Indwelled by the Spirit

How are we different?

Romans 8:1–11 CSB

1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus, 2 because the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do since it was weakened by the flesh, God did. He condemned sin in the flesh by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh as a sin offering, 4 in order that the law’s requirement would be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5 For those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit have their minds set on the things of the Spirit. 6 Now the mindset of the flesh is death, but the mindset of the Spirit is life and peace. 7 The mindset of the flesh is hostile to God because it does not submit to God’s law. Indeed, it is unable to do so. 8 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. 9 You, however, are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to him. 10 Now if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. 11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, then he who raised Christ from the dead will also bring your mortal bodies to life through his Spirit who lives in you.

Pray

I read an article recently about the Brain-eating amoeba that sneaks into people through ponds and lakes in the summertime.

So yesterday as I was cleaning out our little garden ponds and realized my thumb was hurting from a cut that had gotten dirty, I immediately started thinking “I might have gotten the amoeba!”

So last night I was on guard for the symptoms, making sure I didn’t have a headache, confusion, or fever symptoms.

No one really wants to start seeing signs of something like a brain-eating amoeba start showing up in their body.

But unlike the amoeba, Paul’s message today is about someone coming to live in us, the Holy Spirit.

Frances Chan asks a question in his book on the Holy Spirit called “Forgotten God”.

“If it’s true that the Spirit of God dwells in us and that our bodies are the Holy Spirit’s temple, then shouldn’t there be a huge difference between the person who has the Spirit of God living inside of him or her and the person who does not?”― Francis Chan

And it points to the second significant, powerful, life-altering, and earth-shattering realities that is true of those who have trusted in Jesus.

We have the Holy Spirit- we are an indwelled people.

Chan’s question is one we really must ask ourselves if we are to understand this reality.

What difference does the Spirit make in our lives.

Paul is clear in this passage, only those who are truly saved have the Spirit.

So what does the presence of the Spirit do in us? That is our question today.

Let me remind you of my 2 goals/desires/prayers in this study:

That those of us who are truly believers in Jesus will understand more fully the glorious reality of our salvation and identities in Christ Jesus. And that we would LIVE in these realities, embracing the freedom, joy, power, and hope they bring to our lives.

That those who have yet to come to faith in Jesus would be struck with the glorious goodness of our Lord and savior, will realize the hopelessness of their lives without Him, and will come to genuine faith in Jesus and RECEIVE the freedom, joy, power, and hope He brings to lives submitted to Him.

Let’s seek to answer our question...

The presence of the Spirit TRANSFORMS our MINDS. (vs. 5-7)

Romans 8:5–7 CSB

5 For those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit have their minds set on the things of the Spirit. 6 Now the mindset of the flesh is death, but the mindset of the Spirit is life and peace. 7 The mindset of the flesh is hostile to God because it does not submit to God’s law. Indeed, it is unable to do so.

Paul compares the two competing mindsets.

The first being: The mind of the flesh.

It may surprise you here that Paul doesn’t mention horrific crimes or grave sins that set them apart from the other kinds of sins that people commit.

He rather is more concerned with the person’s disposition toward God and His Word.

To “set one’s mind” points to the things that dominate the thoughts, intentions, motivations, and preferences of the person.

The one walking according to the flesh is controlled by their passions, desires, and appetites that satisfy their earthly longings.

The mantra of the FLESH:

pursue your truth, don't let others decide your truth

discover your identity, who do you feel like you are?

seek your happiness, even if it hurts others

celebrate individuality, even if it conforms to everyone else's expression of individuality

make anyone opposed to your identity, truth, and/or individual pursuit of happiness an enemy and/or an oppressor.

if you don't believe like me you are evil or against me

In ALL of these expressions there is a deeply rooted opposition and rejection of God.

Romans 8:7 CSB

7 The mindset of the flesh is hostile to God because it does not submit to God’s law. Indeed, it is unable to do so.

The mind of the spirit

In opposition to the mind of the flesh, is being shaped, formed, and transformed by the Spirit that has taken residence in us.

Jesus teaches us about the Spirit in John 14 and 16.

John 14:26 CSB

26 But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and remind you of everything I have told you.

John 16:13–15 CSB

13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth. For he will not speak on his own, but he will speak whatever he hears. He will also declare to you what is to come. 14 He will glorify me, because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you. 15 Everything the Father has is mine. This is why I told you that he takes from what is mine and will declare it to you.

He is working in us to teach us, train us, convict us, encourage us, equip us, and transform us.

Rather than being “hostile to God”, there is a submissiveness to the Spiritual mind.

