Romans 8:1 (NIV) Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus...

To be condemned is to be declared guilty, to be doomed or to be declared as incurable. It is a horrible experience to be condemned. You are condemned when you do things so terrible that the only solution is to exact punishment on you. Many people in society have been condemned either to life in prison or worse, condemned to die. In this country, those things happen to people who have been found guilty by a judge or a jury of their peers. In the end, that is called justice.

That’s why what Jesus did for us by dying on the cross for our sins is such incredible news! It’s known as the “Good News,” but it should be called “The Greatest News of All Time.” It’s the greatest news because own it or not, we are all guilty of breaking God’s law and of doing sinful things. Our hearts are wicked to the core and there was no cure for it until Jesus, who was God in the flesh, came to change all of that. Being condemned is followed by receiving your punishment but amazingly, God came down to earth to die as a sacrifice for our sins so that we can live! Jesus took our sins on Himself and took the punishment that we deserved as the Father’s wrath was poured out on Him. After taking the penalty of our sins and upon the forgiveness of those sins through confession, repentance and receiving Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we are free and are no longer condemned to die. The Word of God says that the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23) and that is what was waiting for us until Jesus rescued us. Now we can declare with the Apostle Paul that there is now no condemnation for us because we are in Christ Jesus. Justice was satisfied by the greatest sacrifice ever known to mankind.

Oh that we would realize the enormity of what was done for us by our God and that we would be so overjoyed and grateful that we are not only free from condemnation, but that now we also have eternal life as a reward! We didn’t deserve a reward and we didn’t deserve the “not guilty” verdict by God, but He gave it to us because of His amazing love, grace and mercy. What do we have to be worried about and about what do we have to be afraid? We have been set free and one day, we will stand in the very presence of God in all of His glory, giving Him thanks and praising Him for all eternity!

Pastor Joey Vazquez