From our test (Romans 8:13), and from other passages of scripture that speak of man;s conversion, we understand that it is a complete and radical turning about in the spiritual, ethical sense of the word. It is a turning from Satan to God, from standing in enmity against God to the love of God in Christ, from darkness to light, from sin to righteousness, from corruption to holiness. By nature we are in the power of darkness. And what this means is clear from scripture and all our Reformed confessions. It means that we are so corrupt that we are incapable of doing any good and inclined to all evil, unless we are firstly regenerated by the Spirit of God. It means that we are by nature carnally minded, and stand in enmity against God (Romans 8:5-7). It means that we hate God, and that we hate one another (Titus 3:3; Colossians 1:13). This implies that we are slaves to sin, that we are in bondage to sin, with no right in our selves to be delivered from sin. It means that we must sin, not by any outward compulsion, but by the inward impulse of our wicked heart and mind. We are chained to sin from within. But when God converts the sinner, he is turned away from all this, in order to turn unto living God. His hatred of God is turned into love. His darkness to light. His love of iniquity into a love for God's precepts. And his members, which he yielded as instruments of unrighteousness, he now yields as instruments of righteousness unto God. From this it will be evident that our conversion has two aspects. The one, is called the mortification of the old man, described in the Heidleberg Catechism as, "a sincere sorrow of heart, that we have provoked God by our sins; and more and more to hate and flee from them". The second, is called the quickening of the new man, which is described in the same deeply spiritual way by saying that, "it is a sincere joy of heart in God, through Christ, and with love and delight to live according to the will of God in all good works. (To be continued).

We are discussing what mortification of sin is not. Afterwards we will discuss what it is. So next, mortification of sin does not lie in simply refraining from outward ungodliness. The inward motions of sin, if not approved of, it is pleaded are not sin. But those first motions, inclinations of sin are the deeds of the body come to fruition. They flow from the same inward evil principle within. If this be so, they are to be mortified. No, not just not consenting, approving of them. For mortification means much more, the extirpation of them, the putting of them to death (Romans 8:13; Romans 7:24). The next false way of mortification is putting sin to sleep. A sleeping man may look as though he were dead; so too does sleeping sin, until that is,  something causes it to awaken, then it grows stronger than ever before. Saul, you would think, had overcome his wicked malice, when he cries out, "my son David, thou art more righteous than I", but it grew on him, and soon broke forth in even more violence. It may be that, for want of opportunity of a temptation or provocation, you may think your sin mortified, when it is only like waters dammed up, or like fire under the ashes. No, the sin, whatever it be, must be pursued to death, youthful lust, vanity, prodigality or revenge. Either sin kills you or you kill it. Next week we will begin to look at what it is too mortify, to kill sin.   

So what is mortification not? The first of these is philosophic. Some of the old philosophers condemned riches and many other material benefits and pleasures. Alas most were hypocrites, dissemblers. Seneca for instance, would write that nature ought to be satisfied with food and drink, that a house of grass was sufficient for anyone, yet he was a very covetous man. Another, Cicero, was an aspiring man, even though he maligned pride very much. Others of course, not by the Spirit of God and the cross of Christ, on the basis of gospel principles, but upon mere moral considerations, like the pagans of old (recently revived). These taught men to moderated their inordinate desires and passions by precepts and habits of moral virtue. Then there has been the Stoics and the papists, who both doing much violence to themselves, yet without special grace do not shift one single sin.

So what do the words of the text mean (Romans 8:13)? Mortify means to slay, to pursue to death. Sin is not immediately slain, it gets an initial and severe death blow by the first work of saving grace. It never recovers from that; but it still dies a lingering death, that's why it's called crucifixion sometimes. It is a great part of the Christian's work to pursue it to death, to be driving nails into it, to keep it bleeding until it expires. The word flesh signifies the state of the natural man, i.e., he that is in the flesh cannot please God (John 3:6). It here refers to the remainder of sin in the Christian, it is to be mortified (Colossians 3:5). The stump of sin can't be gotten out; we must be daily mutilating it, cutting off its members. God's saving work, in which we are passive, wounds, weakens it, but the work in which we are active is this, striking at the body of remaining sin (Romans 8:13). Sin is called a man, and old man, it's not a dead carcass, nor is it seated on the outward members of a man, his deeds (Colossians 3:19), are these same, deeds of the body. By the Spirit, that is by the Holy Ghost, it is by his immediate efficiency this work is to carried out. This would include the graces of the Spirit, by the actings of which we perform this task. Next we will look at what this mortification is, and, what it isn't.

"if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live" (Romans 8:13). Here is life and death laid before you! If ye walk after the flesh, ye shall die! A dreadful word, spoken even to them that are in Christ, and to whom there is no condemnation, who yet need to be warned of their danger. Conditional threatenings may be mustered to them, without bringing them back to a spirit of bondage, the Lord works on their fear, as well as on their love, and will have them to keep an eye on hell, and another on heaven; or rather, he will sometimes have them look behind them, that at the sight of hell and wrath, they may fly the faster to the hope that is set before them. Do not deceive yourselves with an opinion of your privileges. Well then, what must we do that we may be saved? The words of the text tell you; where mark you, that the apostle is speaking to such as are in Christ Jesus. If you ask what an unrenewed man should do to be saved, the Scripture answers, "believe on the Lord Jesus Christ" (Acts 16:31); and, "this is his commandment, that we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment" (1John 3:23). In a word, get into Christ. But if you ask, what the man that is in Christ shall do, the text tells you, which takes in, or rather supposes holy walking, or walking after the Spirit; for as light comes in, darkness goes out, so that mortification is one part of the condition upon which we attain the possession of eternal life, though it be by faith, by our first believing, that we acquire a right to it. (To be continued) 

