And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
What does Romans 8:10 mean?
If the Spirit be in us, Christ is in us. He dwells in the heart by faith.
Key themes
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Keep this verse inside Romans 8:7-11 and alongside a few nearby related passages.
Commentary on Romans 8:10
And if Christ be in you - This is evidently a figurative expression, where the word "Christ" is used to denote his spirit, his principles; that is, he influences the man. Literally, he cannot be in a Christian; but the close connection between him and Christians, and the fact that they are entirely under his influence, is expressed by this strong figurative language. It is language which is not infrequently used; compare Galatians 2:20 ; Colossians 1:27 . (The union between Christ and his people is sometimes explained of a merely relative in opposition to a real union.
Key words
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the best commentators.
- Christ
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And if Christ be in you,.
Context in Romans 8
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Romans 8 belongs to the middle movement of the book, especially the section often described as justification and Abraham. Romans is Paul’s fullest sustained exposition of sin, grace, righteousness, faith, Israel, the Spirit, and transformed life in Christ. Read this chapter with the wider themes of justification, grace, and faith in view so the individual verses keep their proper weight.
Related topics
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Passages on trusting God, receiving Christ, persevering without sight, and the relation between faith and lived obedience.
Key passages on God's unmerited favour, the grace of Christ, salvation by grace through faith, and how grace transforms the way believers live.
Passages on the nature of sin, its consequences, God's judgment, repentance, and the way of forgiveness through Christ.