“10 Now if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. 11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, then he who raised Christ from the dead will also bring your mortal bodies to life through his Spirit who lives in you.”
In the last devotional, we discussed the differences between those who live by the flesh (the unrighteous) and those who live by the Spirit (the righteous). In today’s verses, Paul further explains that those who are in Christ (who walk by the Spirit) are made into a new person, with new goals, new desires, and a new Master. In fact, we are so different, that it is as if our old, sinful self is now dead. Our sin was crucified with Christ and buried with Him. Now we are given new life in Christ by the Spirit. Our new selves have been resurrected and raised from the dead with Christ. Verse 10 says “…the Spirit gives life because of righteousness.” (v. 10b) Whose righteousness? It must be none other than Jesus’ righteousness. Jesus’ righteousness is the only perfect, lasting righteousness. He is sinless! It is Jesus’ perfect, sinless righteousness that satisfies the Father’s wrath and is imputed to us. It is in this way that the Father declares those saved by Jesus to be righteous.
Verse 11 reveals that the Spirit of God was at work in the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. This same Spirit of God can also resurrect those who have, in their fleshly selves, been crucified and buried with Jesus. In the second half of verse 11, Paul says that the Spirit of God will, “…bring your mortal bodies to life…” (v. 11b) Does this mean that the Spirit of God will be resurrecting actual, physical bodies from the dead? I think this verse reveals two things that are both true simultaneously. First, I believe this to be a beautiful illustration of the process by which God pours out love upon a real human life that is in constant opposition to, and rebellion against, any kind of obedience to God’s law. This illustrates the process when God calls a sinner to repentance, buries them with Christ, raises them from the dead by the power of the Spirit, and having been attributed the righteousness of Christ, presents them as a vessel ready, willing, and able to serve God, restoring them to Himself. Second, verse 11 illuminates that nothing good that we are able to accomplish in this life comes from our own selves. Any good that we are capable of doing is enabled in us by God through the Spirit. Now that we are saved in Christ, we have the freedom to use our mortal bodies and our lives here on Earth for God’s glory. We can use our time, talents, and resources to serve God and the church. This changed life, this complete 180-degree turn from sinful living to honoring Christ, can only be possible through the work of the Spirit of God. It is in this way that the Spirit of God will, “…bring your mortal bodies to life…” (v. 11b). Our mortal bodies, our lives, were once completely devoted to sin and shame. Now, through faith in Jesus and through the resurrecting power of the Spirit, we have new life!