No condemnation in Christ!!

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

This is an important verse to have “hidden in your hearts.” We are so good at listening to the voice of condemnation. There is even a rumor going around that somehow living in condemnation and wallowing in shame is somehow pleasing to God, or that a constant, low-grade guilt will somehow promote holiness and spiritual maturity. Guess who started these!

What do you hear?
“Do you really think God will forgive you…again?”
“God must be unhappy with me.”
“How can you forgive yourself?”

These are not messages from the Spirit!

C.J. Mahaney, in Living the Cross Centered Life, said:
“Our sin is reality, but the death and resurrection of Jesus for our sin is a greater reality.”

So which reality am I going to live by?

He, Mahaney, has a great way to beat condemnation:

“Confess and believe in Christ’s atonement.”

It’s pretty simple and a great way to get us get past our guilt and shame. There is nothing that we have, or could, do that will undo His atonement for us.

He talks about “talking truth” to ourselves instead of “listening” to the lies. His example was very practical. Late one Saturday night as he was putting the finishing touches on a sermon for the next day, he spilled coffee on his keyboard. He lost the computer, and of course all of his notes. He got angry at God, for letting it happen, and at himself for his clumsiness and through a little fit. He chose, instead of continuing in the anger and getting mad about the anger, to talk truth to himself. He said “Your sin of anger has been atoned for by Another. Jesus died for that sin. Jesus, the One who passed every test, who was tempted in every way but never sinned. He stood in your place and He was punished in your place. God has forgiven you and He’s going to help you prepare and preach that sermon—not because you’re sinless, but because He is merciful.”

I frequently share Piper’s quote, “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.” We can’t be satisfied in Him when we are nursing guilt, shame, or condemnation. We must, as Mahaney points out, believe in His atonement and our righteousness before Him, because of it.

So I encourage you to enjoy His gift of atonement and spend time praising Him for the freedom it gives us. We don’t deserve it, but His love provided it.