We are in Christ, and Christ is in Us (Romans 8:1-11)

When I was a young brother, I was (perhaps?) a little presumptuous — maybe even a bit arrogant. I figured that I would start young and learn all there was to know about the Bible. Then I decided that I would begin with the most important parts, get them all sorted out first, and then work my way down to the “other” parts later.

In retrospect, I can say that there are about half a dozen things wrong with that general approach, but never mind for now. That’s more or less what I thought at the time.

This was back in the 1970s, and there were no personal computers, and certainly no computerized index of Bible study materials. So of course, I set out to make my own index — including all the Bible passages expounded in Christadelphian books and magazines, of which I had inherited and accumulated practically everything worth having.

No problem, right?

I scanned through all the books I could find, and all the magazines I had. And in a few months, I had filled several large notebooks with lists of Bible references from Genesis to Revelation — organized by book, chapter and verse.

Now that I had these lists, what to do with them? The question came to mind, “What Bible chapter is the subject of the most Christadelphian commentary?”

I thought the answer would be something in Revelation or Daniel. But I was wrong. The chapter with the greatest number of comments was — you guessed it! — Romans 8.

No matter my motives in the first place, it seems that I had unwittingly stumbled across something really important: In fact, Romans 8 is one of the most important chapters in the Bible.

So I asked myself two questions:

  • Why is Romans such an important book? And
  • Why is Romans 8 the most important chapter in Romans?

And, many years later, with lots of life and experiences in between (and I’m still learning), these classes are some of my answers to those questions.

Why Romans? Because Romans is, without a doubt, the most comprehensive and profound of Paul’s letters. And because it is the fountain of God’s love, out of which flows — without ceasing — the greatest truth of the gospel: that we are made righteous by our faith in His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Why Romans 8? Because Romans 8 is the highest mountain peak of this great letter. Climb to the top of this mountain, and we look in every direction — seeing more of God’s love and grace, and more of His wonderful purpose.

Everything before Romans 8 is a preparation for it; everything after Romans 8 is detail and exhortation arising out of it.

We see the past in the great salvation which our Saviour fought for and won in an arena of hate-filled men, in a dark garden, and upon a terrible cross.

The present is an uncertain world filled with thorns. But even in such a world, the absolute assurance of God’s grace comforts us. Our Father is working for good in our lives, all the time (v. 28), and nothing in this world can separate us from God’s love through His Son (v. 39).

In the loveliest terms, Romans 8 describes the fullness of blessings, present and future, to be found in Christ:

“the glorious freedom (liberty) of the children of God [God’s dear children]” (v. 21).

These words, rightly understood, are clear and bright with promise. They encompass all time, and they overcome all troubles and fears — and sins.

In the first section of Romans 8, we consider two ideas:

  • We are in Christ (vv.. 1-4), so that
  • Christ will be in us (vv.. 5-11).

We are in Christ (vv.. 1-4)…

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus… (v. 1).

There is no condemnation now, in this age, because of Christ’s death and resurrection. No condemnation from the sin that troubles us — if we have faith in Christ. In his life, death and resurrection, Christ has condemned “Sin” (v. 3), so that those “in Christ” will not be condemned!

Of course, we know that we are still subject to death. As time passes, we are often reminded of the reality of death, when we lose loved ones. But that death will have no final dominion over us, because we know that we will be raised from the dead when our Lord returns.

Martha tells her sister Mary, when Jesus comes to grieve over his friend Lazarus, “The Master is come, and he is calling for you!” (John 11:28). So he will seek each one of us when he returns.

And very soon, that same Master was standing before the tomb and calling for Lazarus also: “Lazarus, come forth!” (v. 43). In that same way he will call for us, if we die before he returns.

And we know that our own sins cannot condemn us — because whatever sins we might have committed, or how many times we have failed, we can still be forgiven by the grace of God in our Lord Jesus Christ — if we truly repent and turn back to him.

In the cartoon “Peanuts”, Lucy is going around one day with a special paper, and asking everyone she meets to “Sign this, please.” She finally comes to good ol’ Charlie Brown, and tells him, “Sign this, please.”

Of course, being Charlie Brown, he signs. But then he has to ask, “What did I just sign?”

