Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

As we begin this morning, I think we would do well to give a quick review of where we’ve been so far in chapter 8. Having been justified, regenerated, repented, and believed, we are in Christ, and there is therefore no condemnation for us.

As John Murray said in his commentary on Romans, condemnation has been replaced with it’s opposite: justification.

This justification was accomplished by Christ in verses 2-3, in a way that it could not be accomplished by us.

Christ obeyed the law, fulfilled it, and satisfied all it’s requirements in his life, death, and resurrection.

Then in verse 4 we see the purpose for which Christ did these things: so that the Law could be fulfilled in us as it was fulfilled in him.

So that we might walk as Jesus walked: according to the Spirit and not according to the flesh.

Thus Paul in 8:4 introduces us to this concept of walking according to the Spirit and not according to the flesh, and really, to walk according to the Spirit is to walk as Christ walked, for as Jesus Himself declared in Luke 4:18

and the apostle John noted in John 3:34 that the Father gives the Spirit to the Son in full measure.

Joel Beeke says that as the human servant of the Lord, Jesus needs and receives the graces of the Spirit to live and fulfill his office.

And therefore, in order for us to live and fulfill our office, our calling if you will, we need the graces of the Spirit as well.

And so Paul continues in verse 5 to explain that in order walk according to the Spirit, you must start in the mind.

Before the actions of the body are taken according to the Spirit, the thoughts of the mind must be considered according to the Spirit.

As Paul will say in chapter 12, the renewing of the mind according to the Spirit is to precede the obedience of the life according to the Spirit.

And what does a Spirit-quickened mind focus on?

According to verses 6-8, it is life, peace, and submission to God.

And how does one know that their mind is Spirit-quickened, which leads to their actions being Spirit-guided in fulfillment of the Law?

According to verse 9, by the indwelling of the Spirit within one’s soul, sealing and guaranteeing their belonging to Christ, and serving as the source of spiritual life, which in turn serves as a down payment on the hope of future physical life, that one day our bodies will will be resurrected in glory.

And it is to that resurrection glory that we turn our attention today.

Look at the text

Paul makes his argument by parallel here, indicating that the reason we know we will be resurrected is because the same Spirit that was in Christ is in us, and that Spirit raised Christ, and if it was in Christ and subsequently raised Christ, then it will also raise us if that Spirit is in us.

That’s the breakdown of Paul’s logic here and it’s an argument that ought to bring us great hope.

Hope that this mortal life is not all that we have to look forward to, but that rather, in Christ, we have offered to us that most precious commodity that we considered last week, that great treasure that everyone is searching for, a way to preserve and extend their own life.

There’s only one way to preserve and extend your life and that is by being raised from the dead by Spirit of God who raised Christ from dead.

So Paul’s pastoral logic is this: He intends to instill resurrection hope in the Roman church and in us, and he does that by stating that our resurrection will be like Christ’s, for it is accomplished by the same Spirit.

Therefore, if our hope is to be based in truth and reality, we must understand Christ’s resurrection.

Then and only then can we understand our own, and upon that understanding our hope is not fanciful, but it is grounded in truth.

As Jesus rose, so we shall rise.

Therefore, let us consider the resurrection of Christ.

The Spirit of Christ’s Resurrection

So as we consider today the implications of verse 11, let us consider as firmly established that truth that the whole Godhead, the one true and living, Triune God dwells within us, and us within Him, in full saving relationship, by the mediating and indwelling work of the Holy Spirit.

Charles Hodge puts it this way:

The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are one God.

Wherever, therefore, the Father is, there is the Son, and where the Son is, there is the Spirit.

Hence if Christ dwells in the believer, the Father does and the Spirit also does.

In answer to the question of the disciples, “Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?” our Lord answered, “If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.”

(John 14:22, 23.)

In the Bible, therefore, it is said that God dwells in his people; that Christ dwells in them, and that the Spirit dwells in them.

These forms of expression are interchanged, as they all mean the same thing.

So having already established the gospel reality of indwelling from verses 9 and 10, in verse 11 we can move forward in our study of the Spirit’s work in Jesus’ bodily resurrection.

The historical reality of Christ’s resurrection

Paul presupposes that Christ’s resurrection is a real, historical event that actually happened.

Let’s review the story as John tells it.

John takes the resurrection as an historical event, Paul does the same, and so should we.

Now there are progressive scholars out there today, and there have been for many years, who try to say that the resurrection only existed in the minds and hearts of the disciples, and that because of their great faith and belief in Christ’s mission and teaching, that it was as if he was there with them after he died.

