The Infinite Safety Of Jesus Christ

Transcript

Well, this morning we begin a new sermon series on Romans chapter eight and we’ll probably spend around seven or eight weeks going through Romans chapter eight. And so this morning we will be dealing with Romans eight chapter one, just verse one. So as we think about our time together, I want to begin by asking you a question, and it’s really a very simple question. Are you a seven or are you an eight? Are you a seven or an eight? Which one of these numbers do you most identify with? Which number do you think most impacts your sense of self, your temperament, your disposition? To be clear, when I ask what number you most identify with, I’m not speaking in terms of some personality pinwheel like the Enneagram or even some subjective number of beauty that our Photoshop culture pushes us to. And when I ask what number that you most identify with, I’m asking if you identify more as a chapter seven sinner or a chapter eight saint.

Seven or Eight?

Which one do you lean more towards? Which one do you most resonate with? Even though this room is filled with people who I would guess consider themselves to be chapter seven sinners, at least to some degree or in certain moments. I can’t help but want to encourage you this morning. I think that our text this morning has something so profoundly encouraging for you if you are indeed a chapter seven sinner. And to help you better understand what I mean when I say chapter seven sinner, let me first give you a few verses from Romans chapter seven. That might be shaping the way you view yourself if you in fact view yourself as a chapter seven sinner. In Romans chapter seven, verses nine through 24, the apostle Paul, when speaking both personally and generally about the law of God and the human experience with sin, he says this.

Listen.

I was once alive apart from the law. But when the commandment came, sin came alive and I died. The very commandment that promised life proved to be death to me. For sin seizing an opportunity through the commandment deceived me and through it killed me. So the law is holy and the commandment is holy and righteous and good. Did that which is good then bring death to me? By no means. It was sin producing death in me through what is good. In order that sin might be shown to be sin and through the commandment might become sinful beyond measure. For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh sold under sin. For I do not understand my own actions. And here’s where I think chapter seven sinners really resonate. For I do not do what I want

— Romans 7

(ESV)

. But I do the very thing I hate.

Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law that it’s good. So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me that is in my flesh.

For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want. But the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God in my inner being. But I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind

— Romans 7

(ESV)

and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. So you see brothers and sisters, a chapter seven sinner is one who knows the law of God. Who wants to delight in the law of God. Who wants to please God by doing what God commands. But a chapter seven sinner is also a person who can’t help but keep on failing in his or her pursuit to follow God’s commands perfectly. They want to do good. They want to do right. But they continue to sin despite their desire to please God. And as a result, they’re constantly wrestling not only with their unique and respective individual sin patterns but also with all of the guilt, with all of the shame, with all of the self-condemnation that comes along with the constant failing to live perfectly according to God’s commands. I know those feelings.

And I know you know those feelings. And for many chapter seven sinners, the verse that constantly hovers over them like a dark cloud is the verse, the wages of sin is death. Because they know intimately that the sin they keep chasing after, the sin that continues to exist in their life, the sin that they continue to revisit is killing them. They know it destroys and ultimately brings death. But they’re trapped in this body of sin which makes them feel trapped in condemnation. Which is why the constant refrain of a chapter seven sinner is the same refrain as the apostle Paul. Wretched man or wretched woman that I am, who will deliver me from this body of death? Is this you? Longing to live for Jesus but finding yourself picking up that reoccurring passenger of sin and as a result constantly sitting under the weight of a dark and discouraging self-condemning conscience.

