The Mortification of Sin in Believers - John Owen

This episode looks at John Owen’s seminal Puritan work, The Mortification of Sin, which posits that believers must engage in a lifelong, Spirit-empowered struggle to weaken internal corruption. Owen argues that while sin’s legal guilt is removed at conversion, its active presence remains as a relentless "law" in the heart that seeks to destroy spiritual vitality. Central to his thesis is that human willpower, legalistic rituals, and outward behavioral changes are utterly powerless to kill sin; only the Holy Spirit can strike at the root of sinful affections. The text famously warns that a Christian must be actively killing sin or it will be killing them, emphasizing that spiritual peace depends on this constant warfare. Ultimately, the sources present mortification not as an optional pursuit for the elite, but as a fundamental requirement for all who possess true faith.