Lucy tells him: “This document absolves me of all responsibility. No matter what happens, anywhere and at any time, it is not my fault.”

Now Charlie Brown turns to us, the readers, and says, “That must be a wonderful document to have.”

Yes it is, Charlie. And we have that document! That document” is the Bible or, more precisely now, Romans 8.

The central theme of Paul’s letter to the Romans is justification by faith: We are declared righteous because of our faith in Christ.

It is also true, as James shows, that our faith is demonstrated by our works, and that we are, in some sense, also justified by our works.

Somehow, perhaps as a reaction to evangelical teachings about “faith alone”, we Christadelphians have come to lean quite strongly toward the ‘works’ side of the scale. In doing this we run the risk of teaching (by implication at least) that our salvation is based on what we do; and perhaps even that God is just waiting to condemn us for one shortcomings.

This is just not so. Some have labored under a false assumption, a downcast pessimism best expressed in the sad confession: ‘I don’t think I’m good enough to get into the kingdom.’

It is precisely here that we must ask ourselves:

‘Do we really believe what Paul tells us in Romans 8:1, that there is no condemnation to those who are in Christ?

We must not “explain away” this verse. We must not “water it down”, so that its power is lost or wasted. This verse is much more than a promise for the future — it is much more than wishful thinking. This verse is real; it is happening now — for us. All of Romans 8 enhances this mountain-top view that, for the believer, justification and righteousness and divine sonship are present possessions.

This righteousness does not depend on us living up to a certain standard of righteousness. It does not depend on us performing a certain number of good works. It only depends on us remaining “in Christ”.

…because through [or “in”] Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death (Rom 8:2).

To enter ‘into Christ’ is not just to believe certain doctrines about him. Instead, it is to enter ‘into him’, as one who is in danger will enter into a place of refuge, protection and safety. Christ is the ‘place’ where Paul was liberated from the condemnation of the Law.

And just as we must be “in Christ”, we must let him be “in us”:

“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Gal 2:20).

Because of Christ’s sacrifice, we have been “saved” from condemnation!

For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh [KJV] to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh… (v. 3)

That little phrase “the likeness of” should be eliminated. God sent His Son “in the flesh of sin”. He was born of a woman, and born under the law (of sin and death); that is, he was born in the ordinary flesh of ordinary human beings. He bore, not just a resemblance to human flesh, but he was a human being, even as he was also the “son of God”.

It was necessary, Paul says, that Christ should challenge and defeat “Sin” in the arena where it reigned supreme, that is, in the flesh.

Jesus Christ was required to fight his own battle against sin and secure the victory on behalf of himself and all who would belong to him. He could only fight such a battle in “the flesh”, where human nature, sin and death reigned (Rom 6:12-18).

Ultimately, the final victory could only be won when Jesus at last offered himself as “a sin offering” (v. 3, NIV), the only true and lasting sacrifice for sins.

It cannot be stressed too much: It was necessary that Christ should challenge and defeat “Sin” in its own home — in his heart and his mind. There it must be resisted and controlled, and finally destroyed.

“Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death — that is, the devil” (Heb 2:14).

… And Christ is in us (vv. 5-11).

The order of verses in Romans 8 is significant:

  • First, Paul explains that “there is no condemnation” (vv.. 1-4) for those who are “in Christ”.
  • Only then, and secondly, Paul explains that those who are “in Christ” can remain there only by allowing Christ to be in them, and allowing this principle — “Christ in us” — to guide their lives (vv.. 5-11).

Put it another way:

  • We have been “justified”, forgiven, declared righteous through our faith in Jesus Christ, as described in that wonderful document which we possess, the Bible.
  • Only then can we show that we are “in Christ” by making every effort to live righteously, as he wants us to live.

This is where our “good works” come in, not to earn eternal life, but to help us remain in that place of safety, which is Christ.

Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what that flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires (v. 5).

The word “minds” describes the mental and moral dimension of our lives. The NET translates, “have their outlook shaped by…”

Those whose minds are set on spiritual things will endeavor to develop in their lives the same virtues as Christ. These virtues are enumerated in Galatians 5:22-25:

  • love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, etc.

…and in 2 Peter 1:5-8:

  • goodness,
  • knowledge,
  • perseverance,
  • self-control,
  • love, etc.

