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Romans 8 Verse 9 - Christian
Romans 8 Verse 9 - Christian
Greetings……..
Romans 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.”
In the Old Testament we see in Exodus 40, Moses built the Tabernacle. God showed a
model at the Hill top. Moses built the Tabernacle according to what God had commanded
him. It had three parts; The Holy of Holies or the Most Holy Place, then The Holy Place
and the Outer Court.
In the Most Holy place which is the inner most place there were mainly two things; the
Ark of Testimony (Sakshya Pettakam) and Mercy Seat (Kripasanam),
In the Holy Place which is separated by a curtain from the Most Holy inner most place
there existed the Dhoopa peedam, Pon nilavilakku, Kaazhchayappathinte Mesa,
And in the Outer most court Kazhukuvanulla thotty (Laver), Yaaga peedam.
In Exodus last Chapter, ie. Chapter 40 we read when Moses did everything just as the
LORD commanded him.
Tabernacle was not a plan made by Moses. It was God’s design which he showed to
Moses on the hill. Tabernacle is the first among all the temples of the living God.
In the Tabernacle, there was Mercy Seat which was not God, but a symbol of the God
which lives in you, there was Arc of the Testimony which was pointing towards the Word
of God.
Tabernacle was actually a model of the temple which God himself made and where God
wanted to live with. That temple was spoiled. That temple became uninhabitable for God.
That temple was Adam, the man.
In Acts 7:48 we read “However, the Most High does not live in houses made by men.”
Athyunnathan kaipani aayathil vasikkunnilla thaanum.
Also in Acts 17:24 we read “The God who made the world and everything in it is the
Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands.”
Coming back to the tabernacle which was the God’s design; it had three parts –
Praakaram, Vishuddha Sthalam, and Adi Vishuddha Sthalam. In the same manner in the
temple which God himself made also had three parts – Body, Soul and Spirit. {Gen. 2:7,
Jeremiah 38:16, Zech. 12:1}. The outer court which is the body is the only place we see
and the world see. The inner courts Soul and Spirit are what we experience.
Our Conscience, Fellowship and Intuition are in the Spirit part. When the Spirit of God
deals with the human spirit that is fellowship with God who is Spirit make our Intuition
bright or open our inner eyes and our Conscience which was dead comes alive. This is
what we read in Heb. 9:13-14. Fellowship of God’s Spirit turns our Spirit alive our,
conscience alive, our Intuition which is our spiritual eyes open.
When the first man sinned, what happened really? Adam was standing in front of two
trees. The tree of life and the tree of knowledge, the former is a tree of blessing
(anugraham) and the later a tree of curse (saapam), the former is a tree of protection
(samrakshanam) and the later a tree of danger (aapathu), the former is a tree which is
allowed(anuvathikkappettathu) and the later a tree which is banned (anuvathikkathathu),
the former is a tree which gives life (jeevippikkunnu) and the later a tree which gives
death (marippikkunnu), the former represents God and the later represents satan. He was
free to have the fruit from the tree of life, but he stretched his hand towards the tree of
knowledge. When he ate the fruit of that tree Adam turned dead. So that tree must
actually be called the tree of death. See he ate the fruit of the tree of death. In practice he
ate the fruit of serpent. He didn’t eat the leaf or the flower, but he ate the fruit, which is
the reproducing part of the tree. The seed of serpent fell on Adam which is actually earth.
Its roots grew from his earthly body deep into his soul and further deep into his spirit. Its
roots grew into his conscience and lost fellowship with God, his eyes became blind and
his spirit dead. That root grew into all generations of mankind. The Man lost his Godly
image and now he is in the image of the serpent. Every man born out of Adam is a
serpent in the spiritual point of view. Man was made in the image and likeness of God,
but when he took the seed of the serpent, he accepted the image and likeness of the
serpent. This serpent in man should be destroyed so that he will be released out of that
image and can get back the image and likeness of God.
