No Condemnation

Romans 8:1 says, "There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit." "Therefore" (v. 1) marks a result, a consequence, or a conclusion. Paul spent the first seven chapters in Romans primarily focused on justification by faith alone, which was made possible solely by the power of God's grace. Now there is a major change of focus. In chapter 8, Paul begins to look at the results of that justification in our lives. What does this all mean?

The Greek word for "condemnation" appears only in the book of Romans; here and in Romans 5:16, 18. Although it relates to the sentencing for a crime, its primary focus is not so much on the verdict as on the penalty that the verdict demands. As Paul already declared, the penalty or "condemnation" for sin is death: "For the wages of sin is death" (Rom. 6:23).

But the good news Paul is declaring here in Romans 8:1 is the same as the last part of Romans 6:23, which says, "but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." The good news for Christians is that there will be "no condemnation" (Rom. 8:1). There will be no sentencing and no punishment for sins ever committed—past, present, or future. Your sins are all forgiven in what Christ did for you on the cross. The penalty has been paid.

The Greek word "no" (v. 1) is an emphatic negative adverb of time, which carries the idea of complete cessation. For the believer, it is over! Never will anyone who is in Christ suffer any condemnation at all! Not now. Not in the future. That is eternal security.

It does not mean that there is nothing worthy of condemnation. It means what it says: "There is… no condemnation" (v. 1). All of us deserve to be condemned for our sin. All of us fall short. But praise be to God, Jesus paid the penalty for us on the cross, and through our faith in Him, the condemnation we deserve has been removed. There is no greater statement of eternal security.

Who is secure? "Those who are in Christ Jesus" (v. 1). Those who come to Jesus by faith. When you trust Jesus for your salvation and receive Him by faith, your sins are forgiven, you are declared righteous, and you are never again subject to condemnation. Your conflict with sin continues until you go to be with the Lord, yet there still is no condemnation for you because the penalty was paid in Christ and applied by grace. This truth, that you, being in Christ, will never face the eternal death penalty, is the foundation of all of Romans 8.

The last part of verse 1 in the KJV and NKJV, "who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit," is not found in most of your translations because it is not found in most of the oldest and best manuscripts of Scripture. This statement was probably inserted here by a copyist. The exact same statement is found in the context in verse 4, and so the addition here does not change the meaning.

To "walk" means to regulate the inward and outward life—how you live. It follows from the nature of your union in Christ that your whole life, your very character, will be transformed. Your old nature, your "flesh," will no longer control you. Rather, the Holy Spirit, who now resides within you, will control you and transform you into the very image of Christ. Amen.