The Spirit of God in His Word and the Spirit of Christ in Life

The Spirit of God in His Word and the Spirit of Christ in Life

Read the following passage and note the capitalized text.

Rom 8:5-9  For they that are after the flesh DO MIND the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit [DO MIND] the things of the Spirit.  (6)  For to be CARNALLY MINDED is death; but to be SPIRITUALLY MINDED is life and peace.  (7)  Because the CARNAL MIND is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.  (8)  So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.  (9)  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.

We have the state of carnal mindedness and the state of spiritual mindedness. In addition, we have reference to the Spirit of God and the Spirit of Christ. In the context of this passage, what is the Spirit of God compared to the Spirit of Christ? Here is my interpretation:

• The SPIRIT [WORD] OF GOD is the wisdom and knowledge of God that comes by His Word.
• The SPIRIT OF CHRIST is the salvation life of God that comes by trusting in Christ.

Continuing with this passage in Romans,

Rom 8:10-11  And if CHRIST BE IN YOU [to be justified (saved)], the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.  (11)  But if the SPIRIT [WORD] OF HIM [GOD] that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

The Spirit of God is the life and power of God that comes from the Word of God. Jesus says that his words are SPIRIT and LIFE, Jn.6:63. When we receive the words of God from the pages of the Bible, it is the impartation of God's spirit into us, bringing us life, light, wisdom, and truth. We can partake of the Spirit of God by partaking of His written Word. It carries life and power, informing us of His character and will, transforming us by knowledge and conforming us to His Son. This is why Paul encourages the Corinthians to drink of God's Spirit, and he tells the Ephesians to be filled with God's Spirit.

1Co 12:13  For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

Corinthians, babes in Christ. They DRINK into one Spirit (drinking the word of God).

Eph 5:18  And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; 

Ephesians, no longer babes in Christ, thus be FILLED, sustained, by the word of God.

When you read scripture and understand that the written Word is the Spirit of God, it provides us deeper insights into what that verse and passage means. Our dispensation is not one filled with the dynamos of God's Spirit of power, as in the mighty signs of God in the other dispensations. Our dispensation is one of the inspiration of God's written Word, the transfer of knowledge and understanding, the walk of faith in obedience to these words, the Spirit of God in our hearts and minds.