Romans 6:12 : "Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey the lusts thereof." Paul addresses that part of man which has the control of the body and which is, therefore, responsible for what the body does. The body is a mere instrument to be used by the inner man, the spirit, for good or bad. The spirit is charged not to let sin control the body. Our natural appetites and passions are not evil within them-selves. They are God-given, and become evil only when they become the master, and thereby lead us into sinful thoughts and deeds. Now, since we died to sin, we are not to allow sin to reestablish its reign in our bodies.
We must control the lusts of our bodies, not obey them. The mortal body, the body which must die, must not be allowed to cause spiritual and eternal death.