Today on social media, you can be accused, tried, condemned, and sentenced all in one day. Yet this is light compared to the devastating condemnation of Almighty God. The good news is this: “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 8:1). Redeemed sinners are freed from God’s wrath and eternally secure in Him. So, if you’re a believer, praise God that nothing will be held against you when you reach the Final Judgment. Though Satan accuses you day and night, you can live in freedom, for Christ has paid your debt! 

 

Here we are, we've arrived at Romans chapter 8. Luther called it the masterpiece of the New Testament. It has been spoken of as the greatest chapter in the Bible, the summary chapter of the Bible, but it starts out with the word no, no. In the Greek language it starts out with the word no. The phrase is there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

And that's really the focus of the first verse. The idea of living in a world with no condemnation is really striking. You know, have you ever lived for any period of time with someone who is condemning you? You know, have you ever lived under their scowl, experiencing their disapproval, receiving their reproach. And it doesn't matter what you say or what you do, you can never say it right and you can never do it right.

Today on social media, you can be accused, tried, condemned, and sentenced all in one day. But that is light condemnation compared to what is being spoken of in Romans 8. Romans 8 is telling us that there is a condemnation that's most devastating, it's the condemnation of God. And when you read these words, you have to ask, am I living under condemnation, under the condemnation of God, the most devastating condemnation. This is so critical, but what you have here in this first phrase is the greatest gift to mankind that therefore is there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

And he's talking about the believer and he's talking about this ability to live a life without condemnation because Jesus Christ is the condemnation bearer. The verdict has already been delivered. The final judgment has already been spoken. The judgment is done and that means all punitive wrath is suspended and it means that the believer is eternally secure and it means that when you get to the end of your life and you reach the final judgment, nothing will be held against you at that time. But even more than that, nothing is held against you today.

God is never against you. The verdict has already been delivered. And while Satan is the accuser of the brethren who accuses you day and night, he condemns every flaw, every weakness. But God sent his son so that there would be his people, his children in the world, who walk through this world with no condemnation. Praise the Lord.

God will never condemn his own children. And you can live in that freedom and joy. Praise the Lord. The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever. Of church and family life.

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