“If ...the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.”

I don’t know where you will find in scripture, a more powerful and strategically placed use of that two letter word ‘if’...than right there in Romans 8:11.

The word “if” hints at a question, something that is uncertain and not clearly established yet.

And are you ready for this? The question of ‘if’ is not directed here at the fact of whether Christ was raised from the dead...or not.

What is being called into question...is whether or not that ‘same Spirit’ dwells in us.

Take a moment with that one, if you would please.

I’m guessing that is why we are encouraged to: “examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail the test.” (2 Cor. 13:5)

Can I speak some truth here, in love...with you today? We cannot conclude that we have His life-raising Spirit within us simply because someone told you that you ‘have it’.

And don’t think that just because you ‘feel warm fuzzies as your eyes tear up’ when you hear a beautiful worship song or hymn sung...that this indicates that you have His Spirit dwelling in you; I have had similar ‘feelings’ watching a beer or coffee commercial on TV.

You might consider this ‘test’ though if you are sincerely wondering now. If your life is still marked by ongoing struggles with sin...any sin to any degree, and you continue to succumb to it and are easily ‘ensnared’ (Heb. 12:1) by it...then you have every reason to give pause and ask...’Does His Spirit truly dwell in me?”

And I only say that because if that ‘same Spirit who raised Christ from the dead...’, conquering not only death, but hell and the grave at the same time... truly dwells in you, then there is no sin or entanglement that His Spirit cannot free you from; that is if you truly want to be free. (John 5:6)

It was Jesus, after all, who told us - ‘most assuredly...whoever commits sin is a slave of sin, and a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever.” (John 8:34-35)

Here’s the good news: You can be set free ...by that ‘same Spirit who raised Christ from the dead’...and actually walk in the same ‘newness of life’ (Rom. 6:3-9) that He did, as do all those who truly believe in Him do. 

 That is...’IF’...you want to be free. 

 Happy Resurrection Sunday.