Rom 8:9, 1Cor 3:16 | Barnes | STEP | Verse 9. But ye. You who are Christians. This is the opposite character to that which he had been describing, and shows the power of the gospel. Not in the flesh. Not under the full influence of corrupt desires and passions. But in the Spirit . That is, you are spiritually minded; you are under the direction and influence of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of God . The Holy Ghost. Dwell in you . The Holy Spirit is often represented as dwelling in the hearts of Christians, (comp. ; ) and the meaning is not that there is a personal or physical indwelling of the Holy Ghost, but that he influences, directs, and guides Christians, producing meekness, love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, etc., . The expression, to dwell in one , denotes intimacy of connexion, and means that those things which are the fruits of the Spirit are produced in the heart. Have not the Spirit of Christ . The word spirit is used in a great variety of significations in the Scriptures. It most commonly in the New Testament refers to the third person of the Trinity, the Holy Ghost. But the expression "the Spirit of Christ " is not, I believe, anywhere applied to him, except it may be . He is called often the Spirit of God, ( ) but not the Spirit of the Father. The word spirit is often used to denote the temper, disposition; thus we say, a man of a generous spirit , or of a revengeful spirit , etc. It may possibly have this meaning here; and denotes that he who has not the temper or disposition of Christ is not his, or has no evidence of piety. But the connexion seems to demand that it should be understood in a sense similar to the expression "the Spirit of God," and "the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus," ( ) and if so, it means the Spirit which Christ imparts, or sends to accomplish his work, ( ) the Holy Spirit, sent to make us like Christ, and to sanctify our hearts. And in this sense it evidently denotes the Spirit which Christ would send to produce in us the views and feelings which he came to establish, and which shall assimilate us to himself. If this refers to the Holy Spirit, then we see the manner in which the apostle spoke of the Saviour. He regarded "the Spirit" as equally the Spirit of God and of Christ, as proceeding from both; and thus evidently believed that there is a union of nature between the Father and the Son. Such language could never be used except on the supposition that the Father and the Son are one; that. is, that Christ is Divine. Is none of his . Is not a Christian. This is a test of piety that is easily applied; and this settles the question. If a man is not influenced by the meek, pure, and holy spirit of the Lord Jesus, if he is not conformed to his image, if his life does not resemble that of the Saviour, he is a stranger to religion. No test could be more easily applied, and none is more decisive. It matters not what else he may have. He may be loud in his professions, amiable in his temper, bold in his zeal, or active in promoting the interests of his own party or denomination in the church; but if he has not the temper of the Saviour, and does not manifest his spirit, it is as sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal. May all who read this honestly examine themselves; and may they have that which is the source of the purest felicity, the spirit and temper of the Lord Jesus. (o) "God dwell in you"

Romans 8:9

Verse 9. But ye. You who are Christians. This is the opposite character to that which he had been describing, and shows the power of the gospel.

Not in the flesh. Not under the full influence of corrupt desires and passions.

But in the Spirit. That is, you are spiritually minded; you are under the direction and influence of the Holy Spirit.

The Spirit of God. The Holy Ghost.

Dwell in you. The Holy Spirit is often represented as dwelling in the hearts of Christians, (comp. 1Cor 3:16,17, 6:19, 2Cor 6:16; Eph 2:21,22, Gal 4:6) and the meaning is not that there is a personal or physical indwelling of the Holy Ghost, but that he influences, directs, and guides Christians, producing meekness, love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, etc., Gal 5:22,23. The expression, to dwell in one, denotes intimacy of connexion, and means that those things which are the fruits of the Spirit are produced in the heart.

Have not the Spirit of Christ. The word spirit is used in a great variety of significations in the Scriptures. It most commonly in the New Testament refers to the third person of the Trinity, the Holy Ghost. But the expression "the Spirit of Christ" is not, I believe, anywhere applied to him, except it may be 1Pet 1:11. He is called often the Spirit of God, (Mt 3:16, 12:28, 1Cor 2:11,14, 3:16, 6:11 Eph 4:30) but not the Spirit of the Father. The word spirit is often used to denote the temper, disposition; thus we say, a man of a generous spirit, or of a revengeful spirit, etc. It may possibly have this meaning here; and denotes that he who has not the temper or disposition of Christ is not his, or has no evidence of piety. But the connexion seems to demand that it should be understood in a sense similar to the expression "the Spirit of God," and "the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus," (Rom 8:11) and if so, it means the Spirit which Christ imparts, or sends to accomplish his work, (Jn 14:26) the Holy Spirit, sent to make us like Christ, and to sanctify our hearts. And in this sense it evidently denotes the Spirit which Christ would send to produce in us the views and feelings which he came to establish, and which shall assimilate us to himself. If this refers to the Holy Spirit, then we see the manner in which the apostle spoke of the Saviour. He regarded "the Spirit" as equally the Spirit of God and of Christ, as proceeding from both; and thus evidently believed that there is a union of nature between the Father and the Son. Such language could never be used except on the supposition that the Father and the Son are one; that. is, that Christ is Divine.

