Mortification of Sin in Believers - Chapter 1 Summary

Chapter 1

Concerning Romans 8:13

1.Concerning the "if you mortify..."

• the conditional is one in which there is certainty and coherence as in “If you will take such a potion or remedy, you will be well.”
• thus there is a “certain infallible connection and coherence between true mortification and eternal life: if you use this means, you shall obtain that end; if you do mortify, you shall live.”
• this is the main motivation of and reason for encouraging mortification

2.Mortification is a duty of believers - “The choicest believers, who are assuredly freed from the condemning power of sin, ought yet to make it their business all their days to mortify the indwelling power of sin.”


3.The principle efficient cause of the performance of this duty is the Spirit

1. other means of mortification are vain
2. “Mortification from a self-strength, carried on by ways of self-invention, unto the end of a self-righteousness, is the soul and substance of all false religion in the world.”

4.The duty: what is meant by the body, the deeds of the body, and mortify them.

i)The body...the flesh...the old man...the body of sin

• “The body, then, here is taken for that corruption and depravity of our natures whereof the body, in a great part, is the seat and instrument, the very members of the body being made servants unto unrighteousness thereby, Romans 6:19. It is indwelling sin, the corrupted flesh or lust, that is intended.”
• “ ... it may synecdochically express the whole person considered as corrupted, and the seat of lusts and distempered affections.”

ii) the deeds of the body

• the outward action is chiefly denoted but the inward causes are mainly intended
• the causes of the deeds are to be mortified
• Paul makes it clear that indwelling lust and sin are the fountain and principle of all sinful actions

iii) to mortify

• a metaphorical expression - “To kill a man, or any other living thing, is to take away the principle of all his strength, vigour, and power, so that he cannot act or exert, or put forth any proper actings of his own; so it is in this case.”
• the cross utterly mortifies the old man, but the work is to be carried on - “The intendment of the apostle in this prescription of the duty mentioned is, -- that the mortification of indwelling sin remaining in our mortal bodies, that it may not have life and power to bring forth the works or deeds of the flesh is the constant duty of believers.”

5.the promise – ye shall live

• the life promised is opposed to the death threatened - means eternal life and perhaps Christian life as to the joy, comfort, and vigour - “The vigour, and power, and comfort of our spiritual life depends on the mortification of the deeds of the flesh.