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Morning Thoughts |
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Romans 8:10-11, "And if
Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life
because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the
dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall quicken your
mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you." This morning, man accepts his state and position for many different reasons. Some men accept their state or position because they are in a place that suits them (they are happy with their circumstance) Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, has just completed a masterpiece of writing about the states of regenerate and unregenerate people in the opening verses of Romans 8 before our verses. He unequivocally states that a person's position of being "after the Spirit" or "in the Spirit" is due to nothing other than having the very Spirit of Christ within him. Someone void of this position is "after the flesh" and "cannot please God." While we could look at these phrases and see experiential action of ourselves in both categories, that is not Paul's intent. He is not attempting to describe our seasons of ups and downs in the walk of faith, but rather he makes a contradistinction of two types of people. By nature, we were in the first group that could not please God and had nothing but enmity against God (which state some men still and will forever be in). But, when it pleased God, we have been given of His Spirit to bear the image of Christ upon our heart and inward parts. So, after laying this wonderful and hard-hitting foundation of states and positions, Paul expounds a little further on those that are regenerated to show the logical progression of what is to come based on where we are now. Logical progression must begin from a known point, else it is simple conjecture and not worthy of serious consideration. Paul is not conjecturing about the future. Rather, he is speaking from a known point that yields known conclusions. The known point is that we have the very Spirit of Christ right now. (Verse 9) Since that point is known, what further knowledge can we have about our future? Well, if Christ be in us (which He is), then the body is dead because of sin but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. This simple progression of thought from Paul is a direct, succinct conclusion of his wrestling in the 7th chapter of this same book. In the previous chapter, Paul talks about the good that he desires but does not do and the evil that he desires not but does anyway. (Romans 7:19) Paul makes the prayerful exclamation, "O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" (Romans 7:24) The very next verse (25) shows that Paul understood where the deliverance came from as his very mind served Jesus Christ: the deliverer from this corruption. Well, if Paul understood that deliverance had/has/and will come, why the problems? The problems remain because the body is still (right now at this present time) dead because of sin. Even after regeneration, the body is still just as corrupt as it has ever been. The sin that prevails wholly upon us by nature still prevails wholly upon our corrupt clods of flesh. Until the release from corruption of this old frame, the problems will ever remain with us as that sin and death still clings to us. Thanks be unto God that the final hold and effect does not, but the daily struggles of sin and death are ever near. Consider the life of these old frames. Death is but a moment from them always. The frailty of the body is such that a moment from now, my life could be gone and the body show the effect of sin by death. However, even though the body is still just as depraved and corrupt as it has ever been, it is a shameful thing to say that we (regenerated people) are at this present time "totally depraved." Before regeneration, yes we are totally depraved creatures utterly incapable of rendering any righteous or holy action before God. After regeneration, we cannot be justly called totally depraved, for to do so is to ignore Paul's second statement of verse 10 and thereby reproach God in our declaration. Christ's image and Spirit has been implanted, stamped, pressed, sealed, and forever written upon our spirit and soul. What we bear inside is polar opposite and completely contrary to the sin that once reigned there. Paul says the Spirit is life because of righteousness. Now if the Spirit is life because of righteousness, and the corruption that prevailed beforehand was complete and total (which it was), then it stands to reason, logically, that the righteousness of the spirit is not our own. The righteousness that the spirit bears is the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ. (Titus 3:5-6) What holiness has been written is not our keeping or doing to get it there, nor will be our keeping or doing for it to stay there. The reason that it remains there is for the same reason that it is there to start with, God put it there, keeps it there, and is pleased to do so out of love to His children. Inside, we have life and righteousness (right now). Sometimes we talk of eternal life as if it is yet to come. Paul asserted that the life is there now in the very spirit of God's saints. We can boldly say that we have no condemnation upon us now as God has given us of His Spirit. (Romans 8:1) Therefore, our known point is that the Spirit of Christ is with us and in us now. Opposite to that but still a known point is that our bodies are still corrupt, dead (vitally), and sinful. Where do we go from there? The next verse shows the known future based on the known now. We know now that we have living, righteous spirits and dead, sinful bodies. Based on that, the very same One that raised up Jesus Christ from the dead shall also raise these mortal bodies from their ruined state as well. What regeneration is now is a sure sign of the coming resurrection of the body. Should Christ have succeeded in some parts of His mission but failed in just one point, we would see any righteous effects. For us to have some of His goodness upon us, He had to be successful in ALL points. If He was not, then regeneration would never have happened in anyone. However, just as regeneration is surely happened unto us, the resurrection is just as sure although not yet seen or come to pass with our eyes. Paul will later state in this same chapter that glorification is past tense in God's sight. (Romans 8:30) The sureness of it is simply this: 1. Christ has been raised from the dead, and 2. God will not fail to come short of fulfilling all of His good pleasure in us as He promised. If God raised up Christ, Paul asserts He will raise us up as well. Sure our bodies continue to bring that sinful stench upon this earth. Sure we transgress and come short of the glory of God. However, more surely than anything else, they will be changed, quickened like unto His glorious body according to the same power that raised up Christ. Also, God will never fail to resurrect one that He has already regenerated. Such would be a coming short of His purpose, power, and grace, which Paul states in another place is an impossibility. (Philippians 1:6) Dear friends, Christ has arisen, and that hope of ours that yearns and aches for the day of His coming (Romans 8:24) is a solid and sure witness that these old bodies shall experience the like change that our souls and spirits have already undergone. When it comes time that we breathe out our last breath (providing His return is not before), our soul and spirit immediately enter His presence in glory. The reason that no waiting is necessary is because there is no change or fixing up that is necessary to receive them. What has already been done for our inside to stand justly in heaven has been done for us. Likewise, what is necessary for these old bodies to stand justly in the presence of God in glory will be done in a moment in the twinkling of an eye at the resurrection when He shall appear. Finally, Paul tells us what power it takes to effect the resurrection. It is the same power (Spirit) that it took to raise up Christ's body. Tracking back through the logical progression, it is the same power (Spirit) that it took to quicken through regeneration. So, the logical point is this: if something beyond our power must raise these bodies (to which all professors of Christ attest), then it must take something beyond our power to raise these old spirits and souls in regeneration (to which most professors of Christ protest). It is either all or none brethren. Either He did it or we did it. The simple Bible point is that He did it, and He did it all. As we stand wholly glorified in His presence for all eternity, we will sing matchless song, worship, and honour to one that, "Paid it all!" As we approach this time of year to give thanks for all of His benefits to us, may we always keep in the forefront of our thanksgiving to Him this scene of glorified saints adoring Him for this unspeakable and matchless gift. Perhaps tomorrow we will continue this thought in the succeeding verses.  In Hope, Bro Philip |