Beyond Chapter Seven

Constantly condemning yourself because of that one sin that you can’t seem to keep in check. Do you want to please God with your thought life? With your attitude? With your actions? With your parenting? With your marriage? With your singleness? With your sexuality? With your money? With your time? With your very life? But you keep tripping over your sin. Are you constantly asking yourself, have I gone too far this time? Has God’s grace run out for me this time? How can I possibly profess to be a Christian and think the thoughts that I think? Is this the sin that’s going to ultimately lead me away from the safety of God into death? Well, if this is you, dear chapter 7 sinner, dear follower of Jesus, there is hope beyond chapter 7. There is rescue from your body of death. And my aim this morning through the preaching of God’s very word

is to move you emotionally, spiritually, experientially, and personally into a chapter 8 saint. Because this is where we were made to live. This is where we were made to rest. And while it is true that we will continue to wrestle with sin, and while it is true that the entire book of Romans is an actual and accurate assessment of our sinful condition, of which we are guilty, and that the consequences of our sinful decisions deserve righteous condemnation, there is a greater reality and a glorious hope that is driving the book of Romans. And Romans chapter 8 is the climax of that beautiful hope. Chapter 8 is essentially the beautiful diamond that sparkles on the ring of Romans. And so my hope as we move through this sermon series is that you will find rest, that you will find safety, and that you will begin to learn the gift of the Spirit and His work in your life.

And so this morning as we unpack this one verse in chapter 8, I hope that you will see yourself the way that God sees you. And as a result, revel in the goodness of God as it expresses this powerful and climactic verse so wonderfully. Because this here is the summary of the Christian life. That there is infinite safety in Jesus Christ. Infinite safety in Jesus Christ. In other words, we are forever safe from God’s righteous condemnation for sin if we are trusting in Jesus Christ. Now I want to begin with just a few principles of approach. Something to keep in mind as we move through this entire chapter over the next 8 or 9 weeks is that Paul’s writing is both beautiful and technical at the same time. And so to fully grasp all the richness and beauty of his technical writing, you need to move slowly through it.

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There Is Therefore Now

Which is why we’re dealing with one verse this morning. Making abrupt stops along the way. Making sure we get everything out that Paul intended to put into this chapter. Also, this is the very first time I’ve preached a sermon on just one verse. So be gracious to me. But if there was ever a verse that you needed to preach, just one verse, this would be the verse to preach. Because this is a glorious verse for Christians to not only understand, but to rest in. So with that, let’s begin with the first 4 words in verse 1. There is therefore now. Paul begins Romans chapter 8 with these first 4 words. There is therefore now. And the first thing you need to know is that the way that the ESV renders this or structures this verse doesn’t quite capture the emphasis in the original language. Because there’s nothing wrong with the ESV.

You can read it. You can trust it. It’s great. But the way that it’s rendered here doesn’t quite render it accurately. In the original language, the word now is actually front-loaded in the verse. It begins the verse, so it should technically be rendered, now there is therefore. And the reason why this is important to know, that it’s structured this way, is because Paul’s design in this verse was to emphasize the fact that there has been this radical shift in the atmosphere of his argument. Paul in his previous chapters has been building this case concerning the law of God. Man’s inability to keep the law because of sin. And the righteous condemnation for that sin. Paul wants to make it clear that beginning in chapter 8, there is a new and wonderful reality that has just unfolded. And as we unpack this verse and the next 11 verses next week,

I want you to pay close attention to Paul’s use of the word now. Because though it seems basic and a very simple word, that word now has massive implications for the Christian. Implications not just for the end of life, but for every moment in our life. So Paul is very intentional with putting now first for emphasis. Now I want you to notice the word therefore. And I know you’ve heard me say this a thousand times. Well, maybe not a thousand, but probably a hundred. Whenever you see the word therefore, you have to ask yourself, what is the therefore? That always works. It’s usually the case that the therefore is intended usually to pull you back to the previous verse. It’s usually picking up right after where the verse left off. But here Paul is not building his case about this new reality from just the previous verse.

What he’s doing is using therefore to build his case from all of chapter 7. Especially chapters 5 and 6. And really he’s drawing from chapters 5, 6, and 7. But specifically Romans 7

. So you could really pick up the argument here. Romans 7, 5 through 6. For while we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in our members to bear fruit for death. But now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in a new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code. Therefore, there is now, and then we get to continue the sentence, no condemnation. That’s the argument Paul is building on. Having been released from the law, there is therefore now no condemnation. And listen, this is a glorious and magnificent declaration.

