On Temptation and the Mortification of Sin in Believers

1. Mortification: A Lifelong, Non-Negotiable Duty for 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.

Constant warfare. Even the most advanced believers, though justified by faith and free from sin's condemnation, are called to a continuous, daily struggle against indwelling sin. This is not an optional pursuit but a fundamental aspect of the Christian life, as exemplified by the Apostle Paul who declared, "I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection." Sin, like a persistent enemy, never ceases its activity, always striving to bring forth "the deeds of the flesh."

Sin's persistence. Indwelling sin remains active within us throughout our earthly lives, constantly tempting, seducing, and seeking to corrupt our actions and thoughts. If left unmortified, it will not only hinder our spiritual growth but also lead to "great, cursed, scandalous, soul-destroying sins," as seen in the lives of even the most devout. Every unmortified lust, if given its course, aims for the "utmost sin in that kind," demonstrating its insatiable and deceitful nature.

Neglecting duty. Failure to consistently mortify sin leads to a spiritual decline, where grace withers, lust flourishes, and the heart grows increasingly hardened. This neglect can transform once humble and zealous Christians into earthly, carnal, and worldly individuals, bringing scandal to religion and causing others to stumble. True evangelical mortification, therefore, is crucial for maintaining spiritual health and preventing apostasy.

2. The Holy Spirit: The Sole Agent of True Mortification

He only is sufficient for this work; all ways and means without him are as a thing of nought; and he is the great efficient of it, -- he works in us as he pleases.

Vain remedies. Human-invented methods for mortifying sin, such as vows, penances, and self-imposed disciplines, are ultimately futile without the Spirit's power. These external endeavors, often rooted in superstition and self-righteousness, fail to address the deep-seated corruption of the heart. They may suppress outward acts but cannot truly kill the root of lust, leading to perpetual anguish and a false sense of accomplishment.

Divine promise. The Holy Spirit is explicitly promised by God to accomplish this work of taking away the "stony heart" and replacing it with a heart of flesh. He works by causing our hearts to abound in graces contrary to the flesh, by a "real physical efficiency" on the root of sin, and by bringing the cross of Christ into the heart through faith, granting communion with Christ in His death. This divine intervention is indispensable.

Cooperative effort. While the Spirit is the sole efficient cause, His work does not negate our responsibility; rather, it enables our obedience. He works in us and with us, preserving our liberty and free will, making His assistance an encouragement, not an excuse for passivity. To neglect employing the Spirit's power against sin is to disregard the excellent succor God has provided against our greatest enemy.

3. Spiritual Vitality Hinges on Consistent Mortification

The vigour, and power, and comfort of our spiritual life depends much on our mortification of sin.

Strength and peace. The desired strength, power, comfort, and peace in our walk with God are profoundly influenced by a consistent course of mortification. While God sovereignly bestows peace, mortification serves as an effectual means, removing obstacles that hinder these spiritual blessings. It is not an immediate cause of peace, but a necessary condition for its ordinary experience.

Sin's debilitating effects. Every unmortified sin inevitably weakens the soul, depriving it of spiritual vigor and strength for duties, and darkens it, intercepting the beams of God's love and favor. It untunes the heart, entangles affections, fills thoughts with corrupt contrivances, and actively hinders communion with God. An unmortified lust can "drink up the spirit" and leave the soul "sick, weak, wounded, faint," unable to look up.

Grace's flourishing. Mortification acts as a spiritual pruning, making room for the graces of God to grow and flourish in our hearts. Just as weeds choke a precious herb, unmortified lusts cause graces to wither and decay, rendering them weak and ineffective. A heart cleansed by consistent mortification allows every grace to "act its part" and be ready for every use and purpose, leading to a vibrant and fruitful spiritual life.

4. Defining Mortification: Beyond Suppression to Habitual Weakening

The mortification of a lust consists in three things:-- (1.) An habitual weakening of it. (2.) In constant fighting and contending against sin. (3.) In success.

