No Condemnation No Fear
Romans 8 contains some wonderful Bible verses, but tonight I want to concentrate on the first verses that deal with no condemnation no fear. I’m very partial to Romans 8:1 because this is the Bible verse that God used to convert me, to save me. I absolutely love Romans 8:1.
But before I talk about this verse, I want to go back to Matthew 7:21-23. You see, God converted or saved me through Romans 8:1, but He first, convicted me over my sinfulness with Matthew 7:21-23 which states: Not everyone that says unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that does the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name? and in your name have cast out demons? and in your name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
But I Was Baptized
I was reading straight through the Bible beginning at Genesis 1:1 and when I got to these three verses in Matthew 7, God pointed out to me that I was going to be one of those people at the judgment that Jesus was going to look at and say, Depart from Me, you worker of iniquity. Oh, and just like the prior verse stated, I started arguing with God, but God, I’m saved. I said the sinner’s prayer when I was 11 years old. I walked the aisle, shed real tears. God, you are God, you know that I was baptized. My baptism card is in the fire proof safe.
At that moment 11 years ago, I didn’t understand what was going on. I was confused. How could God convict me over being lost when I had asked Jesus into my heart so many years earlier? I truly was dumbfounded, but I was also shaken to the core over the prospects of Jesus saying Depart from Me, I never knew you. How could Jesus not know me? I had been baptized!
No More Condemnation
Eleven years ago, I was stunned that God convicted me over my lost situation, but I kept reading the Bible. I mean I had read 2/3 of the Bible, so at that point, I might as well finish what I had started. So I kept reading. Read through the Gospels and then the book of Acts. Then I got to Romans. I still didn’t understand what happened back in Matthew 7, but I remembered Romans 8:1, that there’s no more condemnation. So I kept reading.
When I got to Romans 8:1, I read those wonderful words: There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus. I literally went Whew. I don’t know what happened back there in Matthew, but there’s no more condemnation. Then I finished the rest of verse 1: who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. The verse again, There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Uh-ho, I really was in trouble. For the first time in my life, I read that verse, really read that verse, by the illumination of the Holy Spirit. There is no more condemnation for those who ARE IN Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the previous 33 years after my profession of faith in Jesus, I had claimed Him with my lips while my heart was far from Him. I claimed my fireproof insurance from Hell, but I lived like the devil and for the devil.
Really Am Lost
I lived selfishly for the pleasures of the flesh. I had walked after the flesh and not after the Spirit. Immediately, right there on the spot, in my chair, I cried out Oh God, I really am lost! And praise God, He saved me. You see, the moment I realized that I was lost and that I was accountable to our Holy and righteous God, I was undone as Isaiah said. Woe is me for I am a man of unclean lips. Woe is me, I really am headed for Hell. Save me God; save me! Our gracious God did save me. Praise God, salvation is of the Lord.
Now I truly am not condemned. There is no condemnation against me. I’m no longer a servant to sin and Satan. My chains are gone! This isn’t for anything that I have done and not for any goodness in me. By the grace of God alone, I’m gloriously saved. I’ve been redeemed. Jesus Christ shed His precious blood for a wretched sinner like me. I’m saved! Saved! Saved! I’ve been forgiven for my sins. God has cast my sins as far as the East is from the West.
What about you? Have your sins been forgiven? Have you been cleansed by Jesus Christ the Lord? Are you truly saved? Have you truly repented from your sins and surrendered your life to Jesus? Or are you counting on a one-time prayer or one-time religious experience from the past? Is Jesus going to look at you on Judgment Day and say Depart from Me you worker of iniquity, I never knew you? If you are walking by today, do you know that you know that you are saved?
Are You A Changed Person?
A saved life is a changed life? Peter was a fisherman until Jesus made him a fisher of men. Paul persecuted and killed Christians, then he was martyred for his faith. He died for the one he used to stand against. Has Jesus Christ radically changed your life? Oh, are you saved? Are you a new creature in Christ? Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new (2 Corinthians 5:17). If you are not a radically different person today than you were before you professed Christ as your Lord and Savior, please examine yourself and see if you are in the faith.
