“You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit,”
Romans 8:9a

Let’s recap. First, Paul makes a clear distinction between the spirit and the flesh, and with the Spirit comes life and peace. Second, proof that we are in the Spirit is in the way one thinks, the way one sets his/her mind about things. Now, we are not rid of our fleshly bodies, so we still are troubled by sin, but our determination and desire are to be rid of it.

Ok? Now Paul goes on to assure us that we can count on these things. These aren’t simply things we hope happen, things we wish for. No, they are as good as done. Let’s look at two more verses:

Romans 8:10 But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

Got that? Don’t let the sin in your body drag you down. Focus instead on the Spirit. IT IS LIFE. Why? Because of righteousness. God deemed us righteous because he chose to. I know all this is complicated, but God looks at us completely different than the rest of humanity. How do we know? Because he has changed us from the inside out. We are born again. We are new creations. The old has gone, behold the new.

That’s a fact. Set your mind on this and the rest will be much easier. If you are constantly vacillating whether or not you are saved, you will be extremely discouraged. How could you possibly stay encouraged wondering if you are on the good side of God or not? No, Paul wants us to be positive and absolutely clear that once you are saved, you are always saved. So does John and James and Peter and all the others, especially Jesus. Let me be frank with you. There are lots of people who will try telling you that you must earn your salvation in order to keep it. Even born-again people might think this way. Bottom line to that thinking is that one must do something to earn and keep favor with God so as to enter heaven. This is simply not true. Salvation belongs to God alone. You can’t polish that apple even a little bit.

Why am I such a jerk about this? Because without being absolutely convinced on the assuredness of your salvation, you will never truly believe this:

Romans 8:11 If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.

Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. All are in this verse. To do what? Give life to your mortal bodies.

Life. 3. The period between the birth and death of a living thing, especially a human being.

Mortal. (of a living human being, often in contrast to a divine being) subject to death.

What did God do? He raised Jesus from the dead. What will he do? The same. First, he gave life to your spirit by giving you a new heart with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Then, one day, he will give your body life when he raises it from the dead. Yes, your body will one day stop functioning and will rot in the ground. God will raise that same body from the dead and make it into one that will never perish.

I tell you, I’m so stuck in the here and now that I can barely comprehend this. When Jesus rose, he could walk and talk and eat. People could touch and feel him. He was just like anyone else who was alive. However, he was also very different. He could walk through walls. He could change his appearance. He could rise into the air and go directly to heaven. He can never and will never die again. Ever.

He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to
your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.

The only condition to that is whether or not the Spirit of God dwells in you. If it does, you have a done deal. Signed, sealed, and delivered. Boom!

If that isn’t enough to change the course of your day, I think you might be a bit too embroiled with the cares of this world. Just sayin’.

Father, I need to keep going back over this stuff again and again. Yes, you understand my nature. I wander, yet you are patient with me. Thank you for leading me back around to this foundational truth:

“so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
it shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,
and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.”
Isaiah 55:11

Praise be to your holy name! Amen!

Copyright © 2019 Scott Powers