“You are
not in the flesh, but in the spirit, if (since) indeed the Spirit of God dw=
ells
in you (8:9a).” Prior t=
o our
receiving Christ we were in the flesh, not in the spirit since the Spirit of
God did not dwell in us. Our =
human
spirit was not alive to God or the things of God. Only our flesh with the reigning si=
n in
death occupied our mind.
Paul makes it clear in chapt=
er 7
that there is no possibility to please God in our flesh. Your mind agrees with the law of G=
od
that it is good. But the law =
of God
was weak through the flesh. Y=
ou
want to follow God or be involved with the things of God and your mind agre=
es
that this is good. Yet withou=
t a
spirit that is life (enlivened, activated) it is impossible, even wretched.=
Therefore, God sent His own =
Son
condemning sin in the flesh (8:4), and pouring out the love of God in our
hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us (5:5). We are now those who have received=
the abundance
of grace and the gift of righteousness (5:17). This is based on the one righteous=
act
unto justification of life to all men (5:18).
When we received Jesus Christ, the gift of righteousn=
ess,
the Spirit of God began to dwell in us and our human spirit became life
(enlivened, activated). No lo=
nger
where we a wretched person void of any spiritual realization. As one hymn says;
“Heaven above is softer blue,
&nb=
sp; =
Earth around is sweeter green;
&n=
bsp; =
; Something lives in every hue
&n=
bsp; =
; Christless eyes
have never seen:
&n=
bsp; =
; Birds with gladder songs o’erflow,
&n=
bsp; =
; Flow’rs<=
/span>
with deeper beauties shine,
&n=
bsp; =
; Since I know, as now I know,
=
I am His, and He is mine.”
“Since Christ is in us,
our spirit is LIFE (enlivened, activated, operable, up and running), becaus=
e of
righteousness (8:10)”. =
It is
because of righteousness that our human spirit is life. And because of this now our spirit=
and
the Lord can be forever joined as one spirit (I Cor 6:17).
Our experience today is that “since the Spirit =
of
the One who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ
Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His
Spirit who indwells you. (8:11)” Since the day that we reali=
zed
the Savior, our spirit has been life.
This life in our spirit has enlivened and will continue to enliven u=
s to
carry out God’s will on this earth. Even the very members of our bodies
(formerly weapons of unrighteousness) are now able to be animated by the Sp=
irit
that dwells in us fulfilling the righteous requirements of the law. Without the Spirit of Christ there=
is no
possibility for our mortal bodies to carry out the will of God. But by our spirit being life we no=
w can
walk (be activated, move, have our being) and even “reign in life thr=
ough
the One, Jesus Christ (5:17).”