Daily Bible Nugget #769, Romans 8:10

The Nugget:

Rom 8:10  And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. (KJV)

Rom 8:10 And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the spirit is life because of righteousness. (ASV, American Standard Version)

Rom 8:10  If Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the spirit is alive because of righteousness. (WEB, World English Bible)

Rom 8:10  However, if Christ lives in you, your bodies are dead because of sin, but your spirits are alive because you have God’s approval. (GW, God’s Word translation)

Rom 8:10 But if Christ lives in you, although your bodies must die because of sin, your spirits are now enjoying life because of right standing with God. (Williams NT)

My Comment:

The original Greek text of the New Testament did not employ capital letters the way we do in modern English. We capitalize the “S” in Spirit when we understand the reference is to the Holy Spirit. In Romans chapter 8 there is considerable controversy about when pneuma or spirit is a reference to the Holy Spirit or the human spirit. That is why some English translations for Romans 8:10 read “Spirit” while others read “spirit.” After considerable study, I have come to the conclusion that the lower case “spirit” is correct for Romans 8:10.

Sometimes my pupils in an adult home Bible study class get quite disturbed and disagree with me about some of these things! That is always fine with me, but often not fine with at least some of them.

In the case of Romans 8:10 we have a good example which shows Paul believed in Dichotomy not Trichotomy. This means Paul believed and taught that we have a body and a spirit. Two parts to our nature, not three (body, soul, and spirit).

That this is so is clear when we carefully compare Scripture with Scripture by means of cross references.

Many people, including many contemporary Bible scholars, reject the notion of using cross references in Bible study. I just finished reading a scholarly nearly 400 page new (2023) book today about the history of the decline of Dispensationalism and its effect on American religious and political history where the author expressed, even emphasized this very thing. He thinks “Bible readings” (like what is presented in the Thompson Chain Reference Bible) and cross reference Bible study is a very mistaken way to study the Bible since, in his opinion, it represents a false method or hermeneutic of Bible interpretation.

I firmly disagree!

The way the Bible is written requires that to understand what the Bible teaches we must search out all the passages that are about the subject we are studying. These passages can be found by using a source of more complete cross references, such as the original Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and my expansions of this resource, The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, Nelson’s Cross Reference Guide to the Bible, and The Ultimate Cross Reference Treasury.

From The Ultimate Cross Reference Treasury for Romans 8:10,

the body. Paul speaks here of man’s constituent parts in terms of dichotomy: body and spirit (1Co 5:5; 1Co 7:34, 2Co 7:1, Eph 2:3, Col 2:5).

1 Corinthians 5:5
5  To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
King James Version

1 Corinthians 7:34
34  There is difference also between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit: but she that is married careth for the things of the world, how she may please her husband.
King James Version

2 Corinthians 7:1
1  Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
King James Version

Ephesians 2:3
3  Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
King James Version

Colossians 2:5
5  For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ.
King James Version

I am very aware there is another point of view–Trichotomy! I plan to cover that view in my next post.