Mortification by the Spirit: The Biblical Blueprint for Fighting Sin

What does it mean to put to death the deeds of the body by the Spirit?

Studying recently through Romans 8, I came across a deeply perplexing question. Paul says, “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” (Romans 8:13).

Overall, I feel that I have a good understanding of this verse. I realize that to live ‘according to the flesh’ is to live in a way that is in line with fleshly desires. Death – both physical and spiritual – is the inevitable result. Those who put to death these deeds shall live. They are called ‘the deeds of the body’ because the body is the tool which accomplishes these deeds. This is not merely a mechanistic ‘putting to death,’ hence it is ‘by the Spirit.’ And life is the result of this ‘putting to death.’

All of this makes sense except for the phrase, by the Spirit. What does it mean to put to death the deeds of the body by the Spirit? How do I know that my killing of sin is being done by the Spirit and not by my own determination?

Paul never gives us a clear explanation, and yet he hinges life itself on this phrase. In other words, this is important. I’ve spent some time thinking about this question, talking about it with others, and I still don’t have a precise answer. Here, however, are some thoughts on the question.

> Christians are those who put to death the deeds of the body – not the Spirit. Paul calls on us to put to death these deeds. He says “if by the Spirit you put to death…” rather than “if the Spirit puts to death…” Paul is not advocating a passive philosophy where the Spirit does the hard work for us.

> It is possible to put these deeds to death apart from the Spirit. You can’t live the Christian life in your own strength, but you may be able to stop doing certain sinful deeds through sheer effort and willpower. There are many people in the world who have overcome a vice and lead lives which are consequently more externally moral. This is not outside the realm of possibility. However, such efforts are unimportant to the apostle; “you will live” is a promise that is given to those who do this by the Spirit. While you can’t turn your entire life around, you can certainly learn techniques to stop doing certain sins (notice that this is possible for unbelievers at a granular level – individual sins – but not at an organic level – the entire life oriented toward God, which requires the Spirit).

> The Spirit aids us in putting sin to death through a variety of means. The work of the Spirit includes recalling truth to mind, developing within us a hatred of sin, leading us to memorize Scripture, developing virtuous fruits that nudge us away from sin, etc. In all of these ways, the Spirit is at work in Christians to be an aid to them in putting to death the deeds of the body.

> There is no formula for mortification ‘by the Spirit’. While the Spirit works in all of the ways just listed, no one of these things is proof that when a sin is put to death, that is accomplished by the Spirit. You can’t create a formula which ensures that you are now acting ‘by the Spirit.’ For example, we might want to make a formula such as ‘(1) read a biblical passage about this sin, (2) thinking about Jesus, (3) pray until the temptation disappears.’ Such a formula, while it may be good (and may even be adopted because of the work of the Spirit in your life), is not a proof that you are therefore fighting sin ‘by the Spirit.’ Such a mechanistic way of thinking ignores the fact that the Spirit is a person, not a method.

> Mortification ‘by the Spirit’ sometimes is just the result of Christians fighting sin. Sometimes it isn’t showy at all. When you are resisting temptation, you may not *feel* any supernatural aid. You may have the sense that you are just resisting hard, on your own, without divine help. Maybe there is a Bible verse that comes to mind – or maybe not. But as you grit your teeth and try to obey Christ, you feel like you are doing this yourself. Nonetheless, the Spirit may still be working to aid you. Don’t discount his hidden help.

> When the Spirit helps you to live dependently on Christ (in an attitude of prayer, meditation, and reflection), and you consequently put to death the deeds of the body, you may have confidence that you are putting to death the deeds of the body ‘by the Spirit’. In this case, when your life is clearly demonstrating the fruit of the Spirit, victory over sin can be more clearly identified as coming ‘by the Spirit.’

> Yet when you consciously reject biblical solutions in your fight against sin, you are certainly not putting to death the deeds of the body ‘by the Spirit.’ If you turn to secular, worldly ways to fight temptations, and you do this in place of the Spirit’s aid to direct you out of sin, then even your apparent victory is unlikely to be by the aid of the Spirit – since you are relying on the exact same means that are available to unbelievers.

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