Romans 8:10-11 – Heaven in the Here and Now
Let me tell you the life story of a certain man. All he ever really wanted in life was more. He wanted more money, so he invested his inherited wealth into a billion-dollar pile of assets. He wanted more fame, so he broke into the Hollywood scene and soon became a filmmaker and star. He wanted more sensual pleasures, so he paid handsome sums to indulge his every sexual urge. He wanted more thrills, so he designed, built, and piloted the fastest aircraft in the world. He wanted more power, so he secretly dealt political favors so skillfully that two U.S. presidents became his pawns. All he ever wanted was more. He was absolutely convinced that more would bring him true satisfaction. Unfortunately, history shows otherwise. This man concluded his life emaciated and colorless; with a sunken chest; fingernails in grotesque, inches-long corkscrews; rotting, black teeth; tumors; and innumerable needle marks from his drug addiction. This man, Howard Hughes, died in 1976 believing the myth of more. He died a billionaire junkie, insane by all reasonable standards.
There must be more. But what? And before you answer that question, let me ask you: do you really believe it? Do you really believe you know the answers of life? Do you really believe that you have found the thing that matters more than money, fame, pleasure, excitement or power? And if you really do think you have found it, are you making the most of it? The reason I’m asking these questions flows from our scripture passage today. Let’s read Romans 8:10-11.
Now, we began this paragraph last week. We looked at the truth just in passing that as believers, we have the Spirit of God, also called the Spirit of Christ, living inside of us – v9. V10 says the same thing in still another way: that Christ is in us. This is called our position. We will look more at our position next week, but it is simply a description of who we are by definition. Positionally, we have Christ inside us. We will continue to look at what that means practically, but positionally, we are off to a good start.
Now, because Christ is in us, even though our bodies might not be in the best of shapes, our spirits are much better off – v10. Because of sin, our bodies became subject to things like disease and old age. But now, because a believer is righteous, that is, made right with God, we are better off. Because Christ made a way for us to be considered alright in God’s eyes, because we can be forgiven, because God looks at us as if we had never sinned, our spirits are alive. We have life.
But that’s where I want to end up, so I’ll move on to v11. This carries the thought of things improving even further than v10 did. This says that God, who raised Jesus from the dead, will also raise our bodies from the dead as well. He will give us life through His Spirit by raising us from the grave, just as He did for Christ. Same God, same Spirit.
Now, I know this is basic theology for some of you, but it’s a great truth, no matter how many times it’s told. In God’s wonderful timing, Jesus will descend from heaven in the clouds. An angelic trumpet will sound, and Christians who have died will rise up out of the ground and the water and meet the Lord in the air. Then, those who are still alive to also join Jesus in the air. This is what the church has traditionally called the rapture, from the Latin word meaning “caught up”.
And in this whole process, we are going to get new bodies. I think of the song called New Body: “Crutches left on the ground, body parts lost are found, everybody gets to walk today. No more tears and we will feel no more pain. The sky splits, I’m moving, I let it freely take me. This must be the moment God chose to rearrange me. You and I will get a new body, you and I are gonna fly.”
The fact that God raised Jesus from the dead is a guarantee that the grave will not be the ultimate end for us either. Yes, we will face hard times. Yes, we will see death happen to our loved ones. And yes, unless Jesus comes back first, each of us will have our bodies laid in that casket or that urn and be placed away from sight.
But our hope is not found in escaping death. Our hope is found when faced with it. Our hope is Jesus, who Himself defeated the grave. He most certainly died, but He also, most certainly, did not stay there. On the third day, He rose as a victor from the dark domain, and He promises us that same victory. He promises that we as believers will have eternal life.
Most of us picture eternal life as something we will get. Eternal life is a future thing, or something. As if we don’t have it now. But let’s look at the passage again. It says, “your spirit is alive.” Like, right now. Eternal life starts in the here and now.
Paul seems to be suggesting that the life that our bodies will have, our spirits have right now. By the use of the word “And” or “But” at the beginning of the sentence at v11, it’s as if the renewal and change that our bodies will have in heaven is possible for our spirits now.
But I think it’s safe to say that most of us don’t live like that. To have resurrected, renewed, changed, glory-filled, Spirit-walking, too-blessed-to-be-stressed kind of life. Like what Jesus meant when He said, “I have come that you might have life, and have it to the full.” Abundant life.
Yet the passage indicates that our spirits are alive. Tell me, when was the last time you really felt alive? I don’t mean, compared to being dead. I mean, compared to what you were before Jesus? When was the last time you really felt new?
It’s funny. Of all the people in the world, it’s Christians who should have the most joy, the most excitement, and the most passion. Not because of sin, but rather, because we know that being saved is better than not. Of all the people in the world, we believers should know what it means to live life to the fullest. Yet, it could be argued, we don’t. There’s an old song by Steve Taylor called “Jenny”. It tells the story of a traditional girl trying to get out of this midwest, one horse town. Every fall the carnival comes to town and Michael is a smooth-talking ride operator. He tries to woo Jenny with these words: “These Bible belt folks think living is a sin, so they all start dying from the day they’re born again.”
I have chewed on those words for a decade. It’s not simply a line to seduce a girl, but an indictment on all of Christendom. We are meant to have eternal, resurrected life, and the best we can do is get excited about having nice weather instead of snow. We are meant to live with passion, but the only thing we get passionate about is when someone disagrees with our point of view. Where is our joy? Where is our love for life? Where is our thirst for the things of God? Where is our desire to consume God’s truths? Where is our appetite for prayer? Have we become so useless that anything above the average excitement for God is labeled “extreme”? I’m not trying to work up mere emotionalism. But if our spirits are alive, that HAS to include our spirits. Our emotions HAVE to come into play in our walk with God.
I think of a story that shows how much the church has lost its passion in pursuit of lesser things. Some years ago, a pastor found the roads blocked one Sunday morning and was forced to skate on the river to get to church, which he did. When he arrived, the elders of the church were horrified that their preacher had skated on the Lord’s day. After the service they held a meeting where the pastor explained that it was either skate to church or not go at all. Finally one elder asked, “Did you enjoy it?” Well, when the preacher answered no, the board decided it was all right. You see that? If the pastor had enjoyed it, it would have been wrong. But if it was duty, if it was going through the motions, it was OK. That is NOT what Jesus calls life abundant. That is not what Paul said the kingdom of God was about: righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.
Funny. Satan’s biggest and most effective lie in the world is, “If it feels good, do it.” One of his best for the church is, “If it feels good, DON’T!” But I love the passage in Colossians 2, which talks about man-made rules describing how a Christian needs to act: “Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules: ‘Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!’? These are all destined to perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings. Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.”
Please understand: I am not saying anything goes. I’m not saying sin is OK. Certainly not. But we have allowed ourselves to be put under constraints Jesus died to set us free from. We have failed in grabbing life by the horns and living it to the full. Life is too short to live selfishly and safe. Live is too short to be controlled by what other people say is appropriate. Folks, you need to go to God today and ask, Am I really living abundantly? Do I have resurrection life? Am I fully and completely alive, as God said I am? Or, am I just the same as I was, except dressed up a little more Christian-like?
We began by looking at Howard Hughes. All his pursuits left him empty and crazy. He may have seized the moment, but he did it for himself. As Christians, we have a higher calling. Seize the moment, but do it for God. Grab hold of the day He has given you, and live it to the full. Paul said it this way: “Whatever you do, whether in word or in deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.” That is abundant life.
