Mortification of Sin: Chapter 2a

Josh July 16th, 2006

So I found my copy of Owen’s Mortification and figured I’d contribute. This particular chapter has several of my favorite quotes from the whole work. Dr. Owen lays out several principles in this chapter summized as follows:

1. Mortification is the duty of all believers (He remarks the “best” and “choicest” of believers to show that the duty is not merely for those who might be considered “weak” Christians, but for all believers).

2. Indwelling sin always abides until the state of eternal glorification.

3. The activity of indwelling sin in the lives of believers.

4. Its fruitfulness and tendency

5. The Spirit and new nature given to fight abiding sin.

6. The dangers of neglecting the duty of mortification

Outline:

I. That the choicest believers, who are assuredly freeed from the condemning power of sin, ought yet to make it their business all their days to mortify the indwelling power of sin.

A. Indwelling sin always abides whilst in this world.

B. Not only does it abide, but it is still very much active.

C. Not only is it still active, but if mortification thereof is neglected it will bring forth great, cursed, scandolous, soul-destroying sins.

D. The aformentioned subpoints are one primary reason we have been given the Spirit and new nature-a way to oppose and fight the power of indwelling sin.

E. Negligence in the duty of constant mortification casts the soul into a perfect contrary condition to that which the apostle affirms was his, 2 Cor iv.16, “Though our outward man perish, yet te inward man is renewed day by day.” Owen says further:

Sin is as the house of David, and grace as the house of Saul. Exercise and success are the two main cherishers of grace in the heart; when it is suffered to lie still, it withers and decays: the things of it are ready to die, Rev. iii.2; and sin gets ground towards the hardening of the heart, Heb. iii.13. This that which I intend: by the omission of this duty gace withers, lust flourisheth, and the frame of the heart grows worse and wordse; and the Lord knows what desperate and fearful issues it hath had with many. Where sin, through the neglect of mortification, gets a considerable victory, it breaks the bones of the soul, Ps. xxxi.24; and when poor creatures will take blow after blow, wound after wound, foil after foil, and never rouse up themselves to a vigorous opposition, can they expect any thing but to be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin, and that their souls should bleed to death?

F. You cannot perform the duties of “perfecting holiness in the fear of God” or “growing in grace” without the daily duty of mortifying sin.

End Outline

There’s more to chapter 2, but this time we will limit ourselves to this first portion I’ve presented. Again, as I’ve hopefully properly conveyed before, I’m not trying to (nor am I capable of) enhancing what John Owen has written concerning the subject. Any attempt on my part would be quite futile. However, if by my commenting on his work will encourage, motivate, or persuade other Christians to read Dr. Owen’s contributions, I will have succeeded, as far as I am concerned.

The main argument Dr. Owen is making is that even the ‘best’ of believers are in need of constantly giving attention to the duty of mortification. He gives several reasons why this is so. In a sense, some believers are stronger than others, whether it be in areas of strength, maturity, etc. However, here Dr. Owen makes the point that regardless of one’s maturation (or lack thereof), he ought always be mindful of indwelling sin because all Christians, whether “strong” or “weak” are subject to their own indwelling sin.

That being the case, Christians of all stripes ought need never think their “faith” is so strong as to overcome sin in this lifetime. That being so, they should know that indwelling sin, thought it cannot condemn the Christian to hell, still very much abides, and is active. If this indwelling sin is not met with another active force, namely mortification, it will bring scandal, lack of assurance, and other terrible things in the life of the believer. See the extended quote above from Owen’s Work.

Thus, we have been given the Spirit to comfort, strengthen, and guide us in our fight against sin, along with the new nature, which is not, nor can it be ruled by sin. Knowing that we possess these gifts, we ought never be found negligent in the daily duty of mortifying those things which cause us to transgress God’s law or cause us to not conform to it. If we wish to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to grow in our holiness, we must also be active in mortifying our sin. May God give us new vigor in daily recognizing, confessing, hating, and mortifying the sins which nailed His Son to His cross…His cross that should have been ours. Blessed be the Name of the Lord!

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