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Hope

Sometimes there is just that funk. We all know that feeling.

  • We cannot see clearly.
  • We wander around under a cloud.
  • Nothing is right.

But we have good news. We do not have to live under the black cloud. No need to be in a funk. Jesus has arrived. He is the Messiah. He is always here for us.

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in the Messiah Jesus.[1]

Romans 8:1

The word “condemnation” means a guilty verdict, a sentence of punishment, or a state of being condemned. In the context of Romans 8:1, it refers to the condemnation that we deserve as sinners before a holy God. The Bible says that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23) and that “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). Without Jesus, we are under God’s wrath and judgment, and we have no hope of escaping it.

But the good news is that God has provided a way for us to be saved from condemnation through His Son, Jesus. Jesus came to this world as the Messiah, the anointed one, who fulfilled the law and the prophets. He lived a sinless life, died on the cross for our sins, and rose again from the dead. He is the only one who can save us from our sins and reconcile us to God.

The Bible says that “if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Master and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9). When we put our faith in Jesus as our Master and Savior, we are no longer condemned by God. We are forgiven, justified, adopted, sanctified, and glorified. We are in the Messiah, and the Messiah is in us. We have a new identity, a new relationship, and a new destiny.

This is what Romans 8:1 means when it says that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. It means that we are free from the guilt, shame, fear, and power of sin. It means that we are secure in God’s love, grace, mercy, and peace. It means that we have eternal life and nothing can separate us from God.

This verse should fill us with joy, gratitude, confidence, and hope. It should motivate us to live for God’s glory, to love Him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to love our neighbor as ourselves. It should inspire us to grow in our faith, to serve others with our gifts, and to share the gospel with the world.

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in the Messiah Jesus. This is the truth that sets us free. This is the message that we need to hear and believe every day. This is the good news that we need to proclaim to everyone.

[1] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Ro 8:1.