What is a Christian? In the Letter to Diognetus, which dates back to the second century A.D., an anonymous writer describes a strange people who are in the world but not of the world.
“Christians are not differentiated from other people by country, language, or customs; you see, they do not live in cities of their own, or speak some strange dialect. They live in both Greek and foreign cities, wherever chance has put them. They follow local customs in clothing, food, and other aspects of life. But at the same time, they demonstrate to us the unusual form of their own citizenship. “They live in their own native lands, but as aliens. Every foreign country is to them as their native country, and every native land as a foreign country.
“They marry and have children just like everyone else, but they do not kill unwanted babies. They offer a shared table, but not a shared bed. They are passing their days on earth, but are citizens of heaven. They obey the appointed laws and go beyond the laws in their own lives.”
“They love everyone, but are persecuted by all. They are put to death and gain life. They are poor and yet make many rich.”
“They are dishonored and yet gain glory through dishonor. Their names are blackened and yet they are cleared. They are mocked and bless in return. They are treated outrageously and behave respectfully to others.”
“When they do good, they are punished as evildoers; when punished, they rejoice as if being given new life. They are attacked by Jews as aliens and are persecuted by Greeks; yet those who hate them cannot give any reason for their hostility.” The word “Christian” has lost much of its meaning in our culture. It means “Christ in one.” ¹

Romans 8:10–11 (KJV)
10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit of him 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.

What the Word Christ Means

• Verse ten starts out as “And if Christ be in you…”
• The word Christ in the Greek, Χριστός/Christos, means anointed one.
  • It is the Greek translation of the Hebrew word Messiah.
• In other words, when you say the word Christ, you are speaking Greek not English.
• Translating Christ into English renders the definition as the anointed one and His anointing.
• ‘Christ in you’ does not speak of the physical Jesus who now sits at the right hand of the Father.
• It points to His anointing in you in the person of the Holy Spirit.
• If you read Romans 8:10-11, you will note the phrase ‘if Christ be in you’ is synonymous with the phrase ‘Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwell in you.’
• Either way you say it, both phrases equal a Christian.
• You should become good friends with the Holy Spirit.
• Like any relationship you have on planet earth, it takes work.

Philippians 2:1 (NKJV)
1 Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy,

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• As a believer in Jesus, you will be working with the Spirit of God for the rest of your days on planet earth.

1 John 2:27 (NKJV)
27 But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.

• The anointing in you, the Spirit in you, Christ in you teaches you everything you need to know about abiding, remaining, and settling down in Jesus.
• Without Him, without the anointing, without Christ in you, successful Christian life is out of reach.

What It Means to Have ‘Christ in You’

• It means “the body is dead because of sin;”
• This statement of fact applies to all human beings.
• The sin nature, a result of Adam’s transgression, made the body a broken and non-repairable mess.
• Replacement is the only solution.
• In the end, the body must be discarded.
• You cannot walk into heaven with the corrupt sin nature in tow.
• There is no reason to fret.
• A resurrection body free from the sin nature awaits every child of God.

2 Corinthians 5:1 (NKJV)
1 For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

• A second consequence of Christ in you is that “the Spirit is life because of righteousness.”
• The word Spirit here in the text should be a small case (s).
• It should read ‘spirit’ for human spirit.
• Your human spirit has life because righteousness has been imparted to it.
• This life was imparted to you the moment you called Jesus Lord in the new birth.
• At the exact moment you said yes to Jesus, you were legally declared the righteousness of God in Christ.
• The word righteousness, δικαιοσύνη/dikaiosynē, means to be set right with, to be judicially or lawfully correct.
• Righteousness means you were set right with God.
• It is a static setting meaning you will never be more righteous than you are right now.
• You are right with God period.
• God doesn’t see your hangups.
• He sees you through the eyes of Jesus, a righteous, a body dead because of sin, child of God.

The Quickening of the Mortal Body

• A third result of Christ in you is found in Romans 8:11. “But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead.”
• The noun ‘him’ refers to God the Father.
• All three members of the Trinity are represented in these verses.
• The Father raised His Son from the dead by the agency of the Holy Spirit.
• The term ‘the dead’ must be understood in scripture.
• The word does not just refer to physical death here.
• The term ‘the dead’ should not just be viewed as a condition only but also as a place.
• When people who are lost die, they, the spiritually dead, go to a place of confinement known as Hell.

Revelation 20:13–14 (NKJV)
13 The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. 14 Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

• Jesus, imprisoned in a place called ‘the dead’, acted as our substitute for three days and nights by serving out the penalty for sin.
• He did this for all humanity.
• After the penalty was fulfilled, the Holy Spirit went to that place called ‘the dead’ to raise Jesus up.
• All this was done at the command of God the Father.
• Now, here’s the thrilling part, “he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies.”
• The word dwell, οἰκέω/ ŏikĕō, means to reside in a place, to settle down in, to live or to dwell.
• It is the same word in Romans 8:9.
• The Holy Spirit resides, dwells, settles down and lives in you.
• He doesn’t come and go.
• And because, He abides He will quicken your mortal body.
• Quicken, ζῳοποιέω/zōopoieō, is another word which must be understood.
• The word means to make or sustain life, to cause to live.
• The word mortal, θνητός, means to subject to physical death. It is an adjective and here refers to the physical body.
• So what does ‘quicken your mortal bodies’ mean?
• Your spirit man was affected by the new birth as verse ten states for righteousness has been imparted to it.
• Your body also can experience a portion of redemption because life can also be imparted to it.
• So, the work of God is both an inside job and an outside one.
• Divine health is yours for the asking.
• The Holy Spirit in your spirit will quicken, make alive, your earthly body.
• This impartation has both present and future implication.
• In the present, physical healing belongs to us.
• The life of God will manifest in the outer man in this life.
• God will make alive your mortal natural body and heal it of all diseases.
• Physical strength and vitality are components of this manifested life.
• In short, healing, strength, and wholeness are manifestations which come out of the inner man by the Holy Spirit’s indwelling.
• This quickening comes through His Spirit, therefore check in with the Holy Spirit when you need to access this blessing.
• You cannot operate the things of God without the Spirit of God.
• As far as the future component of ‘our bodies being quickened’, that impartation of life manifests at the Rapture of the church and the Second Coming of Jesus.
• We experience, at that moment, the complete and final redemption of the bodies.
• Our bodies enter into a glorified state.
• The mortal component is swallowed up by immortality.

Call to Action:

Do you view yourself as the Bible describes you? Do you think of yourself as God’s righteousness? Do you look to the Holy Spirit, who has imparted life to your spirit as the source of life for your body. These are just some of the lessons of Romans 8:10-11.

Question: In what way has the Holy Spirit quickened or made alive your mortal body? Please leave your comments in the comments section below.