Life in the Spirit (2)

Paul has barely mentioned the Holy Spirit up until this point of the book. In fact, I think He is only mentioned one time in chapters 1-7. He is all over chapter 8.

v. 2, 4, two times in verse 5, 6, three times in verse 9, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 23, two times in verse 26, two times in verse 27.

The Christian life cannot be lived without the Holy Spirit. We are going to see that the major difference between the saved and the unsaved is the presence of the Holy Spirit in the believer’s life.

The contrast we will see tonight is between the flesh and the Spirit. Let’s clarify something first. We need to define some terms.

“in the flesh” in the context or Romans 8 means to be unsaved. I say that because sometimes we use the phrase “in the flesh” to refer to a believer when he/she sins.

“Preacher, I had a bad day. I got in the flesh.”

When people say that they mean they were acting according to their old nature. It is true there are times when believers do that. In order to understand Romans 8, however, we need to define the terms the way Paul does.

v. 5 “for those who live according to the flesh”

The flesh (fallen nature) dictates the way they live.

“Their minds are set on the things of the flesh”

The unsaved person is not interested in the things of God. They want to sin.

Listen, there is no God gene. Some people are born, and it appears they are naturally attracted to certain things:

Sports

Fishing/hunting

Art

Sports aren’t everyone’s thing. Some people think religion is like this. They believe some people are born interested in the things of God and others are not. The truth is no one seeks God. No one wants to live righteously. The Spirit of God is the one who makes us interested in the things of God.

People live according to the flesh because their mind is set on the flesh.

People live according to the Spirit because their mind is set on the things of the Spirit.

What are the things of the Spirit?

The Bible

The church

Jesus

Righteousness

Paul contrasts the things of the flesh and the things of the Spirit in Galatians 5:

Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

v.6 “to set the mind on the flesh is death” Present tense. Those who have a mind set on doing the deed of the flesh are spiritually dead already.

“to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace”

The person who has their mind set on the Spirit has spiritual life and peace.

A good way to examine yourself spiritually is to ask yourself what you think about. As a lost person I seldom thought about spiritual things. Now when I get up in the morning I think about the Lord. That’s what happens when a person gets saved. Their mind is so radically changed that now they think about the Lord.

v. 7 “the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God.” Notice the consequence of that:

“it does not submit to God’s law” There is no interest in the things of God. What God wants, they don’t want. Even when they hear God’s commands they will not submit to them.

Notice the end of verse 7. “indeed, it cannot.” An unsaved person cannot submit to God’s law. We cannot discipline ourselves into being saved.

Going to church

Reading our Bible

Serving

None of those things will change our mind about God. We need God to save us. We need the miracle of new birth. Our desires must be changed.

v. 8 “those in the flesh cannot please God” That is an absolute statement. There is no other way to please God than being saved.

The biggest obstacle we have is our heart. As an unsaved person we do not love God. Even if we were to do religious things & good things God would still judge us by our heart. If our service for God is not the result of love for God, then our service for God is tainted. It is insincere. We are working for salvation. Our motive is therefore selfish.

Let’s summarize what Paul says about the unsaved person:

Their mind is set on fleshly things (5).

They are spiritually dead (6).

They are hostile and not submissive to God (7).

They cannot please God (8).

Now we move to the Christian.

v. 9 “You however” Christians.

“not in the flesh”

“but in the Spirit”

What qualifies us to be in the Spirit? The text tells you. The Spirit is in you.

“in the Spirit” means under the control of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of God is directing the Christians affections.

We love God.

We hate sin.

We mourn for the lost.

We long for heaven.

Notice the end of verse 9. It says if the Holy Spirit does not live in you then you do not belong to Christ.

Some people believe you get saved and then later you might get the Holy Spirit. That’s not true. The moment a person is saved the Holy Spirit comes to live inside of them.

1 Cor. 12:13 says “In one Spirit we were all baptized into one body.”

The Spirit of God places us in the Body of Christ. The moment we are saved this happens. The Spirit is the proof we have been saved.

The proof of the Spirit is not speaking in tongues.

The proof of the Spirit is not falling out when someone lays hands on you.

The proof of the Spirit is our mind is now set on spiritual things.

When we say a believer is in the Spirit it is the same as saying a believer is in Christ. Again, we have to correct some terms. I remember being a young Christian and hearing people say “She’s in the Spirit.” That normally meant the person was excited, maybe dancing/shouting, etc.” That was in the context of the holiness and Pentecostal churches around my area. It’s important that we let the bible define its own terms.

In the Spirit means we are saved. The Holy Spirit lives in us.

v. 10 “But if Christ is in you” If you are saved.

“although the body is dead because of sin” Your body has been affected by sin. The wages of sin is death. Your body, unless Jesus returns, is going to die. Even if Jesus does return you won’t go to heaven in your old body. The body is dead because of sin.

No matter how much we live for God we age.

No matter how much we live for God we get sick.

No matter how much we live for God we are going to die.

The body you have is temporary.

A lot of health and wealth preachers need to read this verse. No matter how much faith you have you are still living in a dying body.

“the Spirit is life because of righteousness” The righteousness of Jesus has been given to the believer. For that reason the believer will never die.

I’m a dying man but am enjoying live because I am saved. No person is truly living unless they are saved. Christ gives abundant life. How can a person live without Christ?

Live with a death sentence hanging over them.

Live with regret and guilt.

Live with no hope of a future for themselves or the people they love.

That isn’t living at all. That is dying.

v. 11 Paul connects the resurrection of Jesus with the righteous life of believers.

“the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead” That is the Spirit of God. His Spirit lives in believers. The result is He gives life to our mortal bodies. Two things:

1)The receiving of the Holy Spirit depended on the resurrection of Jesus. Because Jesus rose from the dead we can receive the Holy Spirit. Therefore, we can be saved. The Spirit gives us power to live a righteous life in our dying bodies.

2) The resurrection of Jesus assures us that our bodies will be resurrected and made new. This will be the final work of the Spirit in our salvation.

Let’s summarize the benefits of the Holy Spirit in this section:

1) Our mind is set on the things of God (5).

2) We can live for God (6).

3) We have life and peace (6).

4) We can submit to God’s law (7).

5) We can please God (8).

6) We belong to God (8).

7) We look forward to a resurrected and glorified body (11).

Would you characterize your relationship with God as spiritual? Be sure it’s not carnal. Does the Spirit of God live in you? You will know if He does. It is the only way to have spiritual life. It is the only way to have a relationship with God.