Hello everyone! This is Jeff Kim. This is my reflection on a book titled The Mortification of Sin by John Owen, the most popular puritan writer during the seventeen century.
In introduction, John begins his book by quoting Romans 8:13: If by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. That verse is the main point of his book. He identifies five elements from the verse. They are: 1. To whom it is directed: ‘You believers.’ 2. The condition: ‘If you.’ 3. The means of accomplishment: ‘The Spirit.’ 4. A duty: ‘Put to death the deeds of the body.’ 5. A promise: ‘You will live.’ John asserts that it is our believers’ duty to mortify the deeds of our sinful nature. He quoted a thesis which illustrates the point: 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. He also contends that it is absolutely certain that if you mortify actions of your sin, you will live. He regards the mortifying action as “means” and gaining eternal life as “end.” Speaking of the means of mortifying sins, he says that only the Holy Spirit can assist us in mortifying our sins. Speaking of the duty, John points out three things. First, the body, he says indicates “indwelling sin, the corrupted flesh or lust.” Deeds, he says, indicates “an outward expression of a yielding to an inward lust.” He contends that: indwelling lust and sin is the fountain and principle of all sinful action. Speaking of mortifying, to mortify, he means is that: to put any living thing to death. To kill a man, or any other living things, is to take away the principle of all its strength, vigor, and power, so that it cannot act, or exert, or put forth any proper actings of its own. He asserts that we believers must constantly kill our deeds of indwelling sin daily. Lastly, the promise of mortifying sin is eternal life, not only in heaven, but also, John emphasizes, in this world where we could live spiritually joyous, comfortable, and vigorous life.
In chapter 2, John discusses the reasons for the importance of consistent mortification of sins. He gives six reasons. First, he says: Indwelling sin always abides while we are in this world; therefore, there is always a need for it to be mortified (p. 6). John contends that since we have “a body of death,” we cannot totally be free from sinning. Therefore, we must constantly mortify deeds of our sins. Second, he says: Sin is still acting and laboring to bring forth the deeds of the flesh (p. 7). John stresses that sin is always active, never takes a break. He quoted: ‘The flesh lusteth against the Spirit’ (Gal 5:17, AV); lust is still tempting to and conceiving sin (James 1:14). Third, he says: Sin, if not continually mortified, will bring forth great, cursed, scandalous, and soul-destroying sins (p. 8). He gives the example of David that if we do not mortify sin daily, they can devour us at any time we are not spiritually ready to fight with it. Fourth, he says: The Holy Spirit and our new nature are given to us to oppose sin and lust (p. 9). John emphasizes that God gave us the Spirit and our new born-again nature to fight with indwelling sin in us. He says that if we do not use them, God cannot grant use more of His graces and gifts to us for this spiritual warfare. Fifth, he says: Neglect of this duty makes the inner man decay instead of renewing him (p. 9). He asserts that we ought to exercise our inner man by mortifying sins in us. If we do not exercise our inner man, he withers and dies. Then sin attempts to harden our hearts (p. 9). Sixth, he says: Our spiritual growth is our daily duty (p. 10). He stresses that: It is our duty to be ‘perfecting holiness in the fear of God’ (2 Cor. 7:1, AV), to be ‘growing in grace’ every day (1 Pet. 2:2; 2 Pet. 3:18), so that our inner nature should be renewed day by day (2 Cor. 4:16). He says that in order to grow spiritually, we must mortify sin daily.
