August 15, 2025 - Colossians 3:5 - "Mortifying the Flesh"

Colossians 3:5

 "Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:"

Here, the Spirit’s command to “mortify” the members which are upon the earth is not because the flesh still holds rightful sway, but because in Christ it has already been judged and condemned. At the cross, God rendered the sin nature obsolete—its sentence carried out in the death of the old man (Adam) with Christ. What once reigned as master is now without legal authority over the redeemed. To “mortify” is therefore not to kill something still legally alive, but to reckon as dead that which God has already crucified in His Son (Galatians 2:20). The believer’s life is no longer bound to Adam's curse, but hidden with Christ in God, under the rule of His resurrected Life.

"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 (Romans 8:13)."

1. There are those who see mortifying the flesh as a WORK of man by way of penance before God, or of somehow improving the flesh so as to sin less and less.

2. There are those who see mortifying the flesh as a COOPERATION between the sinner and the Spirit, as a work that the Spirit brings the sinner to do, as if the sinner is able somehow to perform surgery on themselves and rid themselves of this sin or that.

3. There are those who see mortifying the flesh as THE GRACE of God, by the Spirit of God teaching the sinner to put NO CONFIDENCE IN THE FLESH (Philippians 3:3) and to look to the LORD Jesus Christ alone, the CRUCIFIED ONE (Hebrews 12:1,2) and not to attempt to take on the flesh ourselves. (Galatians 2:20).

What is the proper understanding of the Scriptural command to mortify the flesh? The first two views are contrary to what the Scriptures teach and an affront to the finished WORK OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST at the cross. The GRACE of God alone, by the Spirit’s work in the child of God, causes them to look to the LORD Jesus Christ alone. He died, rose again, ascended on High, and is now seated as THE GREAT HIGH PRIEST and therefore regenerated sinners consider HIM and HIS FINISHED WORK ALONE, as their only HOPE (Hebrews 4:15, 16). 

This matter of mortifying the flesh is not the putting to death this sin or that sin, but rather the considering of all that pertains to their flesh as ALREADY crucified with Christ. The word mortification, ‘mort’ in French, means DEAD, not dying. It does not say to ‘kill’ the flesh, but rather it is considering (reckoning) anything to do with this flesh to be as dead already (resulting from Christ’s death), and therefore NOT to take it on at all. The Spirit NEVER draws the sinner to the flesh in ANY way, whether to fight it, or try to deal with it ourselves, or in cooperation with Him, as if it were some joint work together. The Spirit causes the saved sinner to see himself as wretched because of God's holiness and UNABLE, like a leopard, to change his spots. Therefore, mortification is to look upon anything in your flesh as dead and deadly, wretched, and condemnable. That self-same Spirit of Grace causes you to look outside yourself, to the LORD Jesus Christ and His finished work ALONE.

To think that the sinner can change the flesh and make it ‘better’ in any way, outside of the completed work of Christ ALONE, is a deadly poison and error.  When one presents this work of sanctification and mortification of the flesh as being their work in cooperation with the work of the Spirit, the outcome will always be more sin, death, and condemnation. 

The Scriptures teach that sanctification is the LORD's work from beginning to end. (1 Thessalonians 5:23). To grow in Grace is to grow in my need of His Grace, as He continually shows us our sinfulness, and draws our hearts again and again to the LORD Jesus Christ, and gives us that cry as that needy sinner, “Be merciful to me a sinner” (Luke 18:13).