If any person should be cleansed from the satanic image, he must be cleansed from
inside. The roots deep in his soul and spirit should be removed. Just body cleansing is not
enough. Outward cleansing will be like cleaning the upper leaves of grass and leaving the
roots untouched. If the roots are left the grass will come up in a couple of days. A slight
rain can make the growth faster and stronger. Many times we are like grasses cut on top
only. We are clean shaven, wearing white full sleeves or no ornaments and wear an
artificial humble and saintly image. But, the inner parts are still carrying the roots in it.
That is why the leaves come out occasionally. Our anger, our unforgiving nature, our
jealousy, and all our fleshly nature is because of the roots left untouched. We must allow
the sword to cut the roots from inside. Heb.4:12 “For the word of God is living and
active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and
spirit, joints and marrow; …….”
Once the word of God can penetrate even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow,
Then the blood of Christ Jesus can sprinkle in your spirit.
Heb 9:13 “The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who
are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean.”
So any act we perform outwardly will not cleanse our inner man. We may say that we are
not sacrificing bulls or goats and we are not sprinkling the blood of any animal on us. So
there is no question of any such acts. Dear ones if I say that baptism for many of us was
like sprinkling of the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer, you may not like
it. But, the fact is that baptism to many of us are just an outward ritual. It was only
cleansing your outer body. What did Jesus say in Mark 16:16 “He that believeth and is
baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.” Baptism should
follow belief. When we were baptized our baptizing pastors have asked us about our
belief. We even have admitted that we believe. But, to many of us the belief was not that
strong or deep. To many of us the belief didn’t come out of heart, but just from mouth.
Belief should come out of heart. Belief should be deep. That belief will come only if the
word of God pierces into your heart. Baptism or singing and praising or going regularly
to church or even preaching that is what I am doing now should follow belief. Otherwise
all such things are like sprinkling of the blood of goats and bulls and ashes of heifer.
Outward cleaning is not enough. As we read in Eph. 5:26 “That he might sanctify and
cleanse it with the washing of water by the word”. Vachanathodu koodiya jalasnaanathaal
shuddheekarikkunnu. Hearing the word of God, believing in the word of God and getting
sprinkled in your heart with the blood of the unblemished lamb of God, who is Jesus
Christ can only bring to us into fellowship with God. That is why as we read in Heb 9:14
“How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered
himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that
we may serve the living God!”
That is why Jesus Christ the Son of God left all His glory as we read in Phil. 2:6-8 “Who,
being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human
likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became
obedient to death—even death on a cross!”
Jesus took the image of man. Man was made in the image and likeness of God, but he lost
that God’s image and likeness and took the image and likeness of serpent. Now man is in
the image of the serpent. That is why we read in John 3:14 “Just as Moses lifted up the
snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up,”
What for? Rom 8:29 “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be
conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.”
(Avan munnarinjavare …..thante swaroopathodu anuroopamaakkuvaan).
So Jesus Christ as we read in Col. 2:14-15 “having canceled the written code, with its
regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to
the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of
them, triumphing over them by the cross.”
When a person accepts Jesus Christ, he is actually accepting the image and likeness of
Jesus Christ. The blood of Jesus sprinkled in your conscience is cleansing your spirit.
When we read Heb. 9:13-14, the truth is that the blood of Jesus sprinkled on our
conscience that is our spirit; satan’s root was destroyed and we got back our fellowship
with God. If you are really sprinkled with that precious blood, your fellowship with
Christ Jesus starts there. There after Jesus lives in you. You cannot walk after flesh any
more. You start to walk after the Spirit. That is what Paul said; you are controlled not by
the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you.
