Is there any sweeter truth than “there is therefore now no condemnation”? At the end of the day when we’ve messed up, and we’ve done all we could do in our strength to make things right, to give our side of the story, to lick our wounds, earn our way back, and to start afresh, don’t we just want to hear, “Child, it’s okay. I’ve got it.” When everyone else assesses us based on what we’ve done, God assesses us based on what He’s done for us. Before we can ever make it with others, we’ve got to know that God is for us.
There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. (Romans 7:25-8:1, NASB)1
The word “condemnation” is the Greek word “katakrima”2 which means the “sentence has been pronounced with the punishment following.” No condemnation literally means there is not one bit of sentencing with punishment following for us. Even when we fail, there is therefore now no condemnation. We are now empowered to live a victorious life!
For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. (Romans 8:2, NASB)
There are two laws. One is the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus that is always on our side. The other is another law, another force, that wars against the members of our bodies. In order to win the battle, we need to know who is fighting whom. We are not our own enemy!
For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh. (Romans 8:3, NASB)
Sin in the flesh has been condemned. It has been subdued, overcome, and deprived it of its power to condemn us or control us! The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus is the new “want to’s” on the inside! It’s the royal law of love.3 We love because He first loved us!4 We forgive because He first forgave us!5 The motive is different under grace!
Grace has changed everything!
(from pages 157-159 of Unveiling Jesus)
Want more from Tricia Gunn? Check out excerpts from the Unveiling Jesus 20-part series!
Unveiling Jesus, by Tricia Gunn, is a verse by verse study of the pure gospel of grace. It’s an amazing journey of love, identity, and freedom in Christ.
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1Scripture quotations taken from the New American Standard Bible®,Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973,1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation Used by permission. (www.Lockman.org)
2G2631 (katakrima), Thayer’s Greek Lexicon, website: http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/Lexicon/Lexicon.cfm?strongs=G2631&t=KJV, accessed on 5-24-14
3James 2:8
41 John 1:19
5Ephesians 4:32″
