There Is No Condemnation
Yesterday, I went to our denomination’s Associational Annual Meeting. At the meeting, one of the executive staff from our State Convention came to preach the evening message. He had one verse.
“Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 8:1, NASB95)
He wanted us to know that there is no condemnation from God for us who are followers of Jesus. This was an important message because of the voices in our heads that condemn us all of the time. For instance, I know that I have failed as a father. My wife and I had two children. I made the mistake of thinking that serving God meant giving the church all of my time and neglecting my family. Now, I would never have thought at the time that I was neglecting them, but I see it now. When I think about the wasted years and the parts of their lives that I missed, the record begins to play in my head (someone explain records to the millennials) that reminds me what a failure I am as a father. Every argument, angry outburst, bad decision, and mistake is replayed in my mind on an endless loop. I condemn myself.
Another example is my life before Christ. I gave my life to Jesus at almost 25 years old. Prior to that, I had been a drunk, a cheater, a liar, a thief, a pretender, a really bad friend, and an even worse human being. I was lost and I lived like it. I hurt people because I was looking for them to fill up what was lacking in my life and heart. Having been raised in a family where I was not valued, loved, and even wanted (until I went to live with my grandparents), I was left with a huge hole in my heart. I used people, things, achievements, and anything else I could find to fill that void. That record can play in my head as well. I condemn myself.
I can also do this quite effectively whenever there is conflict with people, the church isn’t going well, people are not being transformed through the ministry, finances get tight, etc. Just list a topic that is a challenge and I can easily crank up the record player and start it playing.
One of the worst parts of this is that I can even buy into the idea that God will love me more when I fix all of this. He will use me more when I can put this behind me. He will be pleased with me when I am able to shut off the record player. Because I still struggle with this, I can be convinced that I am condemned because I can’t seem to win the victory once and for all.
This verse reminds me that I am living Romans 7:24,
“Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death?” (Romans 7:24, NASB95)
But I need to also remember Romans 7:25,
“Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin.” (Romans 7:25, NASB95)
And this leads me to Romans 8:1,
“Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 8:1, NASB95)
I don’t know where you are today, but I know this. God forgives. He lets it go. Jesus took our condemnation when He took our place on the cross. He took our shame when He was shamed publicly on that hill. If you have given Jesus your life, there is no condemnation. Is there conviction? You bet! God loves us too much to leave us wallowing in our own failures and foibles, but He does not condemn us. Perhaps it is time to pray and ask Him to change the record playing in our hearts and minds. If you have not yet become a follower of Jesus, know that He stands ready to forgive. When He forgives,
“Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 8:1, NASB95)