There Is No Condemnation - Romans 8:1-4

^{Romans 8:1-4 - 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.}


I don't know about you guys, but I positively hate sin. Like yeast spreading its way through the whole dough, even the slightest sin pervades our lives and brings with it distress, despair and doubt. How many of us are still affected by the sin we committed in the past? How many of us are scarred by memories of the people we hurt, lied to or betrayed? Do we still pray forgiveness for the times we rebelled against God when knew his desires for us?


The enemy loves to bring us down by causing us to remembering our past sins. It is his way of distracting us from God's love and grace, and we must remember that it is Satan's character as the father of lies, for 'he was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him' (John 8:44). But for those who are in Christ Jesus, there is no condemnation. None. Negative. We are absolutely free from the law of sin and death. 


I believe that God wants us to recognise our sin and mourn over it, yet not condemn ourselves. He wants us to be motivated into action and to rule over sin, being aware of Satan's character and attempts to disrupt our relationship with God.


There was a time about 6 months ago when every time I read the Bible I broke out in tears asking myself, 'Why would God send his beloved Son to die for me, when I have betrayed Him and His people on countless occasions?'. I think the answer lies in Jesus' parable concerning two debtors which he told to Simon the Pharisee in Luke 7:36-47.


³⁶ One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee’s house and took his place at the table. ³⁷ And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, ³⁸and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment. ³⁹Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner." ⁴⁰And Jesus answering said to him, "Simon, I have something to say to you." And he answered, "Say it, Teacher."



 ⁴¹"A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. ⁴² When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?" ⁴³Simon answered, "The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt." And he said to him, "You have judged rightly." ⁴⁴Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. ⁴⁵ You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. ⁴⁶ You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. ⁴⁷Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little."


May the Peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all,
J