universal obedience, not just the victory over sins which trouble our soul." 

Instead, mortification is (quoting Owens):

1. A habitual weakening of the lust.
2. A constant fight and contention against sin.
3. A degree of success in the battle.

How is the Christian to do this? "The Holy Spirit is our only sufficiency for the work of mortification." "He causes us to grow, thrive, flourish, and abound in the graces which are contrary, opposite, and destructive to all the works of the flesh, and contrary to the thriving of indwelling sin itself."

Owens then discusses nine preparatory directions ("preparing for the work of mortification") and two main directions (for the work of mortification itself). Quoting Owens for both lists:

1. Consider the symptoms that accompany a lust.
2. Get a clear and abiding sense upon your mind and conscience of the guilt, danger, and evil of the sin with which you are troubled.
3. Charge your conscience with the guilt of indwelling sin.
4. Seek a constant longing and thirsting to be delivered from the power of sin.
5. Consider whether the trouble that you are perplexed with is related to your particular make-up and nature.
6. Consider what occasions your sin has taken advantage of to exert itself in the past, and watch carefully at such times.
7. Rise mightily against the first sign of sin.
8. We need to be exercised with such meditations as will fill us at all times with self-abasement and thoughts of our own vileness.
9. When God stirs your heart about the guilt of your sin, concerning either its root and indwelling, or its breaking out, be careful you do not speak peace to yourself before God speaks it. Listen closely to what He says to your soul.

The two main directions:

1. Set your faith upon Christ for the killing of your sin.
• By faith fill your heart with a right consideratin of the provision that God has made in the work of Christ for the mortificationo f your sins.
• Raise up your heart in faith with an expectation of relief from Christ.
2. Consider the part that the Holy Spirit plays in mortification and the effects that are particularly ascribed to Him.
• He alone clearly and fully convinces the heart of the evil, guilt, and danger of the corruption, lust or sin that is to be mortified.
• The Spirit alone reveals to us the fullness of Christ for our relief.
• The Spirit alone establishes the heart in th expectation of relief from Christ.
• The Spirit alone brings the cross of Christ into our hearts with its sin-killing power.
• The Spirit is the Author and Finisher of our sanctification.
• All of our soul's prayers to God in our need are supported by the Spirit.

Review

I finished this short volume yesterday, and find it a suitable post for today- Good Friday, when Christians remember Christ's death on the cross. He is victorious over sin and the grave, and we are called to conform to His image. To be holy and put to death the sin the remains in us. Yet this is difficult and unpopular- our current culture has little desire to do this (or, in many cases, to even acknowledge sin as sin). I confess- I often have little desire as well, or I fall into the trap of focusing on certain sins and not others. So Owens' book was a necessary, powerful, and convicting reminder of our obligations. It is humbling, concise, and well-structured. I read the abridged and modernized (made easy to read) version. At only 130 pages, it is well worth your time.

Rating: A