Some of the theologians say we are living in a time where it is already accomplished, but we do not nevertheless possess everything that Christ has obtained. But we have a responsibility to think correctly and then we will act correctly. Some people conveniently divide the already but not yet teaching. They will say God has accomplished His part and now it's up to us to complete our part. Consequently, they separate our personal discipline from God's sovereignly acting upon us by His Spirit.

 The bible says that since we died to sin we are to put it to death by the Spirit. Many reasonable people say that these specific terms " putting to death. Counting yourself dead to sin" are merely analogies of how we perform our disciplines. But we must grasp how the coherent whole of sacred scripture employs these operative words both old and new testaments. So the deliberate act of mortification is more than a sheer discipline to improve moral behavior. It is employing an efficient means to eliminate everything that opposes our genuine faith. Consequently, putting something to death is overcoming all determined opposition. It is a military term. It is more than a change in moral character.

 The apostle accurately portrays us, a comprehensive picture when he depicts this lifelong struggle as a war with the flesh and devil. He doesn't say this product life is in essential parts ...ie our mutual responsibility and God's divine sovereignty. But he fittingly describes our relationship with Christ as our ceasing to exist. We are not saying there is an intervening ground of being in control of ourselves in our experience of annihilation. But we cease having confidence that God needs our corrective actions to sufficiently complete His redemptive story. In eliminating everything we believe there is nothing that we can offer that is equal to God's work.

 This is how we are directed to mortify the flesh. We must humbly confess it is not in our power. This is an ultimate analogy to military power, the most "trusted power" on earth. How big is this determined opposition? It is not struggling with sin but an opposition that is seeking to destroy our souls. The law is not a pragmatic authority to morally oppose our ambitious desire. But it is a creative ability to thwart the compelling power of sin since it pronounces death to destructive opposition. The implanted law properly contains sin by our covenant Representative. Christ amply satisfied the law preventing us from being destroyed by sin. He allows us to overcome all destructive opposition.

 When Adam sinned, he not only received the profound consequences but began to vicariously experience the spiritual effects of his sin. He undertook the process in which everything around him and in him was cursed. Man vicariously experiences ongoing limitations. Because of the curse, man is no longer significant in the comprehensive history of eternal redemption. We are dying and there is no hope without cursing the destructive curse. We encounter a destructive enemy who is more subtle and detailed in his attack. He seeks to ruin us with fear, anger, sorrow, and pain. The law is the exclusive means to kill the destructive curse of sin. Satan runs from the authoritative pronouncements of the law, covenants, curses, decrees and statutes.