If you understand what condemnation means. You know, in our culture the word condemnation gets thrown around a lot. And people think, you know, when they say it, I don’t really think they know what they’re saying. They just kind of throw it out there. Someone says something that is made to make you feel bad about yourself, and people might respond, hey, don’t condemn me. But that’s not what the word condemnation means. There are a lot of Christians who know this verse. They quote this verse, but really have only a superficial understanding of this verse. And in some cases a total misunderstanding of this verse. And so the verse gets quoted when someone’s being called out on their sin. And so they respond, hey, there’s no condemnation. And of course what they actually mean is, hey, don’t judge me. Who are you to judge me? You see, no condemnation doesn’t mean no judgment.

It means no punishment. In fact, it is to render a guilty verdict without the sentencing. It is to be completely acquitted even though you’ve been rightly judged as guilty. Now that might not mean much to you if you don’t believe that you’re guilty of sin. But listen, the scripture says, both in the Old Testament and in the Book of Romans, that no one is righteous. No, not one. And if you reverse engineer that, it’s rendered everyone is guilty. Every single one. Everyone is guilty of sin. And the wages of sin is death. And what that means is condemnation. Punishment. Penalty for your guilty verdict is eternal death. Eternal separation from God. So listen, to receive a declaration of no condemnation in God’s cosmic court, when you are in fact guilty, is massive. It’s huge. It means no eternal punishment. It means no eternal life sentence.

And to be more specific, no eternal damnation for your soul. That’s where you get the word condemnation. You are no longer condemned because of your sin against a holy and righteous God. So there is great liberty to experience, dear Christian, with a declaration, no condemnation. But of course, there is a massive condition for this declaration of no condemnation. And that condition is exclusively reserved for those who are in Christ Jesus. For those who are in Christ Jesus. Now, there is therefore no condemnation for those people who are in Christ Jesus. Amen? This begs the question, what accounts for the now that has changed? What has taken place for this cosmic shift in reality that brings about no condemnation? Well, the verse tells us, Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ. And we’ll spend a decent amount of time unpacking this next week with all the details concerning the work of Jesus Christ

and how this legally plays itself out in the life of a believer. But for this morning, I’ll just state it briefly. What has happened is that Jesus Christ has taken upon himself the very condemnation that you deserve for your sins so that you are no longer condemned. All of that condemnation that you rightfully deserve has been poured out on Jesus Christ so that you can be free, liberated. What a great exchange. You did nothing. You were not righteous. You were sinful beyond measure. Jesus Christ was sinless. He was without sin. But he bore the consequence, the condemnation, the punishment for your sin. Now, you might be thinking to yourself, well, maybe he died for all of my previous sins. All those sins I did in the past. But what about the sins I still commit? Now, maybe you feel like your record was expunged the moment you trusted in Jesus.

But what about all my future sins that you can’t seem to keep in check? There is now, present and future, tense, no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. You see, Jesus took upon himself the infinite wrath of God on our behalf. All the sum total of God’s wrath was poured out on Jesus so that it’s paid in full. No payment necessary. There is no more wrath to pour out on sin because Jesus took it all. It’s finished. Jesus paid it all so your conscience can be cleansed. You can find freedom if you trust in Jesus. And you see, that’s what it means to be in Christ Jesus. It means to trust in Jesus for the forgiveness of your sins. To be adopted or grafted, rather, into the family of God. To take Jesus by faith. To be hidden inside the righteousness of Christ.

Imagine hiding yourself in the body of Jesus. That’s what it means to be inside Jesus. Safe and secure from God’s judgment. Are you in Christ Jesus this morning? Listen, there is no condemnation for you. Though you are guilty, and though you continue to stack up the charges, you will not receive punishment from Jesus. There is no wrath waiting to be poured out on you. God is not waiting to execute punitive judgment on you. He’s not seeking righteous revenge. He’s not going to shower down curses upon you. He’s not going to abandon your soul or hide His presence from you. He will not usher you into death. Though you sin, you are free from the condemnation that you rightly deserve because of your sin. Have you made a pattern of condemning yourself because of your sin patterns? You don’t need to do that. If Jesus does not condemn you, why do you condemn yourself?

