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
Condemnation is the act of judicially condemning, the state of being condemned, or a reason for condemning.
None of us like to be condemned, feeling the disapproval of those around us. Condemnation is a heavy badge to wear. Yet, the reality is that many people reading this have, are, or will walk that road before life is through. You are not alone. The church in Rome was carrying this same load of condemnation, and Paul gave clear direction of how to get out from under the load, walk not after the flesh.
Exactly what does Paul mean in walking not after the flesh? Well, it wasn’t only the church in Rome dealing with this problem. The Galatians were battling the same thorn, as well. Galatians 5:18-21 says: “But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.”
Paul gives us the easy button of how to avoid condemnation. We are to walk after the Spirit and not the flesh. You are not the only one that has, is, or will have to face the burden of being condemned. Every man breathing faces this same battle at some point in time. The great news is Paul left explicit instructions on how to avoid it. Walk in the spirit, not after the flesh!
Our prayer for you this week: May you find the answer to avoiding condemnation, by staying in pursuit of the spirit of God that was in Christ Jesus.
