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NASB | Romans 8:1 Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Romans 8:1 Therefore there is now no condemnation [no guilty verdict, no punishment] for those who are in Christ Jesus [who believe in Him as personal Lord and Savior]. [John 3:18] |
Bible Question: Is feeling guilty a natural tendency for our conscience or does it mean that I am not completely trusting in the Lord's grace and forgiveness for my wrongdoings? |
Bible Answer: Sometimes when I feel guilty, it’s because I’ve sinned and need to repent. Sometimes when I feel guilty, it’s because satan is accusing me and I really haven’t sinned. Sin, real or imagined, keeps me from the presence of God. Take a look at 1 John 3:21-22: “Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; and whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight. I do not have confidence if I come before God with a guilty conscience. When I feel guilty, I repent and ask God to forgive me, and He does. I believe His word is true and in 1 John 1:9, He promises to cleanse me from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”). I am the righteousness of God in Christ, so are all of my brothers and sisters in Christ. I have right standing in the eyes of God, not because of anything I’ve done, but because Jesus took away my sin and in return gave me His righteousness. Because of His righteousness, I can come before God in prayer. Satan wants to keep me from prayer, because when I pray, I bring God into the matter and satan loses. He keeps me from prayer by stealing my confidence. Hebrews 4:16, “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.” And Hebrews 10:19-22, “Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.” Satan is out to steal our confidence in order to keep us away from the throne of grace. Thank God that Jesus is our advocate so that when we sin we are forgiven. Believe that the word of God is true, and come confidently before his throne. I think Romans 8:1 makes more sense when you combine it with the last part of Romans 8:4. “Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus … who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” I’ve noticed when I walk according to the flesh, I hear and feel satan’s accusations (and I’m more likely to sin). When I walk according to the Spirit, those accusations don’t reach me. |