ROMANS UNWRAPPED 123

No condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus.  Romans 8v1

There are no sweeter words that have ever fallen on the ears of mortal man.   A declaration from the throne, from the supreme court in the universe "no condemnation"; justified, acquitted, freed from all guilt, all sins forgiven,  no possibility of any future judgement because God has declared it.   The only criterion is that you must be "in Christ Jesus."   This was the subject of chapters 1 - 7, and Paul is now reaching the mountain top of his teaching.   He began in chapter 1 with the entire race under the condemnation of God and now he reaches the peak and looks back and says "no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus."   He will expand on this later in the chapter but for now we will take a panoramic view of the full blessings of God in Jesus Christ as discussed in Romans chapter 8. 

The key phrase in the chapter occurs at the very beginning.   It is "life in Christ Jesus".   This phrase describes the life of the believer in Christ; once degenerate in his sin, he has now become regenerate in Christ, and this sums up the content of this glorious bible chapter.

• verses 1 - 11    the freedom of the new life in Christ Jesus; the ruling principle by which we live, has been changed.   In these verses we have a comparison between the old life in the flesh and the new life as controlled by the Holy Spirit.
• verses 12 - 30  the obligations of the new life in Christ; we have perfect liberty in Christ, but this does not mean licence to sin, we have a responsibility to live in the power of the new life.   In these verses we have a comparison between the present life as believers in this world and the future life of believers in the next.   In verses 1-11 the theme is present grace, in verses 12-30 the theme is future glory.  
• verses 31 - 39  the permanence of the new life in Christ Jesus; the theme is "no separation," nothing in heaven or earth or hell can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord:   If in verses 1-11 we have present grace; and in verses 12-30 we have future glory; here in 31-39 we have eternal certainty.

The scope of this chapter is astonishing, and it would be well for all to become familiar with its contents.   Allow this chapter of God's word to enter your soul and live in the power of the Holy Spirit as you grasp the immensity of what God has done.   Here we see the ultimate purpose of God for this world coming to pass.   It can be stated in three parts.   Firstly,  His purpose concerning His Son. This purpose for His Son is stated in verse 29  "that He might be the firstborn among many brethren".

God has decreed that He will populate heaven with countless people who have been changed to the image of His Son.   The idea of the firstborn, is not so much born first in terms of time, but first in terms of rank.   In Hebrews chapter 2 Jesus is described as "the Captain of their salvation (the chief leader, first in rank)" and what is He doing?   He is "bringing many sons to glory."   Secondly, in this chapter we have God's purpose for His people; this purpose can be seen in verse 23 where he says we are "waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body."   Having saved our souls God will change our bodies and fit them for heaven.   Another part of the purpose, and a major part at that, is seen in verse 29 where he states "conformed to the image of His Son."  This means that any changes and adjustments that have to be made to bring us into line with the character of the Lord Jesus Christ will be done and God's ultimate purpose for His redeemed people, likeness to His Son, will be achieved.   Again there is another purpose, it is God's purpose for creation.   In verse 21 he states that the creation which was subjected to bondage because of the fall, will be "delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the sons of God."  

So we can see where he is going here: having saved our souls, He will change our bodies; having changed our bodies He will adjust our souls; and when all is done for His people He will change creation.   God's work starts from the inside and works to the outside, dealing with the hearts of men first and ending with the physical creation which will be their habitation for all eternity. It is a common misconception  in the world that to change a man you must begin by changing his environment, God begins by changing the man, then his environment.

Change the man, then his environment, that is God's way!