In chapter three, John talks about the role of the Holy Spirit in mortification. John contends that only through the power of Holy Spirit, we can mortify our sin. He furthermore elaborates on how the Spirit can mortify sin. He mentions three ways that the Spirit mortifies sin. First, he says: By causing our hearts to abound in grace and the fruits that are contrary to the works of the flesh (p. 17). He points out that the fruits of the flesh and the fruits of the Spirit cannot reside together in us. Therefore, he says, “by our living in the Spirit and walking after the Spirit” can guarantee us in achieving victory over this spiritual warfare. The fruits of the Spirit restrict us to bear the fruits of the flesh. The Spirit helps us in fighting with sin and lust by renewing of our hearts. Second, Holy Spirit helps us in mortifying our sin by sending His Consuming Fire to weaken, destroy and root out “the root and habit of sin.” The fire of the Holy Spirit can burn up the very root of lust (p. 18). Third, Holy Spirit brings the cross of Christ into the hearts of believers so that we could have communion and fellowship with Him thus enable us to mortify sin. John asserts that believers must do their part in mortifying sin. That is one, we have to pray and work for God’s “good pleasure.” Another, we should obey whatever the Spirit tells us to do.
In chapter four, John elaborates on the two consequences of every “unmortified sin.” The first consequence of the unmortified sin, he says, is: It will weaken the soul, and deprive it of its vigor (p. 23). He states that: Sin untunes and unframes the heart itself, by entangling its affections. It diverts the heart from the spiritual frame that is required for vigorous communion with God (p. 23). It weakens and exhausts all our strengths and vigor so that it prevents us from performing our duties as believers. He explains that unmortified sin makes our heart favoring its object more and worldly pursuits than love of God and fullness of Him. The second consequence of the unmortified sin is: Sin will also darken the soul, and deprive it of its comfort and peace (p. 24). Sin covers our heart with darkness. It takes away God’s graces, gifts and strengths that we need to be at peace and comfort in God. Just like a garden where weeds grow constantly, we have to root out weeds of lust daily so that graces of the Spirit that give us peace and comfort may not die nor wither nor decay.
In chapter five, John talks about misconceptions of mortification. First, he says: To mortify a sin is not to utterly root it out and destroy neither it, that it should have no more hold at all nor residence in our hearts (p. 27). John asserts that it is humanly impossible to root up the root of sin completely. Getting rid of sin thoroughly though should be our aim. Second, he contends that: Mortification is not just the changing of some outward aspects of a sin (p. 27). John stresses that just because one defies one sin and fights to get rid of it does not always necessary mean that one truly wants to mortify a particular sin. Humans tend to rid of an obvious sin for its deadly consequences. However, we tend to harbor more deceiving and cunning lust or sin whose consequences may not as visible as former one. John points out that we could make mistakes of switching from one sin to another without our hearts truly cleansed and repented and changed. Third, he contends that: Mortification is not just the improvement of our natural constitution (p.28). John asserts that just because someone has more acceptable and favorable temper than others does not always mean that that person has more advantage in “true mortification.” Fourth, he argues that: A sin is not mortified when it is only diverted (p. 28). John contests that leaving one sin and focusing on another sin is common among those men who “have not experienced grace.” He argues that one stop sinning one sin does not mean that she or he stops completely from sinning that sin again. He contests that one simply leaves one sin to serve another sin. Fifth, he claims that: Occasional victories over sin are not mortification (p 29). John argues that when one sin stirs one up bringing deadly and fatal consequences to the person, she becomes alert and fights both naturally and spiritually to rid of the sin. However, that sin is not dead completely. It just becomes silent for a time being. When things go quiet and o.k. the sin reappears again with much more deadly and fatal blows.
