Day 168 · Year 1 · The Story of Scripture
Therefore now
Two words that carry the weight of every chapter before them.
Today's passage
Romans 8:1-4
1Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
2For in Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set you free from the law of sin and death.
3For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful man, as an offering for sin. He thus condemned sin in the flesh,
4so that the righteous standard of the law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
Berean Standard Bible · public domain
Reflection
Paul has spent seven chapters describing how badly we needed rescue. Chapter 8 opens with the verdict: 'There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.' Not 'someday.' Not 'if you behave well this week.' Now. If you woke up still rehearsing yesterday's failure, this verse is your assignment. The penalty has already been carried. The Spirit is already at work. You can stop living from the courtroom and start living from the verdict.
From the great tradition · paraphrased
Martin Luther · Reformers · 16th c. · Germany
Luther said the gospel reduces, on its hardest day, to this: in Christ there is no condemnation — and the believer must preach that to himself when his conscience accuses him.
Paraphrase only. Scripture, not any teacher, is the authority.
Think it through
- What is the verdict in verse 1, and on what basis?
- What did the law not do, and what did God do instead, in verses 3–4?
- What accusation do you most need to answer with Romans 8:1 today?
A prayer to pray
Name the accusation. Then say back to it: 'there is therefore now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus.' Ask the Spirit to make it stick.