Romans 8:1-4 - No Condemnation to Those Who Are in Christ Jesus

There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

What makes the Gospel of Christ truly Good News is encapsulated in Romans 8:1-4. Verse one offers hope and assurance to believers, proclaiming, “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.”. To truly comprehend the significance of these verses, we must be mindful that salvation is an irrevocable gift from God, one that cannot be taken away. Furthermore, this gift was obtained on our behalf by the Savior of the world, Jesus Christ. Therefore, it cannot be obtained through works and our own efforts. So, let's unpack the profound message contained in Romans 8:1-4.

What Does It Mean That Believers Are Not Condemned?

In our flesh, we have never been able to remain sinless due to its inherent weakness and susceptibility to corruption. We have all sinned, making everyone unrighteous and guilty before God, who is just and holy. Because of this, we are all deserving of paying the penalty for sin, which is death – eternal damnation.

Romans 3:10 NKJV - As it is written: “There is none righteous, no, not one.”

However, thanks to God's boundless mercy, by His grace, He made a way for us to be saved through Jesus Christ. All we have to do is believe in Him, and we are saved. Through our faith, we will be spared from condemnation, as we will not face the wrath of God on the Day of Judgment or eternal damnation, because we are at peace with Him through the blood of Jesus shed on the cross of Calvary. Moreover, those who believe in Jesus for salvation have no fear of judgement and condemnation because perfect love casts out ALL fear. This can only be experienced through understanding that salvation is a free gift that you never have to work for and comprehending the love of God shown through the crucifixion of His Son.

Irrevocable Gift of Salvation

There is an ongoing debate about the concept of "once saved, always saved," with many stating that this is a lie. However, God's Word is unequivocal on this matter. Salvation is a gift obtained by God's grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone. Romans 11:29 states, "For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable," emphasising that God does not retract what He has given nor change His mind about those to whom He grants His grace or to whom He extends His calling of salvation.

Romans 11:29 Amplified Bible - For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable [for He does not withdraw what He has given, nor does He change His mind about those to whom He gives His grace or to whom He sends His call].

As salvation comes by grace through faith, it is not our responsibility to uphold it, as the Bible asserts that no one can achieve perfection in the flesh. Hence, those of us who are born again have received the Holy Spirit to help us in our weaknesses, ensuring that sin does not have dominion over Believers. God explicitly stated that His Spirit is our guarantee of salvation. Moreover, the Holy Spirit is a promise to us and seals us until the day of Jesus's return.

Galatians 3:3 NKJV - Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?
Ephesians 1:14 NKJV - who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.
Ephesians 4:30 NKJV - And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

Claims that salvation can be lost fail to comprehend the nature of God, who is a covenant and promise keeper. This commitment is evident in His dealings with the Israelites and His covenant with Abraham. Those making such claims also fail to recognize that God works within us to fulfill His good pleasure. Some like to use the account of Moses' not entering the Promised Land as evidence that a Believer can lose salvation; However, this claim is false. Moses had unbelief and was under the law of sin and death and, most importantly, was not under the new covenant which was ratified through the blood of Jesus. But for us who believe, we are under the new covenant, under the law of Grace. Please always ensure that when you listen to anyone who claims to be from God they are indeed filled with the Holy Spirit and that they can rightly divide the word of truth. Furthermore, being a theologian does not necessarily imply understanding the things of God; one must possess the Holy Spirit, as it is written, “for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life,” and spiritual matters are spiritually discerned–We pray that God gives our readers the power to discern and understand His word.

If salvation could be lost, the Gospel would cease to be Good News. Even worse, God would be a liar and covenant breaker. We know, however, this cannot be the case because Numbers 23:19-20 states: “God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good? 20 Behold, I have received a command to bless; He has blessed, and I cannot reverse it.”

Additionally, we would be attempting to earn it ourselves. This would open the door to boasting and pride because we would be confident in our self-righteousness, which the Bible clearly refutes by stating that we should put no confidence in the flesh. The only thing we are entitled to boast about is Christ and what He did for us.

