“No Condemnation”

Saturday, August 17, 2019

by Dr. Paul Chappell

“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”

Romans 8:1–4

In March of 2019, Harry Krame returned a book to the library in Fair Lawn, New Jersey. That is an occurrence that happens every day. But Krame had checked out The Family Book of Verse by Lewis Ganet when Lyndon Johnson was president—fifty-three years before. The book had been stacked with others and stored in his basement. When Krame found the book during a cleanup, he said he felt guilty for keeping it so long. Though the fine would have amounted to some $2,000, the library waived all the fees. They plan to use the book as part of an exhibit to stress the importance of returning library books on time.

There are things in the past of all of our lives that we look back on with regret. Poor decisions, harsh words, failed efforts, and especially sin (both of omission and commission). Yet while we should not ever take sin lightly, we should also not be bound by guilt over what is in the past. Once we have confessed a sin and forsaken, and done what we can to make things right with those we have hurt, the sin is gone. God does not bring them up again, and neither should we. “For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more” (Hebrews 8:12).

Today's Growth Principle: 

Salvation frees us from the guilt, shame, and condemnation of the past forever.