Therefore, there is now no condemnation to those in Christ Jesus,
Truth to Learn
There is no condemnation declared against born-again Christians; instead, we are declared as righteous.
Behind the Words
This word “condemnation” is an interesting word. The Greek word is katakrima, which means, “the result of a legal judgment in which there is a condemnatory ruling against someone.”
Meaning Explained
In the last verse of chapter seven the Apostle Paul was thanking God for the fact that with his mind he serves the Law of God even though with the flesh he serves the law of sin. He has spent most of the past three chapters discussing the doctrine of justification by grace through faith and then describing the fact that sin has had dominion over us and describing the battle that exists between the sin nature and the intellect.
In this verse he proclaims the great truth about these past three chapters. Even though sin has dominion over us in the flesh, because we have been declared as righteous by God, “Therefore, there is now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus.” Even though our sin nature still causes us to fall and commit sin and, as Paul said back in Romans 6:23, “The wages of sin is death,” he also said in that same verse, “the gift of God is eternal life.” Because God declared us righteous and gave us eternal life, there is no condemnation on us.
Back in chapter four, Paul talked about the fact that righteousness was reckoned, or imputed, to us by grace. This reckoning, or crediting, is a legal term that means that righteousness is declared and placed in one’s account where righteousness did not exist before. Since we have been declared righteous, there can be no condemnatory ruling against us.
“Therefore, there is now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus.”
Some translations have “who walk not according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit” added to the end of this verse. This phrase is omitted in the best transcripts. It is possible that the scribe who copied this letter included this from the end of verse four. But, what if Paul did actually add this here as well as in verse four? If he did, then this is a statement of fact, not a condition. He is NOT saying that there is no condemnation to those “who are in Christ Jesus” on the condition that they “do not walk according to the flesh.” He is saying that a characteristic of those who are in Christ Jesus is the fact that they do not walk according to flesh but according to spirit. One of the signs of a true Christian is that they have a manner of life that is characterized by things of the spirit and one that is not characterized by fleshly things.
Application
I have had people ask me, “What do you think about Christians who get saved and then go back to living the same way they did before they got saved?” The only logical answer to this question, according to what Paul teaches us here and in verse four is, “They never really got saved!” Jesus, during his earthly ministry, taught his disciples, “Even so every good tree brings forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree brings forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruits, nor can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.” (Matthew 7:17, 18)
What does your fruit say about you? Are you in Christ Jesus?
In God's service, for His glory,
Copyright © 2018 Will Krause. All rights reserved