Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.
— Colossians 3:5-7
O Jerusalem, wash thine heart from wickedness, that thou mayest be saved. How long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee?
— Jeremiah 4:14
Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.
— Romans 15:19
Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
— Hebrews 12:2
But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:
— 2 Thessalonians 2:13
Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.
— 1 Peter 1:2
Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:
— 1 Peter 1:22
The Spirit, the Only Author of This Work, by John Owen. The following contains Chapter Three of his work, “Of the Mortification of Sin in Believers”—Abridged and Simplified.
For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
— Romans 8:13
1. The Holy Spirit Alone Can Truly Mortify Sin
Mortification—the putting to death of sin—is not something we can accomplish in our own strength. It is the work of the Holy Spirit alone. Without Him, all human efforts are ineffective. People have attempted many ways to subdue sin, but none succeed apart from the Spirit’s power.
Many in the past, particularly in the Roman Catholic tradition, have pursued mortification through external rituals—vows, penances, fasting, and self-denial—believing that these things would subdue sin. Their entire religious system centers on this idea. However, such efforts are powerless to truly mortify sin because they are not appointed by God for that purpose. Any means of mortification that is not rooted in the gospel will ultimately fail.
Some Protestants have also fallen into similar errors. They promote external disciplines and legalistic practices without mentioning Christ or the Spirit. These outward efforts do not reach the heart.
True mortification cannot come from human effort alone but must be the work of the Spirit.
2. Why Human Efforts Fail
There are several reasons why attempts to mortify sin without the Spirit will always fail:
1. They rely on unbiblical means. Many have tried to subdue sin through self-imposed suffering or extreme self-denial. But God has not commanded these things as the way to mortify sin.
As Jesus said,
“In vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men” (Mark 7:7).
They misuse the means God has appointed. Practices like prayer, fasting, and meditation on Scripture are valuable, but they are only effective when they are carried out in faith, under the Spirit’s guidance. Many mistake these as the source of their strength rather than seeing them as tools that depend on the Spirit’s power.
They mistake external discipline for inward renewal. Many attempt to restrain sin externally while failing to deal with the root issue—the heart. They mortify the “natural man”instead of the “old man” of sin. They afflict their bodies, but the heart remains unchanged.
They do not address sin at its source. Sin is deeply rooted in our fallen nature. No amount of human discipline can uproot it. If we attempt to mortify sin by human effort alone, we may suppress it for a time, but it will return with greater strength.
This is why so many who attempt to battle sin through their own strength experience a cycle of temporary victory followed by deeper failure. They struggle, make resolutions, strive, and yet fall back into sin again and again. They engage in warfare but never win the battle. They lack the power of the Spirit.
3. How the Holy Spirit Mortifies Sin
The Holy Spirit mortifies sin in three key ways:
1. By increasing the fruits of the Spirit in us.
The Spirit fills our hearts with grace and virtues that oppose sin. Paul contrasts the works of the flesh with the fruits of the Spirit (Gal. 5:19-23). When love, joy, peace, patience, and self-control abound in us, the power of sin is weakened. A heart filled with the Spirit has less room for sinful desires.
2. By directly weakening and destroying sin.
The Spirit does not merely suppress sin—He works to remove its power altogether. Scripture describes Him as a “Spirit of judgment and burning” (Isa. 4:4), consuming the corruption within us. Just as He initially brings life to our souls, He continues the work by gradually putting sin to death.
3. By uniting us to Christ in His death and resurrection. Through faith, the Spirit brings the reality of Christ’s death into our hearts. Paul says, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me” (Gal. 2:20). The more we experience the power of Christ’s death, the more sin loses its hold on us.
4. If Mortification Is the Spirit’s Work, Why Are We Commanded to Do It?
If only the Holy Spirit can mortify sin, why does Scripture command believers to do it? Why are we told, “Put to death therefore what is earthly in you” (Col. 3:5) and “By the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body” (Rom. 8:13)?
The answer is that while the Spirit is the one who empowers and enables us to mortify sin, He does not do this work apart from us. He works through us, not instead of us. This is true of all aspects of Christian obedience:
We are commanded to believe, yet faith itself is a gift from God (Eph. 2:8).
We are called to pray, yet it is the Spirit who enables us to pray (Rom. 8:26).
We are to grow in holiness, yet it is God who works in us to will and to act (Phil. 2:13).
The Spirit works upon our minds, wills, and affections in such a way that we freely engage in the battle against sin. His work does not make our efforts unnecessary—it makes them possible.
5. The Tragic Failure of Those Who Seek to Mortify Sin Without the Spirit
Many people experience conviction of sin and attempt to fight against it, but without relying on the Spirit. These individuals are in a miserable state. They are aware of their sin and feel guilty, yet they lack the power to overcome it.
They are like soldiers forced into battle without weapons. The law demands that they fight against sin, yet it gives them no strength to do so. They strive in their own power, but they cannot win. They are in a war they cannot escape, and their struggle is fruitless.
Some think they have conquered sin when, in reality, they have only temporarily suppressed it. They mistake temporary remorse for true mortification. But as soon as the conviction fades, sin returns with greater power. They exhaust themselves in the fight, but because they do not rely on the Spirit, they never experience true victory.
On the other hand, those who give up entirely and surrender to sin are in an even worse condition. They are hardened by sin’sdeceitfulness and blind to their own spiritual danger. They ignore God’s warnings and pursue their desires without restraint.
Conclusion: The Spirit Is Our Only Hope
The mortification of sin is a lifelong battle, but it is one that cannot be won apart from the Holy Spirit. No human effort, religious discipline, or external practice can accomplish this work. It is the Spirit alone who enables us to put sin to death.
Let no one be deceived into thinking that they can conquer sin by their own strength. Let us not rely on outward duties or external disciplines, but instead walk by the Spirit. Only by His power can we overcome sin, grow in holiness, and experience true freedom in Christ.
Let us, then, earnestly seek the Spirit’s help in this battle, knowing that He alone can give us the victory.
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