John Owen, The Complete Works of John Owen, Sin and Temptation, vol. 15 (Wheaton: Crossway Books, 2024), 624 pp.
God calls his people to stand guard; to be battle-ready. Abraham Kuyper helps us understand the importance of standing our ground in the fight against sin: “For when we realize that Satan is busy and at his tricks, then we are on our guard; then we seek refuge in Him who has crushed Satan’s head; then we close our hearts to the stealthy, murderous enemy.” This posture of readiness requires us to wear the full armor of God – the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, and the helmet of salvation. We must wield the sword of the Spirit and pray at all times in the Spirit.
The battle rages around us. Satan tempts us, the world seduces us, and the flesh seeks to lure us in with compelling force. But the Lord, in his kindness provides a powerful safeguard in our fight against sin.
Thankfully, God has given us his Word and his Spirit to help us in our fight against sin. He has also blessed us with rich Christian books that help cultivate discipline and equip us as mature believers. John Owen is an author who is uniquely qualified to write on such a subject. Thankfully, Crossway Books is republishing and repacking the works of John Owen in attractive volumes that will educate another generation of Christians.
Volume 15 contains four important titles by John Owen, including Of the Mortification of Sin in Believers, Of Temptation: The Nature and Power of It, The Nature, Power, and Prevalence of Indwelling Sin, and A Treatise of the Dominion of Sin and Grace.
Each book in this volume deals candidly and biblically with the epic war that every Christian faces. As a Puritan, Owen showcases a depth of understanding that is unparalleled in our day. These books diagnose the problem of sin and prescribe a specific manner of fighting which may be summarized in Romans 8:13 – For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.”
Readers will benefit from Owen’s deep knowledge of God’s Word and will be better prepared to stand and fight. Careful students of Scripture will pay heed to Owen’s well-known warning, “Be killing sin or sin will be killing you.”
I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review.
Veritas et Lux 