Do Mortify Put to Death the Deeds of the Body

For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify (put to death) the deeds of the body, ye shall live. (Romans 8:13)

There are several passages of the New Testament that list the deeds of the body.

Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them. (Romans 1:29-32) For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I would, and that I shall be found unto you such as ye would not: lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults: And lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed. (II Corinthians 12:20,21)

Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:19-21)

But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not ye therefore partakers with them. (Ephesians 5:3-7)

Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them. But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; (Colossians 3:5-9)

These are the deeds of the flesh. These are the sins listed in the New Testament

What are we to do about them? We are to put them to death. If we do not, through the Holy Spirit, put them to death, we will die spiritually in the present hour. In the day of resurrection we will receive corruption.

If we as a Christian practice moral filthiness in the present hour we will receive moral filthiness in the day of resurrection.

If we as a Christian practice hatred and strife in the present hour we will receive hatred and strife in the day of resurrection.

If we as a Christian practice lying and deceit in the present hour we will receive lying and deceit in the day of resurrection.

If we as a Christian practice gossip and slander in the present hour we will receive gossip and slander in the day of resurrection.

When we are made manifest at the Judgment Seat of Christ we will receive back the things practiced by our body, whether good, or evil and corrupt.

If it is true that we are going to receive, in the Day of Resurrection, the behavior we have practiced while living on earth, then we are wise if we practice the behavior we wish to reap.

There is far, far too much emphasis being placed today on the initial act of making a profession of Christ, as though the initial profession were all there is to salvation.

Salvation is a program of redemption. It begins when we make a profession of faith in Christ. It continues throughout our lifetime. We have to work out our salvation. We work it out by putting to death the deeds of the body and laying hold on the virtue of Christ.

We are not saved until we endure to the end.

We are not made a partaker of Christ until we hold fast the beginning of our confidence to the end of our discipleship.

How do we, through the Spirit, put adultery, fornication, lying, stealing, covetousness, gossip, slander, drunkenness, profanity, hatred, bitterness, strife, to death through the Spirit of God?

We begin to follow the Spirit while we are living in the state of freedom from condemnation, given to us on the basis of the atonement made on the cross of Calvary.

As we pray, read the Bible, attend the assembly of fervent believers, the Spirit of God will point out some area of worldliness, lust, or disobedience in our personality. Have you had that happen to you recently? You probably did for we now are entering a period of judgment, the spiritual fulfillment of the Levitical Day of Atonement.

Let us say the Spirit shows you there is bitterness and unforgiveness in your personality.

We know that Christ has commanded us to forgive those who sin against us. We know also that we are to be filled with love, joy, and peace, not with unforgiveness and bitterness.

Our first action in putting to death unforgiveness and bitterness is to confess these as sin. We are to confess with our mouth that we have unforgiveness and bitterness in our personality and that these are sin. They are not psychological quirks or deficits or anything else. They are sin and we have been commanded to put them to death.

We certainly do not desire to be clothed with unforgiveness and bitterness in the day of resurrection!

When we confess unforgiveness and bitterness as sin we are passing judgment on these actions. This is why it is so extremely important to confess our sins as sin. The things hidden in our personality must be brought out into the open and judged for what they are. Until we bring them into the open and declare them to be sin we will never get rid of them. Otherwise they will be made manifest at the Judgment Seat of Christ in the Day of the Lord.

Having confessed them as sin we then are to ask the Lord to forgive us and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (I John 1:9)

We are to be resolute about these actions! We are to confess our sins to God clearly and we are to denounce them and ask God to remove them from us.

Now the battle is joined. The Spirit of God begins the program of redemption that will lead to total, perfect deliverance from unforgiveness and bitterness.

We may be instantly, totally delivered the moment we confess and repent. This happens sometimes. The particular sin is removed from our personality root and branch.

In other situations there may be a prolonged battle. The Spirit may bring up related behaviors in our personality, such as anger. Our task is to follow the Spirit, read our Bible, pray, serve, give, as we have said. There is no quick easy way to put to death every sin. Some go quickly. Other deliverances may require years.

In the meantime we will find that once we have confessed and denounced a sin its immediate power over us is greatly weakened. If we then keep on serving the Lord as a Christian disciple, remaining diligent, we can keep the particular behavior under control. We will grow in freedom from bitterness and in the ability to forgive those who formerly infuriated us.

The Christian life is one long working out of our salvation, our salvation from worldliness, lust, and self-seeking. Day by day death and life struggle for mastery over our personality. As we walk in the Spirit of God we find that we indeed can gain victory over the sin that seeks to keep us in bondage.

Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. (II Corinthians 7:1)

We are not to strive hopelessly against all the sin in our personality. We are to follow the Spirit. The Spirit will point out to us the particular area to be dealt with, just as the Lord directed Joshua against one city at a time.

As we engage in spiritual warfare we remain without condemnation. God's promise is that if we walk after the Spirit in this manner the righteousness of the Law of Moses will continually be imputed to us.

That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. (Romans 8:4)

We put every behavior to death through the Spirit. The Israelites failed to fully possess their land because they did not persevere until total victory was theirs. Instead they compromised with the Canaanites. The result was destruction!

Let us learn by their example. Never, never, never compromise with the sin in your personality. Confess it as sin. Bring it to the Lord for forgiveness and cleansing. The Holy Spirit in His time and way will enable you to put it all to death, one area at a time as He leads. There is to be no exception. All sin is to go. One little sin can bring you down to defeat at some important part of your life. Remember Achan!