By Nicole McLeod
The Apostle Paul was passionate about Christ. He really cared about preaching the good news and calling believers to become everything they are in Christ. He had been a well-educated and prominent Jewish leader, but he left it all behind when he was converted and called by Jesus into the ministry of the gospel (Acts 9). His ministry and missionary journeys were all about making Christ known and living a gospel way of life. He was/is a living example to all believers of the transforming power of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and the new life in the Holy Spirit.
We ended our study last time at vs 8, which says, “those who are in the flesh cannot please God. ” And if you like to make notes in your Bible, would you put a little cross between verses 8 and 9? Because between these two verses is the gospel of Jesus Christ, and the cross, where those who were formerly in the flesh, have through faith in Christ, become those who are now in the Spirit (vs.9).
In vs. 9, Paul turns from writing about the benefits and blessings of being in Christ, to write about the benefits and blessings of having the Holy Spirit of Christ dwelling within us as believers. The Holy Spirit is referred to twenty times in Chapter 8, and eight times in our five verses today. This section is all about Him. And as we study vs 9-13, may He bless us and teach each one of us through these verses, in Jesus name.
In vs 1-8 Paul was writing in general terms, but here in vs 9 he addresses the believers directly.
Romans 8:9-11“ But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.”
Verses 9-13 are about the Holy Spirit. In vs. (9) He is called the Spirit, the Spirit of God andSpirit of Christ.In verse (10) the Spirit. In verse(11) the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead, His Spirit, His Spirit.In verse (13) the Spirit.
(9a) “But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit”
Paul says, the Christian is “in the Spirit”.
In Greek:enmeans intentionally placed or set within, (an encompassing, overwhelming immersion into). Spirit Greek: pneuma-wind, spirit, the breath – as in the breath of life or life-giving breath. As Christians, Paul is saying that we are intentionally positioned in the Holy (life giving) Spirit.
(9b) “if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you.”
“Dwells in you.” This phrase is in the present tense and is repeated 4 times here in our 5 verses. The word for “dwell” in the Greek means, to inhabit, to move into, or to make residence. It has the idea of being in one’s own home. When we receive Christ, the Spirit of God makes His home, His residence, in us.
1 Cor 6: 19-20 “Ordo you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God?You are not your own,for you were bought with a price.So, glorify God in your body.”
He produces fruit of His presence in us, fruit of the Spirit, which is also evidence of His residence in us.
Paul goes on to say (9c) that the converse is also true. (9c) “Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.”
if one has not received the gospel or Christ, and does not have the Spirit of God , they are not His. Or as the ESV translation puts it, they do not belong to Him.
C. H. Spurgeon calls verse 9 “one of the most solemn texts in the whole Bible.” He says, “It is so sweeping - it deals with us all…. And it deals with the most important point about us, for to belong to Christ is the most essential thing for time and eternity.” (Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit [Pilgrim Publications], 19:529)
In Christ and by His Spirit indwelling, we can be assured that we are His – that we belong to Him as the ESV translation puts it. We belong in His family, and we are not on our own to live the Christian life.
We also need to remember the converse is true and we need to continue to share the gospel with others as was Pau’s passion. There are unsaved people all around us, and even in churches.
I went to church for almost a year and a half before I surrendered my life to Christ. I finally responded to the gospel and waved the white flag of surrender and prayed to receive Christ. And when I did, it was so life changing and so transforming to my perspective and outlook on life and the world around me I wondered why I had waited so long!
But sadly, people hear the gospel but refuse to turn to Christ to be saved. I think of one of my relatives. I reached out to them in person and in letters, but they told me that “when people talk of God, I “draw the curtain” in other words they close themselves off.
Like the parable of the soils that Jesus taught, some people’s hearts right now may be hard, and they don’t want to hear about the things of God that you may be sharing with them. But Jesus said, “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” (Luke 19:10) and the gospel is reaching out all around the world. I’m sure each one of us know people that we hope and pray will turn to Christ, and let’s keep on praying they will soon.
How does a Christian know for sure that they have the Holy Spirit in them?
