Biblically Speaking

Crucify the Flesh
 
By Joe Graber
 
"Counterfeit Mortification" is the false sense that we have worked successfully to put away sin and have achieved some kind of a higher level.  I had someone tell me once that they hadn't sinned in years, but I knew they had just sinned as they told me that lie.
 
As we examine the lives of some of the greatest men and women of God we see that as we become more Christ-like, and do indeed put away sin more and more, we become more desperate in our sin not more comfortable.  Read about Luther, Calvin, Edwards, Whitefield, and Wesley and see how these men saw their own sinfulness more clearly as they sought to see Christ more clearly.  When we see our own sinfulness we are spurred to action and we abhor the sin all the more.  We desperately cling to Christ. 
 
Most importantly though is the fact that we are spurred to action.  We do "crucify the flesh" and "buffet" our bodies as Paul wrote.  James was right.  We must have faith (given freely by God), but without works, the faith we profess proves to be dead. 
 
Richard Baxter gives us five warning signs of "Counterfeit Mortification":
 
1.  We may be against liberal doctrine and hold strict opinions, but as long as these are not put into practice we are guilty of counterfeit mortification.
 
2.  We may not be living with vice that the world considers gross or disgraceful, but we may be catering to our flesh with vices which the world doesn't stigmatize.  An example would be overeating.
 
3.  We may live in constant misery, in poverty, and want, as we labor for our daily bread; but we may still idolize and love money, worldly possessions, and pleasures which we are kept from by our circumstances.  Just because a man is confined to the stocks (in prison) and can't steal he isn't necessarily an honest man.
 
4.  We may have enough wealth to live voluptuously, and we may live high in diet and delights.  If you are richer than others, you have more to serve God with, but not more to serve the flesh with.
 
5.  We may deceive ourselves by imposing formal fasts upon ourselves as penitence for our sinful lifestyles.  Remember that to God obedience is better than sacrifice.