Romans 8:9

Here he applies what he had laid down more generally to the believing Romans in particular. Not in the flesh, but in the Spirit; i.e. not after the flesh, but after the Spirit, (as in Romans 8:5), or not carnally, but spiritually minded. If so be that; the conjunction here is causal, not conditional; it may be rendered, seeing that, or forasmuch as: see Romans 8:17,31 2 Thessalonians 1:6. The Spirit of God dwell in you; the Spirit of God dwells in the regenerate, not only by the immensity of his presence, so he is every where and in all things; but by the presence and efficacy of his grace. The indwelling of the Spirit in believers denotes two things:

1. His ruling in them: where a man dwells as Lord, there he doth command and bear rule.

2. His abiding in them, and that for ever, 1 Thessalonians 14:16. If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his; if he has not the same Spirit which in the former part of the verse is called the Spirit of God: it is called the Spirit of Christ, because it proceeds from him, and is procured by him, 1 Thessalonians 14:26 1 Thessalonians 16:7 Galatians 4:6. When he saith such a one is none of Christ s, he means, that he doth not peculiarly belong to Christ, he hath no special interest in him, is no true member of him. As a merchant sets his seal upon his goods, so doth Christ his Spirit upon his followers, Ephesians 1:13.