1.Have you been led to confess Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord?
That was the conviction of the Holy Spirit upon you that showed you your need.
2. Do you have the desire in you to honor Jesus, follow Him, trust and obey Him?
That’s the Holy Spirit working within you.
3.Have you ever experienced God using you in special way to speak to or to minister to someone?
That may have been the Holy Spirit coming upon you.
The study of the Holy Spirit is called “pneumatology”, and since Paul refers to Him 7 times in these 5 verses, I want to say a few key things about Him. After all, He is the center point of our study today.
1. As Paul has already established, to be a Christian is to have the Holy Spirit indwelling. All true Christians have the Holy Spirit. But not all Christians are under the control of the Spirit.
Warren Wiersbe said, “It’s not whether you have the Spirit, but whether the Spirit has you.”I believe all of us here today have waved that white flag of surrender to Christ, but don’t you find that we need to continually relinquish the right to have our own way and run our own life? To be led by the Spirit and guided by Him means ongoing surrender.
2. The Holy Spirit knows the deep things of God. In Scripture, He is described by terms that help us understand He is a Holy person with mind, emotion. Sadly, we don’t always honor Him or yield to Him. He may be grieved. He may be quenched and resisted. He may be lied to. He may be ignored. Let’s encourage one another to not resist His call but to surrender and yield willingly to Him.
3. Scripture tells us of many things He does for us. He loves the saints and empowers us to live a holy life.He indwells us, He fills us, He leads us, He equips us for service, and He gifts us to bless and build up the body of Christ, the church. He seals us for redemption, He teaches us, intercedes for us in prayer, He wars with the flesh, He comforts us, He sanctifies us, He convicts us of sin, and so much more.
Paul continues vs. (10) And if Christisin you, the bodyisdead because of sin, but the Spiritislife because of righteousness.
In other words, we live in physical bodies that are dying because of Adam's sin. We cannot reverse the processes of death—no one can. But we are made spiritually alive because the Spirit who is life within us.
The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of life who empowers us to live the Christian life!
In John 6:63, Jesus said, “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.”
Paul continues this thought in vs (11) “But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you,He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.”
This is a wonderful promise! The Holy Spirit who dwells in the believer gives to the believer new life, both now and forevermore. The same Holy Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead, is one day going to raise our bodies from the dead. If we are raptured, it will happen then. But if we pass through death and are buried or cremated, we will have a new, glorified body in heaven. What a blessed body that will be.
Romans 8:12-13 “Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.”
“Therefore brethren”(and sisters) As he begins his exhortation, he speaks affectionately and chooses a term of equality not of superiority.
“We (all of us)are debtors -but not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh”.
We have absolutely no obligation to live according to the flesh, the “awful complex web of human sinful desires, wrong thoughts, ungodly motives, affections – depraved principles, purposes words and deed of the old nature – our flesh”. And we don’t because of Christ’s death on the cross and His saving work, and the indwelling Holy Spirit. Our debt – or obligation is to live for the Lord and for His glory as the Holy Spirit leads us, and to continue the work of spreading the gospel and doing the good things God has gifted us to do and has prepared us to do by His Spirit.
Warren Wiersbe wrote: The Christian has no obligation to the flesh; our obligation is to the Holy Spirit. It was the Holy Spirit who convicted us and showed us our need for the Savior. It was the Spirit who imparted saving faith, who implanted the new nature within us, and who daily witnesses within that we are God’s children. What a great debt we owe to the Spirit! Christ loved us so much; He died for us. The Spirit loves us so much, He lives in us. Daily He endures our carnality and selfishness. Daily He is grieved by our sin, yet He loves us and remains in us…”
(13) “For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.”
HerePaul draws a conclusion, and he makes an application with instruction concerning what to do about the believers ongoing struggle with the flesh. He reminds us that the Spirit provides the power to continually be putting our sinful ways to death.
Note the phrase in (13b) “if by the Spirit you put to death…”
What does Paul want us to put to death?
