The Mortification of Sin
Weight | 0.15 kg |
---|---|
Dimensions | 18.1 × 12.1 × 1.0 cm |
binding | eBook (ePub & Kindle), Paperback, Paperback & eBook (ePub & Kindle) |
format | Book |
page-count | 144 |
series | Puritan Paperbacks |
isbn | 9780851518671 |
Banner Pub Date | May 1, 2004 |
Original Pub Date | 1656 |
Book Description
In this abridgement of a classic work, the famous Puritan John Owen shows the need for Christians to engage in a life-long battle against the sinful tendencies that remain in them, despite their having been brought to faith and new life in Christ.
Owen is very insistent that believers cannot hope to succeed in this battle in their own strength. He sees clearly that the fight can be won only through faith in Christ, and in the power of the Spirit. Fighting sin with human strength will produce only self-righteousness, superstition and anxiety of conscience. But with faith in Christ, and with the power of the Spirit, victory is certain. The temptations in times like Owen’s and ours are obvious on every side; the remedy to them is clearly pointed out in this practical and helpful book.
Table of Contents Expand ↓
Preface | vii | |
Publisher’s Foreword | xi | |
1 | Introduction | 1 |
2 | Why the Flesh Must Be Mortified | 5 |
3 | The Work of the Spirit in Mortification | 14 |
4 | How Life and Comfort Depend on Mortification | 21 |
5 | What Mortification Is Not | 26 |
6 | What Mortification Is | 32 |
7 | Only Believers Can Mortify Sin | 40 |
8 | God Requires Universal Obedience | 49 |
9 | The Dangerous Symptoms of Sin | 54 |
10 | Seeing Sin for What It Is | 65 |
11 | A Tender Conscience and a Watchful Heart | 76 |
12 | Humility | 87 |
13 | Wait for the Verdict of God | 101 |
14 | The Work of Christ and the Power of the Spirit | 116 |
About the author
John Owen was born in 1616 in Stadhampton, Oxfordshire and died in Ealing, West London, in 1683. During his sixty-seven years he lived out a life full of spiritual experience, literary accomplishment, and national influence so beyond most of his peers that he continues to merit the accolade of ‘the greatest British theologian of all time.’ Read More >>
You may also like…

Puritan Paperbacks Series
Number of volumes depends on availability
Description
This practical and helpful book shows the need for Christians to engage in a life-long battle against remaining sin, and that the fight can be won only through faith in Christ and in the power of the Spirit. 144pp.
More items to consider:

Description
This practical and helpful book shows the need for Christians to engage in a life-long battle against remaining sin, and that the fight can be won only through faith in Christ and in the power of the Spirit. 144pp.

Description
This practical and helpful book shows the need for Christians to engage in a life-long battle against remaining sin, and that the fight can be won only through faith in Christ and in the power of the Spirit. 144pp.
David J. Harris –
This work by Owen is the best I have read so far among books that deal with sin in the believer’s life. There are two unique features of this book that make it so:
1. John Owen gives a biblical balance between human responsibility and divine power. It seems that there are two ditches in approaching a Christian’s sin life, and everything I have read on the subject usually falls into one. Some authors/preachers ONLY emphasize human responsibility. They say “Stop!” but they never say how. Therefore, all the burden of dealing with sin is laid on inadequate shoulders. This is not only a problem in literature, but in the mindset of many conservative evangelicals. Christians are told to deal with sin, to just stop doing it, without any exhortation to trust in God. Grace has not part in the mortification process. Therefore they become weary and the end result is moral failure (even among leadership). The other ditch is an emphasis only on divine grace. Many voices are saying, in regards to sin, to “Let go and let God.” This emphasis on God’s power that ignores human responsibility leads men to a quetistic faith which disengages both the will and the mind, and can lead to many other errors.
Owen, however, looks to Scripture and draws careful conclusions, and gives the reader the full scope of dealing with sin. “Stop, because God will enable you to stop.”
2. John Owen goes far deeper than most books and sermons on a Christian’s sin life, and examines the motives. This subject comes up over and over again in the book. He expounds on the many and varied wrong motives, and shows that if any of these are behind our repentance (or false repentance) than we are not really experiencing “godly sorrow.” This issue of motive is something I have never really seen dealt with in books of this nature, but Owen shows the immense significance of it.
This was the first book I have read by Owen. I’m looking forward to see how this great saint of the Lord will help me in the future.
joshanders11 –
A must own for any library.
Jaron –
God used this little Puritan paperback in my life immensely! This book helped me by
Owen’s absolute ability to display from scripture every true child of God’s need to apply the gospel to our lives through daily putting to death the deeds of the flesh by the sovereign power of the Holy Spirit who indwells us.
I cannot encourage you to buy and read this amazing book enough!
Randall H. –
This was my first book written by John Owen. I was not expecting a book with this relatively small page count to have as much depth as I found. I do think that the abridgment made the material more accessible than it otherwise might have been for being my first time reading a John Owen book, so I very much appreciated that. The subject itself is extremely useful, I have found that Owen’s framing of sin within the Christian life, and the reliance upon the Holy Spirit in overcoming temptation to be masterfully put. His advice his as useful as it is interesting for discussion.
Robert Norman –
A splendid work on the need to remove sin from our lives. I would recommend this to anybody who is seeking to live a holier life, so I recommend this to all who call themselves Christians, as we should all be seeking holiness under Christ’s banner.
Matthew –
This little book is so insightful and helpful. I’m not sure if any book other than the Bible has ever affected me like this one. It has caused me to daily examine myself and my motives for sin and strive to glorify God by laying the axe at the root of every sin.
This is my first experience with Owen. I’m eager to read some of his other works, as well. As another reviewer stated, I can’t recommend this book enough.
Brion Burkett –
I have taken to handing this book to any man I mentor as required reading in their fight against persistent sins. This book forces clarity in the midst of the fog and dilutions of the shame and confusion post sinful decision. I am eternally grateful for John Owen’s efforts, submission to God and devoted service to God’s people.
This book is a must read for any in the deadlock of their battle against persistent sinful habits and patterns. This book is a godward invitation to hate sin as much as God does, and to find new impetus to “mortify” any traces of the old man’s war of opposition to God that remain in the habits and/or decisions.
Next to The Bruised Reed by Richard Sibbes, this is by far the Puritan Paperback I has received most tangible change and “clearing of the path” from.
Thank you Banner of Truth Trust for keeping this available for us out here to read!