ROMA�S 8 VERSE 1 COMME�TARYBy Glenn Pease

I�TRODUCTIO� TO VERSE 1

Controversy makes things interesting. There is little or no excitement about what is

universally accepted. You could never draw a crowd to debate the multiplication

table. William Hazlitt said, “When a thing ceases to be a subject of controversy it

ceases to be a subject of interest.” This is not an absolute, of course. Most people

would continue to think watching monkeys very interesting, even if there is never a

debate over it. It is true, however, when we are dealing with issues the church

struggles with.

Proverbs 18:17 says, “He who states his case first seems right, until the other comes

and examines him.” This is what makes controversy interesting. There seems to be

such valid truths until it is more carefully examined by the opposition. What

controversy reveals is that Christians can disagree on an issue and still remain

Christian in their attitudes and love for one another in Christ. When all the facts

are put out on the table people can better make an intelligent decision. If you only

hear one side then you do not have a choice based on all the evidence, and so

controversy helps us make more informed and intelligent choices.

The controversy surrounding this verse has to do with just how absolute and

universal the concept of “no condemnation” is to be interpreted. Are believers in

Christ totally free of all condemnation, or is there a great deal of condemnation still

potentially possible? The whole point of this study is to make it clear that this verse

is too often abused, and it leads to dangerous thinking and acting on the part of

Christians. I will show from Scripture that there is an abundance of condemnation

that can and does still fall on Christians who pretend that it does not make any

difference how they live their lives.

1. Therefore, there is now no condemnation for

those who are in Christ Jesus

G. Campbell Morgan points out that this opening sentence is emphatic and

explosive in the Greek. He writes, “It is the glad exultant cry of a soul apprehending

the fullest meaning of what the Gospel has wrought for men.” Paul sounds like a

man who has just emerged from the court room where he was on trial for his life.

Confronting the reporters he shouts, “I’m free! I’ve been acquitted! The verdict

was-not guilty. There is therefore now no condemnation. I can walk out of here in

complete liberty as a free man.”

Under the law all are condemned because nobody can obey the law fully, and to

break one of the laws is to be guilty of all. �obody can be perfect, and so all are

condemned, and so there is nothing but condemnation for those who try to earn

their salvation by obedience to the law. �ow Paul is so delighted because in Christ

the believer is no longer under the law, but under grace. Jesus fulfilled the law, and

he died for all sin, and so when we trust him as Savior, we are totally free from all

that condemnation we had without a Savior. Without him there is nothing but

condemnation, for we are hopelessly lost as sinners who can never be anything else

but lost sinners. �ow, in Christ, we are still sinners, but we are saved from the

condemnation of being sinners only to being children of God.

Sinners without a Savior are in a state of condemnation, but sinners with a Savior

are no longer in that state, but in a state of grace. This means that their sin no

longer has to leave them in a hopeless place outside of the favor of God. Under grace

they can come to God and confess their sin, and he is faithful and just to forgive

their sin. The sinner without a Savior has no such escape from the condemnation

state they are in, but the sinner with a Savior has this escape, for they are now a

part of a family where love and forgiveness reign rather than condemnation. Under

the law there is no escape from condemnation, for you can never be worthy of

escape, but with a Savior who has fulfilled the law, and paid all the penalty for your

disobedience to it, you have this escape to be free from the condemnation of the law.

We need to beware of interpreting this to mean more than it is meant to mean,

however. As Barnes says in his commentary, “ does not mean that sin in believers is

not to be condemned as much as any where, for the contrary is everywhere taught in

the Scriptures; but it means,

(1) That the gospel does not pronounce condemnation like the Law. Its function is to

pardon; the function of the law is to condemn. The one never affords deliverance,

but always condemns; the object of the other is to free from condemnation, and to

set the soul at liberty.

2) There is no final condemnation under the gospel. The function, design, and

tendency of the gospel is to free from the condemning sentence of law. This is its

first and its glorious announcement, that it frees lost and ruined people from a

most fearful and terrible condemnation.”

I like John MacArthur's comments that link these words to justification. He wrote,

“THEREFORE" is "the Believer’s Emancipation Proclamation." Therefore is a

word with introduces a result, consequence, or conclusion based on what has been

established previously. "It seems unlikely that Paul is referring to the immediately

preceding text. He has just finished lamenting the continued problem of sin in a

believer’s life, including his own. It is surely not on the basis of that truth that he

confidently declares that believers are no longer under divine condemnation. One

might expect rather that any further sin would deserve some sort of further

judgment. But Paul makes clear that such is not the case with our gracious God. It

seems probable that therefore marks a consequent conclusion from the entire first

seven chapters, which focus primarily on justification by faith alone, made possible

solely on the basis of and by the power of God’s grace." (MacArthur, J: Romans 1-

8. Chicago: Moody Press)

Paul Gerhardt wrote back in 1676: There is no condemnation, there is no hell for

me, The torment and the fire mine eyes shall never see; For me there is no sentence,

for me death has no stings; Because the Lord who saved me shall shield me with His

wings; Above my soul’s dark waters His Spirit hovers still, He guards me from all

sorrow, from terror and from ill;’ In me He works and blesses the life-seed He hath

sown, From Him I learn the Abba, that prayer of faith alone.”

�O CO�DEM�ATIO�

Text by Fred G. Zaspel, Copyright, 1995*

Sing to the tune of "Morning Has Broken,"

traditional Gaelic melody

�o condemnation �ow in Christ Jesus!

Great consolation -- Jesus has died!

Our sin laid on Him, Full pardon gives us.

Looking by faith dim, We're justified!

With judgment sure, must God recompense us?

He perfectly just, What is our plea?

This: "Christ is for us! Who is against us?"

His blood shed for us Pardons, sets free!

In Him and through Him -- Christ our Defender!

Praises all due Him, What mystery!

God in Christ dying As the offender!

His blood supplying Our pardon free.

Christ the great surety To those believing;

He all the pur'ty God can demand

Righteousness given -- Conscience relieving!

By blood forgiven, In Christ we stand!

To Christ all blessing, Praise without measure!

In Him we're resting, His peace made known.

His all the labors -- Ours all the pleasure!

God's gracious favors Through Christ our own.

When there before Him -- Then, in full glory --

We sing our new hymn, �ew praises give;

'Twill be this old song, Of Christ our glory;

Through ages told long: "In Christ we live!"

This verse does not imply that a believer in Christ can now sin and escape all forms

of condemnation from both God and man. Paul does not let believers get off that

easy when they live contrary to the will of God. He makes condemnation a basic

part of his teaching. In the following texts some of these people may not be

Christians at all, but some clearly are, for he calls them brothers. They are people

who are to be condemned from fellowship because of their behavior, wrong spirit,

and rebellion against revealed truth.

2 Thessalonians 3:6 �ow we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus

Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly,

and not after the tradition [teaching] which he received of us. 2 Thessalonians 3:14

And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no

company with him, that he may be ashamed. 1 Timothy 3:5. Having a form of

godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. Timothy 6:3-5 If

any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of

our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; (4) He is

proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof

cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, (5) Perverse disputings of men of

corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from

such withdraw thyself. 2 John 1:10-11 If there come any unto you, and bring not

this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: (11) For

he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.

Paul gets very specific about the condemnation the believer faces if they defy the law

of the land in which they live, and believers are doing this all the time. Christian are

paying the price of disobedience to law, and they suffer sometimes just in minor

ways, but also in major ways when their actions are criminal. Do Christians end up

in jail? Yes they do, and some for a long time due to the condemnation of the law.

Listen to Paul's strong words in Romans 13:1-7. “Everyone must submit himself to

the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has

established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2Consequently,

he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and

those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3For rulers hold no terror for

those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of

the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. 4For he is

God's servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear

the sword for nothing. He is God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment

on the wrongdoer. 5Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only

because of possible punishment but also because of conscience. 6This is also why you

pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, who give their full time to

governing. 7Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if

revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.”

If I violate a law and steal a large sum of money, for example, and I am caught and

convicted and sent to jail as a Christian, can I really believe that my heavenly

Father is not disappointed with me? I can confess and be forgiven, but I am a

condemned man. God supports that condemnation, and agrees that I am justly

condemned. I am forgiven, but I am also condemned for my sin and crime. To try

and pretend that this sin is not condemned by God is a mockery, and a twisting of

the truth. Any time I am justly condemned by the just laws of the society, I am at

the same time condemned by God, for he made it clear that these laws are also his

will, and therefore you are condemned in his eyes as well as societies eyes. Does this

ever happen to those who are in Christ? Of course it does, and so it is with all sorts

of offenses against the laws of the land.

Christians are paying for speeding tickets, and a host of other violations of civil law

because they break these laws and come under condemnation, and have to pay the

penalty for doing so. Sometimes they get caught for not paying their taxes, and they

come under the condemnation of the IRS and have to pay a penalty. Christians are

notorious for not paying respect to those in high office. If they are Democrats they

do not honor the president who is a Republican, and if they are Republicans they do

not honor the president who is a Democrat. This is so conspicuous a defiance of the

will of God for believers, but it goes on continuously among Christians just as if they

are no different than the people outside of the kingdom of God. Christians think

nothing of being disrespectful of people who deserve respect because of the role they

are playing in God's will, and it is not likely that they even think of confessing this

as sin and seeking God's forgiveness. They stand condemned by the Word of God

even if nobody else condemns them. The point is, Christians are still under

condemnation when they refuse to conform to God's clearly revealed will.

The whole of Romans 14 is about Christians in dispute over what is valid to eat or

not. They are condemning each other for their eating habits, and Paul tells them to

knock it off. Let each come to his own conclusion and not be judging each other. He

concludes in verse 23, “But the man who has doubts is condemned if he eats,

because his eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is

sin.” Paul is condemning them for their condemnation of each other, and he is

condemning those who have doubts and still go ahead and eat something that may

have been offered to an idol. Paul does not say there is never any condemnation of

the believer, for what is not of faith does condemn them, and they will have to

answer before God. He wrote in verses 10-12, “You, then, why do you judge your

brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before

God's judgment seat. 11It is written: " 'As surely as I live,' says the Lord,

'every knee will bow before me; every tongue will confess to God.' " 12So then, each

of us will give an account of himself to God.” It will not go well for the one who goes

against his own conscience and eats what defiles it, or the one who is so judgmental

toward other believers who think different from him.

In I Cor. 3:10-15 Paul wrote, “By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as

an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful

how he builds. 11For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid,

which is Jesus Christ. 12If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver,

costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13his work will be shown for what it is, because

the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the

quality of each man's work. 14If what he has built survives, he will receive his

reward. 15If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as

one escaping through the flames.” Here we have a saved person who suffers the loss

of reward because his or her life is shoddy work that will not survive the fire of

God's judgment. This is condemnation that we cannot measure, for we do not know

exactly what this loss involves. It seems like something will be missing in eternity for

those who do not build well. This makes it clear that there will be radical differences

in the state of eternal bliss. Some will have far greater rewards than others. I am

sure that those who have their wood, hay and stubble burned up will still be as

happy as they can be, but something is lost that they can never recover unless God

has a plan in heaven for these unrewarded believers to catch up. Anyway you look

at it, they are condemned for a life that falls short of what was their potential.

In I Cor. 4:18-21 Paul wrote, “Some of you have become arrogant, as if I were not

coming to you. 19But I will come to you very soon, if the Lord is willing, and then I

will find out not only how these arrogant people are talking, but what power they

have. 20For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power. 21What do you

prefer? Shall I come to you with a whip, or in love and with a gentle spirit?” Paul is

angry at the rebels in this church, and he is coming to put them in their place. They

are free to submit to his authority, or keep on rebelling and suffer the condemnation

of his whip. In other words, there is now condemnation awaiting for those who will

not bow to the authority of Paul.

In I Cor. 5:1-5 we read, “It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality

among you, and of a kind that does not occur even among pagans: A man has his

father's wife. 2And you are proud! Shouldn't you rather have been filled with grief

and have put out of your fellowship the man who did this? 3Even though I am not

physically present, I am with you in spirit. And I have already passed judgment on

the one who did this, just as if I were present. 4When you are assembled in the name

of our Lord Jesus and I am with you in spirit, and the power of our Lord Jesus is

present, 5hand this man over to Satan, so that the sinful nature[a a ] may be

destroyed and his spirit saved on the day of the Lord.” Here again we have a saved

man who is so condemned for his vile behavior that he is handed over to Satan. This

is radical judgment due to the radical nature of his sin. He does not lose his

salvation, but he pays a heavy price for his behavior, and the Christians who

accepted this behavior are condemned for not putting him out of their fellowship.

Paul goes on in I Cor. 5:9-13, “I have written you in my letter not to associate with

sexually immoral people— 10not at all meaning the people of this world who are

immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to

leave this world. 11But now I am writing you that you must not associate with

anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or

a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat. 12What

business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those

inside? 13God will judge those outside. "Expel the wicked man from among you."

Here is a paradox for you. Paul says there is no condemnation for the unbeliever

from him, for that is not his calling, and he had no authority over them. He leaves

that up to God. He does have authority over believers, however, and he says

believers who are guilty of all these sinful behaviors are to be condemned and

excluded from fellowship. The hope, of course, is that this will bring them to

repentance and restoration to fellowship. Until that happens, however, they are to

be under condemnation. There is no way to determine if this man is truly a brother

in Christ or not, but he claims to be, and Paul does not make the judgment that he

cannot be a brother. He just cannot be an acceptable brother.

