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Sin and Temptation
John Owen’s Classic Works on the Evil of Sin and the Power of Grace, Updated for Modern Readers Regarded as one of the greatest theologians in history, 17th-century pastor John Owen remains influential among those interested in Puritan and Reformed theology. The Complete Works of John Owen brings together all of Owen’s original theological writing, including never-before-published work, reformatted for modern readers in 40 user-friendly volumes. Volume 15, The Christian Life―Sin and Temptation , includes the treatises “Of the Mortification of Sin in Believers”; “Of The Nature and Power of It”; “The Nature, Power, Deceit, and Prevalency of Indwelling Sin”; and “A Treatise of the Dominion of Sin and Grace.” Each work has been edited with extensive introductions by Kelly M. Kapic, Justin Taylor, and Shawn D. Wright. Released over a number of years, The Complete Works of John Owen will inspire a new generation of Bible readers and scholars to deeper faith.
- GenresTheology
640 pages, Hardcover
Published September 3, 2024
18 people are currently reading
36 people want to read
About the author
John Owen
1,358 books412 followersJohn Owen was an English theologian and "was without doubt not only the greatest theologian of the English Puritan movement but also one of the greatest European Reformed theologians of his day, and quite possibly possessed the finest theological mind that England ever produced" ("Owen, John", in Biographical Dictionary of Evangelicals, p. 494)
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
January 6, 2025
God calls his people to stand guard; to be battle-ready. Abraham Kuyper helps us understand the importance of standing our ground in the fight against sin: “For when we realize that Satan is busy and at his tricks, then we are on our guard; then we seek refuge in Him who has crushed Satan’s head; then we close our hearts to the stealthy, murderous enemy.” This posture of readiness requires us to wear the full armor of God – the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, and the helmet of salvation. We must wield the sword of the Spirit and pray at all times in the Spirit.
The battle rages around us. Satan tempts us, the world seduces us, and the flesh seeks to lure us in with compelling force. But the Lord, in his kindness provides a powerful safeguard in our fight against sin.
Thankfully, God has given us his Word and his Spirit to help us in our fight against sin. He has also blessed us with rich Christian books that help cultivate discipline and equip us as mature believers. John Owen is an author who is uniquely qualified to write on such a subject. Thankfully, Crossway Books is republishing and repacking the works of John Owen in attractive volumes that will educate another generation of Christians.
Volume 15 contains four important titles by John Owen, including Of the Mortification of Sin in Believers, Of Temptation: The Nature and Power of It, The Nature, Power, and Prevalence of Indwelling Sin, and A Treatise of the Dominion of Sin and Grace.
Each book in this volume deals candidly and biblically with the epic war that every Christian faces. As a Puritan, Owen showcases a depth of understanding that is unparalleled in our day. These books diagnose the problem of sin and prescribe a specific manner of fighting which may be summarized in Romans 8:13 - For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.”
Readers will benefit from Owen’s deep knowledge of God’s Word and will be better prepared to stand and fight. Careful students of Scripture will pay heed to Owen’s well-known warning, “Be killing sin or sin will be killing you.”
I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review.
The battle rages around us. Satan tempts us, the world seduces us, and the flesh seeks to lure us in with compelling force. But the Lord, in his kindness provides a powerful safeguard in our fight against sin.
Thankfully, God has given us his Word and his Spirit to help us in our fight against sin. He has also blessed us with rich Christian books that help cultivate discipline and equip us as mature believers. John Owen is an author who is uniquely qualified to write on such a subject. Thankfully, Crossway Books is republishing and repacking the works of John Owen in attractive volumes that will educate another generation of Christians.
Volume 15 contains four important titles by John Owen, including Of the Mortification of Sin in Believers, Of Temptation: The Nature and Power of It, The Nature, Power, and Prevalence of Indwelling Sin, and A Treatise of the Dominion of Sin and Grace.
Each book in this volume deals candidly and biblically with the epic war that every Christian faces. As a Puritan, Owen showcases a depth of understanding that is unparalleled in our day. These books diagnose the problem of sin and prescribe a specific manner of fighting which may be summarized in Romans 8:13 - For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.”
Readers will benefit from Owen’s deep knowledge of God’s Word and will be better prepared to stand and fight. Careful students of Scripture will pay heed to Owen’s well-known warning, “Be killing sin or sin will be killing you.”
I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review.
April 14, 2025
This was such a treat to read. I read this very slowly, since I found that Owen’s writing is so rich and deserving of more thoughtful engagement. His method of weaving between exegesis and application is incredible.
What is so astounding is that this almost reads like a modern biblical counseling textbook (just Puritainized). I’m almost convinced that if Owen were alive today, he would be a professor of biblical counseling. He’s very balanced in speaking about both the direct danger of sin and the hope that we have in Christ. He explicitly shows the reader how the work of Christ and of the Spirit relate to the indwelling sin that believers struggle with today.
Looking forward to the release of all 40 volumes.
