I am rather amazed that, until it was pointed out to me, I'd never appreciated the present tense in the following:
In Christ, I face no condemnation. Not now, not tomorrow, not ever. I know that when I stand before judgement that I will face no condemnation, but actually when I go through hard times and dark periods, at the times when I can't understand what's happening or why I feel the way I do, I can be assured of this, it is not God's condemnation for me. This is a glorious truth, because it means that in those hard times, my refuge and my comfort is still my God. I don't have to run from him in the hard times, in fear that I have invited his judgement, but I can continue, with trembling, to throw myself on His mercy as the one who forgives and comforts sinners, such as myself.
At the end of a week where I've felt lonely, ill, disquiet and guilt, I am able to remind myself that there is no condemnation for those in Christ, and the God who answered my call for His mercy all those years back is still the same comfort now as He was for me then. Amen.
These thoughts come off the back of listening to this sermon by John Piper.
"There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."I'd always seen the aspect that related the to the future. At one point I faced condemnation, now through the death of Christ I, through faith in him, no longer fear condemnation at that last day. I got that, and found comfort in that. But there's more to it than just that.Romans 8:1
In Christ, I face no condemnation. Not now, not tomorrow, not ever. I know that when I stand before judgement that I will face no condemnation, but actually when I go through hard times and dark periods, at the times when I can't understand what's happening or why I feel the way I do, I can be assured of this, it is not God's condemnation for me. This is a glorious truth, because it means that in those hard times, my refuge and my comfort is still my God. I don't have to run from him in the hard times, in fear that I have invited his judgement, but I can continue, with trembling, to throw myself on His mercy as the one who forgives and comforts sinners, such as myself.
At the end of a week where I've felt lonely, ill, disquiet and guilt, I am able to remind myself that there is no condemnation for those in Christ, and the God who answered my call for His mercy all those years back is still the same comfort now as He was for me then. Amen.
These thoughts come off the back of listening to this sermon by John Piper.
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