One of the great passages in the Bible, as well as my favorite, is Romans 8:1-4.  It is filled with good news for those of us who are Christians.

Romans 8:1-4 (ESV)
¹ There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. ² For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. ³ For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, ⁴ in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

This week, I will break down this passage into five parts, beginning with the first verse. Paul says something that some Christians find difficult to believe, or at least to apply to themselves.   “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

The word condemnation points to receiving a negative judgment or a damnatory sentence.   It is what every person who dies outside of Christ will receive on the day of judgment.  The words of Jesus come to mind here.

Matthew 25:41 (ESV)
⁴¹“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.

That’s the damnatory sentence that the world will receive in judgment.  It is not ceasing to exist.   It is not a temporary punishment.  It is an eternal punishment in the lake of fire.

Revelation 20:15 (ESV)
¹⁵ And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

This is the condemnation that those of us in Christ do not have to fear because we are in a state of no condemnation.  It is not that we do not deserve to be condemned.  We do.  However, the one thing that brings condemnation upon man, that is, sin, has been removed from our account.  We should always realize what a blessing this is.

Romans 4:7-8 (ESV)
⁷ “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; ⁸ blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.”

Why is there no condemnation in Christ?  It is because our lawless deeds have been forgiven, and our sins have been covered.  Did God just decide to ignore our sins?  No, He is too righteous to do that (1 John 1:5).  He can justify (declare us not guilty) those who obey the gospel because Jesus became the propitiation for our sins, allowing God to be just and the justifier (Romans 3:21-26).

Our sins have not been simply taken off our accounts and moved to a safe location somewhere in the deep crevices of God’s mind.  They have been obliterated, never to be remembered by God again (Hebrews 8:12; 10:17).

All of this is to be found in one place alone—in Christ.  If you want to be in a state of no condemnation, obey the gospel before it is too late (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38).  If you have already obeyed the gospel, believe the inspired words of Paul in Romans 8:1 and rejoice.

As you wind down for the night, think about these things.