Scripture uses many metaphors to describe our salvation. One way is by depicting it as a change of citizenship. Once we were citizens of Satan’s kingdom, in bondage to sin and blinded by Satan (2 Cor 4:4). But at salvation, God transferred us from the domain of darkness and delivered us into the kingdom of God’s beloved Son (Col 1:13-14). Our spiritual geography has changed: we’ve gone from the enemy’s kingdom to Christ’s kingdom. Our spiritual affections have changed: we now love the light and hate the darkness. Our spiritual loyalties have changed: we love what our King loves and hates what he hates.
A New Kingdom, a New Conflict
Although we are permanently at peace with God (Rom 5:1), our new status and inward affections put us in direct conflict with our remaining sin. Although sin no longer controls us as it once did when it directed our every thought, emotion, word, and deed, it is still potent. Yes, we’ve been changed in a foundational way, going from death to life, old creation to new creation, and from once being enslaved to sin to now being enslaved to Christ (see John 5:24; Rom 6:1ff). But sin hasn’t changed. It’s as powerful as ever, and it is bent on destroying us and upending our ministries.
For this reason, the New Testament exhorts Christians to get serious about putting sin to death.
So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 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. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God
Romans 8:12-13
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.
Colossians 3:5
These passages point us to a vital component of Christian discipleship and what theologians of old have called “mortification.” Mortification refers to the spiritual duty to kill our sin. We are not to coddle, quarter, or make friends with sin. We are to mercilessly kill it. As John Owen famously said, “Be killing sin or sin will be killing you.” Under this same theme, Owen also wrote, “Let not man think he makes any progress in holiness who walks not over the bellies of his lusts.” The imagery here is of a soldier traversing a battlefield and stepping over the bodies of the enemies he recently dispatched. Likewise, the Christian soldier should be regularly stepping over the bellies of his spiritual enemies as he makes his way across the spiritual battlefield.
Easier said than done.
Sometimes we sense that sin has the upper hand. Rather than making progress against it, we feel like we are in constant retreat, flanked on all sides, overrun and outwitted by our enemy. If we are in Christ, we can never be completely overtaken by sin (Rom 6:11-14; also Rom 8:31-39). But it is possible to sabotage our efforts and weaken our position against the enemy. This sabotage can often occur at the level of our motives.
Getting to the Deepest Motive for Mortification
For example, we may be seeking to put our sin to death mainly because we don’t like the problems in our lives, or how it burdens our consciences, or makes us appear less mature to others. Getting serious about mortification will certainly produce practical benefits in our lives (Prov 15:19), and maintaining a clean conscience is a central command of the New Testament (1 Tim 1:5, 19; 3:9). There is even a sense in which we should care about our reputations and desire to be an example to others (Prov 22:1; Phil 3:17; 1 Tim 4:12).
These motives, however, cannot be the primary reason we put sin to death. Like everything we are called to do in the Christian life, a desire for the glory of God is the wellspring from which all obedience should flow. “Whatever you do, whether you eat or drink, do all to the glory of God” (1 Cor 10:31; see also Col 3:17; 1 Pet 4:11). Although Paul gave this command in the context of helping the Corinthian Christians respect the consciences of unbelievers and fellow Christians, the principle is a universal rule for Jesus’ disciples: everything we do must be done for the glory of God. There is no deeper or greater motive for our obedience. This is simply another way of saying that love for God should be the supreme motive for all our thoughts, words, and deeds (see Matt 22:37). If we love God, we will love his glory.
If we love God, we will love his glory.
However, if we allow any other motive—even other biblically-sanctioned motives—to become the supreme incentive for our obedience, we will lack the spiritual power necessary to effectively put sin to death. Why? Because making any other reason than God’s glory the chief motive for our obedience is to desire something—even something good—more than God himself. And when faith is not God-centered, it becomes weak and incapable of really dealing mortal blows against sin.
Don’t Pursue the Gift Apart from the Giver
For example, we may want to put sinful anger to death because it causes problems in our marriage, or it defiles our conscience, and causes us trouble at work. These are not wrong motives—indeed, the Bible commends such incentives. But if these motives are not subservient to the greatest motive, mortification can become a means of serving self and a way to acquire the gift without the Giver.
We should want to put sin to death because holiness pleases God and exalts his reputation. Godly character displays God’s glory to a watching world (Matt 5:15). Keeping a good conscience guards our faith so that we can behold the glory of Christ with spiritual clarity (1 Tim 1:5; 1:19; 2 Cor 4:6). When the glory of God is the primary aim of our battle with sin, we will experience wonderful fruit like a well-ordered life, a clean conscience, and a good reputation. But these are secondary to and flow from the chief aim of our lives: that our Savior would be worshipped and praised for his great goodness, wisdom, holiness, and love.
Conclusion
Maybe you’ve sensed a lack of spiritual power recently in your walk with the Lord. You’re lacking the ambition, energy, and discipline to battle sin. You’re worn out from the fight and wish you could just throw in the towel. Perhaps you need some encouraging fellowship and time under excellent preaching in your local church (see Heb 3:12-15; 10:24-25). Consider these possibilities. But also consider whether you’ve allowed your motives for obedience to shift ever-so-slightly away from God’s glory as to the benefits you will attain as the supreme incentive for your obedience.
