The Spirit Who Gives Life

 

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. (Romans 8:9-11 ESV).

 

One of my favorite places in all the world is Cades Cove. It is nestled in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. Along the 11-mile loop through the cove you will see wildlife and panoramic vistas that delight the soul. The picture I’ve included with today’s devotional was taken as the morning mist (the “smoke”) was lifting with the sunrise. It is well worth the trip. Seeing it again as I went through the hundreds of photos I have from dozens of trips to the cove, I was reminded of our reading today.

 

The Apostle Paul reminds us that it is the Holy Spirit who gives life; and, He comes to live inside us. The Spirit gives energy, like a wind that carries us along. The Spirit brings refreshment, like a new breath within us so that our spiritual lungs are bursting with the fresh air of God. We are motivated, dynamic, and filled with enthusiasm. In our new life in Christ we are no longer in slavery to trying to keep the law (cf. Romans 8:1-4). Because of Christ’s finished work we are credited with his righteousness (cf. Romans 3-4). As Paul puts it, “even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness”—that is, because of the righteousness of Christ.

 

Even greater, the life-giving Spirit gives us freedom. “Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom” (2 Corinthians 3:17). In fact, life in the Spirit is getting better all the time because we are gradually being transformed to become more and more like Christ (cf. 2 Corinthians 3:18). So, we should never give in to the danger of legalism. Trying to live by the law instead of living by the Spirit can easily creep into our lives. Some years ago, when I had the opportunity to preach in the Ukraine, a man approached the interpreter and questioned him about the rings I wore on my hands. It seems their custom is to wear a wedding ring on their right hand where I have my Aggie ring. He wondered if I was a faithful husband at all! It only took a moment to explain the differences in our cultures; however, his legalism nearly kept him from hearing the gospel. Don’t let man-made rituals and rules confuse you. It is the Spirit who gives life!