Romans 8:9

Romans 8:9. But ye, etc. The Apostle now turns to the other class, spoken of in Romans 8:5, gladly using direct address, for ‘ye' is emphatic in the original.

If so be. This conditional form is ‘an indirect incitement to self-examination' (Meyer), and does not imply special doubt.

The Spirit of God dwell in you. In the previous clause the ‘Spirit' is represented as the element in which they live; here as the indwelling power which enables them to live in this element. This change of figure is quite common in the New Testament language respecting the Holy Spirit. That the Holy Spirit is here meant ought not to be doubted. ‘In you' must not be weakened into ‘among you.'

Now if. This is a pure hypothesis, and does not imply that such was the case.

Hath not the Spirit of Christ. There is no better evidence of careless reading of the Scripture than the frequent use of this clause as if it referred to the temper or disposition shown by Christ. It means the Holy Spirit which belongs to, or proceeds from, Christ, this designation Ming adopted to prove the truth that those who have not this Spirit are ‘none of Christ's.' The whole passage has an important bearing on the doctrine of the Trinity, especially as related to Christian experience. It must be admitted that such statements generally have reference to the economy of grace, but they form the basis for the doctrinal statements of the Church. This text has therefore been a proof text for the Western doctrine of the procession of the Holy Ghost from the Father and the Son (filioque. Synod of Toledo A. D. 589). This was the final contribution to the doctrinal statement of the Trinity. The Greek Church admits that the Holy Spirit is sent by the Son as well as the Father, out denies that He proceeds eternally, or, metaphysically, from the Son. The sending belongs to the economical Trinity; the eternally proceeding, to the ontological Trinity.

Ha is none of his. He does not belong to Christ, perhaps implying that the Spirit unites the members of the mystical body of Christ to their Head, and that without this Spirit such union does not exist.