What does Romans 8:9 mean when it says if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His?
Romans 8:9 means the indwelling Holy Spirit is the criterion of belonging to Christ. If a person does not have the Spirit of Christ—the Holy Spirit—he is not His. The Spirit is received by believing the Gospel; when one believes, God puts Himself in the believer and the believer in Him, giving assurance.
Les explains that the Spirit of Christ is the Holy Spirit. He says the criterion is simple: if you have the indwelling Holy Spirit, you are in Christ; if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. Les teaches that you receive the Holy Spirit by believing the Gospel, and when you believe, God does it all: He puts Himself in us and puts us in Him, and we have this assurance. Les also connects this to First John chapter 3, verse 1, where believers are called the sons, or children, of God, and the world does not know them.
But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
More Questions
Why is Romans 8:9 about not having the Spirit of Christ such a scary verse?
Paul's statement that if any man has not the Spirit of Christ he is none of His is a scary verse, and Les says people sometimes need to be scared a little bit by it.
What does it mean if you do not have the Spirit of Christ in you?
If a person does not have the Spirit of Christ dwelling in him, he is none of His—he does not belong to Christ.