No Condemnation, Romans 8:1-4

No Condemnation
Reading: Romans 8:1-4

The prevailing theme of this chapter is the security and perseverance of the true Believer in Christ.

8:1-4—The True Christian is secure because the Son has died for us, and because we have been changed permanently.

8:5-13—The True Christian is secure because The Spirit indwells us.

8:14-17—The True Christian is secure because of the doctrine of Adoption

8:18-25—The True Christian is secure because we have a guaranteed inheritance.

8:28-30—The True Christian is secure because of the Sovereignty of God: the doctrines of election, foreknowledge, predestination, and justification.

8:31-34—The True Christian is secure because the Character of God is at stake in our salvation.

8:35-39—The True Christian is secure because nothing can separate us from God.

* A proper understanding of the Biblical doctrine of the security of the believer is essential for the Christian. We live in a world where we are constantly bombarded with attacks from the world and Satan, and we must, we need, to understand that if we are true believers, Satan cannot hurt us.

* But we also must understand that the Biblical doctrine of the Perseverance of the Saints is NOT the doctrine of carnal security.

1. The Lost World Is Under Condemnation. Rom 8:1

a. The plague of plagues—sin

b. Condemnation—

(1) The word, katakrima, is a legal word, used in judicial proceedings. It is the opposite of justified. This word means the sentence is adverse, it is “guilty”, and it has been pronounced.

(2) There is no condemnation for the saved, but there is condemnation for the lost.

c. If you are not IN Christ, you are condemned.

(1) The lost world is condemned twice—by Adam’s sin and by their sin. Rom 5:12-18
(2) The excuses that some use daily will not work at the judgment:

(a) I am not that bad
(b) I am not as bad as that one over there or this one here…
(c) I have lived a decent life.

(3) Truth—if you are not In Christ, the sentence is determined, and judgment is a mere formality. John 3:19, John 3:36,
(4) There is only one way outèActs 4:12 ""Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.""

2. There is No Condemnation For Those in Christ— Rom 8:1 "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus

a. Therefore…Chapters 6 and 7 of Romans are a parenthesis dealing with question that arose from the doctrine of justification. Now we return to the main theme— The theme is grace: salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.

(1) Rom 5:1 "Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,"
(2) Rom 5:11 "And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation."
(3) Rom 5:20-21 "Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, 21 so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
(4) To get the flow, read 5:20-21 è 8:1

b. Therefore, now, no…IN the original, it is, “…not therefore now, condemnation…”
(1) words that hit us hard. Since we are justified by faith, since we are united to Christ, therefore…
(2) Now—presently, and in the future
(3) No condemnation—no means NO!
(4) No Condemnation— John 5:24 As believers, we will not even be judged (for salvation). Rom 5:16, Rom 5:18, Rom 3:24-26, Rom 4:6-8, John 10:28

(a) We have been justified by God, we have had our sins paid for, we are saved, we will not be tried judicially, let alone condemned, the account of our sins has been closed permanently!

b. Rom 8:1 "There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus…”

(1) Are in Christ—if you ever were in Christ, you still are in Christ, if you are not now in Christ, you never were in Christ.
(2) In Christ means united with Him.
(3) The basic equation of life and death—1 Cor 15:22 "For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive."

c. What it means to be in Christ—Eph 1:3-14
(1) Blessed in Christ by the Father— Eph 1:3
(2) Chosen in Christ—Eph 1:4
(3) Destined to adoption in Christ—Eph 1:5
(4) Accepted in Christ—Eph 1:6
(5) Redeemed and forgiven in Christ—Eph 1:7-8
(6) Illumined in Christ—Eph 1:9
(7) To Be Gathered in Christ—Eph 1:10
(8) Heirs in Christ— Eph 1:11
(9) Sealed in Christ— Eph 1:13-14

d. Who Walk—the external evidence of true salvation—discussed at the end of 8:4

2. There Is No Condemnation, for God Justifies and Regenerates! 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

a. The Law of the Spirit of Life—this is the whole Gospel—It is contrasted with the moral Law. But why is it called the Law of the Spirit of Life?

(1) It is a Law, it is the legal justification of the sinner by the imputed righteousness of Christ.
(a) It is a law of obedience—but the obedience, the righteousness, is all Christ’s
(b) It is not a law of human merit—the merit is all Christ’s
(c) But it is a Law of Life—it is not just that we have been justified, but we have also been regenerated, made alive, given a new heart, given the gift of the Holy Spirit.

(2) There are many, especially those who believe in Grace, who misunderstand this—they think that salvation only includes the great transaction, and they refuse to realize that the great transaction is not real unless there is a changed life!

b. For the law of the Spirit of life—the New Birth, which creates a new man!

(1) 2 Cor 5:17 "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
(2) 1 Pet 1:3 "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope

(3) An Obedient Man—though the law of the Spirit of life is not a law of obedience, the indwelling Spirit creates obedience—Rom 16:25-26

(4) A spiritual man—indwelt by the Holy Spirit—8:9

(5) A New Man, Created by the Power of God—Eph 2:4-5, 2 Cor 4:6

c. Freedom for the Free Born-- hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

(1) The verb is aorist—a point in time
(2) Justification is a legal transaction, a declaration of “not guilty,” but it is always accompanied by regeneration, being made alive in Christ.
(3) Justification makes you free, and regeneration changes you, which helps you live out your freedom.
(4) We do not become free to return to slavery to the Law—Gal 5:1 "Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage."

(5) and we do not become free to remain in slavery to sin. We become free to live in freedom, serving Christ and following Him—***Gal 5:18-24