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In Christ Realities

Be free in the freedom Christ has provided with His own body and blood. Listen, we will still wrestle with sin. And you are to fight sin. It’s part of the Christian life. You are to put sin to death. You’re to turn away from sin. We’re going to unpack what that means next week and the power that is provided in the Spirit of God to help you do that. But right now, positionally, there is no condemnation. Confess your sins, turn from it, and rest in the safety of Jesus Christ who will not condemn you. And listen, being in Jesus isn’t only about being rescued from condemnation. Though that is huge and is a great reality for the Christian, that’s not all that being in Jesus provides. There are many great realities for those who are in Christ Jesus. According to Romans 3 verse 24, dear Christian, listen, you’re redeemed.

You’re redeemed. Romans 6 11, you are alive to God. Romans 6 23, you are the recipient of eternal life. According to Romans 8 2, and we’ll look at this next week, you are free from the law, the thing that governed you, the power of sin and death. And it’s not just the book of Romans, it doesn’t end there. 1 Corinthians 1

, you’re sanctified, which means you’re spiritually matured. 1 Corinthians 1 4, you’re the recipients of grace. 2 Corinthians chapter 5 verse 17, you’re a new creature. You’ve been made new. Galatians 2 4, you’re free. And it goes on and on and on. You’re justified. You’re a son. You’re a daughter of God. You’re the recipient of every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms. You’re seated in the heavenly realms. You’re near to God. You’re forgiven. You’re provided for. You have peace with God. You’re loved.

You’re infinitely safe in the omnipotent hands of Jesus. So the next time you condemn yourself, think about all of the things you have in Jesus. And let go of your condemnation. I know you feel it. I feel it. There are in Christ realities for you. And so the next time your conscience condemns you, the next time the devil assaults you, say back to him who you are because who you are in. To be in Christ is so much more than freedom from condemnation. Though that alone would be enough to fall at the feet of Jesus in endless praise and worship. But there is so much more. But of course this begs the question, what if you’re not in Christ? What if you’re not in Christ? Then the condemnation that you rightly deserve is waiting for you. The wrath of God that sinners deserve will be poured out.

And what a devastating and frightful reality that is. If you are not in Christ, you have received a guilty verdict because God is perfectly just and has to call sin what it is, guilt. And because he is a perfect God, he has to render a perfect sentencing for that guilt. And that sentencing is condemnation. Eternal death. Eternal separation from God. He will exercise perfect justice on the wicked. And so please, if you hear nothing else from me this morning, hear this. Trust in Jesus. He is the only one who can save you from the wrath to come. From the condemnation that you deserve. The Bible tells us that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved. And you can do that this morning. Trust in Jesus. Take him by faith. Believe that he is who he says he is and you will be saved from his coming condemnation.

And listen, if you have questions about what it means to follow Jesus, ask anyone in this congregation. This congregation is full of people who have received this declaration of no condemnation. They know what it feels like and they can walk you through the freedom and the liberty that comes with knowing Jesus. And they would love to talk to you about it. Or you could talk to anybody who was up here on the platform this morning. We would love to tell you about Jesus and the freedom you can have in him because of his life, death and resurrection. What a wonderful reality it is to revel in Romans chapter 8. What glorious truths are there for the Christian in chapter 8. And I’m so excited to unpack the rest of chapter 8 over the next couple weeks. But this morning I want to move you to another chapter 8.

