Killing Sin Within - 1

I hope here to begin a series of posts that are rewrites and expansions of John Owen's tremendous treatise called, "Of the Mortification of Sin in Believers" written some time in the mid-1600's. This little book is about how we as believers can win the daily battle against sin in our lives so that we can walk in obedience and joy and peace with God.

First, the term "mortification" means "to put to death". The key verse for Owen's work is 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."

Chapter 8 of Romans is Paul's gospel answer to the question, "Who will deliver me from this body of death" in 7:24. That is, in what way can I become a man who not only LOVES God's law but LIVES it, as well. If when I want to do good evil is present with me (7:21), how can I do the good that I want and not the evil that I do NOT want to do? The answer, of course, is the Spirit! "...The law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death" (8:1).

In Romans 8:13, as we think about killing the sin within that would make us its slaves, there is:

• A DUTY given: "Put to death the deeds of the body"
• The PERSONS to whom the duty applies are defined: "You" i.e. believers, as Paul clearly defines in many places, including 8:9: those who have the indwelling Spirit.
• There is a PROMISE given: "You will live"
• Then there is a means or RESOURCE for this duty: "By the Spirit"
• Finally, there is a CONDITION for the promise to be fulfilled: "IF by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body you will live"

Let's begin with the condition, "IF by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body you will live." What we are told here is that there is an certain and infallible connection between putting sin to death in our lives and the attaining of eternal life. IF we put sin to death, we WILL live!

WHOA!! you might say. Wait a minute...you mean we are saved by sanctification (progressively becoming like Christ, in which we are involved) and not justification (God's declaration that we are righteous in His sight because we have trusted in His Son, something God does FOR us and does in a moment of time)? NO, not for a moment. We are saved by Christ's work, not our own. But this we must realize...true justification always results in ongoing sanctification. If I have been saved, then I have been given a new heart that is motivated to love and obey God. Love and obey perfectly? Again, NO! But what we are talking about here is DIRECTION, not PERFECTION. True believers WILL wage war against the sin within...not without failure, and never totally eradicating sin (even a particular sin) in this life, but warring nonetheless.

John makes this clear in his first epistle: "No one who abides in Him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known Him" 1John 3:6.

And so, this CONDITION narrows those to whom the promise applies by identifying them as the truly saved AND, it supplies the MOTIVATION for killing sin day by day in our lives. If I am warring against sin by the Spirit, I am assured that I am demonstating the character of one of God's true children. If I am warring against sin by the Spirit I can be sure I will be with Jesus in Heaven forever, eternal life. I WANT to live, and I WANT to show in my daily life that I belong to Christ. Therefore, I must by the Spirit be putting to death the deeds of the body.

Think on these things!