“Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry.”
(Colossians 3:5)
Paul’s epistle to the Colossian Christians has only four chapters and is somewhat cleanly divided between the spiritual ramifications of faith in the first two and the practical application of these truths to a holy life in the last two.
For example, in the first half of his letter Paul reminds those believers (and us) that, “you who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross,” (Col. 2:13-14). Further, Christ stamped this legal act with the words, “It is finished,” with his last breath.
So we can be assured that in the eyes of the Judge of all the earth, when we believe by faith in Christ as Savior and Lord, our sins are completely forgiven. They are nailed to the cross. In fact, the prophet Micah depicts God’s forgiveness as being so complete that it’s as if he casts all our sins into the depths of the sea! (Micah 7:19).
But Scripture is full of mysteries, and Colossians is a perfect example. For on the one side of the coin (from God’s perspective), the redeemed are clothed in the righteousness of Christ (2 Cor. 5:21, Phil. 3:9). And yet the other side of the coin continually reminds us the remnant of remaining sin are still very much with us. So in the last two chapters of his epistle to the Colossians, Paul explains that even though spiritually the “old man” (our sinful nature) was crucified with Christ, we must continue to actively demonstrate that we are raised with him by daily “mortifying” our sinful lusts.
“If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God,” (Col. 3:1-3) … and verse 5 specifies that we do this by mortifying, among other sins, our “inordinate affections.”
The original word for inordinate affection denotes internal uncleanness, especially the burning passions of lust. The Greek word is sometimes translated passion and sometimes affection. But the point is clear – all those immoderate affections that we are all afflicted with must be mortified.
And how do we mortify these “inordinate affections?” By pursuing inward sanctification. That is to say, day by day, through the power of God’s Spirit that dwells in us, in conjunction with his Word, we choose to hate the sin that God hates. We conquer sin and lust and evil desires with the truths and directives of Scripture applied to our thoughts, our will, our affections, and our behavior: we desire more holiness. And we do this on a moment-by-moment basis if necessary because living in such a way that demonstrates we are dead to sin is equally as important as putting on Christ. Both are essential to a life of faith and walking in grace.
William Perkins comments, “This [sanctification] has two parts. The first is mortification, when the power of sin is continually weakened, consumed, and diminished. The second is vivification, by which inherent righteousness is really put into them, and afterward is continually increased.”[1]
We are able to successfully break free of the tyranny and bondage of sin by consistently practicing mortification, and taking up that which God has prescribed as the remedy, so long as we do what he tells us to do, knowing that “He that is in you is greater than he that is in the world,” (1 John 4:4). Though we are justified, where he has nailed every last one of our “inordinate affections” to his cross, we still strive to be more conformed to him day by day.
Contemplations:
- Lord, clothe my soul with your wedding garment of supernatural faith and love that I may believe all your holy promises and revelations without wavering, and love you my God with great devotion and holy affection.
- Lord, let neither life nor death, prosperity nor adversity, temptations within or without ever separate me from your love. Rather, instill in me a burning desire to pursue and cling to your glories and perfections to the degree that I am capable in this world. Help me choose virtue over unrighteousness and serve it with the same fervor as I have in times past my vices and pleasures of the world.
- Lord, grant that all inordinate affection to the things of this life may daily decay in me, that I may grow in spirit and kingdom strength until I come to a perfect man in Christ Jesus.
- Lord, reward your servant with true humility, great contrition, a tender conscience, an obedient heart, an understanding focused in honest and holy thoughts, a will prone to do good, affections turned toward you, and a watchful guard over my senses so that through those windows sin may never enter in.
Further References for Col. 3:5:
Eph. 5:5; Romans 8:13; Gal. 5:24; 1 Thess. 4:5.
[1] William Perkins, A Golden Chain (Cambridge: John Legat, 1600), 598.
