Romans 8:1
“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.”
I’m sure you love God. I’m sure you want to live your life in honor of Him. But when you sin do you sink into despair? I know I do. It is right for us to be heartbroken over our sin — we ought to have a contrite heart over the areas we fall short. It is evidence that God is granting you repentence, and the next step is to accept God’s grace and forgive yourself as He has forgiven you and turn back to Christ. It isn’t right for us to wallow and sit in self-condemnation. The enemy wants us to be trapped in our anguish because, although he can never cause our salvation to leave us, he can manipulate the things of this world to cause you to question the assurance of your faith, rendering you useless to glorifying God (as John Piper once said in a sermon, “God is most glorified when we are most satisfied in Him”). The forgiveness of sins by The Cross frees us from the slavery and punishment of sin as well as the shame and guilt of that would come from it in a regenerate believer.
Paul wrote Romans 8 to be the ‘Therefore’ or result of the previous chapters. As a result of justification by faith alone as a result of God’s abundant and irresistible grace, there is no condemnation for Christ followers. In other words, on judgement day in God’s courtroom, when The Father looks at you, a sinner, He will justly call you to account for your transgressions. Instead of condemning you to eternal punishment for being unable to perfectly keep His commandments, because Christ’s righteousness had been imputed to you, The Father will declare your sins acquitted, effectively cancelled; He would treat you as if you have never sinned because Christ had already paid the debt that you owe (see Romans 8:3).
Romans 8:15 reminds us that because we are now children of God, “heirs with Christ”, we are to “suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him”. However, that suffering is intended to be in the form of mockery, persecution and enduring faith in the face of tribulation. We are not called to inflict suffering on ourselves by staying in a pit of shame. “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?.. Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies” (Romans 8:31 and 33). And like the reminder in Ephesians 1 that nothing can separate us from the love of Christ, the Apostle Paul reminds us again in Romans 8:35 that nothing can separate us from the love of Christ — not tribulation, distress, etc. Who can accuse or condemn someone who God who Jesus intercedes for, whom God already declared righteous? No one can take your salvation away from you. You are free indeed.
Questions to ask yourself:
- The next time you find yourself deep in despair over shame and guilt, what truths will you remind yourself of to counter lies that are keeping you from walking in freedom of Christ?
- In your viewpoint, what does Romans 8:33 mean when God says “Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect?”
Prayer:
Lord, thank you that I am completely and eternally free in you. Help me to turn away from the sin of anxiety and despair, which is unbelief, and turn back to you, Jesus. Help me to be enthralled with you and and more than satisfied with your work on The Cross. In your precious name, amen.