A tenderness and responsiveness to the Word of God that, though not perfectly, produces a willingness to obey and a joy of following.

This is deeply consequential as we can see in verse 8-9.

The presence of the Spirit PROVES our SALVATION. (vs. 8-9)

Romans 8:8–9 CSB

8 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. 9 You, however, are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to him.

There is a helpless and hopeless reality to those outside of Christ.

They will not and cannot submit to God (vs 7). Seeing the ways and Words of God as too oppressive and/or too regressive.

And so they are unable to please God. For even there good deeds are marred and stained by their sin and hostility.

Thus they are rejected by God, given over to the passions of the flesh that they have chosen to devote themselves to.

But that isn’t the case with the believer.

Galatians 5 and 1 Corinthians 12 and 14 speak of the spirit's work in transforming us as believers.

John 3 Jesus says to Nicodemus, you must be born again, that is spirit work.

The Spirit does unexplainable work in your heart and life

It isn’t about seeking to fix things yourself? Putting on good, religious practice without any real change.

Paul uses similar wording as Jesus in John 15 “if you abide in me I will abide in you.”

Paul says the spirit comes to dwell in us, meaning takes residence in us. Makes a home in our hearts.

This isn’t a change of behavior friends, it is a change of life that shows up in how we live, what we value, how we deal with struggle, what we treasure most in life, and what our hope fixed on.

The presence of the Spirit BIRTHS NEW LIFE in us. (vs. 10-11)

Romans 8:10–11 CSB

10 Now if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. 11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, then he who raised Christ from the dead will also bring your mortal bodies to life through his Spirit who lives in you.

Paul has already made the distinction in verse 6 between the dead works of the flesh and the living works of the Spirit.

Romans 8:6 CSB

6 Now the mindset of the flesh is death, but the mindset of the Spirit is life and peace.

Paul is making the case that outside of the Spirit’s presence we are dead men and dead women.

And in reality all that we pursue outside of the Spirit is dead.

We seek pleasure and fulfillment in temporal things.

We base our hope in things that die along with us.

You can’t enjoy money, fame, accomplishments, or any earthly/fleshly thing once the breath in your lungs is no more.

But God births NEW LIFE in us through the Spirit.

And literal power of God that defeated sin and overthrew our greatest enemy of death, now DWELLS in us.

We literally have resurrection POWER in us.

That changes everything.

Story to end on

Alister Begg retells a story in his sermon on Romans 8:5-11 told by the English preacher in the 19th century, Octavius Wilson.

He tells of a young man, who came to an aged Professor whom he had known and who was of a distinguished professor at an important University

He came with a face beaming with delight, and informed the old professor of his long and cherished desire to become a lawyer had been fulfilled

He had been admitted to a prominent law school and was prepared to spare no expense in completing his studies as quickly and successfully as possible.

Wilson says “When the young man finally paused, the old man, who had been listening to him with great patience and kindness, gently said, "Well! and when you have finished your career of study, what do you mean to do then?" "Then I shall take my degree," answered the young man.

"And then?" asked his professor. "And then," continued the youth, "I shall have a number of difficult and challenging cases to manage: shall attract notice by my eloquence, and wit, and acuteness, and win a great reputation."

"And then?" repeated the holy man. "And then!" replied the youth, "why then there cannot be a question- I shall be promoted to some high office in the state, and I shall become rich."

"And then?" "And then," pursued the young lawyer, "then I shall live comfortably and honorably in wealth and respect, and look forward to a quiet and happy old age."

"And then?" repeated the old man. "And then," said the youth, "and then- and then- and then I shall die."

Here his venerable listener lifted up his voice, and again asked, with seriousness and emphasis– "And then?" Whereupon the aspiring student made no answer, but cast down his head, and in silence and thoughtfulness retired.

This last "And then?" had pierced his heart like a sword- had struck like a flash of lightning into his soul, and he could not dislodge the impression.

The question revealed the mindset and nature of the young man.

The question of “and then” is one we all must answer.

What difference has the Spirit made in your life?

How is He changing your mind and transforming the desires that drive you?

How is He growing and securing a deep-seeded peace in your heart?

How is He breathing new life in you and empowering you to fight against the sin that so ensnares you?

Our only hope is to surrender ourselves to the gracious, good, and powerful one who is the only one who can do all of that.

“Nothing in my hands I bring, simply to Your cross I cling.”

Then we will find that God, by the power of the Holy Spirit, will not only ground us and transform our lives, but He will grant us the security that belongs only to those who have abandoned their own attempts to come into relationship with God and have begged for the mercy of God and have found it.