The Mortification of Sin: How to Walk in Spiritual Freedom

by John Owen, Grapevine Press

"The Mortification of How to Walk in Spiritual Freedom" by John Owen provides a profound and practical guide for believers on the journey of sanctification. Owen delves into the crucial topic of putting sin to death in the power of Christ, emphasizing the need for believers to actively engage in the process of mortifying sin in their lives.

With deep theological insights and practical wisdom, he addresses the nature of sin, the role of the Holy Spirit, and the means of grace in the battle against sin. Owen's work serves as a valuable resource, equipping readers with biblical principles and practical tools to live in spiritual freedom, experiencing victory over sin and growing in holiness.

Genres: Theology, Christian, Christian Living, Christianity, Nonfiction, Faith, Classics

147 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1656

About the author

John 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)

Reviews

[Joseph Louthan · Rating 5 out of 5]

By yourself? You will not kill sin.

By the power of the Almighty Spirit from the grace of our Father through the death of Christ Jesus? You will be saved.

[Brian · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was probably my 9th or 10th time through this book in one of its forms; and each time I gain something new. Chapter 14 (the last chapter) is the key to the whole and readers who do not read all the way to end will misunderstand Owen. The nine directions preceding chapter 14 are all preparatory for the work of mortification itself and are aimed at bringing the soul into a humble, self-despairing frame, so that it can truly exercise faith in Christ. You might think of the nine directions as Owen's application of the law, while chapter 14 is Owen's application of the gospel. I think I will never outgrow my need for this book.

[Faye · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book that every Christian should read. There's a lot to take in even though it's a short book so I will definitely be reading this one again. It should probably be read periodically!

[Jonathan Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

Renn translation/modernization: though I had read this before Renn’s version was made it even better. Many modernizations fall flat because they don’t really care about keeping the prose similar to the original but instead putting modern words in instead of out of use terms. Renn does not do this, he keeps the beauty of Owen’s turn of phrase but make it clearer. It was very well done.

Original language version: I try to always be reading the Puritans, and this one was one of the best I have read. Owen just had a way with words. I enjoyed this and look forward to more by Owen. Great book

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every Christian needs to read this book. I'm definitely going to need to revisit this one again and again.

[Ben Cook · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is, without doubt, the greatest thing outside the bible I have ever read.

It stands as a tier of its own. It is majestic, insightful and God glorifying. Oh the strides in recognition of my own wretchedness and Gods overwhelming glory this book has brought me.

Peace of spirit, excitement in service and a joy at the overwhelming character of our God. These along with an utter conviction of the Depravity of man has left me speechless and overjoyed. This is truly a tonic to the soul and will remain a life long companion.

Please, please read this book.

[✨Ruthie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderfully eye-opening book. Actually, one of my favorite school books of all time!

[Benjamin Phillips · Rating 5 out of 5]

2025: At least my tenth read. Every time unlocks new depths. Three observations this time:
1) Chapter 5 is key. Lots of this book is applicable across the board, but it is deliberately pointed at sin habits that are besetting and exceptionally successful and disturbing. This is important to avoid misapplying some of Owen’s more “afflict the comfortable” comments.
2) Some of his thoughts re: subduing the body (mostly around fasting) could be fruitfully brought into dialogue with the discourse around psychotropic medications and things like ADHD.
3) Chapter 14 is exceedingly encouraging.

A profound and lovely little book. At times it seems as if Owen could see into my soul. Recommend in the strongest possible terms.
Trying out a new tradition this year and adding it to a stack to be re-read every January.

[Brian Eshleman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Direct, yet grounded. His word choices are both incisive and illustrative. He can challenge, and encourage. He can scare where we should be fearful, and speak peace in its place. A pastor's heart definitely comes through the pages and the centuries.

[Austin Puckett · Rating 5 out of 5]

“We are dead to sin by profession; dead to sin by obligation to be so; dead to sin by participation in His virtue and power for the killing of it; dead to sin by union and interest in Christ, through whom and by whom it is killed. How can we thus live in it?”

[Andrew Mouck · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fantastic read - one I would certainly revisit in the future and will be strongly recommending to others.

Owen spends the opening 13 chapters laying out an extremely compelling case as to the importance of mortification and the effect on one's heart if this endeavor is not undertaken. The task of mortification, or the intentional and persistent putting to death of indwelling sin, is not an optional task for the Christian. As Owen puts it: "Do you mortify? Do you make it your daily work? You must always be at it while you live; do not take a day off from this work; always be killing sin or it will be killing you."

After 13 chapters of establishing these foundational truths relating to the seriousness of sin in believers and our duty to be mortifying daily, Owen spends the final chapter beautifully providing direction on how to accomplish this work of mortification.

