Free From Condemnation!

One of our biggest struggles in life is a feeling of guilt and condemnation. Men and women the world over feel the weight of never being able to measure up. We struggle and toil to meet standards that we will never meet, and achieve goals we will never achieve. This is nowhere more true than in the spiritual realm. The inadequacy we feel as we seek to worship and serve God can become overwhelming as we try to achieve it by our own power. The apostle Paul though brings us great tidings and glad news. Here is what he says on the subject of condemnation. There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. Romans 8:1-4

As repentant and trusting believers in Jesus, we are no longer condemned and under the sentence of death. Our righteous judge in heaven, God, has passed sentence on us for our transgressions of His holy law. Yet for those who have received the gift of eternal life another has borne our condemnation and punishment. This is an important truth that is vital to the holy living, and effective service of those who would call themselves Christians. I want share an example briefly about prison life to better illustrate the point.

One of the most rampant places for crime to happen is not in the ghetto, or out on the streets. Rather it is in our prisons, jails, and other correctional facilities around our nation. Naturally we can assume that much of this crime happens because of the high concentration of criminals, however it is my belief that much of it also happens because these men and women incarcerated there are already condemned and have nothing to lose by their actions. For the prisoner serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole, what is there to lose if he gets mad at someone and beats them or worse?

Many times even if an inmate is released from jail or prison on parole they continue to commit crimes. Partly this is due to the fact that once a convicted felon, always a convicted felon. A felon, a condemned man, can hardly find a good job, if he is a sex offender he has to register his whereabouts, and his past crime(s) carry continual condemnation. However if he could ever escape the condemnation of the past, he again has something to live for. Let's look at something else we see happen often. For instance a man might be tempted to hit his wife but holds back knowing that it is a crime, however one day he snaps. Once he hits her he figures that he is already guilty so he might as well get his money’s worth, and he beats her senseless.

Condemnation and guilt are extreme motivational factors to continue in a path of sin as well. We figure, “I am guilty already I might as well go all the way.” But the word tells us that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. If a man looks with lust he is guilty of that sin, but if he is born again he need not continue by looking more, or acting out his lust, because if he is in Christ he is not condemned. And this makes him free from the uncontrollable desire to sin, and allows him to choose to live holy. Our weak flesh can not fulfill the law, but we stand no longer condemned because Jesus paid it all and we are free to choose rightly.

Lord Jesus,I stand as one who feels condemned and helpless. Yet you have said in your word that I am no longer condemned if I am in you, and you are in me. So Lord please help me to live this out, and help me to remember that I am free to do the right thing. I love you and want to serve you, so may my service be pleasing and acceptable in your sight. Amen