Romans 8:10-11 - A Formal Introduction to the Concept of Vivification (Conciliation Series, Part LVI)

 Part IV: God’s Conciliation, Confirmed

Now if the spirit of Him Who rouses Jesus from among the dead is making its home in you, He Who rouses Christ Jesus from among the dead will also be vivifying your mortal bodies because of His spirit making its home in you.

This part of the study will finally break down the basics of vivification, as well as Who is doing the vivifying (per the above verse.)

Now! The basics of vivification. I’ve quoted George Rogers 3 or 4 times concerning the three types of salvation, and they have been a major focus throughout this study. I’ll quote it here again, for all of our sakes:

“There is a past salvation from the penalty of sin dating from the time we first believed. Then there is the present deliverance from the power of sin by which we are saved from sinning and attain maturity. Finally, we shall be saved from the presence of sin at the advent of a Saviour Whom we await out of heaven (Rom. 13:11, Phil. 3:20, 21.)”

This concept is going to be further elaborated on here. Our justification is the past salvation, and conciliation concerns the present and future salvation. The question is: where does vivification fit in to all this? Well, there are two types of vivification – that of the spirit, and that of the flesh. The spiritual vivification concerns the present salvation, where you are removed from the power of sin. The physical vivification (which this verse introduces us to) is our future salvation, where you are saved from sin’s presence altogether. We will be covering more of the future expectation later in the chapter.

Since you have been baptized into Christ’s death, joining you to His spirit, you are currently able to take part in His spiritual newness of life (Rom. 6:3-9.) This newness of life is the noun, and “vivify” is the verb that perpetuates this newness of life.

Considering this information, as well as everything that was set up for us in 8:10, we can already grasp that there is a huge difference between “resurrection” and “vivification.” If “vivification” were “resurrection,” then “vivify” would not be the verb – the act – of perpetuating this newness of life. The “resurrection” of our Lord is how the newness of life is even possible! Sure enough, here’s a verse, in John 5:21, clarifying that these two concepts are mutually exclusive:

For even as the Father is rousing the dead and vivifying, thus the Son also is vivifying whom He will.

The rousing of the dead is the “waking the dead” resurrection that everyone speaks of. The vivifying is part of the “and.” It is a separate, additional concept. You are not just “resurrected” because Christ was resurrected, but vivified, because the life Christ has in resurrection is remaining – it is permanent (Rom. 6:9.)

If you are to be saved from death, then the threat of death must no longer loom over you. This means that your life must continually be sustained. This flesh can’t do that for you; it’s dying, so you need another Source. God, through Christ, is this Source that vivifies you (per John 5:21, but also considering these two verses in Romans.)

This reveals for us that “resurrection,” while monumental, is not enough to save you; you can be brought back, but resurrection apart from vivification has been shown to be an ineffective weapon against death (see: Lazarus, in John 11, who, though brought back from the dead, is dead, as of this writing.) In fact, resurrection is so ineffective at saving you that it isn’t even the cause of your unification with Christ. It was Christ’s death that has led you to partake of His life (Rom. 6:3-9,) not His resurrection. The resurrection was an effectual step. It makes you a new creation, yes (2 Cor. 5:17!) But resurrection doesn’t sustain itself.

This is where vivification comes into play. Let’s use your digestive system as a brief example. The digestive system itself is a masterclass of art! It dissolves necessary minerals and vitamins from whatever food you eat in order to make your body stronger. However, the digestive system is not self-sustaining. The minerals and vitamins must continually be placed into your body in order for the digestive system’s functions to remain valuable. So it is with resurrection and vivification; your digestive system is the stand-in for resurrection, and the minerals/vitamins are the stand-in for vivification. Resurrection is a masterclass of art! But if it is not fed, it starves to death.

As I covered at the beginning of this mini-series, the word “vivification,” in Greek, is zoopoieo. Its Greek elements are “LIVE-MAKE.” When you look at this word in the KJV, it is oftentimes translated “quicken,” and sometimes translated “make alive.” The word “quicken” is closer to the Greek word’s original meaning, but it doesn’t cover the whole meaning. “Make alive” falls gravely short of the Greek, and has been the source of this confusion between “vivification” and “resurrection.”

