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Condemnation is Canceled

Condemnation. What exactly does that mean? The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines condemnation as “to declare to be reprehensible, wrong, or evil usually after weighing evidence and without reservation.” As we walk out our Christian life, who condemns us? Our Bible Journaling Scripture for today says, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.  For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.” (Romans 8:1-2 ESV) So, God does not condemn us if we have accepted Jesus as our Lord and Saviour. 

If God doesn’t condemn us, then who does? Satan is at the very core of condemnation. It is he who whispers into our ears, “Look what you’ve done! You’re not a Christian! How could you be after what you have done in your past.” It is his voice we hear when we are at the depths of the pit we’ve dug ourselves into. But Jesus tells us, “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.” (John 3:17-18 ESV) The Apostle Paul tells us that we are not condemned by God because we have put our faith and trust in Jesus. We are not under the law, which shows us our failures, but we are under the law of grace. 

As I researched further about Romans 8:1-2, I found this in J. Vernon McGee’s commentary on Romans, “The law of the Spirit” means not only a principle of law but also the authority which is exercised by the Spirit. “The Spirit of life” means the Holy Spirit who brings life because He essentially is life. He is the Spirit of life. “In Christ Jesus” means that the Holy Spirit is in complete union with Christ Jesus. Because the believer shares the life of Christ, He liberates the believers. “The law of sin and death” is the authority that sin had over our old nature, ending in complete severance of fellowship with God.”

If we were under the law of God in the Old Testament and broke even one of His commandments, we were condemned. “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.” (James 2:10 KJV)  But, once we have asked Jesus to save us from our sins, we are no longer under the law. Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we are under grace because Jesus paid for our sins when He died on the cross in our stead. Therefore, the condemnation given by the law has been canceled. We are no longer considered guilty. I’ve often heard that it is like being in a courtroom where God, the Father, is the judge, Satan is the prosecutor, and Jesus is our defense attorney. Satan declares, for the whole courtroom to hear, every sin we ever committed. Jesus then stands and says, “I say that they are not guilty, they are mine because they accepted my sacrifice for their sins.” God, as the Righteous Judge, declares, “Not Guilty!” God’s judgment of “Not guilty” cancels any condemnation.

After repentance, there is freedom in knowing that our sins are forgiven and that what we have done in the past is no longer holding us hostage. With that freedom comes peace and joy that is indescribable. We can breathe easily because God does not condemn us. He doesn’t see our sin, but instead, He sees the Blood of Jesus covering our sinfulness, and with that, our slate is washed clean. 

So, the next time Satan whispers condemnation in your ear, just let him know that you have been forgiven because of Jesus’ sacrifice and He doesn’t condemn you. You can then tell the enemy to flee, and he has to leave.

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Donna Knuth Rice

I am trying a blog for the first time in my life, and frankly, I feel like I don't have a clue as to what I'm doing! But, here goes. I work at a Christian Television network in the Correspondence Department, where I write letters and emails to our viewers, pray with them for their needs, and send materials they request. I am a Christian. I was saved at the age of 11 during a youth meeting at my church. My pastor led me to the Lord, and to say the least, my life has been an adventure. I am a widow. My late husband, Allen, passed away after 34 1/2 years of marriage. He had been sick the last seven years of his life, and it was a struggle, for him and for me. We met as part of a singing group that was affiliated with a Christian Radio station, and we sang together all through our lives together. We both worked in television and radio all through our married life, mostly for Christian stations. Besides singing I also play flute. I had the luxury of having parents who started out as music teachers...so music was in our house constantly. Some people describe me as being a loud-mouthed lime type...can't disagree with that. I have a tendency to put my foot in my mouth more times than I can count! I also have a tendency to say exactly what's on my mind...which is why I get myself in so much trouble! LOL! Trust me, that's something me and God have been working on for a very long time. I have no children here on earth, although I have a baby in heaven. My baby here is my dog Jack. He's a black lab/ chow mix. He's a big boy....thinks he's a lap dog! Can't think of much else to say. The reason I started this blog is because a few months ago in church, a guest pastor came and delivered a message, and when he asked for those of us who wanted prayer to come forward, I did. When he came to me he asked me if I did any journaling. I told him no 'cause I wasn't very good at it. He told me to start, and prophesied over me that my journal thoughts would impact other people. I wasn't sure just how I was to go about doing this. In fact, I was a little hesitant at first. I started journaling at home, and our assistant pastor's wife asked me to submit something for our Senior newsletter. I didn't the first edition, but something I had heard on Christian radio a long time ago and has stuck with me all these years, came to mind so I submitted an article. That article will be my first post. I don't claim to have all the answers, and my thoughts may seem a little "out there", but I feel God has been prodding me to do this, and so here I am. I hope what I post will bring encouragement, and "Something to Think About".

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