READ: Rom. 8:9–13: … And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness …
In contrast to people who remain in their sinful nature and allow themselves to be led by it, without receiving Christ in faith, the life of a believer is totally different. A believer’s life comes under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, whom Christ promises to all who believe in Him (…).
He dwells and works in you as the Spirit of Christ; He unites you with your Savior. Through His leading, the Spirit enables you to please God. This does not apply if your life is not in accordance with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit—then it becomes clear that you do not belong to Christ (v.9).
Even when Christ lives in you, your body will still have to die because of sin, yet your spirit is justified—acquitted of the judgment of eternal death through Christ’s work. You may receive eternal life.
That eternal life begins already here on earth, through the working of the Spirit. He ensures that the eternal life which Christ earned for you enters into you. This leads to the eternal life that continues after death for every believer. For the Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead will also give life to our mortal bodies at the resurrection of the dead (v.11).
As said: the decision is made here on earth, with the certainty that if the Spirit already dwells and works in you now, He will also raise you up on the last day. The Lord Jesus also connected in John 5:28–29 the conversion to Him with the resurrection to life from the dead.
Paul had already pointed out in chapter 7 that believers still struggle much with their old sinful self. He now repeats (after chapter 6) that our old self must be dead to us: we owe it nothing. Stronger still: we must constantly fight against it.
The great threat of our flesh is that we give in to it. But by doing so, we give in to the adversary, Satan. The Lord gives us, in His Spirit, everything as armor to fight against our own flesh—even to put it to death. In this way the Spirit will triumph, and we shall live.
What does “real” life mean for you personally?
Sing: Hymn 39:1 (1984) / 51:1 (2014)