There is now therefore no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus

There is, or at least that can be, a world of difference between feeling condemned, and being condemned. But self condemnation is destructive. In particular it is often part of the addiction cycle where we engage in our addictive behaviours to try to anesthetize the pain of our guilt and shame.

So it is important to know if I am under condemnation, or merely feeling under condemnation. If I know that I am not condemned even if I feel condemned, then I know what to do. I need to immerse myself in the truth that I am not condemned, and allow it to set me free.

So the question is, am I in Christ Jesus or not! The Scripture gives me assurance over and over that if I am in Christ, then salvation is by faith (Ephesians 2: 8, 9), that my righteousness is the imputed righteousness of Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:9), and that when I am in Christ Jesus I have already passed from from death to life (John 5:24).

So it’s all very clear right? Unfortunately, the waters are somewhat muddied not only by other Scriptures that seem at first sight to contradict this, but also by the various versions of the verse at the head of this post from Romans 8:1. In the NIV for example, the phrase at the head of this post is the complete verse. But the NKJV adds “to those who walk not according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.”

It is important to me in my ministry, and in fact in my own life, to know if this addition is correct or not. If it’s not, if it should not be there, then when I am feeling condemned because I have just slipped, it opens me up to the evil one coming along and telling me “You’re not walking according to the Spirit, you’re walking according to the flesh, so this verse does not apply!” This does not help, especially if I do not know how to answer. If I do not know how to answer, it will not set me free!

So it should be fairly obvious where I stand on this issue, I do not believe that this addition is correct! But I do need to to justify this, and I present here three arguments. The first is textual, the second contextual and the third theological.

So firstly textual: The majority of the early manuscripts omit the offending phrase. Scholars who go along with this regard it as an interpolation (the insertion of something of a different nature into something else) from verse four where the exact same phrase occurs in the Greek, and where it makes perfect sense. Obviously the earlier the manuscript the more reliable it is considered to be!

Secondly contextual: In chapter 7, Paul has been talking about our sinful nature. For example in verses 18 and 19 he says “I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.” An alcoholic friend of mine told me one time, that there was a lot in the Bible that he did not understand, but he certainly understand this one, he lived it! And as a result, those of us who struggle to get free of addictions find ourselves over and over feeling condemned. And it is precisely in the context of such a struggle that Paul tells us “There is therefore now no condemnation in Christ Jesus.” To me, it’s unfortunate that there is a chapter division here, since clearly this verse relates to what Paul has just been saying. And as I have already said, this interpolation muddies the waters.

Finally theologically: There are (at least) two errors surrounding this issue that the Scriptures address. One of them concerns persistent, wilful rebellious sin, the presumptuous attitude that says “God will forgive me, that’s his job!” In other words there is no sorrow for sin, no repentance. It’s hard for me to imagine that such a person is in Christ, but in any case the Scripture is clear. See for example Hebrews 10:26.

The other is the very context we are discussing here. In particular Paul cries out in Romans 7:24 “O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” One of the things about truly being in Christ, is that we are no longer comfortable or content to live in our sin, and we cry out the very same thing that Paul is crying out here. And of course along with this we feel conviction, and often shame and guilt and condemnation. And then Romans 8:1 (just two verses after 7:24) is so relevant. We need to know that there is indeed no condemnation.

So what to do when I feel condemnation? I need to ask myself where I am at. Is my attitude presumptuous, do I feel God owes it to me to forgive me, or am I crying out in repentance for forgiveness and delivery? Surely this is at least part of what it means to examine myself to see if I be in the faith (2 Corinthians 13:5). If my attitude is the letter attitude, then Romans 8:1 in the NIV applies to me. That is now therefore no condemnation period, because I am in Christ Jesus.

Father, help us to be neither presumptuous nor to be unbelieving in the face of our failures. When I fall Lord, help me to repent and so be in a place to claim Your forgiveness and cleansing (1 John 1:9), and in particular break off shame, guilt in condemnation. In Jesus Name Amen