So there are only two types of people in this world; those who are controlled by the sinful
nature and those who are controlled by the Spirit. (jadaswabhaavam ullavar,
Aatmaswabhaavam ullavar). Some people may say that there is one more group in the
churches that is jadaalma swabhaavam ullavan. I know that. The Bible also tells about
them, the Laodicean believer. Neither hot not cold. But, God says to them he will vomit
them from his mouth. As such they also can be called jadaswabhaavam ullavar. So there
are only two types of people in this world; those who are controlled by the sinful nature
and those who are controlled by the Spirit. (jadaswabhaavam ullavar,
Aatmaswabhaavam ullavar). More clearly those who belong to satan and those who
belong to God. Those who still remain in the image of the serpent and those are in the
image of Christ as we read in Gal. 3:26-27 “You are all sons of God through faith in
Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with
Christ.” So if any one is controlled by sinful nature he does not belong to Christ.
That is what Paul says; if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to
Christ. Or if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ; he is not a Christian. The most
holy place of the temple can not be empty; it should have Christ in it. God is Spirit and
the Spirit of God and our spirit must have a strong fellowship.
That is my second part of the message. If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ he
does not belong to Christ.
In John 14:16 we read; “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another
Counselor to be with you forever - the Spirit of truth.”
Here we read another Counselor; the root word in Greek is ‘Allos’ which means ‘a
similar one’. There is another similar word ‘Heteros’ which means ‘a different one’.
Therefore Holy Spirit is not different from Christ, but it is a very similar one. Holy Spirit
is the power which helps to spread Jesus in us and He is the power working to express
Christ in us. The work of the Holy Spirit is Christ centered and Christ related. The
presence of the Holy Spirit is Christ centered and Christ related.
I now remember the story of a soldier who went to the warfront. Before going he
promised his fiancée that he will write to her a letter each day. He kept his promise, he
wrote a letter each day, and she got a letter each day. Finally when the triumphant soldier
came back she was not there. She married the post man and left.
Holy Spirit is not like that post man. The role of Holy Spirit is to enable us to grow in
Christ. Our Lord Jesus Christ is the light of the world and he commands us to (Phil. 2:
14-15)“Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become
blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation,
in which you shine like stars in the universe”.
We are supposed to be the lamps in this world, we should shine like stars. How can we
shine? We can shine by doing everything without complaining or arguing, so that we may
become blameless and pure, children of God. Such people never murmur or do foolish
arguments. The place for those who murmur is out of the paalayam says an old lady in
ancient times. She used to clap a lot with her drums, but when she murmered she had
some problem in her body, thrown out of the paalayam. These days by grace we escape
leprosy, by grace (2). Murmuring causes spiritual leprosy and spiritual deportation. So
beware of sword.
We are supposed to shine in this world. For that we need oil. Holy Spirit showers that oil
into our heart and He helps us to lead a blameless pure life. He strengthens us to lead a
blameless pure life.
We know there is Holy Spirit. We believe that there is Holy Spirit. But, are we
experiencing Holy Spirit. Our title verse says that ‘if anyone does not have the Spirit of
Christ, he does not belong to Christ’.
If any one does not have the Holy Spirit, he is not a Christian. I am so sorry to say that if
you are not experiencing the Holy Spirit now, you are not a Christian.
You may say that all your forefathers were Christians. That is ok. Although your father,
grand father, great grand father, great great grand father all are pastors you won’t be a
Christian if you don’t experience the Spirit of God in you. In your S.S.L.C. book they
may write ahead of the religion column Christian, but in the sight of God almighty you
are not a Christian. You should experience the Spirit of God.
In Acts 19:2 Paul asks the disciples who came to him in Ephesus, “Did you receive the
Holy Spirit when you believed?”
They didn’t receive, because their belief was not perfect. When their belief turned perfect
they did receive the Holy Spirit. If you didn’t receive the Holy Spirit, that shows there is
some imperfection in your belief.
1 Cor. 3:16 “Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit
lives in you?”
That is what Apostle John said in 1John 4:13 “We know that we live in him and he in us,
because he has given us of his Spirit.”
