What is the meaning of Romans 8:11?

11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. (Romans 8:11 KJV)

William Burkitt’s Commentary

As if Apostle Paul had said, “Although your body must die, yet it shall live again in the morning of the resurrection, and that by virtue of the Spirit of Christ which dwelleth in you, and is the bond of union with him your head; others shall be raised by the power of Christ as their judge, but you shall be raised by virtue of your union with him as your head: They are raised officio judices, you beneficio mediatoris.”

Observe here, An happy resurrection promised, the same Holy Spirit of God that raised Christ shall raise you because the same Spirit dwelleth in you.

Learn thence, That the bodies of the saints are the temples of the Holy Ghost, his dwelling place, living, dying, and dead; if the Holy Spirit dwells in us here, sanctifying our persons, the same Spirit will not forsake our bodies in the grave, but raise them up to glory and happiness. Death dissolves all other unions except the union between the believer and the Spirit of Christ, the grave itself cannot separate them.

Observe, 2. The condition upon which this promise is made and insured, If the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you.

Where note, 1. A blessed relation; the Holy Ghost is called the Spirit of the Father, because the Father is the fountain and original of the Deity, and does communicate it both to the Son and to the Spirit to teach us to seek unto the Father for the gift of the Holy Spirit, he being the donor and dispenser of it.

Note, 2. A glorious operation, the Spirit raised up Jesus from the dead.

Where observe, That the holy scriptures ascribe Christ’s resurrection to all the three persons in the glorious Trinity: The Father raised him, Him God raised up the third day Ac 10:40; Christ raised himself, I have power to lay down my life, and the take it up again: Joh 10:18

The Holy Ghost raised up Christ, He was put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit 1Pe 3:18.

Note, 3. A gracious possession and special inhabitation; He dwelleth in us, in our hearts by his gifts and graces, in our bodies as his living temples, which proves him to be really God, for none but a God possesses a temple; and also to be a distinct person, not an energy or operation, for none but a person can be said to inhabit or dwell; and should teach us to take heed of defiling our bodies by any uncleanness, which are or ought to be the temples of the Holy Ghost: for if any man defile the temple of God, him will God destroy.