“There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the spirit” (Romans 8:1).
When I read this verse the Lord has revealed to me four things, one of which is that all are condemned. If you are now not condemned if you are in Christ, then therefore you where condemned before you where in Christ. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). “For the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23a). We are sinful beings living in a fallen world. Look at all that is going on in this world today and you will know that we live in a fallen world, all you have to do is turn on a news channel just briefly and you will hear terrible things befalling this world and man. Earth quakes, tsunamis, unemployment, you can’t turn on a news channel without seeing someone argue with someone else, it seems everyone is out for themselves. Satan when he fell from heaven said five times “I will” (Isaiah 14:12-15), isn’t that exactly what we do, we are more concerned for what we want rather than what God wants.
The second thing is that if you are not in Christ you remain condemned. Imagine if you will your entire life played out on a movie screen; every thought you have ever had played for all to hear, every word you have ever said, and every action you have ever done wether done publicly or behind closed doors seemingly private at the time, played out on a large screen for all to see. That is the life that God sees, he knows every thought you have ever had, every word you have ever said, and everything you have ever done wether done publically or privately. Jesus said “But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the Day of Judgment” (Matthew 12:36). The Bible says: “So then each of us shall give account of himself to God” (Romans 14:2). Works do nothing to undo the bad you have already done. No amount of good thoughts going forward can undo the bad, no amount of good words going forward can undo the bad, and no amount of good deeds going forward can undo the bad. “And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6).
The third is that those who are in Christ are not condemned. Jesus the only begotten Son of God was sacrificed by God on the cross for the sins of all who believe and put their trust in Him. Jesus lived a sinless perfect life never breaking one of God’s laws even once and His blood was shed for the forgiveness of Sins of all who belong to Him. “Without shedding of blood there is no remission” (Hebrews 9:22). The punishment for all sin is death and not just the death of the body but death of the soul in Hell, “Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:14-15). Jesus said: “I Am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). Are you in the Life? Are you in Christ Jesus? Has His blood been sacrificed for your sins?
This brings me to the fourth thing that God has revealed to me in this scripture. There is something that distinguishes those who are in Christ from those who are not in Christ, “who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the spirit” (Romans 8:1). That distinguishing fact is this, those who are in Christ do not walk in the flesh, they have repented of their sins and turned to God who is Spirit. The Bible says that those who walk according to the flesh will not inherit the kingdom of God. “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, will inherit the Kingdom of God” (1 Corinthians 6:9-10). This is what the Bible says about those who walk in the Spirit: “I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh” (Galatians 5:16). “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering (patients), kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23).
How may you be in Christ? The Bible says: “that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9). This is called repentance and faith. Repent from your sins and turn to God believing that Jesus Christ has paid the price for your sins. Faith without obedience is not a saving faith, faith that is obedient saves. “You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe-and tremble” (James 2:19). The demons believe that Jesus is the Christ, the savior who takes away the sins of the world but yet they tremble because they are not saved; they believe but do not except Him as Lord. Romans 10:9 says to confess Jesus as Lord. That is how to be saved! Surrender your life to Jesus Christ as Lord! That’s it, surrender to Jesus Christ as Lord. Give up! You can’t be good He is good, you can’t earn your way to Heaven, He has done it for you. In every way give up and give in, surrender your life to Jesus Christ and do whatever He says, if He is your Lord you are His slave and you will obey Him. Jesus said: “If you love Me, keep My commandments” (John 14:15).
Surrender to Jesus Christ,
Mike Peek a slave of Jesus Christ
