Mortification is a part of our salvation!

In beginning to address the question of why mortification is critical for the believer we talked today about how it’s not optional for the believer, but a necessary part of every Christian’s salvation experience. One is saved through belief in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of his sins, but usually we tend to leave our definition of salvation there and not fill it out biblically to include the fact that we’re being saved as well. Part of God’s continuing work of salvation in our lives comes with our sharing in Christ’s sufferings—i.e., putting off the old self, killing sin, etc. As Christians we must seek a true gospel that encompasses the whole of life. It’s the only kind of gospel! Anything short of it is a cheap unbiblical grace, at best. So Owen comments,

“He that is appointed to kill an enemy, if he leave striking before the other ceases living, does but half his work.” (Owen, p. 51)

And Paul:

Romans 8:13-14: 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. 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. 18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

There’s freedom in this message in that it’s the Spirit who is the sovereign cause of mortification in our lives. Christ has set us free and re-created us in his image to do good works…and those works are a gift from him, not from us, lest we should boast. The challenge, however, is that we must continually believe this to the point of action, keeping in step with what the Spirit is doing in us daily (Gal 5:25), and heeding the warnings of scripture that tell of a hardening of heart and disbelief if we neglect mortification of sin (e.g. Heb 3:12-14).

Chris