This book made me deeply consider the state of my heart, and I found myself convicted as I was reminded of the seriousness of sin and how we must have pure hearts to be in the presence of our holy God. One of my many learnings from this book is that I need to develop a tender conscience to be attuned to the first hints of sin in my life. I also appreciated the warning provided to not apply temporary 'bandage solutions' to sin in our lives: "When God stirs your heart about the guilt of your sin, concerning either its root and indwelling, or its breaking out, be careful that you do not speak peace to yourself before God speaks it." We must labour in prayer, setting our faith upon Christ for the killing of our sin, all while remembering that "this whole work...is effected, carried on, and accomplished by the power of the Spirit in all its parts and all its degrees."

[Reformed Rhetoric · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are few books in life that compel one to commit to re-reading them every year. This book is one of those works. John Owen is a notoriously hard read but your labor will return to ten-fold. Owne is rightly considered the "Great Doctor of the Soul." He pierces your conscience, reveals all your tricks and appeasement of your inward corruptions and sin, and then applies the glorious Gospel and promises of God to your wounds so that you may be healed and restored to spiritual health and vigor.

Great book certainly in that small "must-read in your lifetime" pile. I read this edition (it contains this work and two others: http://www.amazon.com/Overcoming-Sin-...

This is a great edition because it retains John Owen's original work intact and unabridged but adds great introductions, section headers, footnotes for archaic words, and outline of his work in the appendix. These are great helps for wrestling with this author whose prose has infamously been known to "plod along with the grace of elephant."

[Ligia Rus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Most of us pass so easily by verses such as Romans 8:13 - "If by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live".
Well, this is not the case with John Owen. He wrote a book from that verse.
Owen considers that "the choicest believers, who are assuredly freed from the condemning power of sin, should also make it their business all of their days to mortify the indwelling power of sin."

Starting from the reason why the flesh must be mortified, this book explains the work of mortification, who can do it and by what means. We also find here little glimps of the symptoms of sin and the attitude that the believer should adopt towards it.

Owen's arguments are very biblically saturated and have the power to pierce the believer's heart.

[Lois · Rating 5 out of 5]

A convicting read

Not an easy book to read by any means but I’d venture to say a necessary book for serious Christians.

[Carissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Be killing sin, or it will be killing you."

[Ethan Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

I decided to start reading the puritans, and with all the wealth they offered, I did not know where to start. I had heard great things from Owen and specifically this "discourse," as he calls it, so I decided to give it a go, and my oh my am I happy I did.

Never before have I read a book that so spoke to me, searched me, and knew me. It was as if Owen was speaking directly to me.

This collection of sermons given in Oxford in 1656 can be challenging to read at times (I read in the original translation), but with patience, I imagine everyone will find, as J.I. Packer found that "His thoughts are like the pillars of a Norman cathedral; they leave an impression of massive grandeur precisely because of their solid simplicity."

This book has so much gold, and I would speedily recommend it to anyone who is serious about Holiness. The final chapter alone is worth the purchase. Have fun enjoying the grace of God yall!

"He [Jesus] can make the dry, parched ground of my soul to become a pool, and my thirsty, barren heart as springs of water; yea, he can make this habitation of dragons, this heart so full of abominable lusts and fiery temptations, to be a place for grass and fruit for himself (Isa. 35:7)." Pg. 147

[Riley Carpenter · Rating 5 out of 5]

As always, Owen is piercing and practical in his writings. Highly recommend.

[Stephen Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

Owen’s theology of sin seems to be far more countercultural in our current moment than it was at its original publishing. This might be untrue, technically, for human nature, bowed under the yoke of original sin, is perhaps no more fallen than it ever has been. However, in a time when the Internet and all of its cousin technologies have come to serve as primary mediators between Christians and their lived lives, participation in all kinds of sin – “of the eyes, of the flesh, and of the pride of life” – has never been so easily accessible, and that accessibility, along with the dopamine-enhanced effect of technological mediation, means that the potential addictive quality of those sins is exponentially increased (1 John 2:16). Thus Owen’s highly-attuned sensitivity toward the destructive aspects of unmortified sin is a timely and necessary word in a world spun mad by its in-turning.

However, the greatest caveat that I would attach to this book, at least for a modern reader, is the need for a closer attention to the role of the local church in the process of mortification. Perhaps this went unsaid in Owen's time, but I fear that certain Puritan emphases on the individual's life in the Spirit obscure -- intentionally or no -- the imperative role of corporate worship in the longterm sanctification of believers.

Owen rightly recognizes the work of the Holy Spirit in the individual, but apart from a robust ecclesiology, the well-meaning but otherwise untutored modern Christian might be in danger of perceiving this work to exist only through an *individualistic* relationship with the Spirit. Owen is correct to declare with fervency that it is the Holy Spirit who does the actual work of mortification, and yet the means by which the Spirit does so cannot be divorced from the place where God has promised that the Spirit is indeed at work: in the corporate worship of the local church. This is all the more important when the spirit of the current age is one of rank individualism, and one might argue that many of the ills that beset the modern church are those stemming from its attempts to cater to that individualism.