Is none of his. Is not a Christian. This is a test of piety that is easily applied; and this settles the question. If a man is not influenced by the meek, pure, and holy spirit of the Lord Jesus, if he is not conformed to his image, if his life does not resemble that of the Saviour, he is a stranger to religion. No test could be more easily applied, and none is more decisive. It matters not what else he may have. He may be loud in his professions, amiable in his temper, bold in his zeal, or active in promoting the interests of his own party or denomination in the church; but if he has not the temper of the Saviour, and does not manifest his spirit, it is as sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal. May all who read this honestly examine themselves; and may they have that which is the source of the purest felicity, the spirit and temper of the Lord Jesus.

(o) "God dwell in you" 1Cor 6:19, Gal 4:6

1 Corinthians 3:16

Verse 16. Know ye not, etc. The apostle here carries forward and completes the figure which he had commenced in regard to Christians. His illustrations had been drawn from architecture; and he here proceeds to say that Christians are that building, 1Cor 3:9; that they were the sacred temple which God had reared; and that, therefore, they should be pure and holy. This is a practical application of what he had been before saying.

Ye are the temple of God. This is to be understood of the community of Christians, or of the church, as being the place where God dwells on the earth. The idea is derived from the mode of speaking among the Jews, where they are said often in the Old Testament to be the temple and the habitation of God. And the allusion is probably to the fact that God dwelt by a visible symbol--the Shechinah---in the temple, and that his abode was there. As he dwelt there among the Jews---as he had there a temple, a dwelling place--so he dwells among Christians. They are his temple, the place of his abode. His residence is with them; and he is in their midst. This figure the apostle Paul several times uses, 1Cor 6:19, 2Cor 6:16, Eph 2:20-22. A great many passages have been quoted by Elsner and Wetstein, in which a virtuous mind is represented as the temple of God, and in which the obligation to preserve that inviolate and unpolluted is enforced. The figure is a beautiful one, and very impressive. A temple was an edifice erected to the service of God. The temple at Jerusalem was not only most magnificent, but was regarded as most sacred,

(1.) from the fact that it was devoted to his service; and,

(2.) from the fact that it was the peculiar residence of JEHOVAH. Among the heathen, also, temples were regarded as sacred. They were supposed to be inhabited by the divinity to whom they were dedicated. They were regarded as inviolable. Those who took refuge there were safe. It was a crime of the highest degree to violate a temple, or to tear a fugitive who had sought protection there from the altar. So the apostle says of the Christian community. They were regarded as his temple --God dwelt among them--and they should regard themselves as holy, and as consecrated to his service. And so it is regarded as a species of sacrilege to violate the temple, and to devote it to other uses, 1Cor 6:19. 1Cor 3:17.

And that the Spirit of God. The Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity. This is conclusively proved by 1Cor 6:19, where he is called "the Holy Ghost."

Dwelleth in you. As God dwelt formerly in the tabernacle, and afterwards in the temple, so his Spirit now dwells among Christians. This cannot mean

(1.) that the Holy Spirit is personally united to Christians, so as to form a personal union; or

(2.) that there is to Christians any communication of his nature or personal qualities; or

(3.) that there is any union of essence or nature with them, for God is present in all places, and can, as God, be no more present at one place than at another. The only sense in which he can be peculiarly present in any place is by his influence, or agency. And the idea is one which denotes agency, influence, favour, peculiar regard; and in that sense only can he be present with his church, The expression must mean,

(1.) that the church is the seat of his operations, the field or abode on which he acts on earth;

(2.) that his influences are there, producing the appropriate effects of his agency, "love, joy, peace, longsuffering," etc., Gal 5:22,23;

(3.) that he produces there consolations, that he sustains and guides his people;

(4.) that they are regarded as dedicated or consecrated to him;

(5.) that they are especially dear to him--that he loves them, and thus makes his abode with them. Jn 14:23.

(a) "ye are" 2Cor 6:16 (*) "in" "among"