What is so astounding is that this almost reads like a modern biblical counseling textbook (just Puritainized). I’m almost convinced that if Owen were alive today, he would be a professor of biblical counseling. He’s very balanced in speaking about both the direct danger of sin and the hope that we have in Christ. He explicitly shows the reader how the work of Christ and of the Spirit relate to the indwelling sin that believers struggle with today.
Looking forward to the release of all 40 volumes.
February 21, 2025
“I fight dragons.” -Paul Washer
John Owen’s "Mortification of Sin" is one of those books you’ve probably heard about if not already read. There’s a reason for that. The battle against sin is the universal experience of every believer. Part of the Devil’s game is to minimize your perception of the conflict. With the help of Romans 8:13, Owen illuminates how the promises and warnings of God relate in the Christian life. He has a ton of helpful things to say about the nature of temptation, the means of resistance, and what constitutes real victory. By adhering so closely to the apostolic message, Owen holds in tandem truths that are often confused. For example: he insists that mortification is necessary if one is to inherit eternal life. At the same time, he denies that any believer is able to wholly mortify any single sin and repeatedly denounces the notion that one can merit favor from God. One of his most striking emphases is the simple, but profound reality that true mortification is only found in Christ. I’ll leave you with this bit of gold:
“Mortification is the work of believers… An unregenerate man may do something like it; but the work itself, so as it may be acceptable with God, he can never perform. You know what a picture of it is drawn in some of the philosophers—Seneca, Tully, Epictetus—what affectionate discourses they have of contempt of the world and self, of regulating and conquering all exorbitant affections and passions! The lives of most of them manifested that their maxims differed as much from true mortification as the sun painted on a signpost from the sun in the firmament; they had neither light nor heat. Their own Lucian sufficiently manifests what they all were. There is no death of sin without the death of Christ.”
P.S. I really like the new Crossway hardbacks. Not only do the introductions provide some helpful context, there's helpful explanatory notes tastefully peppered throughout the work. Plus, the physical artifact is shelf worthy.
John Owen’s "Mortification of Sin" is one of those books you’ve probably heard about if not already read. There’s a reason for that. The battle against sin is the universal experience of every believer. Part of the Devil’s game is to minimize your perception of the conflict. With the help of Romans 8:13, Owen illuminates how the promises and warnings of God relate in the Christian life. He has a ton of helpful things to say about the nature of temptation, the means of resistance, and what constitutes real victory. By adhering so closely to the apostolic message, Owen holds in tandem truths that are often confused. For example: he insists that mortification is necessary if one is to inherit eternal life. At the same time, he denies that any believer is able to wholly mortify any single sin and repeatedly denounces the notion that one can merit favor from God. One of his most striking emphases is the simple, but profound reality that true mortification is only found in Christ. I’ll leave you with this bit of gold:
“Mortification is the work of believers… An unregenerate man may do something like it; but the work itself, so as it may be acceptable with God, he can never perform. You know what a picture of it is drawn in some of the philosophers—Seneca, Tully, Epictetus—what affectionate discourses they have of contempt of the world and self, of regulating and conquering all exorbitant affections and passions! The lives of most of them manifested that their maxims differed as much from true mortification as the sun painted on a signpost from the sun in the firmament; they had neither light nor heat. Their own Lucian sufficiently manifests what they all were. There is no death of sin without the death of Christ.”
P.S. I really like the new Crossway hardbacks. Not only do the introductions provide some helpful context, there's helpful explanatory notes tastefully peppered throughout the work. Plus, the physical artifact is shelf worthy.
October 25, 2025
Crossway sent me a copy of "Sin and Temptation" by John Owen in exchange for an honest review.
If you ask someone where to start with John Owen, you'll get a different answer depending on who you ask. Most Owen scholars I know say to start with his writings on the Holy Spirit (the as-of-yet unreleased volume 5 of this series). Most popular recommendations, on the other hand, would have you start with "The Mortification of Sin," which is contained in this volume. Owen approaches the topic of sin with due seriousness and biblical clarity. This volume is worth it alone for his treatise on Mortification, but the other three works are also wonderful. If you're looking to jump into this series of Owen's Complete Works, this volume is a really good place to start. I highly recommend it.
If you ask someone where to start with John Owen, you'll get a different answer depending on who you ask. Most Owen scholars I know say to start with his writings on the Holy Spirit (the as-of-yet unreleased volume 5 of this series). Most popular recommendations, on the other hand, would have you start with "The Mortification of Sin," which is contained in this volume. Owen approaches the topic of sin with due seriousness and biblical clarity. This volume is worth it alone for his treatise on Mortification, but the other three works are also wonderful. If you're looking to jump into this series of Owen's Complete Works, this volume is a really good place to start. I highly recommend it.
August 7, 2025
This volume is phenomenal in so many ways. It contains Owen's excellent works on the topic, including The Mortification of Sin and Indwelling Sin in Believers. On top of the quality, Crossway has published this collection of works in an aesthetically pleasing set. This is a great way to read some of Owen's most important works and some of the most edifying works on the topics of sin and temptation.
June 14, 2025
Practical and biblical theological matters opened thoroughly
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews