The Difference
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.” (NKJV)
Have you ever considered that if we were still living under the stringent laws of the Old Testament, most Christians would be walking around dismembered and maimed? Think about that for a moment, and let it sink in . . . . If you needed a reason to thank God today, you have one now! :o) And even though we are no longer under the law, I’ve noticed many Christians still act like it in one particular area because they’ve yet to discover “the difference”. Perhaps, Paul’s authoritative warning in the previously mentioned verse needs to be shouted from the rooftops.
When Paul says “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus…”, literally, he’s saying “Once you’ve come into a saving knowledge of the person and work of Jesus, your sin does not bring condemnation, even though it’s worthy of condemnation. God offers pardon to those in Christ Jesus”. As those in Christ have died with Him (see Romans 6:1-4), they have in Him satisfied the law, and hence they cannot be under condemnation. Jesus, the sinless One, was made sin for us; so we, forgiven through Him, are made the righteousness of God in Him (see II Corinthians 5:21). In essence, we experience adoption (as Believers, we’ve been given full privileges as sons & daughters in God’s family) and justification (declared righteous) once we experience the vital union with Christ. We sometimes forget about the significance of this vital union and fall victim to what I like to call “Mature Manager Mode”. The more mature in Christ you become, the better you get at managing your sin. We know we have been freed from the penalty of sin, but still often feel enslaved by it. If you are a Christian, the uneasiness resulting from your sin brings conviction (a great example of this can be found in Psalm 51:1-17). If you are a Non-Christian, the uneasiness resulting from your sin brings condemnation (see John 3:18). Even though both condemnation & conviction originate as a consequence of sin, believers need to hold fast to the stark difference between the two.
With condemnation, there is no hope. With conviction, the hope is in Christ. Condemnation stems from false guilt brought to us by the enemy. Conviction stems from genuine guilt brought to us by the Holy Spirit, and the expected result is repentance. Condemnation exists when an individual is still in our first federal head, Adam. Conviction exists when an individual has surrendered the reigns of his/her life to Christ as Lord. The difference between condemnation & conviction is similar to the difference between suffering for Christ and being inconvenienced for Christ: one is authentic, the other is perceived to be authentic.
Romans gives a masterful presentation of God’s plan of salvation. One of Paul’s purposes in penning the book was to give the believers in Rome a well-instructed faith that they might be established (see Romans 1:11). With that in mind, my goal in writing this devotional is to encourage those in Christ and at the same time, admonish those not in Christ. I’m completely aware that what God calls evil, some might call “no big deal”. But I challenge you to deeply ponder this thought: the Holy Spirit, which convicts of sin (see John 15:8) desires to make you distinct from what is common. This action (called sanctification) refers to a process which is perfect in principle, though not yet attained. If you have not yet attained an understanding to the difference between condemnation & conviction, will you allow the process to perfect YOU?
“Conviction is worthless unless it is converted into conduct.” – Thomas Carlyle
Edifying, Encouraging & Enlightening,
Excelsius
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