No Condemnation – 424

A great way to begin this year is to remind ourselves of the awesome truth found at the beginning of Romans 8 —“There is therefore now NO condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.”

This declaration is great — yet simple. Great because of its staggering implications; simple because it is so easy to understand.

If we are born again we are IN Christ Jesus. Since God the Father does not condemn Jesus, neither can the Father condemn you and I who are IN Christ Jesus. We are not condemned, and we will not ever be condemned, no matter what the devil may say.

Notice Paul uses the word ‘therefore.’ It means Paul has a logical argument, and can prove what he says, which is, if we are one with Jesus and He is our head, WE can’t be condemned. You can’t acquit the head and condemn some other part of the body, like you or me.

Dear friends, this is Grace upon Grace toward us – John 1:16. Notice Paul doesn’t say “less condemnation;” he says NO CONDEMNATION. That’s where many believe they are – thinking our standing has been IMPROVED in Jesus. No, not ‘improved,’ not ‘less’ condemnation —  it’s been completely changed into a status of NO condemnation. Ever.

Romans 8 puts us in a place of confidence and peace after all the conflict found in Romans 7. It begins with no condemnation; ends with no separation, and in between declares there is no defeat ever in Christ Jesus.

There is no condemnation because God has placed us IN Christ Jesus when we believed upon His Son. We deserved condemnation. But Jesus bore that condemnation, and our identity is now IN Him. He is condemned no more, so neither are we. So reject those condemning thoughts my friend!

It has nothing to do with how we walk — you may have in the footnotes of your bible a note about words not found in the earliest manuscripts, words believed added by an early scribe eager to help Paul out, that add, “who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit.” Certainly we should endeavor to walk after the Spirit and not the flesh, but our performance has no bearing on our deliverance from condemnation my friends.

We deserved condemnation. But by God’s grace, Jesus bore the condemnation we deserved, and our identity is now IN Him. Jesus is condemned no more, and neither are we. Ever.

So — may you begin 2023, and every day, declaring: “I am IN Christ Jesus, there is no condemnation in Him — or me. Hallelujah Jesus!” Declare — and COME ALIVE!