Sin and Temptation (Volume 15) (eBook)

Overviews and Outlines

John Owen’s Of the Mortification of Sin in Believers

Justin Taylor

John Owen’s Of the Mortification Sin in Believers is divided into three parts. Part 1 begins by explaining the necessity of mortification through an exposition of Romans 8:13—“If ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body ye shall live”—a foundational text in Owen’s theology of mortification. Owen then sets forth three foundational principles for the mortification of sin: first, believers, who are free from the condemning power of sin, ought to make it their daily work to mortify the indwelling power of sin; second, only the Holy Spirit is sufficient for this work; and third, the life, vigor, and comfort of the believer’s spiritual life depend much upon this work of mortifying sin.

In part 2 Owen seeks to define the mortification of sin and to set forth directions for this duty. He begins by explaining what mortification is not. Mortification is not the utter destruction of sin, nor is it the concealing of sin. Mortification has not occurred just because one’s disposition has been improved, or because the sin has been diverted, or because the believer experiences an occasional conquest. So what is mortification? Owen argues that mortification is a habitual, successful weakening of sin that involves constant warfare and contention against the flesh.

Having defined mortification, Owen then turns to pastoral counsel on how to mortify sin. But first he sets forth some necessary conditions for mortification, namely, that one must be a believer and that one must seek universal mortification before a single sin will be mortified.

Owen then offers nine particular directions for the soul with regard to mortification: (1) consider whether the sin you are contending with has any dangerous symptoms attending it; (2) get a clear and abiding sense upon your mind and conscience of the guilt, danger, and evil of that sin; (3) load your conscience with the guilt of it; (4) get a constant longing for deliverance from the power of it; (5) consider whether the sin is rooted in your nature and exacerbated by your temperament; (6) consider what occasions and advantages your sin has taken to exert and put forth itself, and watch against them all; (7) rise mightily against the first actings and conceptions of your sin; (8) meditate in such a way that you are filled at all times with self-abasement and thoughts of your own vileness; and (9) listen to what God says to your soul and do not speak peace to yourself before God speaks it, but hearken to what he says to your soul.

Finally, in part 3 Owen explains that the foregoing is really preparation for the work of mortification. When we turn to the work of mortification itself, Owen offers two exhortations: first, we must set our faith on the cross work of Christ for the killing of sin; second, the entire work of mortification must be done in the power of the Spirit.

Part 1: The Necessity of Mortification

(Chapter 1)

  I.  The foundation of mortification: Romans 8:13

  A.  The conditionality: A certain connection

  1.  The uncertainty of the event or thing promised

  2.  The certainty of the coherence and connection between the things spoken of

  B.  The persons: Believers

  C.  The cause and means: The Holy Spirit

  D.  The duty: Mortify the deeds of the body

  1.  What is meant by the body?

  2.  What by the deeds of the body?

  3.  What by mortifying of them?

  E.  The promise: You shall live

(Chapter 2)

  I.  First principle: believers ought to make the mortification of indwelling sin their daily business

  A.  Indwelling sin always abides; therefore it must always be mortified

  B.  Indwelling sin not only abides but is still active

  C.  Indwelling sin is not only active but will produce soul-destroying sins if not mortified

  D.  Indwelling sin is to be opposed by the Spirit and the new nature

  E.  The results of neglecting the mortification of indwelling sin

  F.  Our duty is to perfect holiness in the fear of God and grow in grace every day

  G.  Application: Even the best believers must mortify sin

  1.  In himself

  2.  To others

  a.  It hardens them

  b.  They deceive them

(Chapter 3)

  II.  Second principle: The Holy Spirit is the great sovereign cause of the mortification of indwelling sin

  A.  Other remedies are sought in vain

  1.  Catholic remedies are not appointed by God

  2.  Catholics misuse God’s remedies

  B.  Why mortification is the work of the Spirit

  1.  The Spirit is promised of God to be given unto us to do this work

  2.  All mortification is from the gift of Christ through the Spirit

  3.  How the Spirit mortifies sin

  a.  By causing our hearts to abound in grace

  b.  By a real physical efficiency on the root and habit of sin

  c.  By bringing the cross of Christ into the heart of a sinner by faith

  4.  If the Spirit alone mortifies sin, why are we exhorted to mortify it?

  a.  All graces and good works that are in us are his

  b.  Mortification is still an act of our obedience

(Chapter 4)

  III.  Third principle: The life, vigor, and comfort of our spiritual life depend much on our mortification of sin

  A.  Life, vigor, and comfort are not necessarily connected to mortification

  B.  Adoption and justification, not mortification, are the immediate causes of life, vigor, and comfort

  C.  However, in the ordinary relationship with God, the vigor and comfort of our spiritual lives depend much on our mortification of sin

  1.  Mortification alone keeps sin from depriving us of vigor and comfort

  a.  Every unmortified sin will weaken the soul and deprive it of its vigor

  i.  It untunes and unframes the heart by entangling its affections

  ii.  It fills the thoughts with contrivances about it

  iii.  It breaks out and actually hinders duty

  b.  Unmortified sin darkens the soul

  2.  Mortification prunes all the graces of God

  3.  Mortification is the ground of our peace

Part 2: The Nature of Mortification

(Chapter 5)

  I.  The nature of mortification

  A.  What mortification is not

  1.  Mortification is not the utter destruction and death of sin

  2.  Mortification is not the concealment of sin

  3.  Mortification is not the improvement of a quiet, sedate nature

  4.  Mortification is not the diversion of sin

  5.  Mortification is not just occasional conquests over sin

  a.  When it has had some sad eruption, to the disturbance of his peace

  b.  In a time of some judgment, calamity, or pressing affliction

(Chapter 6)

  B.  What mortification is

  1.  Mortification is a habitual weakening of sin

  a.  One lust may receive many accidental improvements, heightenings, and strengthenings

  b.  Some lusts are far more sensible and discernible in their violent actings than others

  2.  Mortification is constant fighting and contending against sin

  a.  To know that a man has such an enemy to deal with it

  b.  To labor to be acquainted with the ways, wiles, methods, advantages, and occasions of its success

  c.  To load it daily with all the things which shall after be mentioned

  3.  Mortification is frequent success

  a.  The weakening of its indwelling disposition

  b.  The promptness, alacrity, vigor of the Spirit, or new man, in contending with the lust spoken of

  c.  Success unto several degrees attends these two

(Chapter 7)

  II.  General directions

  A.  First general direction: To mortify sin one must be a believer

  1.  There will be no mortification of any sin unless one is a believer

  a.  Unbelievers must strive for conversion first, then...