The Battle For Your Mortal Body

6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. 7 For he who has died has been freed from sin. 8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, 9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. 10 For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. 11 Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. 12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. 13 And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. 14 For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.

Romans 6:9–14 NKJV

9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. 10 For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. 11 Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. 12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. 13 And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. 14 For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.

rom 6:

Paul has been arguing from a theological perspective up to this point in . His theological argument is based on historical fact. This is Paul’s general method to start with historical facts, then to draw solid conclusions which form the basis of his theology. From that he then put his theology into practical use and application. This should be our approach as we study the scriptures. Theology is vitally important but theology without application is like clouds and wind that bring no rain.

James 1:22–25 NKJV

22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; 24 for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. 25 But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.

Paul started with the historical fact of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This is not an idea, or a philosophy, it’s not a legend or a myth. Jesus is a real person who lived was crucified on a cross until He was dead he was buried and after three days he rose from the grave. He was seen by Peter and the other apostle and by over 500 brethern at once. It is a well documented historical indisputable fact. Based on the fact Paul builds his theology. He says...

Romans 6:3–4 NKJV

3 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

Rom 6:3

We are united with Christ in His death we dies in His resurrection we are raised. So Paul moves from the historical facts to the spiritual facts. Just as sure as Christ died I also died it is a fact based on my union with Christ through faith. There is a finality to death. It is once and for all.

Rom 6:9

Romans 6:9–10 NKJV

So if I’m united in this death, the death of Christ then I have died unto sin once for all and death no longer rules over me.

According to vs 6-7.

Romans 6:6–7 NKJV

6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. 7 For he who has died has been freed from sin.

Rom 6;6-7

So I a died with Christ, I rose again with Christ I am freed from sin, sin no longer rules over me. This Paul states as Theological facts about who we are in Christ.

What is curious then is what we find in verse 12. He says “therefore” This is a key word in Paul’s writings as his arguments flow from one thought to the next alway linked together in a logical progression. Paul is not just making bold unfounded statement. He carefully builds his ideas up from facts to logical conclusions leading to sound doctrine and finally to application. And here we find the application of this doctrine of union with Christ indicated by this important word “therefore” that is as a result of or because of this or knowing this truth we now do this. So what do we do now knowing the truth of our union with Christ?

Do Not Let Sin Reign in Your Mortal Body

What is it that is so curious about this instruction? Well, mainly that Paul has just said that we have died with Christ on the cross so that sin no longer has dominion over us. He said that we are dead to sin and that’s why we cannot continue in sin. he said we are freed from sin. And if we misunderstood any of that he says in vs 14 sin shall not have dominion over you. Not “might not” not “should not” but sin shall not have dominion or reign or rule over you. So why would Paul tell us now to not let sin reign.

I believe that in order to understand this as well as the coming chapters we must understand Paul’s view of the whole man. Paul is dealing with at least two aspects of us. There is the inner man and the outer man. The spiritual and the carnal, or spirit and flesh. Lets consider some of these vs.

Romans 7:15–20 NKJV

15 For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. 16 If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. 17 But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. 18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. 19 For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. 20 Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.

Rom 7:

Now how could Paul be so cheeky? What if you had told your child don’t throw the ball in the house. you you go out of the room and come back 5 min later and what are they doing? throwing the ball in the house. so you say again don’t throw the ball in the house otherwise you’re going to break the tv. This continues over the next few days until you hear a crash and come in to find the now shattered tv a ball lying in the broken glass and your child standing with a look of shock and horror on their face. and before you can say a word they say “It wasn’t me it was sin that dwells in me.”

But thats what Paul is saying here, when I do the evil things that I don’t want to do it’s not me but sin that dwells in me. And he says that in me that is in my flesh dwells no good thing. That is this mortal body. It has no good in it. And he cries at the end of ch 7 O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from the body of this death.

Then in

Romans 8:11 NKJV

11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

Rom 8:

Again Paul mentions this mortal body saying that God will give life to our mortal body.

He also calls this mortal body corruption.

1 Corinthians 15:50–54 NKJV

50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. 51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”

1 cor 15:50

So when Paul says in do not let sin reign in your mortal body the key word here in mortal. Mortal meaning liable to death. This body which will die. When we understand this distinction we see Paul logical flow in his argument. Your inner or spiritual man was crucified with Christ and raised a new creation in Christ which is not under the dominion of sin and death therefore do not let sin reign in your outer or carnal man. Your mortal body. See the battle is won with the inner man but there is still a battle to be fought in the mortal body. And Paul exhorts us fight that battle do not yield to sin do not let it have the rule over you.

