Victory in Christ - Part 12

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

Now comes the wonderful explanation of victory that we can enjoy. The first thing we need to understand is that if we are in Christ Jesus, there is no condemnation. A person who has trusted in Christ has been justified freely by the grace of God (Romans 3:24). The righteousness of God has been given to us when we come to Christ in faith (Philippians 3:9; 2 Corinthians 5:21). God has removed our transgressions from us as far as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12). Christ became the curse for us (Galatians 3:13).

I look at it as an umbrella. While we are learning to live by faith and learning to be faithful disciples, we live under the umbrella of no condemnation. There is absolutely no judgment for sin awaiting the believer. All of the punishment that was due us because of our sin was laid on Christ. All of the ways that we fail to do what is required – all those failures were placed on Christ. All of the things we have done against God and against His law have been laid upon Christ. If we are in Christ Jesus there is no condemnation. That's the first thing we should know. If we are a believer, this is true no matter how difficult a time we have trying to be obedient. It is our protection and our only hope of eternal life.

Principle 17: There is no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus.

² For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.

As he mentioned at the end of the previous chapter, there is a law of sin and death at work and it has taken us captive. We are bound to it because of the warring that takes place between our flesh and our minds. This verse tells us that there is another law or principle that is superior to the law of sin and death. That law is the law of the Spirit of life. Whether we feel it or not, this law has made me free from the law of sin and death.

I don't know if I'm correct or not, but I look at it like the law of gravity. If you step off the roof of a 10 story building, you're going to get hurt. The law of gravity is in place. But there are other laws as well. There are laws of aerodynamics which also apply. If you step off that same building with a parachute or some kind of glider, the law of gravity in it's normal way of working on a human body is trumped by a different law. That's what this seems like to me. There is a law of the Spirit of life and this law sets me free from the normal principle of sin and the resulting death that comes from it. This doesn't remove the fact that there are consequences to our sin, but I think the point here is that God in His saving work for us has provided not only a way of salvation, but a way of victory. Jesus after all was named “Jesus” for He would save His people from their sins (Matthew 1:21). So first, there is no condemnation and second, the law of the Spirit of life has countered the law of sin and death. That cycle is broken. Notice that this principle is based on the Spirit. It is the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus that frees us. Remember, the letter kills but the Spirit gives life.

Paul began this verse with the word 'for'. There is no condemnation because the principle of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has freed me from the death consequences of sin. The Spirit of life that is in Jesus Christ is a powerful person who is at work, freeing us and loosing us from the perpetual cycle of sin and death.

Principle 18: The Spirit has released me from the law of sin and death.