“There is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.” (Romans 8:1, NLT)
Do you get it right all the time? Of course you don’t! None of us do. None of us is perfect.
There is a lot of pressure in our society to have it all together, to be successful in every endeavor, to be everything to everyone. But those expectations are unrealistic. Why? Because you are human. And being a Christian does not make you a superhuman.
The Bible says you won’t be perfect after you become a Christian. If someone tells you that, that person is not telling the truth. You’re going to mess up. You’re going to fail at times. And most likely you will beat yourself up for your failures.
But, if you’re a follower of Jesus, you can be sure of this: God never condemns you.
Way too many believers live in fear, bitterness, and insecurity. Although they’re saved, you’d never know it by how they live. They’re too stressed out with fear that God will condemn them for what they’ve done wrong. They’re walking around with tension in their mind and body, and it shows in how they look at the future and how they treat others. Instead of dealing with their own guilt, they often pile it on others.
Yet the Bible says there’s no need: “There is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1, NLT).
In other words, God doesn’t judge you for all the things you’ve done wrong if you’ve trusted Christ. Jesus took all that judgment upon Himself on the cross. God doesn’t have to judge you because Jesus was judged. He took the blame for your sins.
That’s amazing news. That is Good News — the Gospel! There’s no reason for a Christian to walk around in shame. There’s no reason to be bitter. Before you were ever born, God knew all the sins you’d ever commit — and He paid the price for every single one of them.
Whatever you’ve done in your past, whoever you’ve hurt, no matter what other people tell you — you can be sure of this: If you’ve given your life to Christ, you’re forgiven. It is finished!
Prayer
Lord, help me to live my life free of guilt and shame. Give me Your peace and love each day, and let me live in Your promises, which are true and eternal. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Stay encouraged!
Pastor Mike
