Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 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 8:12-13)

Putting To Death The Deeds Of The Body

To live is Christ, but in life there is death. Christ has set the soul free from the burden of sin through His blood. By the grace of God, sins are washed away. Through the infinite mercy of God, men can stand before the Father pure and righteous, cleansed of the guilt of sin. While the grace of God delivers one from the wrath of God, the individual must change their life. The price for the consequence of sin was the blood of the Son of God. There is nothing a person can do to repay the debt owed through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. The measure of debt is beyond anything a man can do. What a man can do is to serve the Lord in obedience to the will of the Father.

A Christian is someone who has changed their life to serve the Lord in all diligence. The temptations of the flesh and mind try to persuade the Christian to live according to the flesh, living in carnal pleasures, seeking the pride of life, and exalting oneself above God. Living according to the flesh will bring death and separation from God. There is no value in seeking the enjoyments of life because they are all temporary. If a man gained the whole world, he would lose it in death. Pleasure will dissipate. Knowledge will not bring happiness. To live according to the flesh will bring eternal sorrow.

People of God grow in their faith, learning how to put death to the deeds of the body. Life comes from death. As the heart grows in its faith and trust in the Lord, the decisions of life are measured by the righteousness of the word of God. Putting to death the deeds of the body is not putting them to sleep or ignoring them. Death means there is no life. It may take time to put some things to death, but the goal and mission of godliness is to kill the desires of the flesh. People of God are not ruled by the passions derived from the wiles of the devil. Some passions may be a lifetime to kill. Drastic measures may have to be taken to destroy the desire, but measures must be taken. There can be no ignoring the design of killing the deeds of the body.

Temptation comes in many forms. Ignoring temptations will not make them go away. Talking to them will not deter them. Temptation is put away by killing them, putting them to death, taking the life out of them. If a man is tempted by things he watches on the internet, he needs to kill his connection with the internet. Jesus taught in the sermon on the mount that if the eyes or hands offend or cause one to sin, it would be better to pluck out the eyes and cut off the hand than to lose the soul to eternal damnation. Jesus did not mean literally plucking out eyes and cutting off hands. His point was clear – even if it is very precious (as eyes and hands are); it would be better to live without the internet than to struggle with pornography and lose one’s soul in hell.

The most important part of the Christian life is learning how to kill the deeds of the body. Anger must be destroyed. Gossip has to be killed. Hatred and prejudice must be slain. All the works of the flesh must be – must be – killed. There can be no life, no energy, and no resurrection of those things that are of the flesh. Put to death the deeds of the body by the Spirit. Life comes for those who learn how to kill the deeds of the flesh. In the place of the deeds of the flesh, grow the fruits of the Spirit. Life is of the Spirit. Grow thereby.