The Mortification of Sins in Believers: Part I The Necessity of Mortification

Chapter 1

Romans 8:13 "for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live."

Sin is an ailment like no other. It sets in and permeates the flesh all the days of its earthly life. It eats away at a person who neglects it. It is a friend to some, a forgotten burden to others, and an enemy to the one who understands grace. It is a foe that wages war against us, and therefore must continued to be put to death. 

In this first chapter, Owen lays out the Necessity for Mortification. He begins by talking about the persons involved; the Believer. Owen writes, "The choicest believers, who assuredly freed from the condemning power of sin, ought yet to make it their business all their days to mortify the indwelling power of sin." Let it be noted that he is stating that there is sin in the believer. It is not apart of his nature, but is a remnant of the flesh. As this is a huge key to his book, this will be discussed in detail. But this is noted so as to state that we are not misguided to think that there is no sin, nor the propensity to sin, within the redeemed.

The Persons: Believers

Within this statement, in reflection of Romans 8:13, Owen states that even the most sanctified of believers, who has been saved by the blood of Christ, through grace, can never stop killing the sin within them. Later on he states, "be killing sin or it will be killing you."  The battle is fierce and never ending in this life, and to state it in a lax sense gives way to dam that holds back this foe and if given way, will permeate the life of the believer who has a higher view of self than Sanctifier. We must know the enemy. The enemy itself is not man or beast, but spot. It is the blemish, the mark that is missed, the fleshly passion that resides and comes out of none other but man. This would mean to say that although saved, one still has sin within them. Well how can this be as man has one nature. Owen makes mention of this as well but first reveals the chief foe of sin, and the only one who can adequately battle it with great victory. The Holy Spirit. 

The Cause and Means: The Holy Spirit

This is the Spirit of Christ, whereby without Him, all attempts of mortification will fail miserably. Owen writes, "Mortification from a self-strength, carried on by the ways of self-invention, unto the end of a self-righteousness, is the soul and substance of all false religion in the world." Thus, seeking to mortify sin apart from the Holy Spirit is vanity. To state that, "I don't have to sin and will not sin, on my own strength." is an arrogant assumption that will lead one to a detrimental fall into mediocrity. If one fails to understand the power of the Spirit, they fail to understand the depravity of self. Thus, what now, must be done?

The Duty: Mortify the Deeds of the Body

The presence of Sin calls for Spiritual action. the believer is not to understand the Spirit is the only one who can battle and do nothing. The Spirit is not to be conjured up like a genie to fill the presence of a believer, rather it is to be ever present in the battle against the body. 

What is the body? Romans 8:13 concludes with, "but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live."  In short, the flesh and the body are the same. The Flesh, and the flesh is the source where, "the very members of the body are made servants of unrighteousness." Thus can we say that the whole member of a person can have sin within it. Yes, in fact it is an ever present battle for the "putting to death" is present active. Meaning that this is a continuous event. Thus if this is continuous then sin is always present in battle, not in manifestation. Note that although the soul battles sin, it does not mean that sin is manifested in the believer, rather it is righteousness. Some have thought that this would concur that we have two natures, rather this is not the case. Rather it is the exercise to usurp the authority of sin through the power of the Holy Spirit, and engaging in the killing of it. 

Owen writes, "the deeds of the flesh are to be mortified in their causes, from whence they spring." This was not only stated by, but lived by the apostle Paul when he wrote this. Owen writes, "The mortification of indwelling sin remaining in our mortal bodies, that it may not have life and power to bring forth the works or deeds of the flesh is the constant duty of believers." In short, the sin that remains in our flesh will rear its head and turn into a nearly untamable beast if the head is not severed. Therefore, it is our duty to kill even the slightest sin in our life, through the enacting of the Holy Spirit. 

The Promise: You Shall Live

What an incredible truth to grip our souls. That although the fight continuous, although the battle fierce at times, there is the relief of understanding what Paul writes, "you shall live." Owen writes, "The life promised is opposed to the death threatened in the clause forgoing." Galatians 6:8 states, "For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life." Owen suggests that what is reaped is apart of this life, as eternal life begins upon the moment of salvation. Therefore it is a joy and a comfort that the killing of sin reaps that which is eternal, and letting sin fester will only reap corruption and cloud the heart, mind, and actions of the redeemed. What an unbelievable blessing to understand what the mortifying of sin produces. Owen writes, "The vigor, and power, and comfort of our spiritual life depends on the mortification of the deeds of the flesh." O' may we never fret at the battle with the flesh, but may we relish in the fruits of battle as only the Holy Spirit can give to His redeemed.