Rocky Mountain Juniper
Verses 5-8 talk of the difference of being in the flesh and the Spirit. It is a mindset. At salvation we get the seal of the spirit. Ephesians 1:13. A mind set on the flesh will pursue the things that would gratify fleshly desires. With the Spirit we have other purposes.
Does the Holy Spirit dwell in us? We receive the Spirit at salvation as a seal. The Spirit came when Jesus was caught up to heaven. In Acts 2:4 the baptism of the Holy Spirit came to the believers. This was a second experience. But this second experience is not what Rom. 8:9 is talking about. All Christians have the Holy Spirit. Not all have the baptism of the Spirit, but He is available to all, as they believe.
Does sin cause the Holy Spirit to leave? Jesus said He would be with us always. Matthew 28:20 In another place He said that He would never leave us or forsake us. Hebrews 13:5 We are born again as a new creation at salvation. To lose the Holy Spirit is to lose our salvation. So yes we have the Holy Spirit.
So what happens when we are walking in the flesh for a time? In verses 5-8 it talks of death as separation from God because of our inattention. It is like being asleep in the spirit. We have the Holy Spirit but are not aware of Him because of our spiritual sleep walking. When we wake up and return to walking with the Spirit, we can make use of Him who dwells within.
The idea of sleeping is brought out in a couple of places. Ephesians 5:14 “... Awake sleeper and arise from the dead and Christ will shine on you.” When we are asleep we are just flowing with the ways of the world. We may not actively be involved in the works of the devil. Nevertheless, we are carried down stream by our lack of opposition to the evil in the world. And by opposition I am talking of standing in faith for the light of God to be brought to people in darkness.
In Revelation 3:2 “Wake up and strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die; for I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God.” When we are asleep our spiritual strength saps away. It is just like in the physical. If you don't exercise you loose your edge. If we don't drink water we become weak. If we don't read the Bible our spirit weakens and falls asleep. Wake up and strengthen what God has given you. Wake up and let the light of the word of God bring life to your body. When we are awake we will speak God's word in faith.
Our union with God is flowing and operating when we keep God's words. When we don't keep them, we quench the Spirit and cease to live in eternal principals. 1 Thessalonians 5:19 It is easy to open the flow. Just repent and start living in God's word.
Where it says if we don't have the spirit of Christ. It is referring to the fact that our inattention to spiritual things quenches the Spirit of God working in our life. He is still there but can't operate by our lack of attention. Or direct repression of the things of the Spirit when we indulge the flesh.
Romans 8 is showing contrasts throughout the chapter. Before in verses five through eight there is a contrast between the flesh and the spirit. Here I think the passage is refering to the difference between a person that has accepted Christ and one who doesn't. We are saved and we have the Spirit of God living within. If we weren't saved we wouldn't have God's Spirit within. We have the Spirit within already, so live accordingly.
To walk in the Spirit is to keep the words of Jesus as we live. Or to say it another way, to keep the words of Jesus in mind as we live. To wake up, requires just a simple word of repentance to God and then step into our place of abiding. We are free from condemnation and can be about Christ's business as we live by faith not works.
Lord, I thank you for Your Spirit that lives within me. Give me the words of life for each day to live for you. Thanks Jesus.
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