The Holy Spirit produces righteousness (Romans 8:10). If Christ is in the body of a Christian they are dead. They have died with Christ through the process of baptism (Romans 6:1-4). This burial is also the process that allows Christians to receive the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38). Therefore, Christians are made righteous in Christ. This can only take place with baptism and the continual cleansing.
The Holy Spirit quickens our mortal bodies (Romans 8:11). Our mortal body, now full of the Holy Spirit, is longing to shed our finite body for a more permanent one (I Corinthians 15). One might argue that just as the earth is going through birth pain (Matthew 24-25, I Thessalonians 5:3) so is the flesh. Our souls longs to be with God and the Holy Spirit fuels that desire.
The Holy Spirit produces a spiritual resurrection (Romans 8:11). Even if Christ lives in the Christian through the Holy Spirit, the physical bodies still must die because of sin. The indwelling Spirit assures eternal life, because the person has been justified by Christ. God will also raise the mortal bodies to a glorious new life at the resurrection. This is one of the many hopes of a Christian but without the Holy Spirit it would never happen. One must remain faithful to the Lord to keep God’s Spirit (Psalm 51, Revelation 2:10). Many people will fall away from the Lord.
The Holy Spirit is essential to life (Romans 8:12-13). It is important to remember that Christians are not of this world. Disciples need to make sure that they don’t live according to the flesh. There is no reason for Christians to continue living under the control of sin. They can be delivered by the Holy Spirit. Those who live under sin’s control will die, without hope of eternal life (I Corinthians 3:16-17).
The Holy Spirit leads us (Romans 8:14, Galatians 5:18), which is consistent with the way He has always worked (Matthew 4:1, Luke 4:1, Acts 8:39).There is a need to realize that the Spirit of God dwells in every Christian, and then realize the need to take care of our bodies. If every Christian would do this it will please God (Romans 8:8). It would allow the Spirit lead us and help us receive eternal life.
The Holy Spirit bears witness in us that we are children of God (Romans 8:16) and He is essential to us being sons of God (Romans 8:14-17). To be controlled by God’s Holy Spirit, shows that the person is one of His children. The Holy Spirit is “the Spirit of adoption” and assures the Christian that they are right with God (Romans 8:15). I John 3:24 also affirms that one’s own spirit, and the Holy Spirit, bear witness to the fact of their sonship.
The presence of the Holy Spirit assures the obedient Christian that Christ abides in them. The gift of the Holy Spirit is the secret of true spirituality and effective service to God. Paul stresses the importance of the Spirit as a witness to salvation (Romans 8:16). This is also seen in I John 3:24, I John 4:13, and I John 5:6.
*** More next week***
You are loved.
Dr. Ray Reynolds