THE FREEDOM FROM CONDEMNATION

(Part 1)

Rom. 8:1-4

Morning Meditation 1/5/17

Verse 1-4 says, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”

I am undertaking to explain the truths set forth in the chapter to remind myself of the freedom that we have in Christ from our past, in our present, and in our future. I share them with you, my readers, because I know that there are hungry souls out there who hunger and thirst for a better understanding of the life that is in Christ. It is our desire for Him to have absolute control of our lives and be the vehicle through which He can continue to live His life today as He did in His own body while on earth. This is not only possible but the normal Christian life.

Chapter eight begins as the continuation of chapter seven. The word “Therefore” is the link that ties these chapters together. It is “therefore” because Paul has discovered that there is a principle in him that is not him, i.e., “sin that dwelleth in me” of 7:20. He reveals to us that he is in a body that he calls a “wretched man” and “the body of this death” and needs deliverance. After a heart cry where he exclaims, “O wretched man that I am!” he asks, “Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” The answer comes immediately in verse 25, “I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord.” It is through Christ and Christ ALONE. There is no life or deliverance apart from Him.

Then Paul gives personal testimony to a truth that sets the stage for the wonderful truths of chapter eight. He says, “ . . . So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin”(7:25). What law is Paul talking about? It is the one that he makes reference too in chapter seven verses 12 and 14: “Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good . . . For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.” Paul’s new nature through the Holy Spirit’s prompting is in complete agreement with the law of God. There is no conflict between Paul and God in his new nature, i.e., the inward man. So he says, “ . . . So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God . . .” The Textus Receptus (the text from which our KJV is translated, and indeed the right text) has a word before “serve” that is not translated. It is the little word “men” meaning “truly, certainly, surely or indeed..” So Paul says, “I myself truly, certainly and surely ‘serve the law of God.’” The word “serve” translates “douleou” which means “to be a slave.” It is translated in our KJV “to be in bondage.” Paul was a WILLING slave of Jesus Christ and represents himself as such. He urges us to exercise our FREEDOM IN CHRIST while at the same time SUBMITTING TO A WILLING BONDAGE TO CHRIST for service. The word “serve”is a present active indicative verb. This means that Paul is speaking of the present experience of his life while he was writing these words. The active voice means that his slavery to Christ was a choice he had made. Let me paraphrase: “So then with the Spiritually controlled mind, I myself truly, certainly, and most assuredly serve as a willing slave of the law of God.” The words “the law of God” are not preceded by the definite article in the Greek text. This makes a difference in our understanding what law Paul is talking about. If it were preceded by the definite article, it would be a reference to God’s law as binding in the sense that it was on the nation of Israel in the Old Testament. But without the article it is referring to the law in general, i.e., any set of rules based on our interpretation of God’s Word. The New Testament is full of truths that God has revealed that our new nature indwelt by the Holy Spirit is in complete harmony with. It could be stated like this: “So then with the Spirit controlled mind I myself serve the WILL of God whatever that will is.” This is not something that is automatic at salvation. It is a decision (repentance) we came to at salvation but usually needs support from a better understanding of the Scriptures and growth in grace to commit ourselves to a LIFE OF SLAVERY TO THE WILL OF GOD.

The words, “ . . . but with the flesh the law of sin” set forth the residue of the unregenerated part of Paul’s natural life which was not changed on the road to Damascus. This can be explained any way one wants to but the conclusion is the same. To deny it is to live in a fantasy world of dreams that have no reality. The flesh which is still in the SAME BODY as the NEW MAN IN CHRIST will never serve anything but the “law of sin.” As a Christian you can spend the rest of your life in a SELF IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM but all your efforts will be in vain. You will burnout in the attempt. And you will get no help from the Holy Spirit who indwells you. He did not come to improve us, He came to replace us with Christ! Anything short of REPLACEMENT, He has nothing to do with!

So it is with the Spiritually controlled mind that we are ready for the first truth of Romans eight. There is conflict between the two natures in chapter seven. There is no good thing in the flesh (7:18) and this causes a saved person to cry out “O wretched man that I am” and is condemned (the flesh is) to serve the law of sin. But there is good news. Though we live in the same body with the flesh that cannot serve God, we are free from condemnation NOW. The flesh has power to cause conflict but it does not have the power to condemn. There are three points that I want you to consider that come out of Romans eight verse one:

THE DECLARATION THAT IS MADE

Paul says, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus . . .” The word “therefore” connects this statement with Paul’s exclamation, “I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Our freedom from condemnation is not by the law, it is not through the power of the will, it is through Jesus Christ our Lord.

It is a truth declared. Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God (Rom. 10:17).. God says through the inspired pen of Paul that there is no condemnation. The word “condemnation” translates “katakrima” and means, “damnatory sentence, condemnation.” The sentence of condemnation or damnation has been removed NOW AND ETERNALLY. To understand this, let’s look at John 3:18: “He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” The unbeliever “is condemned already” (same Greek word). It is a verb in the perfect tense and passive voice. The perfect tense means the unbeliever was condemned in the past (in Adam and was born under condemnation) with the result he remains in that condition or state. The passive voice means that he is happened to him from an outside source. This teaches the hereditary nature of sin. Death is passed to the human race through natural birth (clearly taught in Romans 5:12). Paul is saying that through Jesus Christ this sentence is lifted and no longer applies to the believer. This is the declaration of God. Next notice,

THE SPHERE IN WHICH IT APPLIES. Out text says, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus . . .” The unsaved are in Adam and outside of Christ. All Christ can ever be to an unsaved man is an object of admiration and a good example. The good example of Christ offers a standard to which the unsaved man can never attain. He is a slave of sin through an old sin nature that he inherited from Adam and is under condemnation. There is only one place of safety where this condemnation is removed. It is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

This is want Isaiah had in mind in Isaiah 32:2: “And a man shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest; as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land.” The place of “no condemnation” is in Christ. Are you in Christ? Then there is therefore NOW no condemnation. You say, “What if I cease to believe?” My friend no true believer who has believed to the saving of the soul will cease to believe. Hebrews 10:39 says, “But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.” An unbeliever who has professed to believe can draw back and many are doing it today. We are in the final apostasy before the return of Christ. But no true believe will deny his Lord and stand on unbelief. God has not only DECLARED that there is no condemnation for the believer, but He has IDENTIFIED THE SPHERE in which this is true. Then finally,

THE ASSURANCE THAT IS TO BE ENJOYED. This is a solid assurance. The reason that it is a solid assurance is because it is not based on how one “feels about it.” It is based on our acceptance of God’s declaration of this truth. Paul says in chapter eight and verse 31: “What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?” Then again in verse 33: “Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.” If God says, “there is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus,” and I know that I am in Christ, I have the right to a solid faith in the faithfulness of God and complete assurance in which I can rejoice. Hallelujah! Someone hold my mules.

May the Lord bless these world to our hearts.

In Christ

Bro. White