Faithful Steward Ministries and FSM Women's Outreach

by John Owen – January 23rd, 2019

chapel@mountzion.org • www.ChapelLibrary.org

Chapter 3 THE HOLY SPIRIT’S WORK IN MORTIFICATION continued  

2. Mortification: The Work of the Spirit

The mortification of sin is, then, the work of the Spirit. For,

a. He is promised of God to be given unto us to do this work. The taking away of the stony heart—the stubborn, proud, rebellious, unbelieving heart—is in general the work of mortification that we are addressing. Now, this is still promised to be done by the Spirit: God puts His Spirit in us and takes “the stony heart out of [our] flesh” (Ezek 11:19; 36:26). By the Spirit of God is this work wrought when all means fail (Isa 57:17-18).

b. We have all our mortification from the gift of Christ, and all the gifts of Christ are communicated to us and given us by the Spirit of Christ: “Without me ye can do nothing” (John 15:5). All communications of supplies and relief—in the beginnings, increasings, actings of any grace whatever from Him—are by the Spirit, by Whom He alone works in and upon believers. From Him we have our mortification: He is exalted and made “a Prince and a Saviour, to give repentance to [us]” (Act 5:31); and our mortification is no small portion of our repentance. How does He do it? Having “received…the promise of the Holy Ghost,” He sends Him abroad for that end (Act 2:33). You know the many promises He made of sending the Spirit to do the works that He purposed to accomplish in us (John 14:16, etc.).