“There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death” (Romans 8:1-2).
Not a day goes by that I am not made painfully aware of my sinfulness.
It might be something big or small, but whatever it is, I can be sure that I’ll do something that upon reflection leads me to realize that I blew it. I sinned. Well, not just something—multiple things. So many things that I can’t even keep track of them all.
That’s true for all of us.
The devil wants us to fixate on the things we do wrong. He wants us to drown in the guilt and shame, the bitterness and despair, of our actions. He mercilessly brings up things we did days, weeks, months, even years ago because he wants to keep those transgressions always in front of us.
We know what we deserve from a holy and righteous God for our sinfulness. Condemnation. Wrath. Punishment.
No, not a day goes by that we are not made painfully aware of our sinfulness. But neither does a day go by that God does not want us to be aware of what he has done about our sin.
In Jesus, there is no condemnation for the awful, sinful things we have done, are doing, and will continue to do until the day Christ calls us home. No condemnation. None at all.
Why not? Because God passed his righteous sentence of condemnation on his perfect Son in our place. Jesus suffered God’s wrath and the punishment that we deserve for our sins.
Jesus lived the perfect life that we never could. He died on the cross to take away our sins. He rose from the grave to assure us that we are loved and forgiven by God.
Jesus has set free from the law of sin and death that held us fast. We now have life in his name. Not death and condemnation, but life and salvation.
In his Word and sacraments, he turns our eyes away from ourselves and points us to his Son, our Savior Jesus. He says, “Look! You are in Christ Jesus. By faith you believe in him and what he has done for you. There’s no condemnation for you. Your sins have all been paid for. You’re set free. You’re saved. Now go and live. Live not to satisfy your sinful nature but to honor me in the joy of the forgiveness won for you.”
That’s the beautiful, grace-filled truth that God wants us to know. May not a day go by where we don’t remind ourselves and one another of what our God has done for us!
“There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death” (Romans 8:1-2).
Whether you’ve just become a Christian or have known the Lord for years, odds are you’ve wondered, “How do I know that I’m actually saved? I know what Jesus did for me, but do I really know it from the depths of my heart? How much belief is enough?” I Know That I Know tackles these common questions about faith with God’s Word.
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Alex Brown is the marketing and content copywriter at Northwestern Publishing House. He has his Master of Divinity degree from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary and enjoys reading, writing, and spending time in God’s creation.
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