Not eradication. Mortification is not the complete annihilation or rooting out of sin in this life, as Paul himself confessed he had "not already attained, either were already perfect." Nor is it mere dissimulation, a quiet nature, or a diversion of sin's expression. It is not achieved through occasional conquests driven by fear or affliction, which often see sin return once the immediate pressure subsides.

Habitual weakening. The first and foundational aspect of mortification is the habitual weakening of sin's depraved inclination and bent within the heart. This means diminishing its violence, earnestness, and frequency in rising up to entice, provoke, and disquiet the soul. It is akin to "crucifying the flesh," draining its "blood and spirits" so that its strivings become faint and seldom, and it no longer impels us to serve it as before.

Constant contention and success. Mortification also involves a "constant fighting and contending against sin," which requires knowing it as an enemy, understanding its "ways, wiles, methods, advantages, and occasions," and daily "laying load on sin" with gospel truths. This persistent warfare, coupled with frequent "success" – not just disappointment of sin, but victory over it and pursuit to complete conquest – signifies true mortification, allowing for peace with God.

5. Prerequisites for Mortification: Christ-Connection and Universal Obedience

Unless a man be a believer, -- that is, one that is truly ingrafted into Christ, -- he can never mortify any one sin.

Believer's work. Mortification is exclusively the work of believers, those "ingrafted into Christ" and possessing the Holy Spirit. Unregenerate individuals, though they may attempt to suppress sin through self-effort or legalistic means, will ultimately fail because they lack the divine principle necessary for true spiritual change. Their efforts are like refining "brass and iron" in vain, for they are not "gold and silver in the bottom."

Conversion first. For the unregenerate, the immediate duty is not mortification of a particular sin, but conversion of the whole soul to Christ. To focus on mortifying individual lusts without first establishing an interest in Christ is to build without a foundation, leading to self-delusion, hardening of the heart, and eventual despair. God calls them to "make the tree good, and his fruit will be good."

Universal sincerity. True mortification of any perplexing lust cannot be achieved without "sincerity and diligence in a universality of obedience." Contending against one sin while being negligent in other duties or harboring other unaddressed evils stems from a corrupt, self-serving principle. God will not bless such hypocritical endeavors; He expects a "universal humble frame and temper of heart" and equal diligence in all parts of obedience.

6. Identify and Confront Dangerous Symptoms of Indwelling Lust

Consider what dangerous symptoms thy lust hath attending or accompanying it, -- whether it hath any deadly mark on it or no; if it hath, extraordinary remedies are to be used.

Inveterateness. A lust that has long corrupted the heart, allowed to abide in power without vigorous attempts to kill it, carries a dangerous symptom. Such inveterate sin insinuates itself into all faculties, habituates affections, and becomes so familiar that it may act unnoticed, making ordinary humiliation insufficient. Old, neglected wounds are often mortal, and a lust pleading "title by prescription" is hard to eject.

Secret pleas. Dangerous symptoms include secret pleas of the heart to countenance sin, such as searching for evidences of a good condition despite the lust, or applying grace and mercy to an unmortified sin. This reveals a heart entangled with sin's love, seeking peace without genuine repentance and abhorrence. Such self-blessing, akin to Naaman's reservation, is a "desperate device" that hinders true healing.

Prevalence and legalism. Other deadly marks include frequent success in sin's seduction, obtaining the will's consent even without outward perpetration, and fighting sin only with arguments from punishment (fear of shame or hell). This indicates sin has taken great possession of the will, and the soul has cast off "renewing grace," relying solely on "restraining grace." Such legalistic contention, lacking gospel weapons, will not long hold out against lust's power.

7. Cultivate a Deep Conviction of Sin's Guilt, Danger, and Evil

Get a clear and abiding sense upon thy mind and conscience of the guilt, danger, and evil of that sin wherewith thou are perplexed.

