NO CONDEMNATION

Discussion

The greek word used here for condemnation is 'katakrima' meaning 'an adverse sentence or verdict'. The adverse sentence passed on all mankind for sin was death; Rom.6.23 - For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Thus, the one who is in Christ has been released from the death sentence passed on all men because of sin. Let this sink into you now. This is why there isn't any condemnation awaiting the believer anymore. But there's something very important in that verse that many people miss. It gives a quick description of those who are free from the death sentence/condemnation; Rom.8.1; "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." So, this isn't some name it-claim it system of things. It says those who are in Christ are those who WALK NOT....and who WALK AFTER. Therefore, it's not a confession or declaration but a walk. This implies that those who walk according the flesh will be condemned no matter what their confession is. And those who walk according to the Spirit are free from condemnation. How is this so? Read in the message translation; Rom.8.3-5; "God went for the jugular when he sent his own Son. He didn't deal with the problem as something remote and unimportant. In his Son, Jesus, he personally took on the human condition, entered the disordered mess of struggling humanity in order to set it right once and for all.

The law code, weakened as it always was by fractured human nature, could never have done that. The law always ended up being used as a Band-Aid on sin instead of a deep healing of it. And now what the law code asked for but we couldn't deliver is accomplished as we, instead of redoubling our own efforts, simply embrace what the Spirit is doing in us. Those who think they can do it on their own end up obsessed with measuring their own moral muscle but never get around to exercising it in real life. Those who trust God's action in them find that God's Spirit is in them--living and breathing God!" MSB. In a nutshell, self-righteousness is a sure way to condemnation. The sacrifice of Jesus is eternally enough to make you righteous before God. To embrace this and depend on this is to walk in the Spirit. To depend on your works is to walk in the flesh. One leads to life, the other leads to condemnation. Choose wisely today!