Col 3:5-8a “Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual
immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is
idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming.In
these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you
must put them all away:”
He writes” put to death” these things in us… and then he writes “put them all away.” This phrase makes me think of dangerous toys that you would never give to your children! We aren’t to play with sin or sinful things anymore, rather put them away from us. Is there anything you need to put away from you? If you give sin or give Satan an inch … you know what happens. Giving in a little to the flesh or to temptation will take you farther away than you ever thought possible, from where you want to be. Put away from you those things that stumble you.
(13b) “if by the Spirit you put to death How does the Spirit help us do this? He teaches us the truth of God in the Word of God. He empowers us to life a new life, in accordance with the Spirit – rather than the flesh. He tells us to set our minds and hearts on Christ, not on this world or our flesh. He divinely leads us and guides us into fellowship and usefulness for the kingdom of God. He convicts us of sin and draws us to repentance. He leads us into holiness…It’s the sanctification process by which the Holy Spirit works in the lives of God’s children to grow them into the image of God’s Son, Jesus Christ. Sanctification is God’s will for our lives.
Christians, including us, should have a sign around their neck saying, “Be patient; I’m under construction”or “Forgive the mess; construction in process.” God isn’t finished with us yet. Be encouraged today, though none of us have “arrived”, we are in the sanctification process.
Phil. 2:13 “for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.”
Phil. 1:6 “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
In closing, scripture offers us many helps for dealing with sin in our lives giving us ways we can cooperate with the Spirit of God and the Word of God.
1. First, be purposeful. It’s important to recognize what
sin is and forsake it. This is where being in prayer, in church and in the
study of the Word of God helps. God’s Word will show us what sin is, and
the Holy Spirit will convict us and lead us in steps of confession and
repentance. I love the prayer that David prayed, in
Psalm 139:23-24 “Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know
my anxieties; And see if there is any wicked way in me and lead me in
the way everlasting.”
2. Second, be proactive. One way to do this making a habit
of daily devotions. Each day has challenges and opportunities, and we want
to be walking in the Spirit as we meet them. Take time in the morning to
give yourself, your day, and commit all that it will bring
to God. “Sincere prayer has a way of unmasking sins deceit.”
Romans 12:1-2 “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which Isyour reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”
In our last study – verses 5-8 we learned the importance of s etting our minds on the things of the Lord and of the Spirit. This is so important. I think one of the reasons that sin gets a hold of us is due to uncontrolled thoughts - we think, and rethink and can let our minds run away with us, and then our emotions run away with us and then our actions run away with us, and we wonder, what happened?! Instead we need to daily be doing what God’s word says, to “take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (2 Cor 10:5)
3. A third way to deal with sin is to persevere in faith.
In your struggle, don’t give up and don’t give up hope. From my devotional:
“You can” is one of the hardest things for us to believe, isn’t it? My struggles may be different than yours, but we can get so used to failure that deep down we convince ourselves, “we can’t.” When that thought overwhelms you, remember God’s power, exercised by the Holy Spirit, is fully capable of taking your mortality, your deadness, and making you live. Of course, “I can’t.” But God… and because God’s Spirit lives in every true believer, you can... Remember, He is working in us to will and do of God’s pleasure and transform us as God’s holy people. Our part boils down to faith, cooperation and perseverance – don’t give up or give into discouragement.” L O Richards 365 Devotional
Romans 6:11 “Likewise you also,reckon(or consider) yourselves to bedead indeed to sin, butalive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
4. A fourth way is to live in loving partnership, with Jesus. John 14:15 says: "If you love me, you will keep my commandments."The more we love Jesus, the less we will love those things that tempt us to sin and the more we will “walk in love”. Love God + Love People. Keep yourself in the fellowship of believers who love God and serve Him, who love you and will pray for you. Drawing from the advice of brothers and sisters who have been successful at growing in Christ is very inspirational and helpful.
Closing Prayer Heavenly Father, I pray that You will help us walk in the Spirit and walk in love with God and people. We pray that You will work in our lives and help us to make the changes that we need to. For it’s in Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.