What a series this is turning out to be! Let’s recap, in the first eight verses we learned what God accomplished for us. We have freedom from condemnation through Christ and we stand righteous before God. We also find out that the gospel produces life-change. When we trust in the death and resurrection of Christ by faith God credits our account Jesus’ righteousness. The requirement of the law is fulfilled IN us, not BY us. Mike Kelsey reminded us that our new birth includes the law being written on our hearts. There is a working from the inside out that occurs through the Holy Spirit.

Romans 8:9-11
8:9 You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. 8:10 But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. 8:11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.

When I first read this I wondered if Paul was doubting the reader’s faith here or challenging it but I discovered that the “if” in these verses is grammatically more like “since”, showing that Paul is affirming the saints. This passage tell us that although, outwardly we are wasting away inwardly we are alive!

The message is so encouraging, and gives so much hope. Rejoice, take comfort and be confident that you are surely new and alive in Christ and are guaranteed a full deliverance from the sin that causes death. Not only have we escaped a spiritual death, we are given new life now AND we can anticipate a full and final physical deliverance that will include a new glorified body (no more outward wasting away)!

We are given a truth to embrace and a promise to claim in these verses. If we believe this, if we grasp this truth, how does it impact our lives today? What does it mean for us now? Are we anticipating the fullness of this promise?

Discussion Questions
Adapted from ‘A Study Guide for Romans 8’ by Coty Pinckney, Desiring God Community Church, Charlotte NC

1. Read Romans 8:1-11
2. There are four conditional statements in verses 9 to 11; in fact, the three verses consist of nothing other than conditional statements. We usually think of conditional statements as “if . . . then” statements: that is, the word “if” followed by a condition; then the word “then,” followed by a consequence of the condition. Paul doesn’t follow that word order here, and is not consistent in the word order he uses. To make the statements clearer, write out these four conditions and their consequences.
3. In verse 11, who is said to have raised Jesus from the dead? Who will give life to your mortal bodies? What is the role of the Spirit?
4. Is the promise that “He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies” fulfilled in this life or in the life to come (or both)? Consider Galatians 2:20, and explain your answer.
5. Try to summarize the argument of these 3 verses. Why are these verses important? What relevance do they have for the way we live the Christian life?