Zoopoieo has been translated as “vivification” in the Concordant Literal, because it is one of the few words in English by which we can properly grasp the Greek. The word “vivify” is derived from Latin: vivus, “alive,” and facio, “to make.” Like I said at the beginning of the study: I will cite every use of the word, but I will not attempt to cover each use in context, instead saving it for a later date.

You are, per the present salvation, spiritually vivified. God is the One Who vivifies the dead (Rom. 4:17,) and He proclaims that your spirit is life, now, in Christ. 8:10 broke this down clearly, but left the question hanging: what of our body?

First: who is doing the vivifying? The answer is God (Rom. 4:17.) It is the spirit of Him Who rouses Jesus from among the dead Who does the vivifying. The Source of power here is the spirit of God. This once again highlights the difference between Christ’s spirit and God’s spirit, and further disproves the silly notion that these two are the “same being,” in some Trinitarian nonsense. The doctrine of the Trinity is pagan myth, brought about by Satan, who wishes to see the world deny God and His character in every way, likening Him to a dying man as opposed to a Deity, a Savior (Rom. 1:20-23.)

This also highlights Paul’s initial statement in Rom. 1:16, that the evangel is God’s power for salvation. It is He Who saves (1 Tim. 4:10,) and Christ, while also titled “Savior,” is the Channel by which God saves. He is only able to “vivify,” really, because His Father vivifies (John 5:21.)

Even though this clear distinction is made, it is not the point of the verse. The verse starts with the conjunction de (now,) and continues with that conditional word ei (if.) If is, again, conditional as to whether or not you are a saint, beloved by God (1:6, 3:21-23.) It introduces us to the “If, then” dichotomy of the sentence. But why does Paul give us this huge sentence? Why not just say, “If God’s spirit is making its home in you, then…?”

The answer is that Paul is providing new information. We already read that conditional clause, in verse 9! Look at the very careful wording of this sentence again:

Now if the spirit of Him Who rouses Jesus from among the dead is making its home in you, He Who rouses Christ Jesus from among the dead will also be vivifying your mortal bodies because of His spirit making its home in you.

There’s a wealth of new information to grasp, in fully considering the verse’s scope. First, we do not read that “The spirit of Him Who vivifies Jesus.” Though this verse is formally introducing you to your bodies’ vivification, it expresses first that Jesus is roused from among the dead. The word “roused” is not “vivified.” Here is Knoch on the word “roused”–

“(Egeiroo) To rouse, to cause to rise, to stir to activity. This word is used 142 times in the New Testament. In at least 78 of its occurrences it is used of rousing the dead. It is used of rousing the living from sleep (Acts 12:7); of rousing from sitting or reclining position (Mark 10:46-50; John 11:29; cf v.20; Matt.8:14,15; 17:6-8). It is used of lifting sheep from a pit into which it has fallen (Matt.12.11). It is used in the statement ‘Nation shall be roused against nation’ (Matt.24:7).”

This brief overview of the word “roused” can show us that to be “roused” is a physical action. It is the physical act of raising. The word is never used in relation to spirit. For example, observe this verse, John 2:19, which many Trinitarians use to proclaim that Christ was not roused through the glory of the Father, but that He raised Himself:

Jesus answered and said to [the Jews,] “Raze this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”

Now, if this were in relation to Jesus’ spirit, then raise could indeed be used in relation to ‘spirit.’ But it’s not! The word ‘roused’ is only used in relation to the body. How do we know Jesus was speaking of His body, and not His life, in the passage? Well, let’s read on into John 2:21–

[Jesus] said it concerning the temple of His body.

Why, thank you, John!

When Paul is speaking of Jesus being roused from among the dead, he is speaking of the body. This is the literal act of rousing someone. I’ll repeat this many times throughout our studies, but for now, we must ask – Who is being roused?

The first time we read the phrase, the name “Jesus” is used. Yet the second use says “Christ Jesus.” Very early on in this series (as in, Romans 1:1,) I noted that every use of Jesus’ name and title deserves our earnest consideration. The first use considers Jesus personally, as a single individual. It shows us an intimate historical fact of Jesus, in the likeness of sin’s flesh, being roused. This is the greatest display of power and love ever to be conceived.

