IN these verses the Holy Ghost is spoken of in three different ways, as “the Spirit of God,” then as “the Spirit of Christ,” and lastly as “the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead.” In the first instance, in connection with the new place the believer is in before God, in contrast to his old standing as “in the flesh.” Secondly, “the Spirit of Christ,” as formative in power of the new man. If any man has not the Spirit thus, “he is not of Him,” — “none of His.”
It is well to remark that in the first verse of this chapter, the believer is said to be “in Christ,” but in verse 10, we have another side of the truth brought before us, namely, that Christ is “in us.”
It is difficult to understand the true force of the words, “not of Him,” in verse 9, if we separate it from the statement, “and if Christ be in you, of verse 10.”
It is not union by the Holy Ghost, with a glorified Christ, the Head and the members, as in 1 Corinthians 12:1313For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. (1 Corinthians 12:13), but Christ in us as life, and the Spirit as formative of that life, in character and power. To be “not of Him,” or “none of His,” is not to have the Spirit, “the Spirit of Christ,” indwelling us. This does not touch the question of conversion, or new birth, but is connected with the indwelling of the Spirit, consequent, not only on faith in the person, but in the redemption work of Christ. One who has “not the Spirit of Christ,” is not in the Christian place. Thus in these verses, the Spirit defines our standing, our character, and in result secures, in view of resurrection, our mortal bodies, which are to be quickened “by His Spirit” which dwells in us.
In John 14:2020At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you. (John 14:20), we have a statement which bears upon what we have before us in Rom. 8:11There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. (Romans 8:1) and 10, — “at that day ye shall know that I am in My Father, and ye in Me” (e.g. Rom. 8:11There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. (Romans 8:1)), “and I in you” (e.g. Rom. 8:1010And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. (Romans 8:10)). To introduce any thought of the body into the passage, Rom. 8:9-119But 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. 10And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. (Romans 8:9‑11), would, I think, cloud the meaning, and be faulty interpretation. Although the Christ we have to do with, and in whom we are, is glorified, yet as to the doctrine in the first eight chapters of the epistle to the Romans, it does not appear that the apostle is presenting Him in that aspect, but as dead and risen, the federal head of a new race, who derive from Him, and in Him have their new standing in life, liberty, and righteousness before God.
T. H. T.
NOTE―It will be seen that these “remarks” bear upon an article that appeared in the January number of this magazine. We commend the subject to the prayerful and extended study of the reader. It is clear that those to whom the apostle was writing, were members of the body of Christ, as well as individually belonging to Christ. The question for consideration is, whether the expression “not of Him” contains in it the thought of union or not. It seems to us that the latter half of verse 9 is as much connected with the first half of the same verse as with verse to. And while it is true that the truth of the body of Christ is not developed in the epistle as a whole, this does not necessarily preclude all allusion to the subject, as is evident from chapter 12:4, 5, and 16. 25. — ED.