To that I say baloney.

Why? First, the disciples according to verse 9, didn’t even understand the Scriptures teaching that Jesus was to rise from the dead.

If they have no understanding of that, how could they just make this whole event up?

Secondly, The implication of verse 22 is that the disciples may not have even been truly saved up until this point.

If they didn’t even know Jesus savingly, internally, experientially, by the indwelling of the Spirit, they would have had a very hard time carrying on His legacy in their hearts.

Charles Hodge says the following regarding this historical reality of the resurrection:

Systematic Theology (§ 1. Resurrection of Christ)

The resurrection of Christ is not only asserted in the Scriptures, but it is also declared to be the fundamental truth of the gospel.

“If Christ be not risen,” says the Apostle, “then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain” (1 Cor.

15:14).

“If Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins” (verse 17).

It may be safely asserted that the resurrection of Christ is at once the most important, and the best authenticated fact in the history of the world.(1.)

It was predicted in the Old Testament.

(2.)

It was foretold by Christ Himself.

(3.)

It was a fact admitting of easy verification.

(4.) Abundant, suitable, and frequently repeated evidence was afforded of its actual occurrence.

(5.)

The witnesses to the fact that Christ was seen alive after his death upon the cross, were numerous, competent, and on every account worthy of confidence.

(6.)

Their sincerity of conviction was proved by the sacrifices, even that of life, which their testimony entailed upon them.

(7.)

Their testimony was confirmed by God bearing witness together with them (συνεπιμαρτυροῦντος τοῦ θεοῦ, Heb.

2:4), in signs and wonders, and divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost.

(8.)

That testimony of the Spirit is continued to the present time and granted to all the true children of God, for the Spirit bears witness to the truth in the heart and conscience.

(9.)

The fact of Christ’s resurrection has been commemorated by a religious observance of the first day of the week from its occurrence to the present time.

(10.)

The effects produced by his gospel, and the change which it has effected in the state of the world, admit of no other rational solution than the truth of his death and subsequent resurrection.

The Christian Church is his monument.

All believers are his witnesses.

The theological significance of Christ’s bodily resurrection

Why is the resurrection important?

Why is this the central reality of Christian belief and life?

Hodge tells us, in answer to the question “Why is the resurrection so important?”

1.

From the circumstance that all his claims, and the success of his work, rest on the fact that He rose again from the dead.

If He rose, the gospel is true.

If He did not rise, it is false.

If He rose, He is the Son of God, equal with the Father, God manifest in the flesh; the Salvator Hominum; the Messiah predicted by the prophets; the prophet, priest, and king of his people; his sacrifice has been accepted as a satisfaction to divine justice, and his blood as a ransom for many.

2. On his resurrection depended the mission of the Spirit, without which Christ’s work had been in vain.

3.

As Christ died as the head and representative of his people, his resurrection secures and illustrates theirs.

As He lives, they shall live also.

If He remained under the power of death, there is no source of spiritual life to men; for He is the vine, we are the branches; if the vine be dead the branches must be dead also.

4. If Christ did not rise, the whole scheme of redemption is a failure, and all the predictions and anticipations of its glorious results for time and for eternity, for men and for angels of every rank and order, are proved to be chimeras.

“But now is Christ risen from the dead and become the first-fruits of them that slept.”

Therefore the Bible is true from Genesis to Revelation.

The kingdom of darkness has been overthrown.

Satan has fallen like lightning from heaven; and the triumph of truth over error, of good over evil, of happiness over misery, is forever secured.

The practical significance of Christ’s bodily resurrection

So what did Christ’s resurrection do?

Joel Beeke points out three things that the resurrection did:

It constitutes Christ’s complete victory over death.

It confirmed Christ’s complete victory of sin and guilt.

It is the fountainhead of all spiritual blessing.

Listen to the way Beeke captures the pastoral and practical significance of the gospel in this anthemic outburst from page 902 of Volume 2 of his systematic theology:

What a glorious message the empty tomb conveyed!

“The Lord is risen indeed!” (Luke 24:34).

All the promises and blessings of salvation lie wrapped in this wonderful news.

The best news ever heard came from a graveyard!

Oh, victorious resurrection—death is disarmed, sin is subdued, the world is overcome, Satan is trodden underfoot, the grave is sanctified, hell is conquered, and the old man is mortified.

Do you see it and embrace it?

Redemption is accomplished!