Sermon

No Condemnation

July 2, 2024 Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons

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I'll turn back to the passage that we read in Romans. Romans chapter 8 verse 1.

Romans 8:1
There is now therefore now no condemnation for those that are in Christ Jesus.
As we read through this section here together, admittedly it's not the easiest passage to read.
It's not the simplest to follow. It's best read slowly.
And that probably goes for the rest of the chapters previous in Romans as well.
Paul goes into great theological truths.
He goes back to Abraham's faith. He goes back to Adam's son.
And as he walks his way through these chapters to the one we're at here,
it's almost as if he's developing things by asking questions.
You read Romans yourself and you'll see all these questions he's asking
as he goes through these subjects or whatever he's discussing, the faith, sin, the law.
He's asking questions all the way through it.
It's like he's taking stepping stones in his developing theology and his teaching.
He asks as he's going, what of these things?
If we say this, what now?
And therefore, if we are in this place, what is the result of that?
What shall we say then?
What then?
As he's dwelling on these theological truths, he's then going to the next step and the next step and the next step.
And these steps that he takes, he comes to the relevance of the law here.
The law to the new believer and where it fits in their lives.
And he considers this law by which should be lived in obedience to.
And he then naturally shifts when he considers this law into a personal assessment of himself.
And as he does that self-assessment on himself, it's a reassurance to us.
When we read his words here, that the great apostle, the great theologian, the great epistle writer battles with sin.
We read here there's a conflict going on within him.
There's two differing sides, two differing wills at war.
The old and the new man.
The spirit of life and the spirit of the flesh.
Fighting against each other.
The power of sin.
Maybe we thought when we became a Christian, things would be easy.
There would be no struggles.
There would be no battles.
But when we see Paul here, looking in the depths of his own heart, we see this war going on.
And it's a war that I'm sure many of us can relate to.
A conflict that many of us had felt in our lives.
And the power of sin comes in.
And it goes against what the Lord Jesus Christ has done for us.
As we come to this passage, he considers the law.
Maybe just simplify what he's saying for us.
Trying to break it down a wee bit.
Paul is saying the law here is a good thing for him because it shows him what sin is.
It shows him who he is in the sight of God.
It highlights to him that he has broken the law.
He's broken the law just as we would break any law.
If you're speeding in your car, you've broken the law.
The law tells you that you've done something wrong.
It highlights your guilt.
Maybe it speaks to your conscience.
And if you're caught having broken the law, you'd be expected to be charged.
You'd expect that there would be some form of punishment for breaking the law.
But if you went to another country where there was no speed limits and no laws, you could do whatever speed you wanted.
And there would be no condemnation.
There would be no charge.
There would be no guilt.
You would not make any error.
There would be no punishment for you because there was no law.
So Paul recognizes the law here.
It points out his sin.
It points out and highlights that he would know sin.
He feels the guilt of sin in his life.
So we read there in verse 7.
The law is, if it had not been for the law, I would have not known sin.
It tells him when he's offended God, not when he's offended the government.
And as we go through this passage, when he sees what is recorded there, the covetousness in his own life,
he keeps going and it seems like the sins are prevailing in his life.
It seems like every avenue of his life has some sort of sin in it.
And as we continue reading it, the battle that goes on, it says that he is captive to the law of sin in verse 23.
He's captive to it.
It's like there's no escape from it.
The law condemns Paul.
But in spite of all these sins in his life,
he knows that there is an escape from the punishment that should be his through the Lord Jesus Christ.
Where all that guilt is washed away,
where the charge is non-existent,
where there is nothing to condemn him,
Jesus pays the price so that he can be free.
And to use that imagery of the speeding ticket again,
it's like as if someone else is paying the fine that is given to you.
Justice is done.
The fine is paid.
The government are happy.
It's been settled.
But if someone else pays it for you,
it is of no cost to you.
Someone else has taken the punishment and paid the price.
