There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. (Romans 8:1-2)
Reflection:
When we are abiding in Christ, we are delivered from the fear of condemnation. We fear condemnation when we are trusting in our own righteousness. But this verse clarifies that we are justified not because of our good behavior but because of our unity with Jesus Christ. He is our righteousness. Therefore, so long as we are abiding in him, we have nothing to fear.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus Christ, thank you for the mercy and grace you freely offer to all those who turn to you. Help me to know that you will never condemn anyone who belongs to you.
Life Application:
Do you have the assurance of your salvation? Assurance is a gift that God wants to give to all of his children. Our loving God does not want his children to doubt his love or live in anxiety. But we will never receive God’s gift of assurance so long as we are trusting in our own righteousness; it will only come through our unity with Jesus Christ. To receive this gift, you will first need to acknowledge that nothing good comes from you. This is easy to do, because we are all sinners and fall short of the glory of God. Secondly, you will have to trust in the promises of Christ, which is also an easy thing to do, because Jesus never lies. So take all of that fear and anxiety and redirect the energy toward living in unity with Christ. He will set your heart at ease.
