Mortifying Your Flesh

1
Session 5

• Mortifying Your Flesh

2
Knowledge Objectives

• Explain the meaning of the three steps of
  mortification in Romans 6know, reckon, and
  yieldand how our identification with Christ at
  salvation makes these steps all possible.
• Recognize the importance of refusing to obey or
  to feed the flesh.
• Understand why God-dependent self-denial is
  crucial to flesh-free living.

3
Application Objectives

• Respond by using the teachings of Romans 6 in
  your daily fight against the power of your
  fleshly nature.
• Respond by examining your life for areas where
  you are feeding the flesh.
• Respond by appreciating the importance of
  self-denial instead of despising or resisting it.

4
Session 5

• Mortifying Your Flesh

5
Mortifying a Motorcycle
6
Romans 813

• For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die
  but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds
  of the body, ye shall live.

7
Colossians 31-5

• If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those
  things which are above, where Christ sitteth on
  the right hand of God. Set your affection on
  things above, not on things on the earth. For ye
  are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in
  God. . . . Mortify therefore your members which
  are upon the earth.

8
John Owen on What Is Mortification?

• Every lust is a depraved habit or disposition
  that continually inclines the heart toward
  evil.
• The primary task of mortification is to
  weaken this habit of sin so that its power
  to express itselfin violence, frequency, tumult,
  provocation, and unrestis quelled.

9
We Have to Know Some Things

• We have been made free from sin. We no longer
  have to obey its pull.
• We were baptized into Christs death.
• Before our identification with Christ, we were
  required to serve the flesh. We now have a
  choice!
• This is something you need to know!

10
We Have to Reckon Some Things

• We reckon things every day a speed limit sign.
• We may feel as though we have to give in, but we
  need to know better.

11
Romans 69,11

• Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead
  dieth no more death hath no more dominion over
  him. . . . Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to
  be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God
  through Jesus Christ our Lord.

12
Romans 612,14

• Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal
  body, that ye should obey it in the lusts
  thereof. . . . For sin shall not have dominion
  over you for ye are not under the law, but under
  grace.

13
We Have to Yield Some Things

• Romans 613, 16, 19

14
Romans 613

• Neither yield ye your members as instruments of
  unrighteousness unto sin but yield yourselves
  unto God, as those that are alive from the dead,
  and your members as instruments of righteousness
  unto God.

15
Romans 616

• Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves
  servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye
  obey whether of sin unto death, or of obedience
  unto righteousness?

16
Romans 619

• As ye have yielded your members servants to
  uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity even
  so now yield your members servants to
  righteousness unto holiness.

17
We Have toYield Some Things

• Dont obey the flesh! We are not defeated but
  disobedient.
• The Christian life is not easy, but it is not
  complicated.
• The flesh can be denied, and it must be denied.
• We are foolish to feed the flesh.

18
I Peter 211

• Abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against
  the soul.

19
Galatians 67-8

• Be not deceived i.e., Dont kid yourself!
  God is not mocked for whatsoever a man soweth,
  that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to
  his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption
  i.e., ruin, destruction, dissolution but he
  that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit
  reap life everlasting.

20
The Seat Belt of Self-Denial

• Since the flesh is always with us, self-denial is
  always needed because the danger is always
  present.

21
Back to Mortifying

• Cut the fuel to the flesh engine. Dont feed
  it!
• Disengage the clutchthe flesh engine doesnt
  have to drive the wheel.
• Apply the brakes. Say no to the flesh.
• Stop the motorcycle!

22
Take Time to Reflect

• Is your entertainment flesh-free?
• Is your pursuit of possessions flesh-free?
• Are your friendships flesh-free?