Romans 8:10 (NKJV)
“And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.”
Remember from yesterday's verse that every genuine born again believer, every true "Christian", has the Holy Spirit indwelling them. Scripture is clear that without the Spirit, a person does not belong to Christ.
Now the Apostle Paul gives two things that are true of those with Christ living within them.
1. The body is dead because of sin- He is referring to our human, physical, temporary body as dying and will eventually return to the dust as the result of sin in us and in the world. Our bodies are not yet renewed, but will be.
1 Corinthians 15:51-54 (NKJV)
“Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”
1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 (NKJV)
“For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.”
1 John 3:2 (NKJV)
“Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.”
2. The Spirit is life (or gives life) because of righteousness- the Greek word for Spirit here “pneuma” as a reference to God's Spirit. This Greek word is tied to the original Hebrew word “Ruach” which is construed as a person. It is a person. He is invisible, like wind, because He can be felt and experienced, but not seen. He is the breath of God which disperses His life giving power, His energy and His mind. He is Yahweh's Spirit which is omnipresent, but also can be directed in specific ways for specific purposes. He is not The Father (First Person of the Trinity), or The Son (Second Person of the Trinity), but the manifest presence of God in the earth. He comes to dwell in the hearts and lives of His people; rather He is the Holy Spirit, the Third Person of the Triune God. He is God's Spirit, and He gives life!
By having Christ in us this means that we are spiritually alive, in the Spirit, even though our sin consumed bodies are still dying, because of sin. Without Jesus, and without the Holy Spirit, we are spiritually dead.
The fact we are now spiritually alive is because of righteousness. Not our righteousness, good works or anything we have ever done, or could do. At the New Birth we are imputed with the righteousness of God, by Jesus Christ's finished work on the Cross.
Romans 5:20-21 (NKJV)
“Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
2 Corinthians 5:21 (NKJV)
“For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”
Blessings in Jesus Mighty Name!!!