In I Cor. 6:1-8 Paul wrote, “If any of you has a dispute with another, dare he take it

before the ungodly for judgment instead of before the saints? 2Do you not know

that the saints will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not

competent to judge trivial cases? 3Do you not know that we will judge angels? How

much more the things of this life! 4Therefore, if you have disputes about such

matters, appoint as judges even men of little account in the church![a a ] 5I say this

to shame you. Is it possible that there is nobody among you wise enough to judge a

dispute between believers? 6But instead, one brother goes to law against another—

and this in front of unbelievers! 7The very fact that you have lawsuits among you

means you have been completely defeated already. Why not rather be wronged?

Why not rather be cheated? 8Instead, you yourselves cheat and do wrong, and you

do this to your brothers.” Paul condemns them for the folly of showing the world

that they are no different from the world. They cannot even settle petty matters like

even wise pagans can settle. They go to law and let a pagan make a judgment for

them, and by so doing convince the pagan that their religion is inferior to his. Paul

does not say here that there is now no condemnation for those in Christ, for they are

bringing shame to the name of Christ by their pettiness.

In I Cor. 11:17-22 Paul wrote, “In the following directives I have no praise for you,

for your meetings do more harm than good. 18In the first place, I hear that when

you come together as a church, there are divisions among you, and to some extent I

believe it. 19�o doubt there have to be differences among you to show which of you

have God's approval. 20When you come together, it is not the Lord's Supper you

eat, 21for as you eat, each of you goes ahead without waiting for anybody else. One

remains hungry, another gets drunk. 22Don't you have homes to eat and drink in?

Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What

shall I say to you? Shall I praise you for this? Certainly not!” There is no praise

here, but only condemnation, and that because their behavior toward one another is

scandalous and contrary to the spirit of Christ. They may be in Christ, but they are

far out of his will, and they justly come under Paul's condemnation.

Paul goes on in verses 27 to 32, “Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the

cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body

and blood of the Lord. 28A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the

bread and drinks of the cup. 29For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing

the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself. 30That is why many

among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep. 31But if we

judged ourselves, we would not come under judgment. 32When we are judged by

the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned with the

world.” Here we see condemnation so severe that it leads to capital punishment of

some of the abusers. This is condemnation of the highest degree, and it falls on those

who are in Christ, and who will be saved, but who lose much of life, and much of

reward in their eternal life.

Paul wrote in Gal. 1:6-7, “I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one

who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel― 7which

is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and

are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ.” A condemnation that runs all through

Paul's writing is that toward those who would try to go back to the law and forsake

the grace that is in Christ. It was a battle Paul fought with the Jews who followed

him and tried to steal his people away from Christ back to the law of Moses. His

condemnation was strong toward the Galatians, for they were in danger of giving

heed to these with a different gospel.

In Gal. 2:11-14 Paul is strong in his condemnation of Peter and other leaders for

their giving heed to the Jewish influence that was not valid for Christians. He wrote,

“ When Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he was clearly in

the wrong. 12Before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles.

But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the

Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group.

13The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even

Barnabas was led astray. 14When I saw that they were not acting in line with the

truth of the gospel, I said to Peter in front of them all, "You are a Jew, yet you live

like a Gentile and not like a Jew. How is it, then, that you force Gentiles to follow

Jewish customs?” Here we have the top leaders of Christianity who are being duped

into being hypocrites, and Paul cannot stand such hypocrisy. He condemned Peter

to his face for this denial of the Gentiles being equal to the Jews under the gospel of

Christ. Peter does not then claim that there is no condemnation for those in Christ,

but acknowledges his guilt and lets God lead him to become one who eats with the

Gentiles and leads them into the kingdom of Christ. Condemnation is a good thing

when it wakes us up to see we are going the wrong and dangerous way. If there was

no condemnation for bad behavior and choices, believers would be free to do as they

please with no authority to guide them but their own self will. Thank God for the

power and value of condemnation, and thank God that Paul knew how and when to

condemn believers.

Paul wrote in Gal. 3:1-3, “You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before

your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. 2I would like to learn

just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by

believing what you heard? 3Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are

you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?” We do not condemn Paul for

calling fellow believers foolish. We join Paul in calling them foolish, for they were

justly condemned for listening to those who would persuade them to forsake Christ

for the law. It was folly of the highest degree, and demanded condemnation of the

highest degree.

We could go on through all the letters of Paul compiling more and more valid

reasons why Christians can come under condemnation, but these are sufficient to

make it clear that Paul felt that Christians still suffer just condemnation when they

behave and believe in ways that are not pleasing to God, and are not consistent with

the spirit of Christ. Let us go from his clear words to the equally clear words of the

Lord himself on this issue. Chapters 2 and 3 of Revelation have tons of books and

sermons written on them, but I just want to focus briefly on the Lords words that

bring out the reality of the condemnation that believers have coming to them when

they are not in the will of God. It can be that even whole churches are under

condemnation, and not just individuals.

In Rev. 2:1-5 Jesus speaks to the church of Ephesus these words: “To the angel of

the church in Ephesus write: These are the words of him who holds the seven stars

in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lamp stands: 2I know your

deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate

wicked men, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and

have found them false. 3You have persevered and have endured hardships for my

name, and have not grown weary. 4Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken

your first love. 5Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do

the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your

lamp stand from its place. Jesus has clear commendation, but just as clear is his

condemnation that comes with a severe warning to repent or else. Here we have

godly believers who are doing good in some areas of their Christian growth, but are

falling behind from where they first started with passionate love for their redeemer.

Jesus is demanding that they get back to their first love or pay a price of judgment.

There is no thought that they could slip into mediocrity and not face condemnation,

and this is what we see as we look at his words to other churches.

In Rev. 2:12 to 16 we read of his words to the Church in Pergamum. “ To the angel

of the church in Pergamum write:These are the words of him who has the sharp,

double-edged sword. 13I know where you live―where Satan has his throne. Yet you

remain true to my name. You did not renounce your faith in me, even in the days of

Antipas, my faithful witness, who was put to death in your city―where Satan lives.

14�evertheless, I have a few things against you: You have people there who hold to

the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin by eating

food sacrificed to idols and by committing sexual immorality. 15Likewise you also

have those who hold to the teaching of the �icolaitans. 16Repent therefore!

Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my

mouth.” Again, we see commendation, but also condemnation for the false teachings

that are accepted among them. When false teaching comes into the church it needs

to be identified and rejected. If it is not there will always be believers who will be

duped into following that false teaching. Churches that allow just anything to be

taught and accepted as valid Christian teaching are under condemnation, as are

those who swallow the false teaching.

In Rev. 2:18-23 Jesus said,"To the angel of the church in Thyatira write: These are

the words of the Son of God, whose eyes are like blazing fire and whose feet are like

burnished bronze. 19I know your deeds, your love and faith, your service and

perseverance, and that you are now doing more than you did at first.

20�evertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls

herself a prophetess. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual

immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols. 21I have given her time to

repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling. 22So I will cast her on a bed of

suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely,

unless they repent of her ways. 23I will strike her children dead. Then all the

churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay

each of you according to your deeds.” Here we have Jesus in the role of the hanging

judge who will carry out capital punishment on those believers who are foolish

enough to fall for the ways of Jezebel. Jesus puts up with folly for awhile in hopes

there will be repentance, but his patience does run out, and judgment will come

when repentance won't. Here is severe condemnation, and a reaping what is sown

when believers plant the seeds of immorality.

In Rev. 3:1-6 we read, "To the angel of the church in Sardis write: These are the

words of him who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I know your

deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. 2Wake up!

Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your deeds

complete in the sight of my God. 3Remember, therefore, what you have received

and heard; obey it, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief,

and you will not know at what time I will come to you. 4Yet you have a few people

in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me, dressed in

white, for they are worthy. 5He who overcomes will, like them, be dressed in white. I

will never blot out his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name

before my Father and his angels. 6He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit

says to the churches.” Here is the Lord's wake up call to repent and stop being lazy

Christians who refuse to put forth any effort to grow in Christ. They have settled

down to be content that they have heaven waiting for them, and so they will do

nothing in time but live on the same level as the world about them. They are

basically worthless as servants of Christ in the world. �otice that in verse 4 there

are a few who walk with the Lord rather than conform to the world, and they will

be rewarded for doing so. They will have assurance of salvation for he will never

blot them out of the book of life. He does not say that he will blot some of the

worthless from that book, but he also does not say he won't. It is a scary picture for

believers who have allowed themselves to become spiritually dead. They face

condemnation in time, and who knows how great will be their condemnation in

eternity?

In Rev. 3:14-22 we read, “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are

the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God's creation. 15I

know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or

the other! 16So, because you are lukewarm―neither hot nor cold―I am about to

spit you out of my mouth. 17You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not

need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and

naked. 18I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become

rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and

salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. 19Those whom I love I rebuke and

discipline. So be earnest, and repent. 20Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If

anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he

with me. 21To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne,

just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22He who has an

ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." Here we have rich lukewarm

self sufficient Christians who think they no longer need anything more or less than

mediocrity. Jesus says they are wrong, and they will need to repent and shape up or

be blind and naked stumbling on the way to judgment. He gives them the choice to

open the door to him and be rewarded, but if they do not, they will suffer his rebuke

and discipline. There is no details as to what his discipline will be, but it will not be

anything that any believer will want to experience. Condemnation from the mouth

of Jesus we see is very common as he disciplines his churches. Do you think he

would have anything in the way of condemnation to say to the hundreds of

thousands of churches in our day?

So how do we reconcile that there is no condemnation to those who are in Christ,

and at the same time see that they are being condemned all through Scripture? This

is a paradox easily resolved when you see the two different aspects of salvation in

Scripture. Salvation begins with God. He accepts you into his kingdom family when

you ask Jesus to be your Savior. This is called justification. It is not anything that

you can achieve or be worthy of. It is a pure gift of grace. You are justified in the

sense that you are fully accepted by God on the basis of the work of Christ on the

cross, and now there is no sin that you are condemned for under the law that can

condemn you under his grace. There is now no condemnation in Christ for the work

of God is done. Justification is an act of God that is done in a moment and it is a

once for all event. You cannot be justified again, for once it is done it is done for

good.

You can see why this is such great news for the sinner. He does not need to worry

about all the laws of God he has broken, and how terrible a life he has lived, for

when he comes to Jesus there is no condemnation of all that. God says to him that he

receives him just as if he had no sin at all in his life, for Jesus eliminated that

blockage to God, and now he can come as if he was worthy of such grace. At this

point he can say with joy, there is now no condemnation to those who are in Christ

Jesus, for in Christ all that God sees is the pure white holiness of his Son, and not

the blackness of any of the sinners sins. Condemnation is totally eliminated in

justification. Spurgeon wrote, “And more than all, the privileges thou mightst have

enjoyed, if thou hadst never sinned, are thine now thou art justified. All the

blessings which thou wouldst have had if thou hadst kept the law, and more, are

thine, because Christ has kept it for thee. All the love and the acceptance which

perfect obedience could have obtained of God, belong to thee, because Christ was

perfectly obedient on thy behalf, and hath imputed all His merits to thy account,

that thou mightst be exceeding rich through Him, who for thy sake became

exceeding poor. Oh! how great the debt of love and gratitude thou owest to thy

Savior!”

"A debtor to mercy alone,

Of covenant mercy I sing;

�or fear with Thy righteousness on,

My person and offerings to bring:

The terrors of law and of God,

With me can have nothing to do;

My Savior's obedience and blood

Hide all my transgressions from view." unknown author

However, there is a second stage of salvation called sanctification. This is not just an

act of God, but a process whereby you and God work together in a partnership to

become more and more like Jesus. The goal is perfection, but there is a long way to

go, and nobody gets there until they enter heaven. It is the goal to labor toward that

goal all through life, and this process is one where we will fail and sin. Sin on this

level is sin where we are still held accountable. Justification is all God's doing, but

sanctification is part our doing with the help of the Holy Spirit, and when we don't

do it, and keep on getting better at riding our lives of sin, we are guilty. On this level

we are still condemned, for we had a choice, and we chose to go the wrong way. That

makes us liable for judgment.

There is no sin that can hinder you from entering the kingdom of God, for when you

trust Jesus as Savior, all your sins are already paid for, and there is no

condemnation that can prevent God from justifying you. �ow that you are a child of

God, your sins can make a great deal of difference in the quality of life you live in

pleasing God, and in the reward you will receive in heaven. Sin in this second stage,

as we clearly see in the �ew Testament, is very condemnable. So we have stage one-

justification with no condemnation, and stage 2-sanctification with a great deal of

condemnation. The good news is that we can still plead the blood of Christ and seek

forgiveness of that which condemns us. This should also be uses sparingly, for many

sins hurt us badly for time and eternity even if they are forgiven. David was forgiven

for his adultery, but suffered horribly for the rest of his life for this violation of

God's will.

Gill, in his great commentary wrote, “ The chapter begins with a most comfortable

account of the safety of believers in Christ; the apostle does not say there is nothing

condemnable in them, for sin is in them and is condemnable, and condemned by

them; and is hurtful to their spiritual joy and comfort, though it cannot bring them

into condemnation, because of their being in Christ Jesus: The privilege itself here

mentioned is, "no condemnation": condemnation is sometimes put for the cause of

it, which is sin, original and actual; now though God's elect are sinners, both by

nature and practice, and after conversion have sin in them, their sanctification

being imperfect, yet there is none in them with respect to justification; all is

transferred to Christ, and he has removed all away; he has procured the pardon of

all by his blood, he has abolished all by his sacrifice, he justifies from all by his

righteousness, and saves his people from all their sins.”