In chapter six, John identifies true mortification in three ways. First, he asserts that true mortification is: A habitual weakening of the lust (p. 32). John argues that one can weaken the habit of lust by “crucifying the flesh with its passions and desires.” He contends that only through our flesh crucified to the cross, we could weaken power and vigor of lust little by little. Second John argues that true mortification is: A constant fight and contention against sin (p. 36). He mentions three things in this fighting against sin. First, he asserts that: We need to recognize the enemy we are dealing with and resolve that it is to be destroyed by all means possible. If we are not taking very seriously of lust or sin that we carry in our hearts, we can regard lust or sin as trivial things and justify ourselves. We need to recognize deadly consequences of any lust or sin if we do not determine to mortify them. Second, he contests that: We need to be intimately acquainted with the ways, wiles, methods, advantages, and occasions which give lust its success (p. 37). John contests that we need to remind of ourselves the ways, and methods that we defeated our lust in the past. He asserts that we also need to identify when lust exerts its full strength and vigor in what particular occasions and opportunities (p. 37). We need to find out lust’s strategies and deceptive ways to tempt us. Third, John points out that: We need to continue to attack our lusts daily with the spiritual weapons that are most detrimental to it (p. 37). Although sin is quiet does not mean it is completely mortified. We need to constantly and daily give deadly blows and wounds to it with the Sword (the Word of God) that it can not rise up again and make it dying (p. 38). Third, true mortification is evident through: a degree of success in the battle (p. 38). John argues that winning frequently in a battle of any lust may give the evidence of mortification (p. 38). However, he asserts, in order truly mortify a lust, we need to immediately notice of the lust and bring it to the laws of Bible and crucify it to the cross. When a man can automatically respond to any lust in this fashion will help him weaken the root of any lust to a significant degree. John also emphasizes that we should constantly “implant our hearts with God’s graces and substitute those graces with evils in our hearts (p. 39). For example we should substitute pride with humility, passion with patience, uncleanness with purity of mind and worldliness with “heavenly-mindedness” (p. 39).
In chapter seven, John contends that only a regenerated (born-again Christian) person can truly mortify sin. If not, he says, it is vain attempt for mortifying sin, and it presents three problems. First problems he points out is that: The mind and soul are diverted from that which is most important (p. 44). Attempting to mortify sin just to seek to find relief and comfort and guiltless feeling to one’s conscience is derived from self-love thus an unregenerated (not born-again) person diverts from God. Second problem he mentions is that: This duty, being a good thing in itself and in its proper place, tends to bring a false peace to the conscience (p. 44). Without going to Christ and by the power of the blood of the cross, although a person may have a victory over a sin means nothing. Third problem he presents is: When a man has for a season such soul deception, and then finds out after the long course of his life that his sin was not truly mortified, or that he has just changed one sin for another, he begins to believe that victory over sin is impossible (p. 45). Fighting sin without Christ can make any person despair with their undying sins. Thus unbelievers tend to give up on fighting in mortification of sin.
In chapter eight, John talks about our need to obey God in all areas of our lives in mortification of sin. He then mentions two reasons for the significance of performing our basic duties (i.e. praying, fasting, reading the Bible) in fixing outbreaking of sin our souls for promotion of our spirituality. First reason is: This endeavor for mortification has a bad foundation (p. 50). We as believers have to hate all sins. We must hate not only a sin that troubles us right now but all other potential sins that might hurt us later. Second reason is that: Maybe God has allowed this troubling lust to have power over you to draw your attention to other failures and your lukewarmness in walking before him (p. 51). God may want one’s attention to examine one’s course and double check his ways to make sure if he is going on the right path that aligns with God’s pleasing will.
From chapter nine, John starts discussing with nine preparatory directions that help us deal with gaining victory over “disquieting lusts.” Preparatory Direction 1 states: Consider the symptoms that accompany a lust (p.54). Then John talks about t six deadly and serious symptoms of sin. I will simply list the six symptoms here. They are: 1. Firm establishment over a long period of time and settlement as a habitual practice. 2. When the heart pleads to be though in a good state, yet all the while allows the continuance of a lust without any attempt at its mortification. 3. When sin frequently succeeds in obtaining the consent of the will. 4. When a man fights against a sin only because of the consequences or penalty of that sin. 5. When it is probable that trouble over a sin or lust is a punishment from God. 6. When your lust has already withstood particular dealings from God against it (pp. 54-62).