We are called to differ in every attitude and way of life from the spirit and way of the world; to renounce the world's goods, to fear none of its evils, to reject its joys, and to have no regard for its happiness; to be as new-born babes who are born into a new state of things; to live as pilgrims in spiritual watching, in holy fear, and in heavenly aspiring after another life; to take up our daily cross, to deny ourselves, to profess the blessedness of mourning, to seek the blessedness of poverty of spirit; to forsake the pride and vanity of riches, to be not anxious for tomorrow, to live in the profoundest state of humility, to rejoice in worldly sufferings; to reject the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life; to bear injuries, to forgive and bless our enemies, and to love mankind as God loves them; to give up our whole hearts and affections to God, and strive to enter through the strait gate into a life of eternal glory. To put so much emphasis upon attendance at public worship, and yet neglect these common duties of our ordinary lives which are commanded on every page of the gospel? If contempt for the temporal and concern for the eternal are necessary attitudes for Christians, it is necessary that these attitudes appear in the whole course of their lives.

Devotion is more than either public or private prayer, it is a life given over to God. The person who contemplates and serves God in everything and in a way that is in accord with God's rule and glory, is the person who is truly devoted to God. God is the measure of our prayers, we pray only for that which is in accord with his will and glory. So why should we not also make God's will and glory the measure for all the other actions of our lives? Surely, any manner of life, use of our time, talents or our money, that's not directly in accord with the will of God and for his glory, is, as great an absurdity and failure as as praying that is contrary to the will of God. The very reason why our prayers should be according to his will, is that our lives may be according to his will. It is lack of consistency here is the reason for much confusion seen in many people's lives. They set very strict regimes for themselves, in regards to times of prayer, attendance at church, but afterwards, they are like people who never pray and never attend church. In the way they use their time, money, talents, their pleasures and indulgences, they are just like the rest of the world. This gives occasion to the rest of the world to make a mockery of the gospel. Why, because they see that these people's devotion goes no further than their prayers and church attendance. It is a great absurdity to suppose holy prayers without a holiness of life suitable to those prayers.

Direction 1: Beg of God a clean heart, renewed and sanctified by saving grace; all other endeavours do but palliate a cure: the root of this is deep in your nature; O get that mortified, "out of the heart proceed fornication, adulteries" (Matthew 15:19)."Abstain from fleshly lusts...having your conversation honest" (1Peter 2:11-12). The lust must first be subdued, before the conversation be honest.

Argument 10: Last one, consider but one thing more, and I have done. By this sin you not only damn your own soul, but draw another to hell with you. This sin is not as a single bullet that kills but one, but as a chain-shot, it kills many, two at least, unless God give repentance. And if he should give you repentance, yet the other party may never repent, and so perish for ever through your wickedness; and oh, what a sad consideration will that be to you, that such a poor soul is in hell, or likely to go there by your means? You have made fast a snare upon a soul, which you cannot untie; you have done that which may be matter of sorrow to you as long as you live; but though you can grieve for it, you can not remedy it. In other sins it is not so: if you had stolen another's goods, restitution might be made to the injured party, but here can be none: if you had murdered another, your sin was your own, not his that was murdered by you: but this is a complicated sin, defiling both at once; and if neither repent, then oh, what a sad greeting will these poor wretches have in hell! How will they curse the day that ever they saw each other's face! O what an aggravation of their misery will this be! For look, as it will be a matter of joy in heaven, to behold such there as we have been instrumental to save, so must it needs be a stinging aggravation of the misery of the damned to look upon those who have been the instruments and means of their damnation. O, methinks if there be any tenderness at all in your conscience, if this sin has not totally brawned and stupified you, these arguments should pierce like a sword through your guilty soul. Reader, I beseech you, by the mercies of God, if you have defiled your soul by this abominable sin, speedily to repent. O get the blood of sprinkling upon you; there is yet mercy for such a wretch as you are, if you will accept the terms of it. "Such were some of you, but you are washed" (1Corinthians 6:11). Publicans and harlots may enter into the kingdom of God (Matthew 21:31). Though but few such are recovered, yet how do you know but the hand of mercy may pull you as a brand out of the fire, if now you will return and seek it with tears? Though it be "a fire that consumeth unto destruction" (Job 31:12), yet it is not an unquenchable fire, the blood of Christ can quench it. And for you, whom God has kept up to now from the contagion of it, O bless the Lord, and use all God's means for the prevention of it. The seeds of this sin are in your nature; no thanks to you, but to restraining grace, that you are not delivered up to it also.

Argument 9: Consider further, however closely you carry your wickedness in this world, though it should never be discovered here, yet there is a day coming when all will out, and that before angels and men. God will rip up your secret sins in the face of that great congregation at the day of judgement. Then that which was done in secret shall be proclaimed as upon the house-top (Luke 12:3). "Then God will judge the secrets of men, the hidden things of darkness will be brought into the open light" (Romans 2:16). Sinner, there will be no sculking for you in the grave, no declining this bar; you refused, indeed, to come to the throne of grace, when God invited you, but there will be no refusing to appear before the bar of justice, when Christ shall summon you. And as you cannot decline appearing, so neither can you palliate and hide your wickedness any longer; for then shall the books be opened; the book of God's omniscience, and the book of your own conscience, wherein all your secret villainy is recorded: for though is ceased to speak to you, yet it ceased not to write and record your actions. If your shameful sins should be divulged now, it would make you tear off your hair with indignation; but then all will be discovered. Angels and men shall point at you, and say, lo, this is the man, this is he that carried it so smoothly in the world.....O sirs, you think to carry it closely, you wait for the twilight, that none may see you: but, alas, it will be to no end, this day will discover it; and then what confusion and everlasting shame will cover you! Will not this work then?