Insights from John Owen

John Owen was an English Puritan who lived in the 17th century. He has written some of the best theological works ever composed. Lately, I've been reading On the Mortification of Sin, which deals with how believers can battle sin in their lives. Read some of these excerpts...

Men are galled with the guilt of a sin that hath prevailed over them; they instantly promise to themselves and God that they will do so no more; they watch over themselves, and pray for a season, until this heat waxes cold, and the sense of sin is worn off: and so mortification goes also, and sin returns to its former dominion...

That none of these ways are sufficient is evident from the nature of the work itself that is to be done; it is a work that requires so many concurrent actings in it as no self-endeavor can reach unto, and is of that kind that an almighty energy is necessary for its accomplishment...

It is, then, the work of the Spirit. For, He is promised of God to be given unto us to do this work...

So many works written on our battle with sin make the battle nearly totally ours, or so nearly ours that God has little or nothing to do with it. How contrary to the Scripture is this idea? Reading in Galatians alone makes it quite clear the battling the flesh is something done only through the working of the Spirit. The only way to gain any ground in our fight against sin is to focus our lives on obedience to the Spirit. No duty, no program, no earthly thing is capable of wining this battle. Victory belongs to Christ alone, who overcame death and sin, which no longer has its sting. Live in and by the Spirit, and you will find quite a bit more strength to fight your battle against sin.