02/24/2020
Do we take a purely defensive stance against sin as it attacks us? Do we count it as being enough to simply repulse it, and avoid letting it breach our walls? Or, do we make war against it with every resource at our disposal, and rid ourselves of it in body, soul, and mind? There is a word for this in scripture and it is called mortification, which means to subdue or destroy the strength, and function of a sinful desire that is tempting, or attacking us. Do we mortify sin?
“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.”
Romans 8:13 ESV
When we allow sin to camp outside our gate, and to continuously probe, tempt, and skirmish against us, it is only a matter of time before it finds a weakness in our defenses, and enters by it. In the Ancient Greek story of the Trojan War we see this same taunting, and pecking away at the defenses of Troy, until at last the forces of the Achaeans found a way into the city by deceit... they built a large wooden horse and filled it with their soldiers, then left it at the gate of Troy as a gift for the city. The rest is history as the citizens of Troy brought the horse into their city, and the men climbed from it that night, opened the city gates to their fellow invaders, and Troy fell. Sin, if allowed to remain at our gates, will eventually enter our city too. So we are attacking sin, and putting it to death? Are we mortifying the sin at our gate?
“And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.”
Galatians 5:24 ESV
When Jesus tells us to pick up our cross and follow Him what is He telling us to do? To understand this we should ask ourselves what was actually crucified on His cross? Was it His perfect self, or our sins which He had taken on? When we pick up our cross what purpose is it intended for? Is it meant to put our righteousness to death... or to mortify the sinful nature of our flesh?
“Then Jesus told his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”
Matthew 16:24-25 ESV
Sin is a vicious and vile opponent that attacks us in many ways; it can confront us head on, as if it were our friend, or by deceiving us by a thousand subtle schemes, but have no doubt... it will destroy our relationship with God, and can’t be allowed to linger near us. So we are to mortify sin, and put it to death just as Jesus did...
“For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.”
Romans 6:10-11 ESV
Are we ready to confront sin in our lives today, and separate ourselves from it? Are we prepared to pull our sword of God’s Word, and slay it at our gate? Have we taken up our cross, and are we prepared to mount it, and crucify the sin that inhabits us? Or are we tolerant of the vile nature of he who camps at our gate, and allowing him to tease and probe our defenses?
Prayer:
Father, thank you for your Son Jesus who taught us to confront sin, and to not tolerate it in our lives, or surroundings. Thank you for His defeat of sin, His forgiveness, and His admonishment as He commanded us to “Go and sin no more!” Help us Holy Father as well confront and do battle with our own sinful nature, and the temptations of the dark one who plots against us, and desires to separate us from you. Give us the strength, and the courage to stand against the enemy at our gate, and to not to just hold him at arm’s distance, but to repulse, and destroy him. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you our God who Doesn’t tolerate sin, or allow even a smidgeon of it to exist at your gates. Great are you who knows no sin, and defeats it in all its many forms. Praised be your name for sending your Son Jesus to redeem us from it, and purify us in your sight. The glory in every defeat of sin is yours always Lord, and it is never more perfect than in the glory of your grace through Jesus. Stand before us Father as we worship you, and call you our defender, and great champion against the sin that confronts us. Hear our prayers as your Holy Spirit gives us utterance, and voices the celebration of your great victory over the sin that has been put to the cross in us! We hold you in awe and esteem now, and forevermore.
“Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.”
Colossians 3:5-10 ESV
Rich Forbes