And it's just like that is what Christ has done for us.
He satisfies God's justice.
He pays the price of our sins and all our offences against the law.
And it is of no cost to us.
It is all done for us.
It is all of his grace and mercy towards us.
Paul, as he's going through this later,
he's writing about the law.
He looks at himself.
He sees that he is guilty.
The sins that lie within him.
He comes to that point
where he sees that Christ has set him free
from all the guilt that he deserves.
And in light of what Christ has done,
he goes on to write
one of the most comforting chapters for the believer,
where he emphasizes the great promises and privileges
that the believer receives through Christ Jesus there in chapter 8.
It's a wonderful chapter for us to come back to
now and again in our lives
and come back to often,
even if it is only that first verse that we read.
There is now therefore no condemnation
for those that are in Christ Jesus.
Jesus has satisfied the righteous requirements
of the law for us there in chapter 8, verse 4,
so that we are free from all condemnation.
Just to give our minds,
give a few thoughts to that verse,
that there is now therefore no condemnation
for those who are in Christ Jesus.
Firstly,
we must consider,
well,
what was the condemnation?
What does it mean that he was condemned before?
That there is therefore now no condemnation?
And then secondly,
we'll ask then,
well,
what does it mean to have no condemnation?
So firstly,
what does it mean to be condemned?
What is the condemnation that Paul felt prior
to knowing that there is no condemnation?
Well,
if anyone's condemned,
there is an accusation or a charge made against them.
And the law is condemning Paul here.
The law is making a charge against Paul.
For all his sins that he has committed
and he admits he has sinned.
He's holding his hands up
and saying that he is guilty.
He says that the sins in his life
are blindingly obvious
and sinful beyond measure
there in verse 13 of chapter 7.
they're completely evident to him.
He holds up his hands.
He says he is guilty.
And as he makes a confession of his sin
and he looks probing into himself,
he can feel the frustration as he writes.
He's still committing sin,
even as a believer.
He's still condemning himself
by the law
before God.
He explains the battle
and turmoil within himself.
He continues fighting
and warring
between the old man and the new.
The flesh still has its desires.
The body is still seeking
its natural inclinations.
You can almost hear his groaning
as he writes
from verse 15
through to verse 20.
Where he looks at himself
and he's saying,
I do this
and I do that
and I don't want to be doing these things
but I keep doing it.
He can't stop himself
from sinning.
It just keeps happening
over and over again.
For I do not do the good I want
but the evil I do not want
is what I keep doing.
He moans that he does not
understand his own actions
in verse 15 even.
Because that power of sin
that power of the flesh
has him captive
in verse 23.
The war that is going on
the law of my mind
and making me captive
to the law of sin
that dwells in his members.
There's no ability within him
to escape this power of law.
In every way he feels condemned.
When he looks at himself
he's broken the law.
He deserves to be punished.
And then that great cry
comes from him
in verse 24.
Ah, wretched man that I am.
Wretched man that I am.
And I wonder if we've ever said that
of ourselves.
When we look in the depths of our heart
and we see the desires of our flesh
waging war against the life
that we want to live.
I wonder do we feel like Paul tonight.
When we consider the things
that we've done
the things that we continue to do
we look at ourselves
and we can be appalled with ourselves.
We can groan when we look at ourselves.
Maybe we've said the wrong thing to someone.
Maybe we've said something
we should never have said.
Especially
when I consider myself
one of the Lord's people.
Why do I keep doing these things
that I hate?
Maybe
the sinfulness of our thoughts
are miles away
from where they should be.
And we're lusting after
the things of the flesh continually.
And we question ourselves
how on earth can I be a Christian?
Maybe you're saying to yourself
how on earth can I sit at the Lord's table
when sin is so prevalent
within me and my heart?
I'm sure
as you know
there are
many days
when we say to ourselves
as believers
what on earth can I do?
Paul says
I don't understand
my own actions.