Dr. Steven G. Cook makes a strong statement about this verse applying to

justification. He wrote, “Romans 8:1 links us to what Paul has already taught us in

Ch. 5:1-"Therefore, being justified by FAITH, we have peace with God through our

Lord Jesus Christ." Then, in a further deduction, Paul states, "By whom also we

have access by FAITH into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the

glory of God." (Rom. 5:2) In Rom. 8, Paul is actually saying the same thing again,

but in different words. (Like a music composer repeating a beautifully arranged

piece of music or lyrics) Again, let me reemphasize that Rom. 8 DOES �OT deal

with Sanctification - It deals with the result of "JUSTIFICATIO�!"

Many ignore making this distinction between justification and sanctification and

make bold radical statements like the following, “At this very moment, we believers

in Christ are enjoying the privilege of zero guilt, zero regrets, zero looking

backwards, zero feelings of inadequacy or inferiority, and absolutely no sense of

impending doom or fear of punishment.” I would love to hear what Jesus has to say

about the person who makes a statement like that. He is basically claiming

perfection with a great deal of pride, and zero basis for it in the Word of God.

Maybe reading I John 1:8 would help clarify his mind. “If we claim to be without

sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.”

Another preacher wrote, “It is not possible to exaggerate the importance of the

affirmation of Romans 8:1. Here we are told most emphatically that there is now no

condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.” He went on to say there is no

judgment for the believer, but this is not so. He exaggerates and fails to read this

verse in the total context of revelation where we see condemnation and judgment of

the believer made clear. It is good news but not ridiculous news that leads to the

Christian being free to forget confession and guilt and forgiveness, and the need for

perpetual sanctification.

Ray Stedman is one of my favorite preachers, but his comments on this verse are

typical of so many who brush aside all the condemnation that believers receive in

the �ew Testament. He wrote, “ v.1 here is directly related to the end of chapter 7.

The struggle is real, but God does not condemn the believer is this struggle who does

what he does not want to do. God knows the battle is real and accepts us as children

fighting the evil nature and not as criminals worthy to be condemned. It is because

we are God’s kids that we are not under condemnation. Under the law we are, but

in the family we are not. We need a self image that makes us able to grasp who we

are in Christ that sets us free from condemnation. As a citizen I can be under

condemnation, but as a child I can be under grace. Being a child of God makes all

the difference in the world.”

This picture of a loving father who never condemns his kids, and never punishes

them for their disobedience is wonderful on paper, but it does not fit what we have

read in Scripture where God does get angry with his kids for their disobedience, and

sometime punishes them severely, and he does it for his kids own sake. It is father's

who never have condemnation for their rebel sons who are the cause of them being

rebels. A truly loving father will condemn misbehavior, and give out punishment to

fit the offense. Pastors who take the no condemnation from justification and apply it

in the realm of sanctification are living in a world of their own creation, for you will

not find that world in the Bible, history, or your own life.

Later in his message Stedman clarifies what he means. “Paul says, there is no

condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. The reason there is no

condemnation is given in just one little phrase: "in Christ." That goes right back to

our justification by faith: We came out of Adam, We are in Christ, and God will

never condemn those who are in Christ. He never will! �ow, we have to understand

what "no condemnation" means. What is Paul talking about? Certainly, the most

basic element in it is that there is no rejection by God. God does not turn us aside,

he does not kick us out of his family. If we are born into the family of God by faith

in Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit has come to dwell within us, and he will never, never

leave us. �o matter what we do, he will never leave us. And God will never cut us

out of his family or treat us as anything less than sons and daughters.” This concept

is more acceptable, and has Scripture to support it. This applies in the realm of

sanctification as well.

But then Stedman goes on, “The second thing "no condemnation" means is that

God is not angry with you when this struggle comes into your life. You want to be

good, or you want to stop doing bad, but, when the moment of temptation comes,

you find yourself overpowered and weak, and you give way. Then you hate yourself.

You go away frustrated, feeling, as Paul described, "Oh, what's the matter with me?

Why can't I do this thing? Why can't I act like I want to?" And though you may

condemn yourself, God does not. He is not angry with you about that. He knows, as

the Scriptures show us, that you are a child in his family, learning to walk.”

I can agree that God is patient and tender with us as we strive to be what he wants

us to be, but to pretend that he never gets angry with us is ignoring the severe

warnings and condemnations that we read Jesus giving to the churches in

Revelation, and of Paul to Christians in his letters.

What about Heb. 12:6-7, "For whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth and scourgeth

every son whom He receiveth. If ye endure chastening God dealeth with you as with

sons, for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? If ye be without

chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards and not sons." How

can anyone read this and say Christians are never under condemnation? God is

portrayed just like a human father who is fed up with his sons bad behavior, and so

he spanks him and send him to his room, and denies him privileges he normally has.

That is condemnation, and God does the same with his children. If he does not, and

lets you go on thinking you are never to come under condemnation, that is the same

as rejecting you as a son. Condemnation is here actually looked upon as a positive

thing, and lacking it you become a bastard. If you are condemned and punished for

your sins in order to get you to repent and change your behavior, you are

demonstrated to be a child of God. If you can get by with murder and never be

called on the carpet for it, you are no child of God at all. God loves his kids too

much to let them live in sin without condemnation and penalty.

If we look at the seven deadly sins, we see things that ought to scare us, because they

are sins that are common among Christians. You have pride, envy, anger, gluttony,

and lust for example. These are conspicuous sins that hurt us all at some point in

life, and if we practice any of them very often we are condemned with negative

consequences. We lose friends, we lose God's favor, we lose our shape and health, we

lose our own self respect, and we often lose the people we love the most. We know

from studies that Christians divorce at the same rate as the world does, and often

for the same reasons. Christians let sinful lust and anger break them apart from

their mates just like the world does. This is so painful to go through, and that pain is

condemnation for the folly of letting sinful behavior lead you follow the way of the

world rather than the way of the Lord. The preacher might tell you that your sins

will not be condemned, but he is lying. Christians are being condemned for their

sins every hour, and they are suffering in ways they never dreamed possible for a

child of God. When we reap what we sow, we are either being blessed by God, or

condemned by God. You can deny that it is condemnation, but that is how it feels

because that is what it is. The sorrow and suffering that comes from these kinds of

sins are the condemnation. When you lose your loving mate, and all you have

labored for for many years, you will feel condemned by your folly. You can call it

discipline, or chastening, or any other name, but it is still condemnation. You are

condemned to pay the price for your folly. Yes, Jesus died for those sins that led you

to mess up your life, and that is why they are forgivable, but his death for them does

not relieve you from suffering the consequences of your folly.

Be warned: Sin will hurt you, and can kill you.

Sin will wreck your home.

It will sear your conscience.

It will hurt your marriage.

It will damage your children.

It will destroy your testimony.

It will sap your power.

It will choke your fruitfulness.

It will steal your joy.

It will hinder your witnessing.

It will prevent your prayers.

