Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. ~ Romans 8:1
This is some of the best good news in the Word of God! For all of the fiery darts the enemy would send at us and to us (Ephesians 6) over our failings, this is Truth that douses that fire! We need to know who we are in Christ Jesus to stand against the enemy’s accusations, as well as our own. We need to know ~ without doubt ~ that we are forgiven (Colossians 1:13-14), clean (2 Peter 1:9), chosen (Eph. 1:4), and loved! (Eph. 2:4)
Plaster this Truth on your shield of faith to quench those flaming arrows from the evil one! Put it beside your bed or across the top of your mirror to smother your own frustrations with your “failings”! Jesus said, “It is finished.” (John 19:30) and those were His last words before He gave up His spirit! “Finished” means just that ~ it’s done, there’s nothing left to be done! So when the Word of God says “It is finished.” and also says, “Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” we can trust it, believe it, and rest in it! If we have had the habit of regularly and routinely shooting ourselves over the parts of our lives that we feel don’t “measure up”, it will not be easy to trust, believe, and rest in God’s Truth. However, we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us! (Phil. 4:13) And we can remember we are not our own works, but rather we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. (Eph. 2:10)
Also, dear sisters, let us be careful in the Lord to make sure we are not shooting one another. Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus means, too, that condemnation should not come out of our mouths to or about each other.
The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. But no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. ~ James 3:6-10
So now what? Where is our hope in the face of this?
Again, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. ~ Philippians 4:13
Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. ~ 1 John 4:7
“Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Love never fails.
~ 1 Corinthian 13:4~8
And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds… ~ Hebrews 10:24
Finally, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. ~ Phil. 4:8
We also can stand on and rest in this promise and truth from the Lord our God:
Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. ~ Hebrews 4:16
Photo: Alais Wagner