Yet the second use of ‘Jesus’, putting Christ first, shows us His authority, as well as His relationship to us. The Christ Jesus of the New Testament has gone through the same exact process that you are being put through now. When Christ descended to His earthly sojourn, the dead body/living spirit process took root – for thirty three years, the Most High walked this earth, with a suffering that I can’t properly put into words. He became the second Man to impact all of humanity (Rom. 5:18-19, 1 Cor. 15:22, 47.) He, the Head of all creation (Col. 1:15-17,) in His crucifixion, entombment, and rousing (all three,) established Himself, finally, as the Head of the new humanity, and the new creation (Col. 1:18-20.) This is the One that God roused, personally – His Son – and authoritatively – the Christ.

Thus, we can see how Christ, as the Head of the new creation, serves as a blueprint for the rest of the new creation, which we are discovering for the first time, here and now. His rousing, per 8:11, is not merely “something God did one day to look cool,” but serves as a pledge that, even as He was delivered from Sin through God’s three steps for salvation, thus also we will be delivered as conclusively and wholly as He has been (and while this verse is only speaking of believers now, soon all will be given this – 1 Cor. 15:22!)

This reveals for us resurrection’s place. It’s ineffective at sustaining life, but it is very effective at delivering you from Sin’s power! We see that, though we are joined with Christ through His death, we are also going to be delivered through His resurrection (1 Cor. 15, Eph. 1:19-20, 1 Thess. 4:14.) Christ is the establishment of a pattern by which God is introducing and conforming the new creation.

After reading these critical words, man would say, “Well, if Paul’s ‘if’ statement is that God rouses Jesus from among the dead, then Paul’s ‘then’ statement should say, ‘Then He Who rouses Christ Jesus from among the dead will also raise us from among the dead…’ right?” You would think this to be “what Paul means,” and you’ll read many Christian pastors or hear teachers say that this must be what Paul meant. When they do this, they are assuming. Please don’t assume, for it makes an ass out of u and me. The assumption is that “vivification” and “rousing” are not mutually exclusive, and that one is critical to the other – even though we’ve already read John 5:21, which should show us that we should not make this assumption.

In his “then” statement, Paul adds that, if He Who rouses Jesus from among the dead dwells in you, then He will also be doing for you what He did for His Son. As we covered in 8:3, Christ came in the likeness of sin’s flesh. Here we do not read of a dead body being “vivified,” but a mortal body being vivified –the very kind of body that Christ willingly subjected Himself to during His terrestrial journey (Phil. 2:7-8.) If Paul had said “dead” body, then vivification would only be able to play a role in an already-dead body. Yet here, God purposefully does not say “dead,” but “mortal.”

 The point I’m making is that “vivification,” here, is not said to be contingent on whether or not the body physically dies. It is already considered to be dead, by God (8:10,) and as a result, the vivification of your mortal body can occur at any time – five minutes from now, a year from now – on God’s time. Mortality ends in two ways: you either die, or are vivified.

An alternative is impossible, here, for a critical reason: what of the believers that are still physically breathing, in their physical bodies, at the time of Christ’s snatching us away to be with Him (1 Thess. 4:13-18?) It’s a toughie. Even many believers brush past these verses and just say “every believer will die.” Nowhere have we read such a statement. Not in Romans, that’s for sure. And not in other letters or books, either. This is a lie that has been introduced to the body of Christ by Clyde Pilkington, an immature teacher in the faith. He proclaims that “every believer must die first, and then they will be resurrected” (see Bible Students Notebook, Iss. 945, p.3.) This deserts the concept of vivification altogether, twists the grammar of the verses we’re considering, and thus denies the word of God. Hence the “immaturity” of the teaching.