But
he realises
that sin
is present in him.
He confesses his sinfulness
they shall
resentment towards sin
they shall hatred
for sin in his life.
And that is because
the spirit is at work
in him.
The war has begun.
The flesh and the spirit
are fighting against each other.
The spirit
may be pushing you one way
and the flesh
pulling you in another direction.
the spirit
is pushing you
to read your Bible
to pray
and the flesh
is pulling you
to pick up your phone
or to pick up the paper.
and you groan
over
that battle.
And you
hate
the time
that
that sinfulness
takes up.
You spend time
doing things
that you shouldn't.
You spend time
doing things
that you wish
you wouldn't.
And yet
we still
come back
to doing them
again
and again
and again.
it's just as if
we are captive
to the power
of sin.
And that is a
constant battle
for the Christian.
A constant battle
that we must be prepared
to fight for
but it's a constant battle
that we'll experience
while we are in
this body
of flesh.
And yes
we have
broken
the law
and when we
come before
God's
justice
we confess
that we are
due
our punishment.
When we look
at ourselves
probingly
we see
I'm guilty
I'm guilty
I'm guilty
I'm guilty
I'm guilty
we see
just like
Paul
in verse 18
where he says
that
there is
nothing good
dwelling within
me
within my
flesh
but that's
often the place
where the Lord
takes us
before
we profess
our faith
and trust
and need
in the Lord
Jesus Christ
we see
that there is
nothing good
in us
we must
turn
and put
our trust
in someone
else
because I
cannot
trust
myself
we have
seen
her helplessness
before
God
and his
justice
and we
too
have cried
out like
Paul
wretched
man
that I
am
who
will
deliver
me
from
this
body
of
death
captive
to the
power
of sin
justly
condemned
to death
is there
any way
for us
to escape
but of course
there is
there is only
one way
and the escape
is found
in Jesus
Christ
and Paul's
groaning
is then
turned
when he
looks towards
Christ
and prays
saying
with thankfulness
thanks be to God
through Jesus Christ
our Lord
he turns
to the Lord
he turns
to the Lord
because he has
nowhere else
to go
and that is
where we must
turn
to the Lord
Jesus Christ
when we have
nowhere else
to go
and we turn
towards him
the deep
hatred
against that
sin
that is
in our
lives
the sin
that condemns
us
the sin
that makes
us guilty
but when we
turn to
Christ
we find
a hope
of escape
we find
that he
is the one
who has
redeemed us
we find
that what
Paul says
here in
verse 1
that there is
now therefore
no condemnation
for those
that are in
Christ Jesus
is true
because he
has taken
away
all our
guilt
all our
sin
he has
paid the
price
he has
set us
free
from the
things that
held us
captive
and though
we are
rightly
accused
by the
law
of being
guilty
when we
think
about it
Christ
sets us
free
chapter 8
verse 1
brings a
massive
sigh of
relief
for the
Christian
the
verdict
of
condemnation
has been
turned
around
where we
were
condemned
there is
now
therefore
no
condemnation
what does
it mean
to have
no
condemnation
what does
it mean
to say
that we
are not
condemned
well
in simple
terms
it means
there's
no guilt
there's
no sentence
and there's
no punishment
due to
us
and though
we know
the law
condemns us
we are
captive to
the power
we cannot
set ourselves
free
it is a
fundamental
point of the
reformed faith
that it is
not of
ourselves
it is
nothing of
ourselves
it is all
of grace
it is nothing
of our own
goodness
it is nothing
of our own
merit
we cannot
work our
own
salvation
we cannot
undo
old sins
by obeying
the law
for a
time
we cannot
pay
the judgment
that is due
to us
the only
reason we
can say
there is no
condemnation
is because
someone else
