Romans 8:1 – “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.”
Have you ever felt judged or condemned by someone? Maybe because of a different hair style, or clothes, or because you come from a different place? Or have you have ever condemned or judged your neighbor for the same reasons? These are all external appearances. They concern our bodies, our flesh, not our Spirit.
Thank God that when we walk with Jesus, we start walking according to the Spirit: the invisible and Holy Spirit of God. The Spirit that supernaturally changes our appearance, our thoughts, our wants, our behavior. When the Holy Spirit of God controls us, we become compassionate and loving towards others, we begin to put to death our sinful nature, and we become “alive through the Spirit that lives in us”.
When the Spirit of God reigns in us, we become free from the law of sin and death, and we can no longer be condemned, we have our minds set on what the Spirit desires; we become sons and daughters of God; we are given beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; we become heirs of God.
“Who will bring any charge against us?” “Who is there to condemn us? For Christ Jesus who died, and more than that was raised to life, is at the right hand of God – and He is interceding for us.” (Romans 8: 33-34)
In Christ, neither are we condemned, nor anything else will be able to separate us from the love of God! (Romans 8:39) Hallelujah!
Romans 8 (NIV); Isaiah 61:3 (AKJV)