These, and other traits, are taught by the Word of God, given by His Spirit. They have the seeds of eternal life within them (1 Pet 1:23). To follow this way of life is to live “in Christ”, and to have Christ live in us.

The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind of (or controlled by] the Spirit is life and peace (v. 6).

  • The first, and simplest, way to understand this passage is to read “mind” as ‘outlook, way of thinking, or mindset’.
  • The second thing is to read “is” as ‘leads to’.

A mind with one outlook leads to one outcome; and a mind with another outlook leads to a very different outcome.

In another sense, also, it may be said that the mind of the flesh is death, even now, and that the mind of the spirit, even now, is life. Paul wrote elsewhere that the woman who lives “for pleasure”, the woman who is foolish, selfish, and self-seeking, is dead while she lives (1 Tim 5:6).

And the apostle John says that the man who does not love his brother is dwelling in death (1 John 3:14). In other words, those who think and act and live in the way of the flesh are as good as dead already. They are dead men (and women) walking!

On the other hand, the words of Jesus describe those who demonstrate the spirit-life:

“Whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life” (John 5:24; cp. 1 John 5:11-13).

Our redemption is seen as certain. How can that be? Because a mind firmly set on the proper goal, glorifying God in His Kingdom forever, has already arrived in the Kingdom! In other words, his mind is already there, and one day his body will be there also!

And where our mind is… that is very important!:

“Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus” (Phil 2:5).

And again,

“Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. You died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God” (Col 3:2,3).

The apostle can write such things because he appreciates a fundamental truth: The Word of God has been designed not only to teach us facts — though, of course, that can be very important. But above and beyond its first purpose, the Word of God has been designed to change us for the better — by the power of its influence — and to develop within us a divine attitude to life:

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable — if anything is excellent or praiseworthy — think about such things” (Phil 4:8).

To summarize the last verses in this section (vv.. 9-11), Paul says we are “inclined toward the spirit” if all these things dwell in us:

  • the spirit of God (v. 9),
  • the spirit of Christ (v. 9),
  • Christ (vv.. 9,10), and
  • the spirit of Him who raised Christ from the dead (v. 11)…

All four of these items seem to be synonymous. Once we see this, then there is no mystery about any of them. “Spirit” is “teaching”, and vice versa, and God and Christ are seen in partnership with one another — Christ’s “spirit” is also the “spirit” of God. And behind all these is the Word of God, which presents the mind of God, and the example of Christ which shows us how to live.

God dwells in us through His Word, just as He dwelt in His Son. If Jesus had never sought out the Word of God, and made it his constant refuge, then being the specially begotten Son of God would have meant nothing at all. Jesus became “the Word of God” not just by birth, but by constantly putting God’s Word into his mind, and then putting it into practice.

It is not really any different with us. We do not absorb the Word of God magically or by some supernatural power; we absorb it by reading and thinking about it, and applying it every day.

But what about verse 11?

If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, then he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.

This leads us to ask a very reasonable question:

Do we have “the Spirit” today?

To which the reasonable answer is:

Yes AND No!

I will try to explain…

God’s Spirit (even His “Holy Spirit”) can live in us, even today. This, however, does not mean that we have any special first-century Holy Spirit gifts at our disposal. We cannot heal the lame and give sight to the blind. We are not inspired prophets who can predict future events (no matter what some Christadelphian speakers and writers seem to think!). And we certainly cannot literally raise the dead!

But we can change our lives for the better, and we can help to change other peoples’ lives for the better. We can show forth the Glory of God in our daily lives. We can tell people about the Kingdom of God. It has been said that we might be the only “Bible” that many people ever see or “read”.

We have no miraculous powers, but we all can perform a certain kind of “miracle”. The miracle of a changed life — our own! — can help others to change their lives too. When this happens, then God’s Spirit, in some mysterious way, is working through us!

So we live in Christ, and Christ lives in us. One day — it may be soon — the transition will be complete, and our Saviour will return to raise the dead and open the gates of eternity. “Behold, I create all things new!”

Each of us is like a little caterpillar wrapped up in a chrysalis. We are all waiting for the new day in which we will be “born”, a second time, as a beautiful butterfly — maybe a “monarch” butterfly! — in God’s Kingdom.

We have already begun that process.