In chapter ten, John talks about Preparatory Direction 2 that states: 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 (p.65). Speaking of the guilt of sin, John contests that one of the deceptions of sin is that people consider its guilt as a small matter (p. 65). John asserts that believers can compromise guilt of sin by comparing their sins with others that others have sinned more greatly than their, therefore, my sin after all is not as bad. Thus we sometimes tend to minimize its guilt of sin. John suggests two ways “to help in fixing a right judgment of the guilt of sin in our minds.” One, he points out that a believer’s guilt from an unmortified sin is: aggravated and heightened by the fact that he has received (p. 67). John reminds of us believers that if we sin in the light of God’s grace, we sin against: more love, mercy. grace, assistance, relief, means, and deliverances (p. 67). He stresses out that: the guilt of sinning against grace is more serious than if you did not have any grace at all (p. 67). Another, John contends that God is pleased more with His children’s pure hearts and inward graces in them. Therefore, God also is greatly more disturbed in seeing the working of their lust and “outward sins” than the obvious sinful acts of unsaved, wicked men. The outward sins that believers may fall into, therefore, are more serious because grace opposes them (p.68). Speaking of dangers of sin, the first danger John talks about is: Being hardened by the deceitfulness of sin (p. 68). John argues that if we do not carefully watch out any temptations or lusts, those unchecked sins will lead us to hardening of our hearts. If we harden our hearts, we would not feel guilty of any sins and our conscience would become dull against any sins. The second danger is: Coming under a great chastisement (p. 69). Although God forgives our sins, if we repent of them, God still punishes us for our sins. God will make us suffer for the consequences of our sins by bring bitterness to our souls. If we do not fear God’s chastisement, that means, John asserts that we are hardened by sins. The third danger is: The loss of peace and strength all a man’s days (p. 70). If we do not repent of our sins, God will hide his Face making our souls miserable and aching. Believers definitely need God’s peace and strength. Without them is like walking in darkness with no joys to their souls. The fourth danger is: The danger of eternal destruction (p.72). God will carry out eternal destruction for those who continuously sin without repenting of their sins. God will also carry out eternal destruction for those who show no God’s graces and in Christ Jesus. Speaking of the present evils of sin, John elaborates on the effects of sin. First: It grieves the holy and blessed Spirit (p. 73). Holy Spirit is grieved by our harboring sins and lusts in our hearts. Second; The Lord Jesus Christ is wounded afresh by it (p. 74). Every unmortified sin and lust wounds and grieves Jesus Christ who died for our sins, crucifies Him again. Third: It will take away a man’s usefulness in his generation (p. 75). Men cannot receive any blessings from God for all their hard work, effort and endeavor, if they do not completely get rid of every single sin in them.
In chapter eleven, Preparatory Directions three through seven are mentioned. John talks about Preparatory Direction 3 that states: Charge your conscience with the guilt of indwelling sin (p. 76). He examines indwelling sin in terms of God’s law. He talks about three ways that God’s law apply to considering indwelling sin. First, John asserts that one cannot state that he has spiritual security, although he cries out to God with all his might to free himself from the condemning power of sin, if he intentionally allows the smallest sin in his heart to entertain it. Second, he contends that: The law was commissioned by God to judge sin wherever it finds it, and brings it before His throne (p. 77). The law finds and condemns your sins, and if you repent and ask for forgiveness, the law would save you or if not, you would be condemned by it. Third, he argues that: The purpose of the law is to discover sin and the guilt of it (p. 78). Preparatory Direction 4 states that: Seek a constant longing and thirsting to be delivered from the power of sin (p. 81). John asserts that unless believers long and desperately seek deliverance from God for their sins, they will find none. Preparatory Direction 5 states that: Consider whether the trouble that you are perplexed with is related to your particular make-up and nature (p. 82). John elaborates on three points. First, he argues that every man’s nature is corrupted and sinful therefore if anyone is trouble with a particular sin is just: the breaking out of original lust in your nature… (p. 83). Second, he contests that: If your constitution is particularly prone to give way to a particular lust, then Satan and sin have a special advantage, and you must, with extraordinary watchfulness, care, and diligence, fight to overcome these attacks against your soul (p. 83). Third, he contends that for the mortification of sin, disciplining and brining body under control will help. Fasting and watching will help to mortify sin under two guidelines. One, he says fasting or weakening one’s body is only beneficial if it leads to weakening sin (p. 84). Another, fasting and watching should not be considered as true mortification of sin but only as means by which Holy Spirit may put forth power to mortify sin (p. 84). Preparatory Direction 6 states that: Consider what occasions your sin has taken advantage of to exert itself in the past, and watch carefully at such times (p. 84). We need to watch carefully of all our ways and actions and working of our iniquities and go against these sins. Preparatory Direction 7: Rise mightily against the first sign of sin (p. 85). John argues that we should not allow sin take the smallest foothold in our minds and hearts.
