I recently finished John Owen’s The Mortification of Sin and I found it to be a wonderful and a much-needed read. Instead of spoiling the entire book, I’ll share a few major takeaways I had. Though of course, I urge you to get a copy of this book for yourself. It’s a short enough read, decently easy to understand, inexpensive, and above all, very rich in its content!
Before I jump in, I first want to point you to Kelly Kapic’s article from Desiring God on this book. This was a very good resource to understand the ultimate goal Owen had in mind when writing this classical work. In a nutshell, it’s not about mortification of sin in and of itself, rather, the overarching theme is communion with God. Even Owen points this out himself in the first few pages of his book.
The mortification of your sin will bring you into a deeper and sweeter fellowship with the holy, triune and living God.
My Three Major Takeaways
An Everyday Thing
Takeaway one: The mortification of sin is meant to be done every day.
Even on days that don’t seem like it, even if you live in the quiet countryside, if your country is at war, you are at war. And so if you are at war, you’ll take the necessary precautions. Everyday.
It is foolish to think you have conquered your sin, and can finally “move on” to deal with other sins. That is the great illusion of the devil! The enemy is always looking for a weak point, ready to strike the moment you make a mistake!
Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. (1 Peter 5:8, ESV)
Assume the Worst
Takeaway two: Assume the worst about your sin.
Do not ever assume that you can deal with your sin adequately on your “good days”. Don’t assume that just because you mortified your sin “successfully” recently, that it won’t be “as much of a problem” today.
If given a foothold, your sin will do all it can do to destroy you! It will never hold back, it will never “go easy on you”! You must see your sin for what it is: absolutely wretched.
and give no opportunity to the devil. (Ephesians 4:27, ESV)
With the Help of the Holy Spirit
Takeaway three: The mortification of sin is done with the help and power of the Holy Spirit.
Too often we Christians look to ourselves to kill our sin. Out of strong convictions, we’re (rightfully) convinced that we need to take action to get a handle on our sin. And so we fast, we pray, we set up accountability groups, we distract ourselves with more productive things. Don’t get me wrong, these are very helpful things to kill our sin and re-sensitize our appetite for righteousness and disgust for sin. But done apart from God’s power, whether you lasted a few days, weeks, months, or even years, you end up right where you started.
Paul’s letter to the Romans puts it this way:
For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin. For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! (Romans 7:14–24a, ESV)
And Owen says in his book:
Praying, fasting, watching, meditation, and the like, certainly have their use for the business at hand, but many consider them as the fountain and not the stream coming from the fountain. These actions are the means only, and are subordinate to the Spirit and faith. There is no merit in mere work accomplished. Many are satisfied when they fast so much, pray so much, and keep certain hours and times even if the work of mortification is not done. As the apostle says of some in another case, ‘They are always learning, never coming to the knowledge of the truth.’ These are always mortifying, but never come to any sound mortification. In a word, they have many means to mortify the natural man, but none to mortify lust and corruption.
And so, don’t stop at the streams, go to the fountain Himself!
Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! (Romans 7:24b–25a, ESV)
Final Remarks
In the hymn, Rock of Ages, we sing:
Nothing in my hand I bring,
simply to the cross I cling;
naked, come to thee for dress;
helpless, look to thee for grace;
foul, I to the fountain fly;
wash me, Saviour, or I die.
Do you see yourself as naked, helpless, and foul? Do you see your need for clothes, for grace? Then go to the fountain Himself, cling to the cross, and be washed in Jesus’ blood of righteousness, lest you die!
I hope that my three takeaways have nudged you towards getting a copy of John Owen’s wonderful work, that you have a clearer understanding of what it means to truly mortify your sin, and that you would ultimately enjoy a richer communion with God.