So if you the Spirit of God live in you now you are a Christian. You may say that ‘pandu
Maangaanam Joseph upadeshi / Varyapuram Yohannachan upadeshi njangalude sabhayil
vannu kaathiruppu yogam nadathi, annu anyabhashayodu koode njaan abhishekam
praapichu.’ Very good. Annu parisuddhalmavinte krupa varangalil onnaaya anyabhasha
paranju. Adivara, krupa varangalil onnaaya. Annu kristiani aaya nee innum kristiaani
aayirirkkunnuvo? Innum anyabhasha parayunnundo ennalla chothichathu.
In 2 Cor. 13:5 Paul says: “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test
yourselves. …..”
Romans 8:16 says “The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s
children.”
Alwyn Tofler once said “the illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot
read and write, but those who cannot learn unlearn and relearn.”
I will say it this way the unbeliever of the Laoicean church will not be those who did not
read or hear the word of God, but those in whom the word of God did not penetrate even
to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow.
In Acts 8:44 we read those at the house of Cornelius’s house received the Holy Spirit
when they heard the word of God.
When a person receives the Holy Spirit the world will know his change. Jesus said as
we read in Matt. 7:16-20 “By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes
from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a
bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear
good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.”
In Gal. 5:22-23 we read “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”
Please note hear that it is not the fruits of the Spirit; it is the fruit of the Spirit. Karpos’ a
Singular word. The fruit is not complete if all these nine factors are not in it. You must
have at least one fruit per person. You can not have a part of that fruit. If I am saying
love, joy, peace, patience I can have, kindness, goodness, faithfulness my pastor will
have and faithfulness, gentleness and self-control our secretary will have. No, none us
will be perfect. All three of us and all of you must have all these nine factors then only
the fruit will become fruit.
If you don’t have the fruit of the Spirit in full your speaking in tongues is not an
expression of the Holy Spirit. But just shaking like Samson when he lost the seven braids
of his hair. No power but shaking.
When you produce the fruit of the Spirit, your entire attitude towards the whole world
will change. Your attitude towards the surroundings will change, your attitude towards
the others will change, and your attitude towards your own self will change.
Jesus said as we read in John 13:35 “By this all men will know that you are my disciples,
if you love one another.”
When you have love, you are experiencing the Spirit. The love which Christ Jesus told is
not the normal love. It is ‘Agape’, the Christian love, the eternal love, the super abundant
love, the over flowing love. It is not the love of the tax collectors as Jesus told in Matt.
5:46. they too love those who love them. Our love should not limited to those who love
us or for any material gain. Our love should be like that of Jesus; praying forgive him for
he knows not what he does regarding the one who pierce His back while hanging on the
three nails. Our love should be like that of Stephen when people were stoning him he
prayed to God, Acts 7:60 “Karthave, avarkku ee paapam nirtharuthe…” Loving those
who hurt you and hate you is the fruit of Spirit. Such should be your attitude towards
others.
1 Cor. 13:1 “If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only
a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.”
When we read downwards from the 4-8th verses: “Love is patient, love is kind. It does
not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not
easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices
with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres, love
never fails…”
Now in place of love put Jesus and read those verses. You will see the name of Jesus
fits very well there. Now go home and every one of us put your name there and read. See.
This is what we judge ourselves.
When the Holy Spirit is an experience you will have Joy always. The joy of Spirit filled
life is characterized by looking not at circumstances, but by looking unto Jesus, the
author and finisher of our faith (Heb. 12:2). When we look unto Him we see that Joy. Ps.
37:5, Ps. 4:7, John.15:11, Phil. 4:4 “ Kathaavil eppozhum santhoshippin, santhoshippin
ennu njaan pinneyum parayunnu”.
Your attitude towards your surroundings will change. You will see peace every where.
