Forgiveness in Christ: A Study in Romans 8Sample

No Condemnation

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. (v. 1)

Romans 8 is wallpapered in gospel promises. They begin where the assurance of our faith begins: “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

Condemnation has to do with the penalty that follows a guilty verdict. It points to the judicial consequence for those who have demonstrated sin in any of its countless expressions. Though the specific actions that come from our sinfulness may vary in each of us by degree or kind, the reality of sinfulness remains true for all of us. Any honest assessment of our lives will leave us repeating with the apostle Paul, “For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing” (Rom. 7:19).

God, though, loved us too much to leave us in our guilt, so in Christ, he has taken on himself the judgment and has paid the penalty we deserved. In Christ, we do not stand condemned but free; we do not stand guilty but forgiven. Jesus Christ died on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins and rose from the grave to overcome the consequences of our sins so that “whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

This is the assurance of our faith: no condemnation. Are you in Christ? Then God says, “Not guilty!”

As you pray, thank God that in Christ Jesus, you are free—free to live, free to love, free to serve.