17 June 2025
“…but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live” (Romans 8:13, CSB). This is not a suggestion. It is a Spirit-filled strategy for life. Paul is not calling for sin management but sin mortification. And for those in Christ, this is a war you can win.
Mark Penrith explains the logic clearly: “What follows is the reason why believers don’t end in death… the simple reason is, you’ve got God’s Spirit within you.” That is your power source. You do not fight sin in your own strength. “If you live by the Spirit you do not fight sin alone.” The Spirit who raised Jesus now empowers you to kill sin in your life today.
Paul uses sharp language—“put to death.” This is not passive avoidance but deliberate assault. Mark calls it, “the idea of mortifying sin. Killing sin. Slaying sin.” He draws on the wisdom of John Owen: “Be killing sin, or sin will be killing you.” You cannot domesticate what seeks your destruction. If you coddle it, it conquers you. If you kill it, you live.
This means action. Take that one sin you’ve been tolerating—anger, envy, lust—and call it out. Mark urges, “Mortify lust within you. Kill greed within. Slay pride within you.” And do it not in fear, but with the assurance that “the Spirit who crushed death’s power now lives in you.” This is not self-help. This is Spirit-help.
As a father, you have a chance to lead from the front. Tell your children that God helps Daddy say “no” to wrong and “yes” to good. Use words they understand. When you snap, stop. When you confess, let them hear. Show them the war, and then show them the victory.
Victory is not perfection. It is progress by the Spirit. Mark says, “As you fight in the Spirit’s strength, you claim His promise, ‘Life now! Life forever!’” That promise is not empty. The Spirit offers life abundant today and glory eternal tomorrow.
Prayer:
Father, help me take sin seriously. By Your Spirit, give me strength to kill what corrupts and live the life You promised. Amen.
Watch the sermon here.
This devotional content is not penned by the preacher. It is derived from the sermon notes. We aim to provide bite-sized reflections throughout the week for devotion and reflection.