Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit · Sermon No. 1133
“If any man ha ve not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His.” Romans 8:9.
THIS is one of the most solemn texts in the whole Bible. It is so sweeping—it deals with all of us. “If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His.” And it deals with the most important point about us, for to belong to Christ is the most essential thing for time and eternity. But we are not Christ’s unless we have His Spirit. The text does not treat of external rites and ceremonies. It does not discuss a vexed question in doctrine. It does not speak of rare attainments and unusual virtues—but it lays its axe at the root of the tree—it points its sword at a vital part. The text probes to the quick—it pierces to the dividing asunder of the joints and marrow—dealing with the thoughts and intents of the heart. It speaks to the soul and though it is the voice of the Gospel, yet is its sound as terrible as the thunderclaps of Sinai. “If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His.”
Since the subject leads us to think upon the Spirit of Christ, let us entreat Him to help us at this hour, so that our thoughts shall be honest, heart-searching, and therefore profitable to us. The preacher has prayed that he may be helped to discourse upon the text. Let each hearer pray that what shall be rightly said may also rightly affect his heart and conscience. Do we not all earnestly desire to belong to Christ? Do we not tremble at the bare idea of its being said of us that we are “none of His”? With such desires and fears, I trust we shall come with the greater readiness under the influence of the heart-searching text before us.
I shall, at the outset, try to lead you to consider the remarkable title which is here given to the Holy Spirit. When we have considered that point, we will next observe the absolute necessity of possessing the Spirit. And, thirdly, meditate upon the evidences which may help us to discover whether we have the Spirit. Then we will close by weighing well the consequences of being found without the Spirit of Christ—“We are none of His.”
I. First, then, let us consider, well, THE REMARKABLE TITLE WHICH IS HERE GIVEN TO THE HOLY SPIRIT—for certainly it is the Holy Spirit who is here intended by, “the Spirit of Christ.” He is called, in the first part of the verse, “the Spirit of God.” And then He is styled, “the Spirit of Christ.” Christ and God are essentially One. The Holy Spirit stands in intimate relationship to both the Father and to the Son and is rightly called by either name. Inasmuch as He is here called the Spirit of Christ, we may rest assured that a deep mystery is here dimly revealed. The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Son as well as from the Father. Upon this we will say but little, for we know but little.
There was a great dispute, many centuries ago, between what are now called the Eastern and Western Churches, upon this question—whether the Spirit of God proceeded from the Father only, as said the Greek Church—or proceeded from the Father and the Son—as said the Latin Church. I think, if we must have an opinion upon such a subject, that our text decides the point by declaring that the Holy Spirit is not only the Spirit of God but the Spirit of Christ and proceeds, doubtless, both from the Father and from the Son. But when we have said that, what do we mean? Does any theologian know what he means by these words? Will anybody ever know what is meant thereby? Can any of us, by searching, find out God or know the Almighty to perfection? Is not this a mystery into which our eyes will never be able to see? And, therefore, is it not better to leave it among the inscrutable things which belong to the blessed Trinity in unity, where understanding is swamped, but where faith finds waters to swim in?
Leaving that deep matter, we pass to notice that the title, “the Spirit of Christ,” signifies, first, that the Spirit peculiarly and especially rested upon Christ. The Holy Spirit had much to do with the Person of our blessed Redeemer. The Manhood of Christ was begotten of the Spirit of God when the power of the Highest overshadowed the Virgin Mary. When our Lord first appeared in public to be recognized as the Son of God—when He went down into the waters of Jordan and came up from them—the Spirit descended upon Him like a dove, and rested upon Him while the Divine
Voice proclaimed out of Heaven, “This is My Beloved Son.” No sooner had the Son of God passed from Jordan’s brink than He was, “led of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil”—guided by the Spirit of God to undergo those processes of trial which were necessary to make Him perfect as the great High Priest, enabling Him to sympathize with our infirmities, because He was “tempted in all points like as we are.”
We read that He returned into Galilee in the power of the Spirit. When He began to preach, the first chapter that He read in public was, “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the Gospel to the poor.” His ministry was not a dead ministry of the letter, but it stood in the power of the Spirit of God! He spoke not according to the flesh, with the garnishing of human eloquence and winning flatteries, but with those forcible words of wisdom which the Holy Spirit teaches. He taught the people as One having authority and not as the scribes. All through the life of Christ you see that the Spirit of God rested upon Him in fullness of power, for God “gives not the Spirit by measure unto Him.” In Him “dwelt the fullness of the Godhead bodily,” and all the sacred gifts of the Holy Spirit were treasured up in His blessed Person that out of His fullness we, also, might receive Grace for Grace.