Condemned
Read Romans 8:1-17.
Condemned.
The word even sounds harsh. When a building can no longer be lived in, when it is damaged beyond repair, we call it...condemned. When a prisoner has been sent away for life, for committing a horrendous crime, or when that prisoner has received the death penalty, we call that person...condemned. Those who were sent to concentration camps or caught in the grip of any number of genocidal maniacs throughout history, those people we know were...condemned.
The word is harsh. The practice is harsher.
And the same is true, Paul says, for those who caught in the grip of sin, for those who daily give into the power of sin in their lives. When we would rather pursue pleasure than the best that our creator has for us, when we prefer depravity to holiness, even when we "put on our Sunday best" and the rest of the week live like the devil, the same word comes down to us: condemned. Paul says in a wide variety of ways in this passage that, for those who live outside the grip of Jesus, there is only death ahead.
But he began this chapter (though Paul wasn't writing in chapters, but let's not quibble about the details) with a word of hope, a word that should ring out over everything else he says: for those who trust Jesus, for those who are "in Christ," there is...wait for it...no condemnation. None. Nada. Zip. Zero. Not a hint. It's that simple. Once a person places their trust in Jesus, all condemnation is swept away. No matter what your neighbor says, your family says, your boss says, no matter what anyone says, you are not condemned.
Others may turn their backs on you, but Jesus never will. Others may talk down about you, but Jesus never will. Others may judge you and consider you just like that old, run-down building, but Jesus never will. There is no condemnation once you are "in Christ." There is only hope, life, love and light ahead for the one who trusts in Christ. And that, my friend, is the best news you could receive today.
Condemned.
The word even sounds harsh. When a building can no longer be lived in, when it is damaged beyond repair, we call it...condemned. When a prisoner has been sent away for life, for committing a horrendous crime, or when that prisoner has received the death penalty, we call that person...condemned. Those who were sent to concentration camps or caught in the grip of any number of genocidal maniacs throughout history, those people we know were...condemned.
The word is harsh. The practice is harsher.
And the same is true, Paul says, for those who caught in the grip of sin, for those who daily give into the power of sin in their lives. When we would rather pursue pleasure than the best that our creator has for us, when we prefer depravity to holiness, even when we "put on our Sunday best" and the rest of the week live like the devil, the same word comes down to us: condemned. Paul says in a wide variety of ways in this passage that, for those who live outside the grip of Jesus, there is only death ahead.
But he began this chapter (though Paul wasn't writing in chapters, but let's not quibble about the details) with a word of hope, a word that should ring out over everything else he says: for those who trust Jesus, for those who are "in Christ," there is...wait for it...no condemnation. None. Nada. Zip. Zero. Not a hint. It's that simple. Once a person places their trust in Jesus, all condemnation is swept away. No matter what your neighbor says, your family says, your boss says, no matter what anyone says, you are not condemned.
Others may turn their backs on you, but Jesus never will. Others may talk down about you, but Jesus never will. Others may judge you and consider you just like that old, run-down building, but Jesus never will. There is no condemnation once you are "in Christ." There is only hope, life, love and light ahead for the one who trusts in Christ. And that, my friend, is the best news you could receive today.
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