If Christ Be In You?

Romans 8:10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

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Last time we preached in Romans, we made an emphasis on the fact that the Holy Spirit is indeed the Spirit of Christ; the Spirit of the person Jesus Christ. I want to say it does matter what we believe. Some people don’t believe that the Holy Spirit is a person. They teach that he is God’s force or God’s power. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of the person Jesus Christ. I got to thinking about when Jesus was on the cross, and he cried with a loud voice and said with his last breathe, “It is finished!”, the bible says that he gave up the ghost. I want to say that the Holy Ghost was that Ghost. It was Jesus’ ghost. It was Jesus’ Spirit. God has sent forth the Spirit of his Son, Jesus Christ, into our hearts. (Gal 4:6)

But Paul goes one step further in verse ten. It’s not “If the Spirit be in you?” It’s not, “If the Spirit of Christ be in you?” No, he says, “If Christ Be in You?”

• “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?” (2 Cor 13:5)
• “To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:” (Col 1:27)

If Christ be in you? What a blessed question? If The First and The Last be in you? If the Alpha and Omega be in you? If the Prince of Peace be in you? If the Lamb of God be in you? If the only Potentate be in you? If the only begotten Son of God be in you? If the King of Kings and Lord of Lords be in you?

If Christ be in you? What a blessed thought? If Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. This is very similar to Psalm 51.

• Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom. (Psalm 51:5,6)

The first part is the great terrible truth: I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my mother concieve me. Paul said, I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing. He said SIN dwelleth in me. He said I am carnal, sold under sin. He said evil is present with me, sin is in my members. He said that the wages of sin is death. He said sin entered into the world and DEATH by sin. That’s bad news. He said ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

We’re in bad shape. We’re going down the wrong road. Every imagination of the thoughts and intents of our heart is only evil continually. We’ve gone through the wide gate, and we’re traveling down the broadway to destruction. We are a fallen race. Our bed is in hell. Hell moves for us and opens her mouth for us. Sin that is in us is our surety for the lake of fire. That is the truth. Every born again Christian knows this to be true.

But every born again Christian also knows that God is not willing that anyone should perish, but all should come to the knowledge of the truth. Every born again Christian knows that God HATES sin, but he also so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever beliveth in him should not perish but have everlasting life. The first truth is that I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive me. But the second truth is “Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.”

We were born in iniquity and there we would stay but for the desires of God. In sin we were conceived, and there we would stay and wallow, but for the work of God. So in Romans our first truth is that the body is dead because of sin. And death is all we’d have if not for the desire and the work of God. The second truth is that if Christ be in you, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. In this scripture we see, that if you’ve been born again, you’ve passed from death unto life.

And every saved, born-again child of God, washed in the blood of the Lamb has got this testimony. We’ve passed from death unto life. And there’s a difference between life and death. I got to witness to somebody the other day and I was telling him about the day I got saved and he asked me, “Is it better?” Is life better than death? I was a walking dead man. I had a malignant cancer of the soul. I was like those Pharisees

• Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity. (Matt 23:27,28)

Amen, that what I was. But I got to thinking the other day as they were singing that song Thanks to Calvary. The first verse goes like this:

Today, I went down to the place where I used to go
Today, I saw the same old crowd I knew before
And when they asked me what had happened, I tried to tell them,
Thanks to Calvary, I don’t come here anymore.

And that place, you can’t help think of a bar or a honky tonk or a gambling joint. And usually people that have come out of that can relate to this song. And you know their testimonies and you see them lift up their hands and weep and thank God that they don’t go to those places anymore. But when I hear this song, I never went to those places. I was never into booze and partying, and gambling, and drugs and things like that. But still, something in my heart stirs up when I hear this song, and I find myself there weeping along with them, thanking God for what he’s done in my life.

The other day as they were singing that song, I remembered that whited sepulchre. I remembered the dead men’s bones. I remembered the graveyard. I remembered that Gadarene full of devils. The bible says that when Jesus come out of the ship, there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit. The bible says he had his dwelling among the tombs. And always, night and day, he was in the tombs! In the tombs. Oh, but when Jesus came by my way… When Jesus came to the grave, and cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.

• And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go. (John 11:44)

I didn’t come out of the bar. I didn’t come out of the honky tonk. I came out of the graveyard. I came out of the whited sephulchre. I passed from death unto life. God asked Ezekiel, “Son of man, can these bones live?”

• Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the LORD. Thus saith the Lord GOD unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live: (Ezekiel 37:4,5)
• So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. (Rom 10:17)
• How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! (Rom 10:14,15)

Thank God for the gospel. Thank God for the glad tidings, the good news. We don’t have to live in the bad news. Even though you were shapen in iniquity, conceived in sin, you don’t have to stay that way. God desires different for you. Even though the body is dead because of sin, you don’t have to stay in that condition.

Paul asked, “O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” IF CHRIST BE IN YOU, “The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death… God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh; That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in  us.” (Rom 8:2-4) The Spirit is life because of righteousness.

I want you to see this. Paul said that he was crucified WITH Christ. He said:

• Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Rom 6:6-11)

Look, in Adam we all sinned, but in Christ that sin was nailed to a cross. That sin was paid for. The wages of sin is death, and that death took place in the person of Jesus Christ on Calvary. We are no longer under the death sentence of the law. We are no longer under the condemnation of the law. The righteousness of the law is not being good. The righteousness of the law is not the absence of transgression, it’s the payment of that transgression. The righteousness of the law is the blood. Without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin. That righeousness was fulfilled and finished when Christ died on the cross. And it’s fulfilled in you, when you believe in the name of the only begotten of the Father. When you put your faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, when that blood is applied, that righteousness goes to work in your body.

That sin is condemned by the death of Jesus Christ, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. Because the law was satisfied. Jesus said that he came that we might have life and that we might have it more abundantly. Every born again child of God can has that life, can live that abundant life, not because he’s good, not because he deserves it, but because Jesus wrought righteousness inside of us. He satisfied the law. We’re free from the law. We’re free to walk in the newness of life.

• But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter. (Rom 7:6)

It is the greatest disappearing acts of all time. Our sin was put on Jesus. The bible says that he was made sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. Our sin was laid upon him and in him. “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him” (Isaiah 53:5) I used to think that all my sins, every single one, was nailed to the cross, but that’s not it. Jesus was nailed to the cross and my sin was in him. He took my sin and wrapped it up in his flesh, and they nailed HIM to the cross of shame. And up there, on that cross, Jesus died for my sins. The bible says “for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree.” (Gal 3:13)

They pulled that lifeless body down from the cross, and laid it in a tomb. Three days later, Jesus rose from the dead. And when Jesus walked out of that tomb, my sins were gone. The greatest mystery of all time. God said, “Their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.” (Heb 8:12) The cross is empty and the tomb is empty.

You ask me why I am happy so I’ll just tell you why, Because my sins are gone; And when I meet the scoffers who ask me where they are, I say, my sins are gone. They’re underneath the Blood, on the Cross of Calvary, As far removed as darkness is from dawn; In the sea of God’s forgetfulness, that’s good enough for me, Praise God, my sins are gone.

If Christ be in you, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. When I found that verse about the tree and cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree, Galatians 3:13, there’s more to that verse.

• Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. (Gal 3:13)
• And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. (John 14:16-18)
• But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. (John 14:26)
• But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: (John 15:26)
• Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin, because they believe not on me; Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, thatshall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. (John 16:7-14)
• And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. (Acts 1:4,5)
• But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. (Acts 1:8)
• Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. (Acts 2:37-39)
• And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him? (Luke 11:9-13)
• Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water? Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle? Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. (John 4:10-14)
• In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.) (John 7:37-39)

Acts1:15 says that in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples when they were going to replace Judas. The bible says that the number of names together were about an hundred and twenty. I wonder if they were all there on the day of Pentecost. I wonder if there were some that missed Pentecost. How would you have felt if you stayed home that day? What if you forsook the assembling of yourselves on that day of Pentecost when God filled the them with the Spirit and 3000 people got saved?

• And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people are yet too many; bring them down unto the water, and I will try them for thee there: and it shall be, that of whom I say unto thee, This shall go with thee, the same shall go with thee; and of whomsoever I say unto thee, This shall not go with thee, the same shall not go. So he brought down the people unto the water: and the LORD said unto Gideon, Every one that lappeth of the water with his tongue, as a dog lappeth, him shalt thou set by himself; likewise every one that boweth down upon his knees to drink. And the number of them that lapped, puttingtheir hand to their mouth, were three hundred men: but all the rest of the people bowed down upon their knees to drink water. And the LORD said unto Gideon, By the three hundred men that lapped will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into thine hand:… (Judges 7:4-7)