Articles

“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.” 

Romans 8:1-2

Do you know and love these marvelous words? Has your soul overflowed with praise that in Christ, you no longer face condemnation? Martin Luther once famously likened the Bible to a ring, the epistle of Romans to its diamond, and chapter eight, the sparkling point of the jewel. This is the beginning of a new series on the sparkling splendor of Romans 8, but to appreciate it fully, we need to look back at the chapters that precede it. 

Romans 6 declared that believers have a new identity as united in Christ, and no longer enslaved to sin. Our baptism represents our death and resurrection, allowing us to walk no longer in sin, but in the newness of life (Rom 6:3-6). And while sin no longer reigns in us, Romans 7 makes something painfully clear: we can’t overcome it on our own. 

Flesh vs. Spirit

The believer’s struggle with sin is real, and Paul describes the opposing laws at work. The law of God actively works in us to do right and delight in him (v. 22). And at the same time, the law of sin remains close at hand, waging war against our minds and members (v. 23). The believer truly wants to obey, yet simultaneously encounters resistance from indwelling sin. Life for the Christian isn’t simply a struggle with sin; it’s a knock-down, drag-out war between our spirit and our flesh. The things we want to do, we don’t do. And the things we don’t want to do, we practice (7:15-20).  

Do you feel the tug of war between your flesh and spirit? Are your spiritual victories measured in centimeters and inches rather than feet or yards? Perhaps at the beginning of a new year, you’ve resolved (again) to read your Bible. But the moment you sit down to read and pray, your phone interrupts or distracts, and you quickly forget what you sat down to do. Or your desire to grow in patience with your children is tested (and found wanting) after a meltdown on aisle three. Control issues, anyone? You say you trust God, but at 3:00 a.m., when you wake up in a heart-racing panic, you don’t pray, but fret and try to solve life’s problems. The Christian life often feels like a one-step-forward, two-steps-back kinda life. We want to obey God and walk closely with him, but our flesh is so weak!

“Not Condemned”

By the time we reach the end of Romans 7, we’re supposed to feel at the end of our proverbial rope. Our inability to live out our Christian faith is like hanging from a fraying rope that’s quickly slipping from our clenched grasp. Don’t rush past this uncomfortable moment to get to the good news of Romans 8. Let yourself hang there for a minute. Feel your strength vanish, and sense the weight of your helplessness pulling you downward. Now hear Paul’s desperate plea. “Oh, wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” (7:24). 

Your grip is slipping, but the good news comes immediately, like a solid mountain of truth that rises under your feet to keep you from falling. God has provided a Deliverer through his son, Jesus Christ (7:25). This is breathtakingly good news! And now, we arrive at the sparkling diamond of Romans 8, and learn how beautiful and multifaceted it is. Our frustrated life in the flesh takes on a new light and life in the Spirit. Every verse in this chapter reflects new colors in the diamond’s sparkling light. 

Not only do you have a Deliverer in Jesus Christ, but a life-saving declaration, “Not Condemned,” has been stamped over your life. Your life will still include setbacks and failures, but the good news is, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Rom 8:1). That means that if you are in Christ Jesus, no judgment awaits you when you die. Sinless Jesus hung on a cross and bore the wrath and punishment for our sin, so that we wouldn’t face his condemnation. This is the great exchange. 

Set Free in Christ

Not only are you declared “not condemned,” but you’re counted as “free!” “For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death” (Rom. 8:2). There is a new law in operation that overrides the old. Instead of being controlled by the law of sin and death, the Spirit of life sets you on a new path of spiritual freedom. You’re free, not to do whatever you want (that’s bondage), but to become all that God wants you to be, achieve, and enjoy.

So friend, if you feel like you’re hanging on for dear life, I pray the good news of Romans 8:1-2 will set you free! You’re free now to not strive in your own power to live out your Christian life in the flesh, but by the Spirit. He is the animating force living in you to empower you not to sin, to live in the light, and to walk in newness of life. 

I hope you’ll join me as we seek to marvel at the sparkle of Romans 8. The believer’s salvation is multifaceted, and each turn of the diamond reveals its beauty in a new light. These aren’t just words on a page, but declarations stamped over your life. If you are in Christ Jesus, you’re not condemned, not enslaved, and you’re free. This is the best news of all.

You are free, indeed.  

Cara

P.S. Do you want to memorize Romans 8 with me? I’ve created a set of memory cards that divide this chapter into manageable sections and provide memorization help on the back with the first letter of each verse. For example, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” is TITNNCFTWAICH on the back. It’s fun and easier. 🙂