Two Words and a Problem
No Condemnation Means No Condemnation
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. (Romans 8:1-4)
Generation on fire, I greet you in the name of Christ, the one who condemned sin and set us free from death. Recently, I engaged in a weeklong fast and a dear friend who was fasting as well texted me to report deep sorrow, regret and inner turmoil on breaking the fast early. I replied laughingly that “there is now no more condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” and this interaction brought to fore this verse that is so central to the Christian race. It highlighted for me the power in reminding oneself that in the finished work of Christ on the cross, we are free of any feelings of condemnation that comes with the occasional stumble on the road to stronger faith. Now, breaking a fast early can hardly be considered a stumble as our righteousness is never by works but the principle of condemnation applies broadly to sin and real setbacks that we as Christians experience regularly.
The placement of this verse in the book of Romans tells us everything that we need to know. It is an uplifting conclusion to a daunting reality. In the previous chapters, Paul had gone on an extensive indictment of himself and the sin that lives within him. He had said “I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin.” He explained that in his innermost man, he delights in God but there is also another power within him that wages war against his deepest desire for holiness. He talks about this internal war with defeatist sentiment and admits that he is a lost sinner - “I know that nothing good lives in me, that is in my sinful nature.” He concludes Roman 7 asking who will rescue him from his body that is subject to death and thanks God who delivers him through Jesus Christ. Paul reaches the climax of his Roman epistle in chapter 8 with two words – “No Condemnation.” In these words, the entire book is summarized and with these words he exchanges a defeatist tone for a triumphant declaration. His writing and meticulous placement of this theological doctrine gives us a roadmap for our own lives.
One of the greatest threats we face as growing believers is internal guilt and condemnation. By our own hands and with a cunning pride that is disguised as self-reflection, we act as our own judge, jury and executioner, taking the place of Christ to whom all judgement is reserved. In this word, Christ is telling us that I have already passed the judgement, and I have already paid the penalty therefore, there is no more condemnation for those who believe in me. What a tremendous thing, God has nothing against us, He finds no fault in us and finds nothing to punish. Paul does not just say that we are “not condemned” he says that there is no condemnation at all. This is uniquely important for many believers as we often fall into the trap of thinking that condemnation is a state. We may think that if we sin, we are back under condemnation and if we repent again, we are in the clear. If you look at this closely, it is eerily similar to the Old Testament practices, where people sinned, offered sacrifices and were declared clean. When they would transgress again, they would be declared unclean until they made proper restitution. To view our relationship with Christ through this lens is to reject His covenant. Hebrews 9 refers to Christ as “the mediator of the new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.” What this tells us is that no condemnation means just that – it means there is no more left for us, it means that the blood of Jesus took it all away.
The problem that remains is that we forget this foundational truth. Timothy Keller explains two results of forgetting that there is now no condemnation. “On the one hand, we feel far more guilt, unworthiness and pain than we should. From this may come a need to prove ourselves; great sensitivity to criticism; a lack of confidence in relationships and a lack of joy in prayer and worship…. On the other hand, we will have far less motivation to live a holy life. We have fewer resources for self-control and only obey out of fear and duty which is not nearly as powerful a motivation as love and gratitude…” In explaining the no condemnation principle, Lloyd-Jones compares the sinning Christian to a husband who had done something he should not do in his relationship with his wife. He is not breaking the law but wounding the heart of his wife. It is not a legal matter but one of personal relationship and love. The man does not cease to be the husband legally in that instance, he has sinned not against the law but against love. This is how it works with Christ as well. As believers who have accepted Jesus, when we sin, we do not transgress the law and incur condemnation, but we fail the love that gave everything for us. When we stumble, we may feel ashamed and disappointed for failing someone we love but we need not feel condemned. Condemnation is to return to law and to ascribe a permanent divorce to our marriage with Christ, this is wholly incompatible with the new covenant that Christ instituted.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, I come before you today feeling heavy with the weight of condemnation, burdened by thoughts that tell me I am not enough. But I cling to your truth, that in Christ Jesus, there is no condemnation for me. Wash away these feelings of guilt and shame and remind me of your unconditional love and forgiveness. Fill my heart with your peace and grant me the strength to resist the lies of the enemy that try to define me by my mistakes. I choose to stand in your grace and live in the freedom you have given me through your sacrifice. In Jesus' name, Amen.