If you are truly born again, then like my friends and I, you are no longer under God’s condemnation. No condemnation. Hallelujah! Praise God! Thank You Lord for saving me! Thank you for placing my condemnation on Your sinless Son as He hung on that old rugged cross. Oh, thank you Lord for Your mercy and grace. Thank you for convicting me and converting me instead of letting me die in my sins and suffer the torments of Hell for all eternity. Thank You Father God that I am no longer condemned.
You Are Still Under God’s Condemnation
If Jesus Christ is not your Lord and Savior, then you are still under God’s condemnation. God’s righteous wrath over your sins abides upon you. Please listen to Romans 8:5-8: For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
If you have never repented and surrendered your life to Jesus, then your mind is still set on the flesh. To be carnally minded is death and the carnal mind is at enmity with God. Did you hear that? If you are still spiritually dead in your trespasses and sins, then you are at enmity with God. In other words, you have made yourself an enemy to Almighty God! Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God (James 4:4).
This Should Shake You To The Core
Oh folks, if this describes you, it should shake you to the core like it shook me 11 years ago. You should quake and tremble over the fact that you are Gods’ enemy. Even the demons believe in God and tremble. Are you as smart as a demon? Seriously, are you trembling tonight over your rebellion against the one true God?
Are you fearful over God’s wrath remaining upon you? He that believes on the Son has everlasting life: and he that believes not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abides on him (John 3:36). God’s anger abides upon you if Jesus is not your Lord and Savior. You see, many people claim Jesus as their Savior – to save them from the flames of Hell, but very few people claim Him as Lord. When Jesus is your Lord, He rules your life. Jesus sits on the throne of your life. Who is on the throne? You or Jesus? If it’s you, then you are in big trouble. You have made yourself God’s enemy!
Oh, but to those of us who are truly saved, who have repented and put our trust in Jesus, we have no condemnation no fear of God’s wrath. God’s anger no longer abides upon us. We have been set free. Who the Son sets free is free indeed. We’ve been forgiven. Jesus took the punishment that we deserved.
Abba Father
Romans 8:15 says: For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. Those of us who have repented from our sins and put our trust Jesus have no more fear. We’ve been adopted into the family of God. We cry Abba, Father. This is a beautiful picture of God the Father.
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God (Romans 8:14). Those of us who are saved, are sons of God. We’ve been redeemed by the Lord Jesus Christ. We are new creatures in Christ. We now walk after the Spirit and not after the flesh. True followers of Jesus have no condemnation no fear.
Does that mean we have a license to sin freely? Absolutely not! Jesus came to save His people FROM their sins, not to sin MORE. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live (Romans 8:13). We are servants of our Lord not servants to the flesh and sin.
Who Are You Serving?
Who are you serving tonight? If you are not surrendered utterly and completely to Jesus then you are still a servant to sin, a servant to the flesh. You have no claim to God and He has no claim to you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his (Romans 8:9 b). If this describes you, then you are still under God’s condemnation, under His wrath. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God (Hebrews 10:31). Again Romans 8:13 says: For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die. You shall die. You shall die in your sin, die in your state of guilt. Physical death and the second death – which is eternal death or everlasting punishment.
Oh, don’t do it. Don’t continue living for the flesh. Don’t continue marching down the broad road to destruction. In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power (2 Thessalonians 1:8-9).
Come To Abba Father
Get right with God – tonight. If He’s convicting you over your sins and revealing His Holiness to you, come to Abba Father. Recognize that you are a sinner. Cry out for God to forgive you for your sins. Repent and surrender your life fully and completely to Jesus Christ our Lord. Call upon the name of the Lord and be saved.
Today is the day of salvation. If God is convicting you tonight, d not let your head hit the pillow without repenting and submitting your life to King Jesus. Then and only then will you truly understand no condemnation no fear. Then Romans 8:1 will have a whole new meaning for you when you too, start walking after the Spirit and not after the flesh. There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
(This message was proclaimed on July 16 2018 in downtown Springfield, MO)