Romans 8:1
“Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”
Therefore
The word “therefore” is there because Paul refers to himself in the previous chapter, Romans 7, fifty-three times in his futile attempts to live righteously. After much struggle, he comes to the revelation that the answer is Jesus. The rest of Romans 8 explains this.
Now
We live by faith in the now. The past is the past. The future is the future. Now speaks of what is going on currently. Life is happening now. Faith happens now. “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). We can't live on past faith. If you don't have faith now, you don't have faith. You can't rely on the faith of the past if it is not faith now.
Don't put off believing what you have learned from the Scriptures. Don't put off doing what God has directed you to do. If we don't act on the word we hear, it is susceptible to being lost. For example, in the parable of the Sower, the seeds sown on roadside soil were lost because the birds ate them. We lose God's input if we don't receive His words immediately. When we hear a teaching it is important to ponder what we have heard with thought and prayer so that we can incorporate it into our life.
The rushing to get to church and then when it is over rushing to get to the next thing is detrimental to spiritual growth. Instead, use church and devotions as preparation for your future. Because of this tendency to rush I think the preacher should give time for prayer after the sermon.
In the past (Old Testament times), there was condemnation. If one tried to live according to the Jewish law there was condemnation, because no one is justified by the law. Trusting in God by sacrifice was okay as long as one kept the sacrifice. Those who lived without law, such as Gentiles, were under condemnation because they did not even live according to the law that was in their mind.
The prefix, con, means to know, learn or study. Science means knowledge. Everyone has a conscience (the quality or state of being aware especially of something within oneself). Our sin nature condemns us to be judged by the laws of the Old Testament or the law of our conscience. Either way, we could not live up to this expectation and were condemned by God to eternal punishment.
Now no condemnation
Because of Jesus and our life with Him, there is now no condemnation. We are free from condemnation because of the blood of Jesus. Now there is no condemnation because of the work of Christ on the cross. We are free from condemnation because of our new life in Jesus. We are new creatures in Christ. “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.” (2 Cor 5:17)
Does your conscience bother you? Put your past under the blood of Jesus. Ask Him to forgive you of your sin. State to your conscience and to our enemy that our past has been forgiven. We are free to live with a clear conscience without condemnation. There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. We can live free from condemnation and have a clear conscience before God and not be under worry from the past. Yes, if you commit sin there is a cost in this world. But we can continue to minister to others, for our life is hid in Christ.
Are we making a mistake? There is no condemnation. Have we made a mistake in the past? There is no condemnation. Do we think we will make a mistake in the future? There is no condemnation.
This does not mean there is not a cost to sin. If we sin there is a cost to pay in this world. Don't use your freedom for a license to sin. “For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. (Gal. 5:13) Use your freedom to serve God.
A note about the cost of sin. When we sin, our heart becomes hardened to the Scriptures. With this hardened heart we have difficulty in believing the teachings of Jesus. Sin will destroy our life if we let it. It will destroy our health, our finances, and our relationships.
Stay in the word and your tendency to sin will diminish greatly.
Those who are in Christ Jesus
What does it mean to be in Christ? (2 Cor 5:17) Therefore, if any man be in Christ he is a new creation. We are in Christ at salvation. It is salvation that puts us in Christ.
Thoughts on repentance:
As I was thinking of this repentance here in Isaiah I thought of my meditations on Romans 8. In Romans 7 & 8 is there nothing about repentance?
The absence of repentance in Romans 7 & 8 is deafening. Because of this the effort of repentance is best spent in just turning to Christ and not putting anymore effort into the repentance.
The effort of repentance is not asking forgiveness from God but turning from a mind on the flesh to a mind on the Spirit. Just a quick turning. Repentance is not saying I'm sorry, but following the dictates of the Spirit Romans 8:14 and being about the business you are led to do by the words of the Spirit.
Of course if you have hurt someone you should ask forgiveness and if you have sinned against God, apologize for the wrong. But God is not after a prayer of forgiveness but a life turned to doing what He is asking us to do So the best repentance is to obey fully.
Thoughts on repentance:
As I was thinking of this repentance here in Isaiah I thought of my meditations on Romans 8. In Romans 7 & 8 is there nothing about repentance?
The absence of repentance in Romans 7 & 8 is deafening. Because of this the effort of repentance is best spent in just turning to Christ and not putting anymore effort into the repentance.
The effort of repentance is not asking forgiveness from God but turning from a mind on the flesh to a mind on the Spirit. Just a quick turning. Repentance is not saying I'm sorry, but following the dictates of the Spirit Romans 8:14 and being about the business you are led to do by the words of the Spirit.
Of course if you have hurt someone you should ask forgiveness and if you have sinned against God, apologize for the wrong. But God is not after a prayer of forgiveness but a life turned to doing what He is asking us to do So the best repentance is to obey fully.
Blessings of being In Christ
Redemption 3:24 1 Cor 1:30
Freedom from condemnation 8:1,2,8,9,10,11.
Spirit of Life Rom 8:2
Love of God 8:39; 1 Tim 1:14
Truth Rom 9:1
Unity 12:15; Gal 3:28
Faith Acts 24:24 1 Tim 3:13
Sanctification 1 Cor 1:2,30
Wisdom 1 cor 1:30 4
Righteousness 1 Cor 1:30
God is our Father 1 Cor 4:15
Hope 1 Cor 15:19
Security in death 1 Cor 15:18
Resurrection 1 Cor 15:1; 1 Thes 4
Joy 1 Cor 15:31
Establishment in God 2 Cor 1:21
Triumph 2 Cor 2:14
Pure Scripture 2 Cor 2:17
Law abolished 2 Cor 3:6-15
New creation 2 Cor 5:17,18
Simplicity 2 Cor 11:3
Liberty Gal 2:4
All spiritual blessings Eph 1:3
Power Eph 1:20
Heavenly Places Eph 2:6
Nearness Of God Eph 2:13
Eternal Purpose Eph 3:11
Self Humbling Phil 2:5
High calling Phil 3:14
Perfection Col 1:28
Eternal life 2 Tim 2:10
Grace 2 Tim 2:1
Salvation 2 Tim 2:10
Preservation Jude 1
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