It will damage your health.

It will shorten your life.

In other words it can lead you into condemnation.

What the study of this verse teaches us is that Bible interpretation is a struggle for

balance. We tend to take a truth that is precious and blow it out of proportion so

that it becomes a lie, for it does not cover all that we pretend it does. That is the

common problem with the way this verse is used. On the other hand, you can read

all that I have put together here, and conclude that it is no big deal at all, and really

we are accountable and under condemnation just like they were under the law. This

goes to the other extreme and loses the force of the good news that Paul is trying to

communicate to the Romans. In Christ we escape being held responsible for all the

sinfulness of our lives before we came to Christ. I hope you realize that even a fist

full of miracles could not make that happen. Only the grace of God based on the

free gift made possible by the shed blood of Christ could make this happen. This no

condemnation experience is a value beyond calculation, and never can we over

estimate its worth. But neither can we ignore our responsibility to be over comers in

the battle to eliminate sin in our lives. God did what only he could do, and now it is

up to us to do what only we can do with his help, and expect condemnation when we

go stale and cease to press on toward the mark of God's high calling in Christ.

I don't like to rain on anyone's party, but the reality is that too many preachers

become false prophets when they preach that we are not condemned when we are no

different from the world. A well known speaker started off his seminar by holding

up a $20 bill. In the room of 200, he asked, "Who would like this $20 bill?" Hands

started going up. He said, "I am going to give this $20 to one of you but first, let me

do this." He proceeded to crumple the dollar bill up. He then asked, "Who still

wants it?" Still the hands were up in the air. "Well," he replied, "What if I do

this?" And he dropped it on the ground and started to grind it into the floor with his

shoe. He picked it up, now all crumpled and dirty. "�ow who still wants it?" Still

the hands went into the air. "My friends, you have all learned a very valuable

lesson. �o matter what I did to the money, you still wanted it because it did not

decrease in value. It was still worth $20. Many times in our lives, we are dropped,

crumpled, and ground into the dirt by the decisions we make and the circumstances

that come our way. We feel as though we are worthless. But no matter what has

happened or what will happen, you will never lose your value in God's eyes. To

Him, dirty or clean, crumpled or finely creased, you are still priceless to Him.

Psalm 17:8 states that God will keep us, "as the apple of His eye."

Another well known pastor wrote about the no condemnation like this: “Do you

know what that means? We may stumble, we may fall, we may trip, we may make a

thousand mistakes, we may sin and we do, we may get off the path, we may go

astray, we may have a thousand problems, but for the believer in Jesus Christ, there

is, therefore now, no condemnation because God has said it is so. You can struggle,

but you're not condemned. You can fall, but you're not condemned. You can trip,

but you're not condemned. You can stray off the path, but you are not condemned

because God has said He will not condemn those who are in Christ Jesus. When

Jesus saved you, he didn't say he would take away all your problems. �o, but he did

say this. In your problems, there is no condemnation. In your struggles, there is no

condemnation, in your failure, there is no condemnation. In your going astray, there

is no condemnation.” You have to make a choice between what men say and what

Jesus says, and what Paul stresses in all his letters.

The problem with the above paragraphs is that it encourages Christians to think

that their sinfulness makes no difference to God. It completely ignores all the

judgment that God inflicted on Israel, the apple of his eye, because of their

worldliness. It completely ignores the condemnation and threatened judgment of

Jesus upon the churches in Rev. 2 and 3 for their worldliness. Any encouragement

that makes a believer take the pursuit of holiness lightly so that worldliness is of no

great significance is blindly ignoring the clear revelation of God. We are imperfect,

and we continue to sin and fall short of the glory of God, but that is not to be

encouraged and accepted. We are to fight the good fight to overcome our sinful

tendencies. God has provided the way of forgiveness, but to take advantage of that

provision by not trying to overcome and grow in holiness is to slander the name of

Christ in the world.

Preachers are so often bent on comforting the sinful Christian that they never

bother to challenge them to wake up and change or suffer the consequences. To use

Rom 8:1 as a means to coddle believers in their sins would make Paul cringe, and

wish he had never written it in a way that could be so easily abused. It is almost

universally agreed that Christians in our day are not much different than the people

of the world, and why should they be, if they believe the preachers who are telling

them that the Bible says they will suffer no condemnation for being carnal

Christians. So what if the world points to them as hypocrites, and rejects Christ

because of them? That is how believers feel who never feel any fear of

condemnation. Their attitude is saying, “We are going to heaven, and they are going

to hell, so what do we care what they think?” Don't you think this attitude qualifies

for some condemnation from the one who died for them too?

Most of the preachers and scholars I have read and studied my whole life have been

Calvinist in their theology, and I love and quote them all the time, but I have to

admit that they are the worst abusers of this text than anybody. They come right out

and write things like this: “As Paul has already declared, the penalty, or

condemnation, for sin is death (see Romans 6:23Romans 6:23 -notenotenotenote )

but here Paul announces the marvelous good news that for Christians there will be

no condemnation, neither sentencing nor punishment for the sins that believers have

committed or will ever commit. �o sin a believer can commit - past, present, or

future - can be held against him, since the penalty was paid by Christ and

righteousness was imputed to the believer. And no sin will ever reverse this divine

legal decision.

It is false theology like this that makes me turn to Arminian theology for a balance

to such radical anti-biblical nonsense. If that does not register as heresy after you

have read all of the condemnation that I have presented, then you need to read even

more.

James 5:12 says it point blank to believers, “Above all, my brothers, do not swear—

not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. Let your "Yes" be yes, and your

"�o," no, or you will be condemned.”

Read the less than subtle threat of Paul as he deals with those Christians who are

rebelling against his authority. He is going to hold them accountable and punish

them if they don't shape up. We read it in II Cor. 10:1-11, “By the meekness and

gentleness of Christ, I appeal to you—I, Paul, who am "timid" when face to face

with you, but "bold" when away! 2I beg you that when I come I may not have to be

as bold as I expect to be toward some people who think that we live by the standards

of this world. 3For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world

does. 4The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the

contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5We demolish arguments

and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take

captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 6And we will be ready to punish

every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete. 7You are looking only

on the surface of things. If anyone is confident that he belongs to Christ, he should

consider again that we belong to Christ just as much as he. 8For even if I boast

somewhat freely about the authority the Lord gave us for building you up rather

than pulling you down, I will not be ashamed of it. 9I do not want to seem to be

trying to frighten you with my letters. 10For some say, "His letters are weighty and

forceful, but in person he is unimpressive and his speaking amounts to nothing."

11Such people should realize that what we are in our letters when we are absent, we

will be in our actions when we are present.”

Read Titus 2:1-14, and see what Paul stresses to be taught, and why it is so

important for believers to grow in sanctification. “You must teach what is in accord

with sound doctrine. 2Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-

controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance. 3Likewise, teach the older

women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much

wine, but to teach what is good. 4Then they can train the younger women to love

their husbands and children, 5to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to

be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of

God.

6Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled. 7In everything set them

an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness 8and

soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may

be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us. 9Teach slaves to be

subject to their masters in everything, to try to please them, not to talk back to

them, 10and not to steal from them, but to show that they can be fully trusted, so

that in every way they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive.

11For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. 12It teaches

us to say "�o" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled,

upright and godly lives in this present age, 13while we wait for the blessed hope—

the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, 14who gave

himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people

that are his very own, eager to do what is good.”

Paul goes on in Titus 3:10-11, “Warn a divisive person once, and then warn him a

second time. After that, have nothing to do with him. 11You may be sure that such a

man is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned.” This person is a part of the body

of Christ, but his personality is warped and he needs to be shunned and rejected in

the fellowship because he is just a trouble maker. He might be saved, but he is not

sanctified, and condemnation is the only solution to dealing with him.

Read that over carefully and ask yourself how many areas of life are Christians

failing to live up to these ideals. Does the world ever have anything bad to say of

Christians? If so, there is room for condemnation in the way they are not living up

to God's expectations. If you teach that none of this matters because God loves you

no matter how far short you fall, or how easily you just give up, you are

undermining Paul's program for the church. Paul does not tell Titus to keep telling

your people that there is now no condemnation no matter how you live. The very

opposite is the case, for if they do not live according to the ideals Paul spells out, the

world condemns them, and you can count on it that the Lord of the church will have

some condemnation in store. Condemnation is a part of life when we fail in the

realm of obedience. It is the parents job to bring condemnation on the failures of

their children to obey, and God as the ideal father will not let his children get by

with disobedience to his clearly revealed will without some level of condemnation.

Was Jesus just kidding when he said, “Matt. 12:35-37, "The good man brings good

things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the

evil stored up in him. 36But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day

of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. 37For by your words you

will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned." Can believers ignore

this warning as not applying to them? Or what about when he said in Luke 6:37

[ Judging Others ] "Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and

you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.” What if we do judge

others and condemn them? Are we then still safe from his condemnation?

All too often Christians think that because we are no longer under the law that we

have no rules to follow. We are free in Christ, and this means we can ignore all the

rules of godliness that are obligations under grace. We are a lot like the little boy in

this poem:

Poet Jack Prelutsky My Mother Says I’m Sickening

My mother says I’m sickening, My mother says I’m crude

She says this when she sees me playing ping-pong with my food

She doesn’t seem to like it when I slurp my bowl of stew

And now she’s got a list of things she says I mustn’t do

Do not catapult the carrots! Do not juggle gobs of fat!

Do not drop the mashed potatoes on the gerbil or the cat!

�ever punch the pumpkin pudding! �ever tunnel through the bread

Put no peas into your pocket! Place no noodles on your head!

Do not squeeze the steamed zucchini! Do not make the melon ooze!

�ever stuff vanilla yogurt in your little sister’s shoes!

Draw no faces in the ketchup! Make no little gravy pools!

I wish my mother wouldn’t make so many, useless rules.

A mother needs rules for her sanity, and for the raising of a child who will not be a

curse on the world. Believers need them as well if they are going to be a blessing in

the world. They are not always enjoyable, and it takes discipline and determination

to keep pressing on to perfection, but that is what God expects out of those who

commit themselves to follow his Son as Savior and Lord. Failure to grasp this will

certainly lead at some point to some degree of condemnation.

It is of interest that the KJV has these words added to verse 1, “who walk not after

the flesh, but after the Spirit.” This is how the verse was read for centuries, but it

has been changed in modern versions because the origin of it is a scribe who took

these words from verse 4 and added them here. That scribe could see the danger of

just saying there is no condemnation and leaving it at that, and so he added this

qualifier, for if believers do walk after the flesh they will suffer condemnation. It is

not in verse 1, but it is still in verse 4, and we need to give heed to it, for all we have

looked at in the �ew Testament makes it clear that this qualification is a key truth

needed to avoid the heresy that those in Christ need never fear condemnation.

Andrew Wommack rightly comments, “Condemnation still exists as any Christian

knows. This verse has rightly portrayed that only those who are living in the power

of the Holy Spirit escape that condemnation. Compare this to the law of gravity.

Gravity is a law that never quits exerting its power, but it can be overcome.

Through the laws of aerodynamics man can actually fly and send space ships

beyond Earth's gravity. But it takes power to do this. If the power is shut off, the

law of gravity is still at work and will cause the vehicle to fall. Likewise, the law of

sin and death still exists. If a Christian shuts off the power of the Spirit of life and

begins to start walking in the power of his own flesh, Satan will use this law of sin

and death to make sure he crashes and is condemned.”

The point is, the believer can quench the Spirit that gives him power to overcome

sin, and the result will be a fall into sin. He or she is no longer walking in the spirit,

but in the flesh. There is no promise of no condemnation for that Christian. They

will be under condemnation until they repent and confess their sin, and then forsake

it by getting back into fellowship with the Spirit of God. Too many ignore this

qualification and pretend that the spirit quenching Christian is just fine, and will

never have to face condemnation. This is easily believed by those who have not read

the rest of the Bible on this matter.

In justification there is no condemnation in Christ, for we are accepted as perfect

and cleansed from all sin. In sanctification, however, we are held accountable for

walking in the flesh. Those Christians who do are called carnal Christians. Paul was

not happy with such believers when he wrote to them in I Cor. 3:1-3, “And I,

brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as

unto babes in Christ. 2I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye

were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. 3For ye are yet carnal: for

whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and

walk as men? 4For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are

ye not carnal?” If they would persist in that state of carnality, they would suffer

condemnation. Paul is babying them now, but that will not be perpetual without

judgment.

The Got Questions Ministries put it like this: “The key thing to understand is that

while a Christian can be, for a time, carnal, a true Christian will not remain carnal

for a lifetime. Some have abused the idea of a “carnal Christian” by saying that it is

possible for people to come to faith in Christ and then proceed to live the rest of

their lives in a completely carnal manner, with no evidence of being born again or a

new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). Such a concept is completely unbiblical. James 2

makes it abundantly clear that genuine faith will always result in good works.

Ephesians 2:8-10 declares that while we are saved by grace alone through faith

alone, that salvation will result in works. Can a Christian, in a time of failure and/or

rebellion, appear to be carnal? Yes. Will a true Christian remain carnal? �o.”

John MacArthur wrote about this saying, “There is only two kinds of people in the

world. My grandfather use to say the "saints" and the "ain’ts," that's it, Christians

and �on-Christians, Believers and Unbelievers. �ow listen, the �atural man is the

unregenerate. The Spiritual man is the regenerate man. Read Romans 8, the

Spiritual man is the regenerate. But the Spiritual man can act in a fleshly way.