If you allow sin to reign then you will obey it in it’s lust. you will in your mortal body become a slave unto sin which is contrary to the spiritual reality of your inner man which is that you are in fact freed from sin.

Why should we fight this battle?

1 Thessalonians 4:1–8 NKJV

1 Finally then, brethren, we urge and exhort in the Lord Jesus that you should abound more and more, just as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God; 2 for you know what commandments we gave you through the Lord Jesus. 3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality; 4 that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, 5 not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God; 6 that no one should take advantage of and defraud his brother in this matter, because the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also forewarned you and testified. 7 For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness. 8 Therefore he who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who has also given us His Holy Spirit.

1 Thes

Philippians 2:12–13 NKJV

12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.

Phil 2:12

If i do not engage in this battle then I set my will against God’s will concerning me. What happens when we set ourselves against God? As sons of God we come under that chastisement of the Lord. The chastisement of the Lord is horrible and terrifying and at the same time gracious loving and gentle. It progressively gets harder and harder until eventually if we do not turn it leads to death.

The negative is Do not let sin reign but the positive is

Present Yourselves to God

That is yield yourself your mortal body to God. Let God reign over your mortal body.

Romans 12:1–2 NKJV

1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Rom 12:1-2

Rom 6:

Romans 6:13–14 NKJV

13 And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. 14 For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.

Fight this fight, engage in this battle

1 Corinthians 1:13 NKJV

13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?

Colossians 1:13–14 NKJV

13 He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, 14 in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.

1 Corinthians 13–14 NKJV

1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing. 4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away. 11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. 13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love. 1 Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. 2 For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries. 3 But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men. 4 He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church. 5 I wish you all spoke with tongues, but even more that you prophesied; for he who prophesies is greater than he who speaks with tongues, unless indeed he interprets, that the church may receive edification. 6 But now, brethren, if I come to you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you unless I speak to you either by revelation, by knowledge, by prophesying, or by teaching? 7 Even things without life, whether flute or harp, when they make a sound, unless they make a distinction in the sounds, how will it be known what is piped or played? 8 For if the trumpet makes an uncertain sound, who will prepare for battle? 9 So likewise you, unless you utter by the tongue words easy to understand, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will be speaking into the air. 10 There are, it may be, so many kinds of languages in the world, and none of them is without significance. 11 Therefore, if I do not know the meaning of the language, I shall be a foreigner to him who speaks, and he who speaks will be a foreigner to me. 12 Even so you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, let it be for the edification of the church that you seek to excel. 13 Therefore let him who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret. 14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful. 15 What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding. 16 Otherwise, if you bless with the spirit, how will he who occupies the place of the uninformed say “Amen” at your giving of thanks, since he does not understand what you say? 17 For you indeed give thanks well, but the other is not edified. 18 I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all; 19 yet in the church I would rather speak five words with my understanding, that I may teach others also, than ten thousand words in a tongue. 20 Brethren, do not be children in understanding; however, in malice be babes, but in understanding be mature. 21 In the law it is written: “With men of other tongues and other lips I will speak to this people; And yet, for all that, they will not hear Me,” says the Lord. 22 Therefore tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers; but prophesying is not for unbelievers but for those who believe. 23 Therefore if the whole church comes together in one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those who are uninformed or unbelievers, will they not say that you are out of your mind? 24 But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an uninformed person comes in, he is convinced by all, he is convicted by all. 25 And thus the secrets of his heart are revealed; and so, falling down on his face, he will worship God and report that God is truly among you. 26 How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification. 27 If anyone speaks in a tongue, let there be two or at the most three, each in turn, and let one interpret. 28 But if there is no interpreter, let him keep silent in church, and let him speak to himself and to God. 29 Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others judge. 30 But if anything is revealed to another who sits by, let the first keep silent. 31 For you can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all may be encouraged. 32 And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. 33 For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints. 34 Let your women keep silent in the churches, for they are not permitted to speak; but they are to be submissive, as the law also says. 35 And if they want to learn something, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is shameful for women to speak in church. 36 Or did the word of God come originally from you? Or was it you only that it reached? 37 If anyone thinks himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things which I write to you are the commandments of the Lord. 38 But if anyone is ignorant, let him be ignorant. 39 Therefore, brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak with tongues. 40 Let all things be done decently and in order.