It is thus pastorally appropriate and necessary to admonish those who would mortify their sin to embrace the weekly practice of corporate, sacramental worship as a part of the Holy Spirit’s work and to warn them against fighting this good fight outside of the presence of other believers. After all, in keeping with Owen’s final pneumatological and Christological injunctions, and what better seal could there be upon the work of mortification than the comforting words one hears during Holy Communion: This is the body of Christ, broken for you. This is the blood of Christ, shed for you?

[Justin Lucas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes a little confusing and it’s maybe a bit repetitive, but what is the Christian life if not constantly reminding ourselves of the same truths. Owen hammers home the necessity of understanding and believing the gospel in order to overcome the strong holds of sin in our lives. As much as I wanted this to be a “quick & easy guide to defeat sin” book, a large portion of the book is spent pointing out how that approach can never work and will leave you spinning your wheels. My biggest takeaway is that you must be completely enamored with person of Jesus Christ to see genuine, lasting victory over sin in this life, and that is possible through the good news of the gospel! And there are some solid practical steps given as well

[Caleb CW · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really great book that is meant to both bolster and challenge your faith. It's hard to be a believer. John Owen sets about explaining the truth behind temptation and faith and how you're supposed to approach both the more mature you grow in the latter. It also talks about the growing of faith in your fellows.

I'm gonna have to read this again because there is too much information here to absorb in one reading. Recommended for growth.

There it is and there you have it.

[Bambi Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Will be revisiting this often.

[Frank · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read for every believer. John Owen provides practical and biblical insights on defeating sin both externally and internally.

[Cristea Rebeca · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The best believers, who are certainly freed from the condemning Power of sin, still need to make it their business to mortify the indwelling power of sin in all their life.

"sin is more a reflection of our heart than a behavior, it is the inward desire, not the outward action that embodies us"

"sin kills so we need to kill it before it kills us"

" this is the work of the Spirit, it is done by him alone, and cannot be accomplished by any other power"

Reading this book you will realize that you don't take sin as serious as you should, that's what I realized. It's an amazing book that shows how we should fight against sin and temptation everyday.

[Nate Knecht · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cranked this out in a car ride. Thoroughly enjoyed and thoroughly left convicted but motivated. I would call it an “end-heavy” book, with the first half laying the foundation and the end being a lot of application. I did find some parts to be a little bit repetitive but that was definitely necessary in some cases when trying to drill a point into you. My favorite chapter was 11 talking about “Load[ing] Your Conscience With Evidence.” This discussed an awareness of sin as well as an awareness of God’s glory and holiness. I also believe 11 was where the boulder reached the top of the hill and then the rest was full speed ahead afterward. Very good book and would recommend to anyone wanting a better understanding of how we should view our sin as a Christian and how God views our sin, as well as how to kill our sin that way it does not kill us.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the one where Owen says “Be killing sin, or it will be killing you.”

He’s right; and the book is all about convincing us how poisonous and dangerous indwelling sin is. Don’t expect to be given ANY wiggle room.

The book mainly aims to re-shape our thinking, and is pretty lite on application and approaches. It felt a bit heavy-going at times, almost leaving me despondent. ‘Sobering’ is probs the word.

Best read it with a friend, or alongside something delightful on the power of the Spirit.

[James Oaks · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve read this a few times. Owen delivers a punch to my gut that only can be done with old English. Every Christian should heed his warning to kill sin and should at the very least try to slowly work through this and chew on every clause.

[Kaylea Smithson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every Christian needs to read this book and then read it again. The edition of this book that I read has a forward by J. I. Packer where he states that only through repeated reading of this book can the fullness of its meaning and power for the Christian life be understood and I couldn’t agree more. Owen had such a profound understanding of the human condition that consistently convicted and encouraged me in the mortification of my own sin.

[Justin Gilbert · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a must read for all Christians. It is incredibly convicting, practical, and hopeful. The aim of every Christian is to glorify God and mortify their sin. “Live in light of Christ’s great work, and you will die a conqueror.”

[Noah Hosking · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very helpful treating of sin and our responsibility as believers in Christ to put it to death. I don’t read heaps of puritans so it took a while for me to get my head around the language but after a few chapters I felt settled.

The final chapter is a highlight, but only because of the groundwork of the former. The overall structure followed the drama of a sermon - Owen masterfully lays out the depravity of our souls and overwhelming sinfulness to prepare his reader for the beautiful gospel truths that the power, conviction and action for mortification is found in faith in Christ alone.

[Matthew Richardson · Rating 4 out of 5]

John Owen brilliantly exposits that killing sin is both evidence of grace and empowered by grace! While our generation might be quick to label such a wonderful exposition of scripture 'legalism', Owen doesn't feel that way, making the point that one is not saved by killing sin nor is it possible without a genuine faith in Christ. John Owen makes it clear that the "mortification of sin" is simply the Christians duty, while also making it clear that we are saved through faith and faith empowered by the Spirit "puts to death the deeds of the body" and recognizes "this is the will of God your sanctification". John Owen does not spare any blows in this book, ruthlessly biblical!