PROPER MORTIFICATION

Biblical Christianity is not a religion; indeed, it is the direct antithesis of all the manmade, hell-inspired religions we have in the world today. So, it should be disturbing if there seems to be no distinction between their beliefs and ours.

An example is in the doctrine of Mortification-based holiness. Scriptures does ask us to “Mortify” our members. But the demonization of the physical body, resulting from the twisting of this word, just as – and actually in conjunction with – “sarx”, is a hallmark of cults and false religions right form the time of the first Apostles.

Many of the Church’s canonised ‘saints’ attained that appellation from their reputation of being ‘holy’ through the subjecting of the flesh.

One was said to have “performed Penance by chanting 20 psalters accompanied by 300,000 lashes over six days”; another had self-afflicted penances of “vigils, fasts, frequent flagellations and the use of a hairshirt”. A woman flogged herself thrice a day and lived on nothing except Communion elements, and another girl ‘saint’ got paralysed through her self-flagellation.

While we may consider these examples extreme, or seek to distance ourselves from those who venerate them, can we claim to be totally cleansed from this religious mindset?

When we equate humour or boisterousness with carnality, or rank a Believer/church’s spirituality based on their gravity of conduct, it evinces a wrong perception of sanctification and holiness.

It’s interesting that Scripture didn’t ask us to “crucify the flesh”! Gal 5:24 says “they that are Christ’s HAVE CRUCIFIED the flesh ...” And Rom 6:6 says “our old man IS CRUCIFIED with Him...”

The key to biblical mortification and holy living is the revelation that the flesh has ALREADY been crucified (with Christ). This is why holiness is IMPOSSIBLE outside of biblical Christianity, but DEMANDED in it. Other belief systems may venerate their saints/’holy’ men in their ability to flagellate the physical flesh, but like Paul rightly pointed out in Col 2:23 “These things look like wisdom with their self-imposed worship, false humility, and harsh treatment of the body. But they have no value for holding back the constant desires of your corrupt nature.” (GW)

Only Biblical Christianity can that.

AMEN.

More Blessings await you today; you’ll not miss them in Jesus’ Name.

GREG ELKAN