In chapter twelve, John mentions last two Preparatory Directions that directly deal with mortification. He states Preparatory Direction 8 that states: We need to be exercised with such meditations as will fill us at all times with self-abasement and thoughts of our own vileness (p. 87). John asserts that if we meditate the greatness and majesty of God and try to know Him, God will reveal how wicked and evil we are.
In chapter thirteen, Preparatory Direction 9 states that: 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 (p. 101). In order to prevent our mistake of taking false peace not from God, he suggests two observations. Observation 1 states that: It is the great prerogative of God in His sovereignty to give grace to whom He pleases (p. 102). Only God can grant true peace. Observation 2 states that: Just as God creates peace for whom he pleases, so it is the prerogative of Christ to apply it to the conscience (p. 102). Only Christ can determine our condition and state for true peace in our hearts and minds. John furthermore elaborates on five rules by which we could determine if peace comes from God or men. Rule 1 states that: Men certainly speak peace to themselves when they do not view their sin, from the guilt of which they seek relief, with the great hatred imaginable (p. 103). Rule 2 states that: Men also speak peace to themselves when they reason from the gracious promises of God and claim them in a purely rational and natural way (p. 107). John asserts that only the Holy Spirit leads us to true peace from God. John explains furthermore about how to distinguish if peace is led by the Spirit or men. He gives four answers. Answer 1 states that: If anyone is in error concerning this, God will speedily let him know it (p. 109). Answer 2 states that: This course (taking false peace by men) is commonly taken without waiting. He argues that we sometimes have to wait on the Lord for Him to grant us His true peace. Answer 3 states that: Such a course, though it may quiet the conscience, the mind, and the reasoning of the soul, does not sweeten the heart with rest and gracious contentment (p. 110). God not only convicts our guilt and heart but also with “sweet,” “good,” and “desirable” to our soul thus bringing true rest (p. 110). Answer 4 states that: What is worst of all is that this course does not change the life (p. 110). When we speak of peace, it does not take away our sins and evil. Rule 3 states that: Speaking peace to ourselves can be detected by the fact that we do it superficially (p. 111). John argues that it is not enough for one to just look at the promises of the Word to cure his wound. He also has to believe the promises with his faith to observe and transfer all its virtues to his soul. Rule 4 states that: A person also speaks peace to himself when he is concerned about one sin, while at the same time there is another evil of no less importance lying upon his spirit, about which he has had no dealings with God (p. 112). John contends that we should repent of all our sins. If we are not bothered by some sin, he or she cannot obtain true peace from God and thus God can not: justify us from our sins (p. 112). Rule 5 states that: When men speak peace to themselves, it is seldom the case that God at the same time speaks humiliation to their souls (p. 113). John asserts that we must wait until God speaks to us. He furthermore elaborates on how to confirm His speaking to us. First, he says that it is our duty to receive peace when we are convinced that God speaks to us. Second, he contests that true children of Christ knows their bridegroom’s voice by consistently having fellowship with Him and having exercises ourselves to know Him. If it is the Word of God that speaks to you, it should humble and cleanse you. Thus you become obedient and self-emptied to the Word of God (p. 115).
In chapter fourteen, John talks about the power of Christ’s blood, and the power of the Spirit. He contends that only the blood of Christ can help us truly mortifying our sins and by the power of the Holy Spirit carries out the power of the cross be applied to killings of our sins.
In conclusion, I have enjoyed this book. I recommend this book because this theology book is written for the general public. Some chapters might be a bit difficult to read, but you will find great insights in mortifying sin from this book.