Weekend, August 5, 2023
No Condemnation, No Separation
So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:1 NLT)
Chapter 8 of Romans begins with no condemnation and ends with no separation.
Verse 1 tells us, “So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus” (NLT). And verse 39 promises, “No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord” (NLT).
Notice these verses are not saying that our lives will be free of all failures and inconsistencies. Rather, they say there is no condemnation.
We find a classic example of this in John 8, where we read about a woman who was caught in the act of adultery. Some religious leaders brought her before Jesus and said, “This woman was caught in the act of adultery. The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?” (verses 4–5 NLT).
Without a word, Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust. Then He said, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” (verse 7 NLT). We don’t know what Jesus wrote. But the woman’s accusers suddenly came under conviction, and they all left.
Jesus said to her, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?”
“No, Lord,” she told Him (verses 10–11 NLT).
Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more” (verse 11 NLT).
A Spirit-led believer lives a condemnation-free life. Paul wrote, “Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” (2 Corinthians 5:17 NLT).
God sees us for what we will become, not just what we are. We see the past; God sees the future. We see the end; God sees a new beginning.
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