Posted by Christopher Rohan, CTR writer
“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” – Romans 8:1
Too often we forget this verse and imprison ourselves in self-pity, guilt or regret. I’ve recited this verse in moments of despair as if it were a sort of mantra, but freedom in Christ isn’t found in the mere repetition of words. It is in the belief, no, the conviction, that He has redeemed us (that our relationship with God is completely restored to what it was meant to be), that we are forgiven (not a human forgiveness, but God’s forgiveness that is so absolute that it purposefully forgets), and that He loves us unconditionally (this is not a love for what we will be, but for what we are presently). That is why there is no condemnation, because His love sees through everything, to the core of what we are. For those of us who are in Christ He sees a son or daughter, and a branch grafted into the vine of Christ. This was not by our own effort, but by His sacrifice, and since it was nothing that we did that freed us (not only from the grip of sin, but also from the wrath of God), there is nothing that we can do that will condemn us, as long as we are in Christ (grafted into Him).
To fully feel and appreciate this lack of condemnation, I think it necessary to understand what it means to be in Christ. Not only is it receiving the gift of His sacrifice, but it is fully identifying one’s self as His (1 Cor. 6:19-20). Paul, in his letters to the churches, often addressed himself as a bond-servant (or slave) of Christ, and fully identified himself as Christ’s possession. This is not slavery as we know it. This is God, who knows every part of us and knows what is best for us, bringing that best to us and providing the best for us. Never will He force our service, but will lovingly invite us to join Him in it, nor will He treat (or think of) us as anything less than sons and daughters. That, I think, is what it means to be in Christ, to see one’s self as His, completely.
We should, therefore, live according to that identification, but even Paul confessed, “For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing” (Rom. 7:19). That is why he reminds us that there is no condemnation. We are so prone to sin, and, afterwards, so prone to be guilt-ridden, and because of this he reassures us of God’s forgiveness and love which cover everything and endure forever.
One final thought as we look at this verse: Paul did not write this so that we would disregard what we’ve done. On the contrary, he wrote this so we would see our sin, receive forgiveness, move past the shame and guilt we feel, and better follow Christ as a result. It is not God’s will that we should sit in sin and guilt, but it is His will that we see our sinfulness from His perspective and move on with the knowledge that He has freed us from it. So let us continue on in the joy and zeal that comes from knowing that His love and forgiveness are and will always be more abundant than our sinfulness and guilt.
Last month we served 3,400 people a Thanksgiving meal, either at Monarch Gardens in Appleton or delivered to their homes. It was the smoothest year ever since I have been involved, but also the most difficult in terms of people’s need.
osted by Christine Hall
When Appleton throws a party, the downtown is packed with thousands of people. 
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