“‘For I endorse and delight in the Law of God in my inmost self [with my new nature]. But I discern in my bodily members [in the sensitive appetites and wills of the flesh] a different law (rule of action) at war against the law of my mind (my reason) and making me a prisoner to the law of sin that dwells in my bodily organs [in the sensitive appetites and wills of the flesh]. O unhappy and pitiable and wretched man that I am! Who will release and deliver me from [the Shackles of] this body of death? O thank God! [He will!] through Jesus Christ (the Anointed One) our Lord! So then indeed I, of myself with the mind and heart, serve the Law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.
Therefore, [there is] now no condemnation (no adjudging guilty of wrong) for those who are in Christ Jesus, who live [and] walk not after the dictates of the flesh, but after the dictates of the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life [which is] in Christ Jesus [the law of our new being] has freed me from the law of sin and of death. For God has done what the Law could not do, [its power] being weakened by the flesh [the entire nature of man without the Holy Spirit]. Sending His own Son in the guise of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, [God] condemned sin in the flesh [subdued, overcame, deprived it of its power over all who accept that sacrifice], So that the righteous and just requirement of the Law might be fully met in us who live and move not in the ways of the flesh but in the ways of the Spirit [our lives governed not by the standards and according to the dictates of the flesh, but controlled by the Holy Spirit].”[Romans 7:22-8:4]
Yes, a long scripture. But Paul lays out the problem and the solution. But I don’t believe we can understand the solution apart from the problem.
The key is ‘no condemnation’ (highlighted). I think most Christians cling to these verses. Understandable. But do we understand? First, it is not license to sin. In another place in scripture Paul talks about the freedom we have in Christ but that this freedom does not sanction sin. Second. In another place in scripture Paul laments that he does the things he does not want to do and doesn’t do the things he does want to do. Yes… that is our struggle which, in my opinion, is why we have 1 John 1:9. However… that isn’t license either.
I can carry on a lengthy discussion about what ‘no condemnation’ isn’t. Somehow I think we all have at least a suspicion about this. So, I’d like us to look at what it DOES means for us. What a huge blessing!
Bottom line, I believe, is that it tells us that no matter what we do, say that WHEN/IF we turn to the Lord confessing and seeking His cleansing that He tells us it’s covered by the blood and that He does forgive and forget. That sense of relief sweeps over me when I am in need of relationship forgiveness and restoration. Not just with whom I have harmed but even more critical… with my Triune God.
I know there’s a teaching ‘out there’ that says to not worry because our sins and mistakes are covered by the cross. True. But equally important is who we are becoming and what responsibilities we have. Being cavalier about sins and mistakes is not part. If we aren’t trying to become more like Christ, exactly what are we doing? Are we ignoring the huge price paid by Jesus? He came and died for our sins and this can’t be diminished.
Read Romans 8 it will explain the no condemnation, who we are becoming, what we need to do, how we do it. The most important verses, to me, are:
“For I am persuaded beyond doubt (am sure) that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities, nor things impending and threatening nor things to come, nor powers, Nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” [v. 38-39]