has acquired
that for us
Christ
Jesus
has acquired
that status
for us
that we are
not condemned
in the sight
of God
he has
borne
all
our
punishment
he has
taken
all that
sin
from us
but the
sin is not
just
taken away
and swept
under the
carpet
the sin
is not
just
waved
as God
would say
well I'll
let you
off with
it
this time
sin
is still
the price
of sin
is still
paid for
Christ
Christ
pays
for
our
sins
all
these
sins
when you
look at
yourself
when you
look at
the law
when you
look at
the list
Christ
paid for
everyone
they've all
been
transferred
to him
they've
all been
imputed
to him
he is
made
guilty
so that
you are
made
free
and you
think
well
is that
fair
is it
fair
that
Jesus
gets
all of
our
sin
and we
get all
of our
righteousness
all of
his
goodness
and in
many ways
it isn't
fair
but it
is what
he did
for us
because he
loves us
it is
his
compassion
towards
his
people
because
he sees
your need
he sees
how captive
you are
by sin
and he
knows
that the
only way
that you
will be
set free
is if
he
pays
the
price
if he
bears
the
punishment
his
compassion
is in
seeing
your need
your guilt
but is
accompanied
by
his great
act
of redeeming
you
of setting
you free
to bear
your sin
so that
we can
say
there is
no more
condemnation
for those
who trust
in Jesus
Christ
the Lord
Jesus
has set
us
free
from that
burden
of sin
the Lord
Jesus
satisfies
God's
justice
by dying
on the
cross
and
bailing out
punishment
satisfies
the righteous
requirement
covenant
of the law
for us
we look at
the list
of sins
in our
lives
and it's
not just
that they are
stroked off
and we are
therefore
not condemned
the sins
are stroked
off
but we are
given Christ's
righteousness
in place
of the sin
that is taken
away from us
all our
guilt
is given
to Christ
all the
negative
aspects
that condemn
us
Christ
bears
and all
the privileges
of Christ
that he
deserves
is
imputed
to us
it is
given to us
given to
those who
believe in
Jesus Christ
we receive
all the
privileges
that Christ
deserves
we receive
the privileges
to be
children
of God
and fellow
heirs
with Christ
Jesus
as he goes
on to say
in chapter
8
there is
now therefore
no condemnation
because Christ
has loved us
with an eternal
love
he has
sought to
set us
free
from the
captivity
of our
sins
that he
would
redeem
his
people
that he
would
proclaim
liberty
to the
captives
as Isaiah
61
says
Isaiah
61
says
that
he
would
proclaim
liberty
to the
captives
opening
of the
prisons
to those
who are
bound
so
Jesus
has set
you
free
from
that
enslaving
power
of sin
but he
gives you
the oil
of gladness
instead
of mourning
he gives
you a
garment
of
praise
instead
of a
faint
spirit
and then
it says
of those
that he
sets
free
that
they
will
be
called
oaks
of
righteousness
righteous
in the
sight
of
God
righteous
because
of
what
Christ
has
achieved
for
us
and
in
that
confidence
we
draw
near
to
God
not
resting
in
anything
of
ourselves
but
resting
in
the
perfect
obedience
and
work
of
Jesus
Christ
who
has
set
us
free
so
that
we
are
not
condemned
Paul
in
Romans
asks
lots
of
questions
and
he
develops
this
letter
asking
these
questions
how do
we develop
our lives
knowing
this
truth
knowing
that
Christ
has
set
us
free
from
the
power
of
sin
that
has
enslaved
us
and
that
there
is
now
therefore
no
condemnation
for
those
who
believe
in
Jesus
Christ
what
now
what
now
for
you
what
is
the
next
step
for
you
knowing
this
truth
where
will
this
take
you
I
pray
that
we
put
our
trust
in
the
Lord
Jesus
and
recall
and
remember
to
come
back
to
these
great
promises
that
we
have
in
scripture
remembering
the work
of
Christ
and
what
he
has
done
for
us
I
pray
these
thoughts
would
be
blessed
to
each
of
us
we'll
conclude
with