Therefore, there is no no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemened sin in sinful man. Romans 8:1-3          

When Paul sat down to write Romans, he was writing to Christians he had never met. He reviewed with them the basic teachings of God’s Word: that sin was judged by God and God had given them a righteousness through Jesus Christ. And because of that their their lives were different.

Paul wanted these earnest Christians to live a God-pleasing life that was free of guilt. That was really important because Paul had just finished talking about the struggle Christians have in living holy lives (see Romans 7:7-25). So it was important to talk about being free of guilt because with as many ups and downs as a believer would have, they would also surely struggle with guilt feelings.

So Paul reminded them that there was no longer condemnation for sin. God’s Law tried to get people to live holy lives. It said, “Love God first and love your neighbor as yourself, and you will have eternal life.” But the Law couldn’t do it because of how sinful mankind was. Paul said the Law was powerless because it was weakened by the sinful nature.

So what the Law couldn’t do, God did. He sent Jesus Christ, his one and only Son, to die for sins. Jesus took the punishment the Law imposed on every law breaker. He died. That’s the significance of Christ on the cross, that’s what he meant when he said, “…just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Christ’s specific mission was to be sentenced to the punishment the Law required in mankind’s place.

The result is no condemnation. For those who are in Christ Jesus, there is no guilty verdict. The Law holds no threat; it cannot harm those who place their hope in Christ because Christ intervened on their behalf and rescued them from that condemnation. Therefore there is no punishment for sin. Nothing hanging over the head of the person who trusts in Christ. No worry that God will change his mind and condemn him to hell. No! None of that, Paul says. Christ took it all away. So if there is no condemnation, then there is no guilt.

And if God says there is no guilt - then there is no guilt, even for you!