Neither Do I Condemn

So if you would be so kind as to turn with me in your Bibles to John chapter 8. Starting at verse 2. The gospel of John chapter 8. In John’s gospel we get this wonderful narrative that perfectly illustrates what Paul technically articulates concerning no condemnation. Early in the morning he came again to the temple. And the people came to him and he sat down and taught them. The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery and placing her in their midst. They said to him, Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. Now, present reality for them, in the law, justice, Moses commanded us to stone such a woman. So what do you say then, Jesus? They said this to test him that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground.

And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her. Leveling the playing field. And once more he bent down and he wrote on the ground. But when they, that is the religious leaders, heard it, they went away. One by one. Beginning with the older ones. And Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. And Jesus stood up. And just look at the kindness and grace of Jesus. He stood up and said to her, Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you? And then Jesus said, or she says to Jesus, No one, Lord. And Jesus says to her, Neither do I condemn you. Go, and from now on, sin no more. And here you see the religious elite of the first century.

The model moral citizens who bring this woman who’s caught in the act of adultery. There is no question. You’re done. You sinner. We caught you red handed. And their first instinct. Is to condemn her to death because that is the law. Jesus takes this woman. And he turns the tables on his accusers. By showing all of the men who were accusing this woman that they too are guilty of breaking the law. There are also sinners. And we don’t know this for sure, but it’s highly likely that Jesus was writing the various sins of the religious elite in the sand. Showcasing to them, I know what you’re doing. I know the hidden secrets of your heart. And the sins that you commit privately. He was showing these men accusing this woman that they’re guilty of breaking the law. And they recognize that they’re sinners. And that they stand under the same condemnation of this woman according to the law.

That they too deserve death. You see, everyone in that narrative was guilty of sin. Except Jesus. Jesus, the sinless one. The only righteous one in the scene. Had every right to lay down condemnation on all parties. Indiscriminately. But Jesus doesn’t do that. Jesus, the sinless one. The perfect one. Who will go on to pay for the very sins of this woman and the religious elite of society. Says these most wonderful words to this woman. Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more. Dear Christian. When you fall into your momentary trenches of sin. What are the words that you hear? What are the words you say to yourself? Are they words of self-condemnation? Are they words of despair? Of disgust? Are they words of shame and self-loathing? Do you doubt your salvation? Do you question your safety in the arms of God? Do you think to yourself, God couldn’t possibly love a sinner like me.

I’ve gone too far. My prayer for you, dear Christian. Is that when you wrestle with sin. When you fall into sin. When you fail to meet God’s perfect standard. That you will remember what Christ has said to this woman. Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more. I pray you hear those words. You need to understand this because this is the culture we live in. God is not in the business of canceling those whom he was crushed for. He won’t cancel those he was crushed for. Jesus himself said in John 6, 37. All that the Father gives me. All that the Father gives me. Will come to me. And whoever comes to me. I will never cast out. I will not banish. I will not reject. I will not punish. I will not judge. I will not condemn. What a glorious freedom we have.

I want to close with a quote from a man, R.C. Sproul. Who says it so much better than I could ever say. He says, if we are Christians. Not only is there no condemnation for the sins we have committed. But also, we have moved beyond condemnation for whatever we are going to do tomorrow. Or the day after tomorrow. Or the day after that. This is one of the most beautiful texts in scripture. For the assurance of salvation. For the safety of believers. The threat of condemnation is removed forever. If you are in Christ Jesus. Here is where we get the goodness of this quote. It is unthinkable. That after what God did to his son on the cross. That he will visit more wrath upon his son. He drank the cup of condemnation. For his sheep. Forever. There is no condemnation left for anyone. Any more for his son.

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If we are in the son. We are in the cleft of the rock. We are in the shelter of the rock of ages. We are covered and hidden. Safe now. And forever more. Amen. Amen. Let’s pray. Our father and our God. What a glorious truth that we have. That there is now. No condemnation. For those. Who are in Christ Jesus. And I pray. That your people. Would memorize that. And sing that song to their hearts. When they condemn themselves. When they are flooded with shame and guilt. May they remember. That they are hidden. Inside your son. Thank you. For the safety. And for the security. That we have. In Jesus. Amen.