"But if by the Spirit ye put to death the deeds of the body, ye shall
live."
8. Here the apostle confesses that even in the Christian there is a
remnant of the flesh, that must be put to death--all manner of
temptation and lusts in opposition to God's commandments. These are
active in the flesh and prompt to sin. They are here called the
"deeds of the body." Of this nature are thoughts of unbelief and
distrust, carnal security and presumption instead of the fear of God,
coldness and indolence with respect to God's Word and prayer,
impatience and murmurings under suffering, anger and vindictiveness
or envy and hatred against our neighbor, avarice, unchastity and the
like. Such inclinations as these dwell in flesh and blood and cease
not to move and tempt man. Yea, because of human infirmity they at
times overtake him when he is not careful enough about transgression.
They will certainly overpower him unless he resolutely opposes them
and, as here stated, "puts to death the deeds of the body." To do
this means a severe struggle, a battle, which never abates nor ceases
so long as we live. The Christian dare never become slothful or
negligent in this matter. He must arouse himself through the Spirit
so as not to give place to the flesh. He must constantly put to death
the flesh lest he himself be put to death by it. The apostle
declares, "If ye live after the flesh, ye must die," and again
comforts us, "If by the Spirit ye put to death [mortify] the deeds of
the body, ye shall live." For the Christian receives the gift of the
Holy Spirit that he may become willing and able to mortify these
sinful lusts.
9. This mortifying of sin through the Spirit is accomplished on this
wise: Man recognizes his sin and infirmity, at once repents,
remembers God's Word, and, through faith in the forgiveness of sins,
strengthens himself against sin, and so resists it that he does not
consent to it nor permit it to come to deeds.
10. This constitutes the difference between those who are Christians
and sanctified and those who are without faith and the Holy Spirit or
who grieve and lose the Spirit. For although believers, as well as
unbelievers, are not wholly free from the sinful lusts of the flesh,
they yet remain in repentance and the fear of God; they hold fast to
the belief that their sins are forgiven, for Christ's sake, because
they do not yield to them but resist them. Therefore they continue
under forgiveness, and their remaining infirmity is not fatal nor
damning to them as it is to those who, without repentance and faith,
go on in carnal security and purposely follow their evil lusts
against their own conscience; who thus cast away from themselves both
faith and the Holy Spirit.
11. So Paul admonishes the Christians to remember what they have
received, and whereunto they are called. Having received the
forgiveness of sins and the Holy Spirit, they are to be careful not
to lose these again; they must use them in contending against the
sinful lusts of the flesh. They are to comfort themselves with the
fact that they have the Holy Spirit, that is, have help and strength
by means of which they can resist and mortify sin. These things are
impossible to those who have not faith. Therefore Paul declares
further:
"For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of
God."
12. Like ourselves, Paul had to deal with two classes of people, the
true and the false Christians. There is not so much danger from the
adversaries of the doctrine; for instance, from popery: their
opposition is so open that we can readily beware of them. But since
the devil sows even among us his seed--they are called Christians and
boast of the Gospel--it behooves us to take heed, not to the mouth,
but to the works, of those who claim to be Christians. Not what they
say, but what they do, is the question. It is easy enough to boast of
God and of Christ and of the Spirit. But whether such boasting has
any foundation or not, depends on whether or not the Spirit so works
and rules in one as to subdue and mortify sin. For where the Spirit
is, there assuredly the Spirit is not idle nor powerless. He proves
his presence by ruling and directing man and prevailing on man to
obey and follow his promptings. Such a man has the comfort that he is
a child of God, and that God so reigns and works in him that he is
not subject to death; he has life.