When things are all running smooth even the worldly people will see peace in it. But, a
God’s child must see peace in difficulties. I once read about a painting titled Peace. It
was as follows. A high rock to which high tides strike, strong wind and rain in the back
ground dark cloud and lightning in the sky, a big tree on the edge of the rock about to fall
in the wind and on the top side corner of the rock in a small hole a small bird sleeps with
its beak hidden in its wings. Every thing around it was so terrifying, but it saw peace in
the hole which is its nest. When every thing in this world blows hard can you sleep
peacefully in the hole of the Rock which is Jesus? That should be your attitude toward
the your surrounding. When tides were high and strong wind was blowing Jesus could
sleep peacefully in the small boat His disciples were towing. This is the peace which is
expected of you.
And you should be joyful. The word of God says always be happy. Let anything happen,
dear child of God you should be joyful. Toward you yourself, your attitude should be like
that. Phil. 4:6-7
I don’t have time to go into all the nine factors of the fruit of the Spirit. But, if you
experience Holy Spirit you must produce the fruit of Spirit, all the nine parts.
John 14:26 “But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name,
will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.”
John 16:13 “But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth…..
……….”
The experience of the Holy Spirit will help us to lead a great Christian life. A life based
on the word of God, as true witnesses, in all the truth. A hunger to hear the word of God,
study the word of God and live according to the word of God is a sign of the Spirit of
God.
Acts 1:8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will
be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
God’s ultimate aim to give us power is to make us His witnesses. To win souls. But we
forget that or pretend to forget it. In Matt. 28:19-20 Jesus Christ commanded us
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father
and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have
commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Many of us say if God speaks to me directly I will do His ministry. If I get a clear call, I
will go for it. I can not understand this. Do you want a more clear call than this? I am not
asking all of you to become Pastors. Do you want a more clear call than this? We all like
the later part of the verse; surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. But,
remember as I said once blessing and protection follows obedience. Obey his order. This
is the almighty king’s announcement. It is the royal decree. Royal decree is powerful and
it comes once that is enough. The beggar in a street will beg continuously. Don’t think
our God like that. He has all authority in heaven and on earth. The experience of Holy
Spirit will produce a hunger to serve your Lord God.
I praise God for all those elders of our church, who become witnesses to Christ at parks,
hospitals,streets, homes and churches. I praise God for all those anointed ones, the
brothers, sisters and children who strive for a chance to witness Jesus in their
neighborhood, and at their offices and business place.
Dear ones now you know that you are experiencing Holy Spirit or not.
Evil spirit is not an anointing spirit. It breaks hard in to any one who is reckless in his
spiritual life. If you are anointed, Holy Spirit never steals your identity. You are still Paul
or Peter or Thomachen or Varghese or George. You know what is around you and have
good control over you. That is why while singing in tongues your pastor won’t slip from
the stage and you can control your song at time when the next program is due. But, satan
baadhichal pinne ninankku perilla. Nee pinne legion, or beilsabul or so. You will lose
your identiy. You don’t know what is around you. You will hurt yourself and others.
1 Cor.12:7-11 “Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common
good”.
The Holy Spirit is in us for the common good. He is not there for you to take glory.
1 Cor.12:8-11 To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to
another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the
same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers,
to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in
different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are
the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he
determines”.
What gift you have should be for the common good.
Let us pray God to strengthen ourselves with more power to be His witnesses.
Filling you with the Holy Spirit, Anointing you with the Holy Spirit, and finally
Walking in the Holy Spirit is a stage means instead of being dominated by your weakness
you can be dominated by the Hoy Spirit. You cannot sin anymore.
Remember Saul was filled with the Spirit and prophesized, but he was rejected later.
Samson was filled with the Spirit and did wonderful things, but he lost his power later.
Both of them lost their power even though they were filled.
David was anointed to be the king. His anointing remained, but he made several mistakes
and paid the price for all.
But Enoch, he walked with God and God took him away.
We are expecting rapture at any time. So being filled and anointed is not enough let us
walk in the Spirit. Remember apostle Paul’s warning: “do not grieve the Holy Spirit”.
Let us walk in the Spirit.
If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.
Let us be good Christians.