June 5, 2025 - Romans 8:9 - "The Spirit of Christ"

Romans 8:9

"But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his."

Nothing could be clearer than this statement in God’s Word. Without the Spirit of Christ given to a sinner, whereby the sinner is drawn to the LORD Jesus in faith and repentance, none can claim to be the LORD’s. All the talk of personal decisions, making a profession of faith, walking an aisle or reciting the sinner’s prayer (so-called) are not the proof of being a child of God. The statement by the Spirit of God Himself in His inspired Word is that if someone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they don’t know Christ.

This verse marks a profound distinction between the natural man and the regenerate believer. This is not a call to self-examination for merit, but a declaration of the effectual work of the Holy Spirit in those whom Christ has redeemed. Those who are in the Spirit are not so by human effort or religious reform, but by divine indwelling — the Spirit of God taking residence in the soul by sovereign will and regenerating grace. The Spirit does not come because of man's decision, but as the sure fruit of Christ’s accomplished redemption. As Paul writes earlier, “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate…Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called…” (Romans 8:29–30). The absence of the Spirit marks one as not belonging to Christ — not because they failed to invite Him in, but because they were not given to Christ in eternal election nor purchased by His blood. Therefore, Romans 8:9 stands as both a comfort and a boundary: a comfort to those who walk by the Spirit, knowing it is God's work in them, and a solemn boundary affirming that only those indwelt by the Spirit are truly His.

    Elsewhere in Scripture, the indictment is just as damning. “If any man loves not the LORD Jesus Christ, let him be anathema, maran-atha.” (1 Corinthians 16:22) Such are under the most dreadful curse until the LORD comes to execute the severest vengeance of condemnation. ‘Maranatha’ means ‘our LORD cometh.’ Better that we are deprived of every other temporal blessing that we may enjoy by God’s mercies in this life but let us not be deprived of the Spirit’s work, not just to know Who Christ is as LORD, Savior, Redeemer and Substitute but to have the Spirit’s Grace to love Him for Who He is and what He has accomplished. Here we see how we may know that we have the Spirit of Christ.   

    First, to have the Spirit of Christ is to have the revelation of Christ in the heart. None of us would even hunger or thirst after Him were it not for His Spirit indwelling us and giving us life to long after Him, seek Him and come to Him. Christ said in John 6:44: “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him at the last day.”  

    Second, to have the Spirit of Christ is to have Spiritual eyes opened to contemplate Christ as He is revealed in Holy Scripture. Without the Spirit of Christ we would read the Scriptures blindly and never see how HE is all the Father’s delight with Whom He covenanted eternally to save sinners from out of the world by His righteous life and sacrificial death. Salvation is entirely the work of the Godhead. The Father chose those sinners that He would save, the Son came and paid the sin debt for each one and the Spirit of God opened their eyes, not only to see the wretchedness of their sin and misery but also to behold Christ as their Righteousness imputed at the cross.   

    Third, to have the Spirit of Christ is to be given Faith to believe on Him, to savor His Divine glories and to yearn after Him for all things. It is to enjoy Him as our portion now and for eternity.  Do we have Him as our Wisdom, Righteousness, Sanctification and Redemption? "But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord" (1 Corinthians 1:30, 31). This is of the Spirit of Christ.  

Romans 8:9 reminds us that true life and godliness are found only in union with Christ by the indwelling of His Spirit. “Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.” This is the distinguishing mark of every redeemed sinner—born not of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God (John 1:13). It is by sovereign grace in the LORD Jesus Christ alone that the Spirit dwells in us, testifying that we belong to Christ and that Christ dwells in us. Let us therefore rejoice in the Spirit’s witness and work, knowing that “ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you.” Blessed be God, Who hath made us saved creatures in Christ, and sealed us unto the day of redemption (Ephesians 1:13; 4:30).