Sin's deceit. A prevailing lust often deceives the mind, extenuating its own guilt with thoughts like, "Is it not a little one?" or comparing it to greater sins of others. Its "noisome exhalations" darken the understanding, preventing a clear judgment of its ugliness. This self-deception, as seen in David's prolonged unrepentance, allows sin to gain strength and prevail.

Aggravated guilt. For believers, the guilt of indwelling sin is uniquely aggravated because it sins against greater love, mercy, grace, and assistance. God sees more evil in the workings of lust in a believer's heart than in many outward sins of the wicked, or even some of the saints' falls, due to the opposition made and humiliation that often follows. This profound guilt demands a clear and unwavering apprehension.

Manifold dangers. The dangers of unmortified sin are manifold:

• Hardening: It leads to a hardening of the heart, searing of conscience, and blinding of the mind, making one "sermon-proof and sickness-proof."
• Temporal Correction: It invites God's "vengeance, judgement, and punishment" in this life, as seen in David's troubles.
• Loss of Peace: It deprives the soul of peace with God and strength for spiritual duties, leading to a life of "broken bones, full of pain and terror."
• Eternal Destruction: While God delivers believers from ultimate destruction, a continuance in sin connects one to the threats of everlasting separation, justly making it a terror.

8. Load Your Conscience with Guilt and Earnestly Desire Deliverance

Load thy conscience with the guilt of it. Not only consider that it hath a guilt, but load thy conscience with the guilt of its actual eruptions and disturbances.

God's method. To effectively load the conscience, one must follow God's method, starting with generals and descending to particulars. First, charge the conscience with guilt from the "rectitude and holiness of the law," considering its spirituality and fiery severity. Then, bring the lust to the gospel, not for immediate relief, but for "farther conviction of its guilt," seeing the immense love, mercy, and blood of Christ despised.

Personal aggravation. Descend to particulars by considering God's specific dealings with your own soul:

• Infinite patience: Reflect on God's forbearance despite repeated treachery and broken vows.
• Recovery from hardness: Recall how God's grace recovered you from the brink of spiritual hardness.
• Providential dealings: Acknowledge how deliverances, afflictions, and mercies have been slighted.
  Unless the conscience is thoroughly affected and lies "in the dust before the Lord," all other efforts for mortification are futile.

Longing for deliverance. Beyond conviction, cultivate a "constant longing, breathing after deliverance from the power of it." This "vehement desire" is a grace in itself, powerfully conforming the soul to the likeness of what it longs for. Such strong desires make the heart watchful for opportunities against sin, ready to embrace divine assistance, and animate "praying always" for freedom from its perplexing rage.

9. Beware of False Peace and Self-Deception in the Fight Against Sin

Take heed thou speakest not peace to thyself before God speaks it; but hearken what he says to thy soul.

Divine prerogative. Speaking peace to the soul is God's sovereign prerogative, a privilege He reserves to Himself, even among believers. Christ, as the "Amen, the faithful Witness," alone bears true testimony concerning our condition. We must not mistake our own self-generated peace for His, which often arises from superficial convictions or a desire to escape immediate discomfort.

Marks of false peace:

• Lack of detestation: Peace not attended by the "greatest detestation imaginable" of the sin, and self-abhorrence for it, is self-healing, not God's. True peace, when God speaks it, fills the soul with shame and "revenge" against the sin that pierced Christ.
• Rational conclusions: Measuring peace based solely on rational conclusions from convictions, without the Spirit's life and power, is a "false peace" that will not abide. It is a hasty, self-wrought quietude that lacks the "sweetness" and "gracious contentation" of God's peace.
• Slight application: Making the healing of wounds a "slight work," a mere glance of faith at promises without deeply mixing it with faith, results in a superficial cure.
• Partial dealing: Speaking peace while neglecting other significant evils in the heart, about which there has been no dealing with God, indicates a lack of "equal respect to all God's commandments."

