Thoughts in Worship

Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Sabbath, April 28, 2018

Audio Link: https://www.spreaker.com/user/reachmanyradio/thoughts-in-worship-04-28-2018

This is devotional thought number 12 in our devotional series titled, “The Gospel According to Paul.”

“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” (Romans 8:1).

I admit that you will hear me say that certain verses of Scripture are my favorites and the list keeps growing. I absolutely love the Word of God. Today’s Scripture focus is of particular interest and value to me because it shows God’s commitment to our salvation. Romans 7 is a whirlwind of emotions, hope, hopelessness, needs, desires, failures, a yearning for spiritual success, etc. As the chapter closes, there is a plea for rescue from the rollercoaster ride of those who cannot seem to get it right, no matter how hard they try. The blessing is that the plea is answered. Who will rescue us from spiritual death and despondency? Who will deliver us from evil ways? How can we be saved, who love to do all the things that prove that we are hopelessly lost? Is there any way we can be victorious? Then, finally the message of hope becomes clear as the next chapter opens. What is that message?

There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ. That is to say that when we receive Christ into our lives by faith and surrender our wills to Him, heaven no longer holds our sins against us. We have moved from death to life. We have moved from the kingdom of of darkness into God’s marvelous light. This is no small matter. It is the chief blessing from God. Implied in the next phrase is development in our spiritual journey with Christ. If you recall from the previous chapter, the person described could not please God. That person could not walk according to the Holy Spirit’s guidance. The person could only consent that the God’s law was holy, just, and good. However, the person had no power to live according to its holy precepts. The person who is in Christ, now delivered from condemnation, is in prime position to walk according to His example! The person who is in bondage to the law of sin and death has no ability to follow in Jesus’ footsteps. Are you getting this? The deliverance from bondage to sin and condemnation precedes our obedience to the law of God from our hearts.

I would like to briefly underscore the “how” of our walking according to Jesus’ example. “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” (Romans 8:2–4). It’s simple! Jesus lived a victorious life while in human form so He could give us a headstart on our victory. Those who surrender our wills to Him, are no longer condemned because we are covered in His love and righteousness, receive His perfect life record as a gift to be superimposed upon our imperfect life records as we learn to do all He has commanded. God sees us as righteous because of Jesus’ righteousness as He empowers us through the Holy Spirit to actually live that way. Christ’s perfect lifestyle is written in our newbirth DNA, which therefore gives us miraculous strength to walk according to the Spirit. Isn’t that good news? Those who were formerly obligated to come short of God’s glory and holy intent of our lives are now well able to walk like Jesus walked. All we must do is surrender our all to God everyday, and He will give us new hearts that love to do His will. It is a constant...