Scripture does not say that every believer will die. Scripture, in fact, declaratively states the opposite! Let’s sneak a peak at a big secret in 1 Cor. 15:51–

Lo! a secret to you am I telling! We all, indeed, shall NOT be put to repose, yet we all SHALL be changed…

Woah! So here we have Scripture stating the direct opposite of such a false teaching as, “in Adam all die.” Here, we have the revelation (in the conclusion of Paul’s exhortation) that we shall not all be put to repose. Some will ask, “How are we ‘not all put to repose?’”

Thank you for asking that, “some.”

“Some” miss the very verses we are studying now! Romans 8:10-11. Crazy how it all just… fits, hmmm? Vivification is the method by which all are changed. There is no other way. It is not contingent on whether or not you are “vivified.” Why are we changed?

Why, He gives us the “why” right here:

He Who rouses Christ Jesus from among the dead will also be vivifying your mortal bodies BECAUSE of His spirit making its home in you.

*   *   *

I want to bookend this part with another consideration of Romans 4:16-17, with the understanding that ‘vivification’ sustains the life that resurrection enacts. Observe the verse:

…Abraham, who is father of us all, according as it is written that, ‘A father of many nations have I appointed you’ -- facing which, he believes it of the God Who is vivifying the dead and calling what is not as if it were…

As you can recall, the context of the latter half of Romans 4 considers the “deadening” of Sarah’s reproductive system. This also further enlightens us as to the concept of vivification. We are told of the deadening of the matrix of Sarah. This did not say that Sarah “didn’t have the reproductive system,” or that she couldn’t become naturally aroused, or even that she couldn’t orgasm! The cells that her reproductive system produced were infertile. As far as the procreative power was concerned, both Sarah and Abraham were unable to effect the life cycle.

Thus we can begin to grasp that the vivification of both Romans 4:17 and 8:10-11 are separate from “being resurrected,” and even from “being roused” (as 8:11 uses both ‘roused’ and ‘vivified’ in the same sentence, highlighting their difference.) We can also begin to grasp that it is not a provision of life, but a perpetual sustenance of the life that has already been given. Vivification is critical for our spirit, for without it, we would not stay baptized into Christ’s death. We would follow in Lazarus’ footsteps; the life we have been given could otherwise run out, giving way to death again.

This vivification of our bodies is a bit of a double entendre; it is the end of your salvation, but it is also the beginning of your expectation finally becoming a reality. Our spirits, awaiting in expectation, are groaning for the deliverance of our body from the presence of sin (Rom. 8:23 – more on this in a later article.) Our spirits need a proper body by which to flourish. We are truly in an unnatural state, per Rom. 8:10 – a strange mix between living and dead.

It is because of this strange mix that we must, once again, ask why. Why? Why is this dichotomy presented? Why must we live like this?

We must understand that God, while loving, is the only Authority we abide by. He is our all. He is educating us in our infirmities (Rom. 5:3-5, 2 Cor. 12:7-10.) Notice that, it is only in this state that you have come to such an intimate understanding of God? When God decides that your spirit is far enough along, then your mortal body will be vivified. Whether your spirit must be “naked” first or not is up to Him (2 Cor. 5:1-4.) Nevertheless, when you receive a vivified body, you will fully understand that it is only Him doing it, and you will further know that it is only because His spirit is making its home in you.

Yes – the ultimate reason that God will vivify your dead body is because He has already asserted that your body is where His spirit makes its home! Just as Jesus’ body is a temple (John 2:21,) so also is yours, thanks to your spiritual baptism into Christ’s death (Rom. 6:3-9.) It shows us that “He Who rouses Jesus from among the dead” is not just some ‘promise that He’ll do the same to you,’ but also the reason that He is operating in you in identical fashion.

Ultimately, this just shows and highlights the theme of Romans (1:16.) God’s salvation is His power, and stands as a major pillar in understanding how Christ’s death, entombment, and resurrection should be considered “according to the scriptures” (1 Cor. 15:3-4.)

God will be vivifying our mortal bodies. This is declarative. This is not a question of ‘if,’ but when. You are a saint, so the idea of ‘if’ is out of the question. This is a guarantee from the Creator of the universe; your spirit is already vivified, and your body, while dead now (8:10,) will eventually follow suite (8:11,) brought into a sustained, permanent life.

- GerudoKing