I've noticed that many Christians have a great understanding of Jesus, mediocre understanding of God the Father, and the Holy Spirit is almost non-existent. This, sadly, is often true in understanding and in practice. Yet the Holy Spirit is frequently mentioned in the Old Testament and the New, and Scripture presents the experience of the Holy Spirit as a daily reality.
There are so many things to learn about the Holy Spirit. Romans 8 is a powerful chapter that provides quite a bit of information about the Spirit's relationship to us. In it we learn that
there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ (v. 1). Why? The
Holy Spirit has set us free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and
death (v. 2). Therefore the Holy Spirit works with the Father and the Son in the accomplishment and application of our salvation. But there's more....
Paul demonstrates that this righteousness of
Christ is fulfilled in those who walk according to the Spirit, not
the flesh (v. 4). In other words only those who walk according to the
Spirit are Christians. He explains, “For those who live according
to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those
who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the
Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the
mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the
flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed,
it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God” (Rom 8:5-8
ESV).
Then he tells the Romans, “You, however, are not in the flesh
but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone
who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if
Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the
Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him who
raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus
from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his
Spirit who dwells in you” (Rom 8:9-11 ESV). Therefore if you have
the Spirit then you are saved and have received the righteousness of
Christ, and if you have received the righteousness of Christ then you
should live according to the Spirit (v. 12).
Living according to the Spirit is an important
thing to consider. It is not optional. You can't write it off as something that only charismatic Christians do. Why? The Holy Spirit says through Paul that “if
you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit
you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live” (v. 13). So
it is the difference between life and death.
What, then, does it mean to live according to the
Spirit? Based on Romans 8 we can infer that it means that:
- the Spirit has given you life and set you free from sin and death (vv. 2-4; 10-11)
- you set your mind on the things of the Spirit rather than the flesh (v. 5-7)
- you are able to please God (v. 8)
- the Spirit dwells in you (v. 9)
- you are able to put your sinful deeds to death by the Spirit (v. 13)
- you are led by the Spirit (v. 14)
- you aren't afraid but relate to God as your Father (v. 15)
- the Spirit gives you assurance that you are saved (v. 16)
- you are God's heir with Christ as long as you suffer with him (v. 17)
- groan inwardly for everything to be made right throughout the earth (v. 23)
- the Spirit helps you in your weaknesses (v. 26)
- the Spirit intercedes for you according to the will of God (v. 27)
To
simplify, the Spirit has set you free, dwells in you, gives
you assurance of salvation, helps you in your weaknesses, and prays
for you. And you set your mind on things of the Spirit, are
able to please God, are able to put sinful deeds to death, are led by
the Spirit, are not given to fear but relate to God as a Father,
suffer with Christ, and groan for everything to be made right.
The words "living" and "walking" carry an ongoing connotation. In other words, if you live a certain way then it does not start and stop a bunch of times. Instead it keeps going. In the same way, we should continuous live according to the Spirit. If you are afraid that you may fail, remember that this passage says that the Spirit helps us with both fear and weakness.
How can you start living according to the Spirit? My encouragement is (1) to learn more about him and the Spirit-filled life from Scripture, and (2) seek the Spirit through prayer. It is my prayer that you will have an experiential relationship with God through the Holy Spirit.
