We are born “in Adam”, under the dominion of sin and
death. As children of Adam, God has found us all guilty of sin. God is just and
He had to pass judgment on our sin and the sentence is death. Without an
advocate, we are on death row, condemned to die, physically and spiritually.
The good news is we have an advocate who pleads our
case before God the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous. He the lawyer who represents our case before God, and He was willing
to serve our death sentence so we can be set free.
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
"No condemnation" means that God will
never condemn you to Hell because you are "in Christ”. Jesus paid the
penalty of our sins as our Substitute. We have been acquitted, declared not
guilty, made righteous through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ our Lord.
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, 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. Romans 8:3-4
The law is holy, righteous and good because it came
from a holy, righteous and good God, who is perfect and just in everything He
does. But the law can’t save us. The law can't transform us. It can’t bring us
into a right relationship with God. So God did what the law cannot do. He stepped
in to save the day.
Our salvation is completely from God. He is the one
who offers us the free gift of eternal life. He is the One who sent His Son
into the world. Our salvation is totally dependent on the sacrifice that Jesus
made on the cross. It’s not a cooperative venture.
Our freedom from condemnation only comes through
Jesus. He obeyed the Father’s will completely. He showed us what the Father is
like. He was the exact representation of God right here on earth. He
was tempted in all points just like us, yet He never sinned. He fulfilled the
law, he condemned sin in the flesh, 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.
Jesus delivered us from the power of sin through His
death but daily deliverance from sin is not automatic. It only happens when you
allow the Holy Spirit to control your life. God’s righteousness is fulfilled in
us when we walk according to the Spirit. Walking in the flesh means allowing
your sinful nature to control your life. Walking in the Spirit means living in
submission to the Holy Spirit of God.
If you're not a follower of Jesus, you're still in
Adam. You are under a death
sentence and when you stand before God you will be declared guilty and
deserving of eternal punishment. The only hope is to turn your life over to
Jesus.
But if you are in Christ you have been delivered
from the dominion of darkness and now are part of the kingdom of God’s beloved
Son. You have been acquitted, justified, declared not guilty before God because
you are trusting in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for your salvation. You have
been given new life through Christ and your body is the temple of the
Holy Spirit.
