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MORTIFICATION OF SIN
IT is of infinite importance to know our state as it is before God, and to ascertain on scriptural grounds, what our condition will be in the eternal world. Numberless are the passages of God’s word which will afford us the desired information; but there is not in the whole inspired volume one declaration more explicit than that before us. It presents to our view two momentous truths, which, as they admit not of any clearer division or arrangement, we shall consider in their order.
I. A carnal life will terminate in everlasting misery—
To “live after the flesh” is to make the gratifying of our corrupt nature the great scope and end of our lives—
[The “flesh” does not relate merely to the body, but to the whole of our corrupt nature. It is used to signify that innate principle of sin, which governs the unregenerate, and continually fights against the spiritual principle in those that are regenerate [Note: Joh_3:6. Gal_5:17.]. And its fruits comprehend the actings of the mind, no less than those of the body [Note: Gal_5:19-20.]. To “live after” this corrupt principle, is, to be governed by it in all our deliberations and pursuits. It signifies nothing what may be the immediate path which we choose for ourselves, provided our main object be to gratify ourselves. One may seek pleasure, another riches, another honour, another the knowledge of arts and sciences; but if they have no higher end of life than to attain these things, they all equally live after the flesh [Note: Compare ver. 5. with Php_3:19.].]
The consequence of such a life will be eternal death—
[The death mentioned in the text cannot relate to the mere death of the body, because that must be experienced by the spiritual, no less than by the carnal man. It must import that death of the soul, which is emphatically called the second death [Note: Rev_20:14.]. Nor can there be a doubt but that this will be the fruit and consequence of a carnal life. And shall this be thought an hard saying? Surely not: for such a sentence is only a repetition of what the person has before passed upon himself: he has practically said to God, “Depart from me; I desire not the knowledge of thy ways [Note: Job_21:14-15.]; I will be a god to myself [Note: Psa_12:4.], and make myself happy in my own way.’ God replies to him, “Thou wouldest none of me; and thou shall have none of me; depart from me for evermore [Note: Compare Psa_81:11. with Mat_25:41.].” The very state in which they lived, was a state of spiritual death [Note: ver. 6.]; no wonder therefore that it terminates in everlasting death.]
As a counterpoise to the apparent severity of this truth, the Apostle adds, that,
II. A life of mortification and self-denial shall terminate in everlasting happiness—
To mortify our corrupt nature ought to be the continual aim of our lives—
[The “deeds of the body” are of the same import with “the flesh” in the preceding clause. Our corrupt nature is often represented as a body, because it has many parts or members whereby it acts [Note: Rom_7:24. Col_2:11.]. This we should endeavour to mortify in its outward actings, and in its inmost motions. As it consists principally in making self our idol, we must watch against it, and labour to bring it into subjection, that God in all things may be glorified by us. If we search our own hearts, we shall see a continual proneness to self-seeking, self-pleasing, and self-dependence. But instead of gratifying this propensity, we should make God’s will the rule, and his honour the end, of our actions. We must therefore maintain a warfare against it, and resist it manfully, till it be subdued [Note: 1Co_9:27].]
This however cannot be done effectually but by the assistance of the Holy Spirit—
[We can walk after the flesh without any difficulty: it is natural to us, as it is to a stone to run down a precipice. But to mortify the flesh, is impossible to man: it can be effected only by the mighty working of that power, which raised Christ himself from the dead [Note: Eph_1:19-20 and 1Pe_1:22. with the text.]: yea, the inclination, as well as the ability, to mortify it is the gift of God [Note: Php_2:13.]. This however is no excuse for our subjection to the flesh, since the Holy Spirit shall be given to all that ask it at God’s hands [Note: Luk_11:13.].]
The consequence of successfully combating the flesh shall be unspeakably blessed—
[If eternal death be the fruit of self-indulgence, eternal life shall be the fruit of self-denial. There is this difference indeed; that whereas the former is the wages due to sin, the latter is the gift of God through Christ [Note: Rom_6:23.]. We may well wonder at this marvellous grace of God, who has annexed such glorious consequences to our poor and feeble endeavours. But he delighteth in mercy, and will not suffer us to exert ourselves in vain.]
By way of improvement we shall add a word,
1. Of reproof—
[Suppose it had been written, “If ye live after the flesh, ye shall go to heaven;” could the generality take any surer way to obtain the blessing, than that which they now pursue? And whence is it that, in direct opposition to the word of God, they can go on so confidently and so securely? The reason is, that Satan suggests to them, as he did to our first parents, “Ye shall not surely die.” But shall we believe Satan in opposition to God? Did not the crediting of Satan ruin the whole world? and will it not eventually ruin us also? Be it known then that we have but this alternative, mortification, or damnation. Either sin must be our enemy, or God will. If therefore we would not perish for ever, let us immediately begin, in dependence on God’s Spirit, to “mortify our earthly members [Note: Col_3:5.]:” for it is an eternal truth, that, “if we live after the flesh, we shall die.”]
2. Of caution—
[We are in great danger of mistaking the nature and extent of that mortification which is required of us in the text. We may be restrained from sin by the influence of education, as Joash [Note: 2Ch_24:2.]; or put away many sins, as Herod [Note: Mar_6:17; Mar_6:20; Mar_6:27.]; or set ourselves for a time against our besetting sin, as Judas under the terrors of a guilty conscience [Note: Mat_27:3-4.]; (as a mariner may cast all his goods out of his ship to save the vessel, without any aversion to the goods themselves) or may exchange our sins, prodigality for avarice, sensuality for self-righteousness, or the love of vanity for sloth and indifference. But all this falls very far short of our duty: we must not be lopping off branches; but must lay our axe to the root. The besetting sin, though dear as a right eye, or needful as a right hand must he cut off; at least, its dominion must be destroyed, and its motions be incessantly resisted [Note: Mar_9:43-48.]. In short, to root out sin, and to serve, honour, and enjoy God must be our daily business, our unintermitted employment. Nor must we ever think that we belong to Christ, till we have the testimony of our conscience, that we are thus crucifying the flesh with its affections and lusts [Note: Gal_5:24.].]
3. Of encouragement—
[As we have ruined ourselves, God might well leave us to restore ourselves: and then indeed would our condition be most pitiable. But he graciously offers us the assistance of his Spirit; so that none need despair: none need to decline the work of mortification for want of strength to accomplish it; seeing that “the grace of Christ is sufficient for us,” and through the aids of his Spirit we can do all things [Note: Gal_5:16 and Php_4:13.]: yea, “his strength shall be perfected in our weakness.” Let every one then address himself to the work: “Have not I commanded thee? saith the Lord: be strong, therefore, and of a good courage; for the Lord thy God is with thee [Note: Jos_1:9.];” “Be strong, and let not your hands be weak; for your work shall be rewarded [Note: 2Ch_15:7.].”]