“There is therefor NOW No Condemnation for those who are In Christ.”-{Rom 8:1}.
We often leave out the word “NOW.” What time is it presently? “NOW time!” When you feel condemned, “No,” it is not the LORD. “Now,” you stand before Him as his child not as a convicted criminal!
“Condemnation,” The idea literally is of judgment coming down on someone. Paul is saying God will not come down on us in judgment neither now or Ever!”Condemnation”- “Katakrima means to judge someone as definitely guilty and thus subject to punishment, which accounts for the literal translation of “adverse judgment and resultant punishment“. It is a legal technical term for the result of judging, including both the sentence and the execution or the sentence followed by a suggested punishment (The suffix -ma makes it the result of judgment). Katakrima is always an adverse verdict. Stated another way, katakrima (condemnation) relates to the sentencing for a crime, but its primary focus is not so much on the verdict as on the penalty that the verdict demands.”-{preceptautin commentaries}
MacArthur observes that “THEREFORE” is “the Believer’s Emancipation Proclamation.” Therefore is a word with introduces a result, consequence, or conclusion based on what has been established previously. “It seems unlikely that Paul is referring to the immediately preceding text. He has just finished lamenting the continued problem of sin in a believer’s life, including his own. It is surely not on the basis of that truth that he confidently declares that believers are no longer under divine condemnation. One might expect rather that any further sin would deserve some sort of further judgment. But Paul makes clear that such is not the case with our gracious God. It seems probable that therefore marks a consequent conclusion from the entire first seven chapters, which focus primarily on justification by faith alone, made possible solely on the basis of and by the power of God’s grace.” (MacArthur, J: Romans 1-8. Chicago: Moody Press)
Condemnation is both a legal or a forensic term that includes the sentence and execution of the sentence!
“No” is emphatic, not one, not any!
He bore our condemnation on the cross- all of it!Condemnation leaves you looking where? At yourself! THE evil one seeks to tempt you to turn where? INWARD!
And if you choose to, and remember it is a choice, you do not have to! If you choose to because you are living by what you “feel” rather than by faith in Him and His unchanging Word. You are then turning AWAY from the LORD and who you are “In CHRIST.” And guess what happens, you stop focusing on loving Him and others as you are now consumed with what He has already taken care of. ALL OF YOUR SIN.
You can CELEBRATE Him who has forgiven you or you can live in CONDEMNATION.
The Choice is who you believe. WHAT He says or what you feel? This is why we have to renew our thinking to see and embrace what He says!-{Read Rom 12:2}.
When the accusing or condemning thought come to your mind, RECOGNIZE it, REJECT it, how? BY REPLACING, answering with a verse of truth and celebrate Him who “as far as the east is from the west so far has He removed your iniquities for His name sake… there is therefore NOW no condemnation for those in Christ… Their sins and iniquities I will remember no more…”-{Read Psalm 103;13;Rom 5:1; Hebrews 10:17}
You do not have to yield to the temptation.You have the power to resist and choose to celebrate {2 Peter 1:3-4}
”…take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one “-{Eph 6:16}.
For the condemnation, accusation, immediately meet it with truth, for truth sets us free “It was for freedom that Christ has set us free never again to be enyoked to slavery.”{Gal 5:1}. If the thought leads and leaves you in slavery then it is not from Him. No matter what you “feel,” His truth is what liberates!
CONDEMNATION will have you focus on sin as though He does not exist, or is not Sufficient.
CELEBRATION will be a result of choice because of what He has done with your sin!
You are who He says you are… FREE From Condemnation… FREE to CELEBRATE Him… It’s Your choice to HONOR or DISHONOR Him!