The Holy Spirit Who Dwells in Us

[Romans 8:9-11]

Look at Romans 8:9-11: "But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you."

In this passage, the word "Holy Spirit" is not mentioned directly. However, the word "Spirit" appears six times, five of which refer to the Holy Spirit (three times in verse 9, two times in verse 11), and once it refers to the spirit of a person (verse 10). Let’s look at verse 9 and 11 where it refers to the Holy Spirit: “But if the Spirit of God (the Holy Spirit) dwells in you, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit (the Holy Spirit). If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ (the Holy Spirit), he is not His" (Romans 8:9); “But if the Spirit (the Holy Spirit) of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you... He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit (the Holy Spirit) who dwells in you" (Romans 8:11). The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God, and the Spirit of God is the Holy Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead, and He is the Holy Spirit who dwells in us.

Therefore, under the title "The Holy Spirit Who Dwells in Us", we want to meditate on Romans 8:9-11.

Let’s look again at Romans 8:9: "But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit..."
Here, the word "you" refers to the saints in the church in Rome, and the author of Romans, the Apostle Paul, is not included in this statement (if he were included, he would have said "we"). However, this does not mean that the Apostle Paul did not have the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit dwelt in the Apostle Paul. How do we know this? We can see it in 2 Timothy 1:14: "That good thing which was committed to you, keep by the Holy Spirit who dwells in us." Here, "us" refers to the Apostle Paul and Timothy, who received the letter of 2 Timothy. The Holy Spirit also dwelt in the saints in the Corinthian church. Look at 1 Corinthians 3:16: "Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?" The Holy Spirit dwelt in the saints in the Roman church as well. Look at Romans 8:15: "For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry out, 'Abba, Father!'" Here, the "Spirit of adoption" refers to the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit also dwells in us who believe in Jesus. Look at Romans 5:5: "Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us." Also, look at 1 John 3:24: "Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us." Also, look at 1 John 4:13, in the modern translation: "By this we know that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit."

Now, look at Romans 8:9: "...you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit..."
If the Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit, dwells in us, we are no longer in the flesh but in the Spirit. The Holy Spirit dwells in us, and we dwell in the Holy Spirit. Look at John 15:4-5: "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing." If we abide in the Lord, He abides in us. When the Lord abides in us, it means the Holy Spirit dwells in us. And that means we dwell in the Holy Spirit. In other words, we are united with the Holy Spirit, and as a result, we bear much fruit. That fruit is the fruit of the Holy Spirit. Look at Galatians 5:22-23: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control..." Additionally, the Holy Spirit works in us to make us more like Jesus.

Romans 8:10 says, "And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin..."
Here, when it says "if Christ is in you," it means "if the Holy Spirit is in you." And when it says "the body is dead because of sin," we understand that "body" refers to the outer person. We know that "body" (the flesh) and "spirit" (the soul) were created to be united. In this context, the "body" refers to the first man, Adam, and his wife Eve, who died after disobeying God's command (Genesis 2:16-17) and eating the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 3:1-7). As a result, all descendants of Adam, i.e., all of humanity, also fell into death.
Look at Romans 5:12 and 17: "Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned... For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man..."
Now, go back to Romans 8:10: "... the spirit is life because of righteousness."
Here, the "spirit" refers to the human spirit, the "inner man." Because of Adam’s sin, both the body and the soul died. However, our sin was transferred to Jesus, who was crucified and died, and through His resurrection, the righteousness of Christ was credited to us. Therefore, the Holy Spirit has given life to our dead spirit. In other words, the Holy Spirit has regenerated us.
Look at Ephesians 2:1: "And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked..."

Romans 8:11 says, "And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead..."
The one who raised Jesus from the dead is God the Father, and His Spirit refers to the Holy Spirit. This means that Jesus died and was resurrected from the dead. Who killed Jesus? It was God the Father. The Father accepted Jesus Christ as the atoning sacrifice, and to save us, He allowed Jesus to bear our sins and die on the cross. God the Father gave Jesus up to death. Jesus voluntarily gave His life. Look at John 10:18: "No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father."
Also, look at 1 John 3:16 (Modern Translation): "By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us..."
No one took Jesus’ life from Him; He gave it up Himself, and the reason was to save us. So, who raised Jesus from the dead? It was God the Father. Look at Acts 2:24: "Whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it."
Also, look at Acts 3:15: "And killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses."
Now, look at the first part of Romans 8:11: "He who raised Jesus from the dead..."
Jesus Christ Himself prophesied that He would rise again (be resurrected). Look at Mark 8:31: "And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again."
The disciples of Jesus testified to His resurrection. Look at Acts 10:40-41: "Him God raised up on the third day and showed Him openly, not to all the people, but to witnesses chosen before by God, even to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead."
The Spirit of God the Father, who raised Jesus from the dead, the Holy Spirit, dwells in us. And He will also give life to our mortal bodies (Romans 8:11). Just as Jesus’ body died on the cross and was resurrected (the resurrection of the body), our bodies will also be resurrected.

God the Father will raise us up again.
Look at 2 Corinthians 4:14:
"Knowing that He who raised the Lord Jesus will also raise us with Jesus, and will present us with you."
Look also at 1 Corinthians 6:14:
"God raised up the Lord and will also raise us up by His power."
God the Son will raise us up.
Look at John 5:21:
"For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom He will."
Look also at John 6:39-40:
"This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. And this is the will of Him who sent Me: that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day."
The Lord will raise us up on the last day and bring us to eternal life.

Whether we live or die, it is good, blessed, and profitable.
Look at Revelation 14:13:
"Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, ‘Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’ 'Yes,’ says the Spirit, ‘that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them.’"
This is the blessing for those who dwell in the Holy Spirit, and for those in whom the Holy Spirit dwells.
Jesus died, rose again, and ascended into heaven where He is interceding for us at the right hand of God.
He will surely come again and guide us to the heavenly kingdom.
We will reign there forever and ever.
Look at Revelation 22:5:
"There shall be no night there: they need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever."
Also, look at Revelation 3:21 (Modern Version):
"To him who overcomes, I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne."

Therefore, even amid many difficulties and hardships, we must understand and accept this word of truth and enjoy the blessing.
We must overcome the trials with precious faith.
This word must be written on our hearts, and we must win through faith.