God's true peace. When God speaks peace, it is a "humbling peace, melting peace," leading to profound self-abasement and a strong obligation to "turn not again to folly." It is accompanied by a secret instinct of faith that recognizes Christ's voice, speaking with power and making the heart "burn within." This genuine peace cleanses, endears, and binds the soul to obedience, unlike self-made peace which often animates to further backsliding.

10. Engage Faith in Christ: The Sovereign Remedy for Sin's Power

Set faith at work on Christ for the killing of thy sin. His blood is the great sovereign remedy for sin-sick souls.

Christ's provision. Actively engage faith by filling your soul with a deep consideration of the abundant provision laid up in Jesus Christ for the mortification of all lusts. Though you may feel utterly weak and weary of contending, recognize that "there is enough in Jesus Christ to yield thee relief," a "fullness of grace" and power to slay all His enemies. He is "exalted... to give repentance," which includes mortification.

Expectation of relief. Raise your heart by faith to a settled expectation of relief from Christ, looking to Him "as the eyes of a servant to the hand of his master." This expectation is grounded in the necessity that all spiritual strength comes from Him ("Without me ye can do nothing") and His divine attributes. All efforts not animated by this expectation are futile, serving only as temporary supports.

Mercy and faithfulness. Further encourage this expectation by considering Christ's mercifulness, tenderness, and kindness as our "great High Priest." Having suffered and been tempted, He is "able to succour them that are tempted," possessing an "ability of will" to help. His faithfulness, who has promised to relieve in such cases, provides assurance that relief will "surely come in its appointed time," like the morning sun.

11. Abase Yourself Through Meditations on God's Infinite Majesty

Be much in thoughtfulness of the excellency of the majesty of God and thine infinite, inconceivable distance from him.

Self-abhorrence. Frequent meditation on God's infinite majesty and our "infinite, inconceivable distance from him" is crucial for self-abasement, striking deep at the root of indwelling sin. When Job gained a clear discovery of God's greatness, he was filled with "self-abhorrence" and pressed to humiliation. Such thoughts render the soul indisposed to the deceits of sin and keep the heart humble.

Limited knowledge. Reflect deeply on our profound "unacquaintedness with him." Even the most eminent saints, like Moses, only saw God's "back parts," a low and mean glimpse compared to His perfections. Our gospel knowledge, though glorious compared to the law, is still "through a glass, darkly," "in a riddle," and "in part." Our most accurate conceptions of God are but "childish" in comparison to His infinite being.

Incomprehensible God. We know so little because it is God who is to be known – He who describes Himself as invisible and incomprehensible. Our understanding is "brutish" in contemplating His being, infiniteness, omnipotence, and eternity. We know Him more by what He does than by what He is, and even then, it is but a "little portion." This awe-inspiring realization fosters a holy fear, keeping the soul watchful against undue deportments and the thriving of any lust.

12. Vigilantly Guard Against Sin's Occasions and Earliest Stirrings

Rise mightily against the first actings of thy distemper, its first conceptions; suffer it not to get the least ground.

Watchfulness. Diligently "consider what occasions, what advantages thy distemper hath taken to exert and put forth itself, and watch against them all." This involves identifying specific ways, companies, opportunities, studies, businesses, or conditions that typically give sin an advantage. Just as one avoids offensive seasons or diets for bodily infirmities, so too must we guard our souls.

No dallying. He who "dares to dally with occasions of sin will dare to venture upon wickedness." Hazael's transformation into cruelty after becoming king illustrates how venturing into temptation inevitably leads to sin. Therefore, we must set ourselves heedfully against all known occasions, understanding that prevention is easier than cure.

First conceptions. Rise mightily against the "first actings of thy distemper, its first conceptions." Do not allow sin "the least ground" or say, "Thus far it shall go, and no farther," for it is impossible to fix bounds to sin once it breaks out. Confronting an unclean thought with the same indignation as if it had fully accomplished its aim is vital, for if sin gains ground in the affections, it will also gain ground in the understanding to be slighted.