“But you are not in the flesh, but in the spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone has not the Spirit of Christ, he is not of Him” (v. 9). Many verses in the epistles begin with the wonderful word “but.” Hallelujah for “but”! In our history we need many “buts” such as this. We should be able to say, “Oh, I was down this morning, ‘but.’ I am so weak in myself, ‘but.’ I am absolutely hopeless, ‘but.’” Paul says, “But you are not in the flesh….” Never say that you have a good flesh and that you are in your good flesh. We should not remain in our flesh, for our flesh has been condemned. If a house has been condemned by the government, it is illegal for you to stay there. Likewise, the flesh has been thoroughly condemned by God, and we should not remain there, arguing that our flesh has improved. We should not be in the flesh, but in the spirit. This spirit denotes the human spirit mingled with the Divine Spirit.
There is a condition for us to be in the spirit. The condition is that the Spirit of God dwell in us (v. 9). The word “dwells” really means “makes home.” We are in the spirit if the Spirit of God dwells, makes His home, in us. Although you are saved, perhaps the Spirit of God does not yet make His home in you. This explains why you are still not in the spirit. Although the Spirit of God is in you, He has been unable to make His home in you. He does not dwell in you. I may be invited to your home, but I am unable to make my home in your home. I am there as a guest, unable to settle myself there. Likewise, the Spirit of God is in us, yet He may be unable to dwell in us. He is the guest, not the dweller. If the Spirit of God can make His home in us, settling Himself in us with adequate room, then we will be in spirit and not in the flesh. However, if the Spirit of God does not have this room in which to lodge, we will remain in the flesh, not in the spirit.
Verse 9 says, “But if anyone has not the Spirit of Christ, he is not of Him.” Immediately “the Spirit of God” is changed to “the Spirit of Christ.” No one can deny that this indicates that “the Spirit of God” is “the Spirit of Christ” and that “the Spirit of Christ” is “the Spirit of God.” Paul says, “if any one has not the Spirit of Christ, he is not of Him.” If you have realized that the Spirit of God does not yet make His home in you, do not be discouraged. Do not say, “Since the Spirit of God doesn’t have a home in me, I give up.” Although the Spirit of God does not dwell in you, you do have the Spirit of God which is the Spirit of Christ. As long as you have the Spirit of Christ, you are of Christ. Are you not of Christ? We all must declare, “Hallelujah, I am of Christ!” We have the Spirit of Christ in us and we are of Christ. However, it is a conditional matter whether or not the Spirit of God, which is the Spirit of Christ, dwells in us. The Spirit of Christ has to make His home in us, has to take possession of our inner being, that we may be in the spirit
Verse 10 says, “And if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is life because of righteousness.” Here it says that Christ is in us. In verse 9 it is “the Spirit of God” and then “the Spirit of Christ.” Now in verse 10 it is “Christ” Himself. This surely proves that “Christ” is “the Spirit of God” and “the Spirit of Christ.” We all must admit this. Christ as the Spirit is in us. This is a tremendous matter. Where was Christ in Romans 3? He was on the cross, shedding His blood for redemption. Where was Christ in chapter four? He was in resurrection. But in chapter eight Christ is in us. In chapter six we are in Christ, but in chapter eight Christ is in us. To be in Christ is one aspect; to have Christ in us is another. First, we abide in Christ, then Christ abides in us (John 15:4). Our abiding in Him brings His abiding in us. Being in Christ is the condition for Christ to be in us. Praise the Lord that Christ is in us! Christ has wrought Himself into us; He has been processed into us. This Christ has to dwell and make His home in us.