Amplified: And if the Spirit of Him Who raised up Jesus from the dead dwells in you, [then] He Who raised up Christ Jesus from the dead
will also restore to life your mortal (short-lived, perishable) bodies through His Spirit Who dwells in you. (Amplified Bible - Lockman)
Our physical body is dying. We can take care of it to last longer. Our appointed time to die has much to do with our personal body care.
But when it dies, it will be resurrected to a new perfect body, by the same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead.
Verse 10 tells us we will die. Verse 11 encourages us of the Spirit promising to give us life.
But for now, that same Spirit who gives us hope for a new physical body gives us hope for divine life now in our bodies which transforms the soul and certainly affects the body.
A transformed soul best prospers the body.
A MOMENT OF CLARIFICATION WHEN USING NAMES OF THE GODHEAD
Let me insert a comment on using persons of the Godhead when talking about them in our heart. At times I say Christ lives in us, or the Spirit lives in us. But technically all 3: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit [all three being one] live within us. We call this the Godhead [all 3 in 1]. Each entity describes a role to play in our life, but all three are one. The Father is a fatherly role. He is Creator, All-Wise God, etc. Jesus Christ the Son, one and the same as Father, willingly takes a submissive role to the Father. He is appointed Savior, Lord, King. He is the way, the truth, and the life. He is the Door and the Word. He speaks for the Father, from the Father. They Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Jesus. His role with God is instructor, guide, convector, revelatory, comforter, transforming power. So, when one of the Godhead is mentioned, it is all God but defining a particular role.
Everything God does He does as the triune God. Each Person of the Trinity is involved in every action of God. Yet at the same time each Person has a special role to fulfill in that work....There is no good that we receive from God but it is brought to us and wrought in us by the Holy Spirit. Nor is there in us any good towards God, any faith, love, obedience to His will, but what we are enabled (Ed: Note not "helped" which implies we have some ability and just need a little "push"!) to do so by the Holy Spirit. (Pneumatologia, Or, A Discourse Concerning the Holy Spirit)
In this verse, the Father raises the Son, through the Holy Spirit.
THE HOLY SPIRIT LIVES PERMANENTLY IN OUR LIFE
through his Spirit who lives in you.[l]
living implies permanence. When you move into a place, it is permanence. And the Holy Spirit does not move in and move out. The blood of Christ once and for all provided a permanent base of living and operation.
It is also a marriage with us which has no divorce.
Jesus promised, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."
Hebrews 13:5Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Now, each of our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit.
Ponder on that a while.
How do you treat and use your body? Food, dress, what you think, how you form beliefs, how you judge life and people, how you handle your emotions, how you use the Holy Spirit in treating others, how you use your eyes, mouth, hands, feet, your reproductive functions, etc.?
What is the purpose of the body?
- to glorify God
- to be used for His purposes
- to advance the kingdom of God
We are to manage our body not to be controlled by it. We have given our life to Christ. We are to manage our body under His rule. This requires our participation, our partnership to carry out His directives. To do this, our heart must compliant to His, our will must bend to His, our tasks must be to fulfill His. Our life is not our own. We've been bought with a price. We have no rights of our own. We have no will of our own. We have no choices of our own. We are His. He lives in us.
This sounds frightening. But it is the opposite. Our life is a matter of trust. And if we do trust to do His will with our body, blessings will come to us that are unimaginable an wonderful, more wonderful than walking by our own ways.
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Romans 8: 11 Moreover ...the Spirit of the one[j] ... will also make your mortal bodies alive through his Spirit who lives in you.[l]
Many scholars believe this passage refers to the Holy Spirit's role solely on physical resurrection. I am no scholar. But I believe, by experience, all of us can testify the Holy Spirit living in our bodies senses the life of God in it when we obey.
My physical body tends to be lifeless when sin or self is at the rule.
My physical body tends to have more life, energy, motivation, accomplishment when I am in full union with the Godhead.
I believe the energy working in my spirit and soul affects my body in many ways.
Another example:
When a Christian receives conviction about his health. He improves his diet and activity. As a result, he handles stress better, thus improving his immune system, improving his blood pressure, feeling healthier, displaying better moods, accomplishing more productivity.
We can do more when we follow the Spirit's life!
For years, I suffered from spells of physical lows. It affected my energy and moods. I was tired and grumpy.
But the Holy Spirit directed me to change my eating habits, increase my exercise and activities.
I must admit that was hard. It took a long time to improve these areas, but:
- I have no more energy lows
- I'm not as tired
- I'm not as grumpy
- I spend more time with those whom I love
- I have more desire and time spent with God
- MUCH MORE
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When a person's body feels sick, God must not be blamed. That is a dangerous judgment of God who is Wise and Good.
Sickness is the result of environment, our failed responsibility to give our body proper nutrition.
When the body is weakened, it does affect our attitude and perception. Even our faith may be attacked. Health can affect faith and faith affects health.
Sin is another factor. When we sin, we failed to trust God. Self-will following our own path deprives the body of strength. Deprived strength can lead to physical sicknesses.
Heart attacks, cancers may be the result of bitterness, covetousness, pride, sin addictions. Physical health is diminished when we live life our way.
Periodic obedience can also lead to sicknesses that those who maintain a consistent walk of faith do not have or have not so. often.
If one is more sick more often and may not be committed to conscious sinning may also need more of the presence and knowledge of the Lord to increase their faith and strength. Over time God grants more insight into correcting health issues.
Some individuals who walk with God may have some thorn in the flesh to keep them more reliant on Christ.
So sickness is not always related to sin. But sin always affects illness.
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