Philippians 3:3-4 NKJV - For it is we who are the circumcision, we who serve God by his Spirit, who boast in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh— 4 though I myself have reasons for such confidence. If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more:
Romans 3:27-28 NKJV - Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith. 28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law.

Weakness of the Flesh

If maintaining salvation were left to our own efforts, we would find ourselves condemned daily due to our shortcomings and sinful nature. Reflecting on my own experience, I once believed in the false doctrine that one could lose salvation. Thankfully, this misconception didn't last long, and I thank God for that because it served as a lesson, reaffirming the truth of God's Word and the guiding presence of His Spirit. With His help, the anointing broke the yoke of bondage imposed by this erroneous doctrine, under which I once lived in constant torment and fear of condemnation while striving to maintain my salvation.

So why was I in error? Because my flesh is weak and cannot comprehend the things of God. Hence, I had to learn that it is not by might, nor by power but by His Spirit that we can come to the knowledge of the Truth. Through diligence in studying the Word and the empowering work of the Holy Spirit, God dispelled the spirit of error and taught me to rightly divide the Word of Truth. By God’s grace, He enabled me to see the undeniable truth woven throughout His Word: He is the faithful one who will complete the work He began in us until Jesus returns. Without Him, we can do nothing because He works within us, both to will and to do His good pleasure. It's important to note that He works in us to will; His Spirit transforms our desires so that we, who were once sinners, now hunger and thirst for righteousness. This transformation is not of our own doing.

We must grasp the stark contrast between walking according to the flesh and living by the Spirit. It becomes evident that our flesh is weak, and we require the Spirit to conquer sin and lead a righteous life. Therefore, it is God working within us, not our own efforts. In the end, it is He who saves us, and it is never a result of our own actions–Hence, our need for Jesus.

Jesus Fulfilled the Righteous Requirement of the Law

Before believing in Jesus, we were all under the Law. The purpose of the law was to reveal our sins and demonstrate that, no matter how hard we tried, we could never attain righteousness through our own efforts, especially in the flesh. Under the law, we were condemned, destined for death because the wages of sin are death, and since all have sinned, all deserve death. However, God, in His great mercy and love, sent Jesus to die in our place. Jesus, though in the flesh, never sinned, thus fulfilling the righteousness required by the law on our behalf. And because He was without sin, Jesus qualified to be our Saviour and take our place on the cross.

Romans 3:19-20 says: 'Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. 20 Therefore by the deeds of the law, no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.'
2 Corinthians 5:21 tells us: 'For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.'

Our faith in Jesus Christ and His complete and perfect works is what accounts for righteousness in the eyes of God, and this faith alone justifies us. Romans 3:21-26 reinforces this undeniable truth:

21 But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, 26 to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

Free From Sin and Death Under the Law of Grace

To reiterate what was said previously, through faith in Christ, we are bestowed with the gift of His Holy Spirit, who is our Helper and assists us in our weaknesses. Consequently, we are now under the law of the Spirit of Life and the Law of Grace, so sin has NO dominion over us; we are free because we are no longer slaves to sin. Therefore, if we are not under the law, which exposes sin, but under grace, we are not subject to the penalty of sin, which is death and eternal damnation.

In conclusion, for those who are no longer under the law but under grace, the penalty of sin, which is death, no longer applies. Through faith in Christ, we find peace with God and freedom from fear. Most importantly, because of God’s irrevocable gift of grace, we are free from condemnation and will not face the wrath of God on the Day of Judgement or eternal damnation. AMEN.

Matthew 11:25-27 - God Reveals Jesus to Whom He Wills

John 6:28-29 - The Work of God is to Believe in Jesus

Ephesians 2:4-9 - Saved By Grace

Scripture References:

Bible Gateway passage: Romans 3 - New King James Version

Bible Gateway passage: Ephesians 2 - New King James Version

Bible Gateway passage: 1 John 4:18 - New King James Version

Bible Gateway passage: Ephesians 1:14 - New King James Version

Bible Gateway passage: Romans 8:26 - New King James Version

Bible Gateway passage: Romans 8 - New King James Version

Bible Gateway passage: Ephesians 4:30 - New King James Version

Bible Gateway passage: Luke 22:20 - New King James Version