Romans 8:1 Freedom from Damnation

Romans 8:1 “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

Friends, believers, brothers and sisters – do you suffer as I do from the reminders of past sins and indiscretions? Have you found yourself time and time again facing memories and find yourself re-convicted of you wrong-doings? No matter what you try and despite your best efforts you are constantly fighting this never ending battle? You are not alone, for even if no one else suffers besides you and I still I am there to encourage you and you are there to encourage me with this statement of truth. “There is therefore now no condemnation...” What a wonderful statement! How relaxing it is to be reminded of this. Our debt is paid, our lives redeemed. The cost has been met, the battle won. “But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 15:57) further still “For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world - our faith.” (1 John 5:4)

Indeed, our faith has brought us victory, yet how does faith provide freedom from judgment? By Faith, we have accepted the cost, yes, the cost. We have been judged and found wanting -we all have fallen short of God's glory and righteousness. The cost of our sin is death, but our sentence has already been carried out! The cost of our sin was carried on Calvary. Our condemnation was found on the cross, and with the Cross, it disappeared. We have been tried and sentenced once and justice has been served. Now we can no longer be condemned for what has already been atoned for! No longer are we bound, no longer condemned. With the payment of the price, with the sentence served, God has decided to forget our sins and we are free!

Oh that we would live our lives understanding this - that we are without condemnation for past sins! All to often we forget that we are new creations and find ourselves again in the habits of the old! We find ourselves reliving the memories of past problems and can not remove it from our minds, but we have no condemnation from Our Lord, and as far as the East is from the West, so far He has removed it from us! What lingers behind therefore we can use to remind us of our past lives and what we are saved from. What remains is nothing more than a feeble attempt to make us doubt our own freedom and to bind us back to the world. We are free and we must never allow ourselves to consciously fall again and cause our saviour, Jesus, such pain. So therefore, fellow sufferer, do not be discouraged but rather encouraged! There is...no condemnation for us who are in Christ!

My soul complete in Jesus stands!
It fears no more the law’s demands;
The smile of God is sweet within,
Where all before was guilt and sin.

My soul at rest in Jesus lives:
Accepts the peace His pardon gives;
Receives the grace His death secured,
And pleads the anguish He endured.