Hello,
Would you please explain 2 Corinthians 13:5? Is it possible that a Christian can become reprobate? Is it possible for Christ to no longer be in a Christian?  Roman’s 8:9 talks about IF the Spirit of God dwell in you. And if any man does not have the Spirit of Christ he is none of his. 1 Corinthians 16:22 seems to indicate that a Christian can be cursed.
And Galatians 1:8.
Thank you.

Good questions. Let’s first consider key Bible truth about salvation, and then I will address the verses you mentioned. 

When an individual believes in Jesus, he or she receives eternal life (John 3:16; 6:47). Can you have eternal life for just a little while? That would be impossible. But it gets better. Eternal is not merely something forever; eternal life is someone. Jesus is called “that eternal life” (1 John 1:2; 5:20). When you believe in Jesus, you receive His very own eternal life. He lives in the believer by His Spirit, and He promises to never leave you (Hebrews 13:5). 

In addition to this wonderful truth, when someone believes in Jesus, their spirit gets regenerated. The old man (ungenerated spirit) dies with Christ (Romans 6:6), and then is raised the new man (regenerated spirit), which is created after God in righteousness and true holiness (Ephesians 4:24). This new creation is not a renovation but a re-creation (2 Corinthians 5:17), which consists of something of the divine nature implanted in the new believer—God’s seed [sperma/DNA] is in the believer making him a child of God (1 John 3:9). There had to be a part of man “made righteous” (Roman’s 5:19) so that the Holy Spirit could move in. There is absolutely no indication anywhere in the New Testament that this new man is ever taken back out. There is absolutely no indication that the new man ever becomes the old man again. There is no indication that the regenerated spirit ever becomes ungenerated. In fact, “he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit” (1 Corinthians 6:17). What blessed assurance!

Now regarding your specific passages in question,  2 Corinthians 13:5 says, “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?” The word reprobate means literally to not stand the test. The test is whether you are in the faith. The issue is faith, not works. Did you depend on Jesus as your Savior? If so, Jesus is in you because faith in Jesus passes the test. Those who believe in Jesus have His indwelling eternal life. 

Romans 8:9 says, “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.” In my book entitled The Gospel to Saints, which walks through Romans 6-8, I explain:

“Paraphrase: But you (who in this context are the us who walk not according to the power of the flesh, but according to the power of the Spirit) are (when that is the case) not in the power of the flesh, but in the power of the Spirit, since the power of the Spirit is being imparted to you. Now if any man is not taking and having the power of the Spirit, he is not being His (surrendered follower) because he is not yielding to the Spirit’s lordship.

The context informs us that the you is the us of verse four who are not walking according to the power of the flesh, but according to the power of the Spirit. 

The absence of the articles all four times the Spirit is referenced highlight the power of the Spirit. Since the issue is the power of the Spirit, not the person of the Spirit, the point addresses practice, not position. The emphasis is Spirit-enablement (sanctification), not Spirit-indwelling (salvation).

The present tense verbs reveal the responsibility here mentioned is not a one-time matter, like in salvation, but an ongoing matter. “Now if anyone does not have [is not having/receiving] {the} Spirit of Christ [the power of the Spirit of Christ], he is not His, [he is not being His].” The issue is that when we are not taking the Spirit’s leadership and power, we are not being His, in the sense of being His glad followers by yielding to His lordship. The emphasis is surrender, not salvation. 

If you do not possess the Spirit, you are not saved. But if you possess the Spirit but are not having/receiving His leadership and power, you are not surrendered to His lordship. When such is the case, you are not Spirit-filled. You are quenching the Spirit. This is the point of the second half of verse nine. The grammar reveals the point is not a matter of not possessing the person of the Spirit, but a matter of not taking His power through the faith of surrender. Since the issue is the power of the Spirit, not the person of the Spirit, then the point is practice, not position. 

The emphasis of the whole of the verse in context is having/receiving the leadership and power of the Spirit of Christ. Love Jesus by gladly yielding to His lordship. This is how we can be “being His.” It’s loving surrender. Love Jesus by trusting in His Spirit’s leadership and power, and through being empowered, obey. The Spirit-filled life is not passive. It is the active cooperation of faith. Not just obey, nor just trust, but trust to obey.

1 Corinthians 16:22 says, “If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema [accursed].” To love Jesus is to choose Jesus, and to choose Jesus is to trust Jesus. This verse references those who do not ever trust in Jesus as Savior.

Galatians 1:8 says, “But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.” This addresses those who preach a false gospel and have never been saved. 

The bottom line is that when you simply believe in Jesus to save you, He does. He moves in, and He never leaves. 

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