But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
What does Romans 8:9 mean?
Believers may be chastened of the Lord, but will not be condemned with the world. By their union with Christ through faith, they are thus secured.
Key themes
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Keep this verse inside Romans 8:7-11 and alongside a few nearby related passages.
Commentary on Romans 8:9
Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. But ye - You who are Christians. This is the opposite character to what he had been describing, and shows the power of the gospel. Not in the flesh - Not under the full influence of corrupt desires and passions. But in the Spirit - That is, you are spiritually minded; you are under the direction and influence of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of God - The Holy Spirit.
Key words
- the Spirit of Christ
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the Spirit of Christ. The Jews (x) often speak of , or "the spirit of the Messiah".
- Spirit
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Spirit. It most commonly in the New Testament refers to the third person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit.
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.