Anytime you disobey the Lord, you are carnal. Anytime you obey the Lord, you are

Spiritual. Anytime you do what you ought not to do, you are carnal. That means

fleshy, you're operating off the principle of sin. Anytime you do what the Lord

wants you to do, you honor the Word. So carnality is not a permanent state of

Christians who have not given Christ Lordship. Carnality is simply a momentary

experience of the Believer who is disobedient to God. So it is not a state, it is simply

a kind of behavior. And all Christians at any given moment, right now, this

moment here, are either Carnal or Spiritual, depending on whether you functioning

in the Spirit or in the flesh.”

So when a believer in one of these moments of carnality falls for temptation and

commits adultery, he or she does not lose their salvation, or their justification, but

they lose their battle for sanctification, and they slip back a long way on their

journey to holiness. Those who say no condemnation applies in the realm of

sanctification say that there is no judgment from God on this act of carnality. David

suffered hell on earth for his adultery in the Old Testament, but now apparently

under grace we need not fear that condemnation. God has apparently redefined the

7th

commandment and made it less severe. It is no longer thou shalt not commit

adultery, but thou can now get by with it, for there is never any condemnation for

those who are in Christ Jesus. Beware of the heresy of those who take the no

condemnation into the area of sanctification, for it is a damnable lie straight from

the pit of hell.

The final area where those who say we are never under condemnation is the area of

the final judgment before the throne of Christ. This is not a judgment that deals

with sin they argue, but only a time of judging for reward for the works we have

done. They pretend that this is not real judgment, but only like coming to the judge

after a sporting event to receive your trophy. It is all fun and games, and everybody

wins. This only has one weakness, and that is that it ignores the reality that those

believers who build with wood, hay and stubble will lose their reward. They will be

saved, but their judgment is still horrible. They have sinned by not caring about

living a worthwhile life of service that brings glory to their redeemer. They have

given up the fight to overcome sin, and live the life pleasing to God. You can say

they are not being judged for their sin, but only for their lousy works which are not

worth a piece of paper in a raging furnace, but that is using language to deceive

yourself if you believe it. Christians who will lose rewards before that judgment

throne are experiencing condemnation, and the worst kind of all, for it will effect

them forever, and not just in time. So many preachers try to soften the blow of this

judgment, but it is all superficial. If many are getting mansions and gold crowns and

all kinds of elegant rewards, and you get nothing, do you think you will feel

condemnation then? Face reality, judgment means there is a potential

condemnation implied. Read the text below again and tell me there is to be no fear

of condemnation to motivate us to build better lives.

I Corinthians 3:8-15 �ow he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every

man shall receive his own reward according to his own labor.

9 For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s

building.

10 According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise master builder, I

have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed

how he buildeth thereupon.

11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

12 �ow if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood,

hay, stubble;

13 Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it

shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.

14 If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a

reward.

15 If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be

saved; yet so as by fire.

The bottom line is that one might suffer loss, and it is meaningless to say this is not

anything to be concerned about, for there is never any condemnation in Christ. Paul

does say they are saved who suffer the loss, and so if you mean that your mediocre

life of sanctification will not lead to damnation, you are right, but it will lead to loss,

and that is the same as condemnation.

The smooth talker says it is no big deal. “The believer will never stand before God

as Judge to be condemned or punished for his sins. The condemnation has once and

for all fallen fully and finally upon Christ our Substitute. On the other hand every

believer will stand before the Bema or judgment seat of Christ to give an account of

how faithfully he or she has lived the Christian life since he or she was saved, but

the focus will not be condemnation but rewards or loss of rewards.” �otice how the

idea of loss of reward is treated as if it were even less than a misdemeanor. It is

nothing to worry about.

Paul seems to have a different perspective, for he says, “II Corinthians 5:10 For we

must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the

things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.”

�otice there is both good and bad, and so it is not all good, as if everyone is a

winner. Some will lose, for their record is bad, and it is important to know that

ahead of time so you can shape up and take sanctification seriously. If it is no big

deal as so many preacher try to persuade you to think, then why bother to give it

your attention when you are content with mediocrity. I think Paul wrote this to

motivate rather than cuddle believers.

Look at what Paul wrote in Romans 14:10-12 “But why dost thou judge thy

brother? or why dost thou set at naught thy brother? for we shall all stand before

the judgment seat of Christ. 11 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee

shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. 12 So then every one of us

shall give account of himself to God.” (KJV) We are going to be judged, and we are

going to have to give an account of ourselves to God. This means the judgment is a

great deal more than getting rewards as so many preachers try to persuade us.

Those who swallow the whole no condemnation ever nonsense pass over this scary

situation where our lives are open before God, and we have to give an account as to

how we used this life he died to save. What did we do with all of the resources he

made available for us to be strong believers and servants to bring glory to God? I do

not take this lightly, for I am sure I have fallen far short of the ideal, but I am in the

process of moving ahead in knowing the will of God, and doing it. The Bible is my

guide, and I seek to make it my authority in all I do. Still it is frightening to think of

giving an account of my life to God.

One thing I know, and that is that I do not want to say to him that because I was

taught that Jesus died for my sins, and that there is now no condemnation of my sins

past, present or future that I did not try very hard to overcome any of my sins. I

love to sin and you love to forgive sin, and so I just lived like all my worldly friends

and did what they did. If my conscience ever bothered me, I just went to my favorite

preacher and read his comforting words again that said I can never be condemned.

I love the part best where he says that even you God cannot condemn me. (Believe it

or not, some actually say just that). Do you really think this is the kind of account

you want to give before the judgment seat of the Lord? This has to be the hope of all

the Christians who continue to walk in the flesh rather than the spirit.

I will close this study with a quote from Bob Deffinbaugh. “Our family was on

vacation during the fuel crisis a number of years ago when we ran short of fuel in a

remote western part of the United States. In the small town where we found it

necessary to spend the night, only one motel was available, and my children still

laugh about the night we spent in the Alpine Lodge. Our room had no private bath;

the bathroom down the hall had saloon-type doors one could see over and under.

The flashing red neon sign outside our windows illuminated our room all through

the night. Downstairs we checked in at the bar of a tavern. At that bar sat a man

well under the influence of already-consumed liquor. I could not help but overhear

the man’s conversation with the bartender. This drunken man was actually

witnessing to the bartender about his need to trust in Jesus Christ for salvation.

Imagine a drunk telling a sober bartender he needed to get saved!

A radical change is expected and required when a person comes to faith in Jesus

Christ. When no change becomes apparent, we begin to wonder if there has been a

genuine conversion or if the one who was truly saved understands God’s Word

concerning sanctification and discipleship. Charles Colson, in his excellent book,

Loving God, entitles one of his chapters, “A Christian Gangster?” Gangster Mickey

Cohen had made a profession of faith, and it was hoped that he had sincerely come

to faith in Jesus Christ. Time evidenced that Mr. Cohen wanted to continue to live

as a gangster with the assurance that he would go to heaven when he died.”