The Mortification of Sin
by John Owen
Review by Jay Veverka
“Be killing sin or it will be killing you.” This is the clarion call of John Owen in The Mortification of Sin but not simply of Owen; the call comes from the heart of God Himself. Expounding on the necessity, the nature and the means of how we put to death the deeds of the flesh, Owen mines the depths of Romans 8:13, “If by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live.” The reality for every believer is that we have been freed from the condemning power of sin through the work of Christ on the cross. Yet it is the duty of every believer to put to death the indwelling power of sin and only the Holy Spirit is sufficient for this task. Contrary to the “I’m ok, you’re ok” mentality of our age and the constant barrage of voices telling us that all we need to live happy lives is to have better self-esteem and a better self-image, Owen rightly reminds us that we will only live the life God has intended us to live as we see God rightly and ourselves rightly. It is here, in the power of the Gospel, through the work of the Spirit that we put to death the deeds of the flesh and enjoy the life that Christ has purchased for us on Calvary.