Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. (Rom. 8:1)
IN ANSWERING HIS CRY of desperation, the apostle Paul did not say, “What will rescue me?” but rather, “Who will rescue me?” In his call for a deliverer, we see Paul’s understanding that no matter how wise, influential, or confident he was, he could not deliver himself from the power of sin and its nature. Rather, God through Jesus Christ provided deliverance, and no one is condemned if they are in Christ Jesus and living by the Spirit. In his inner struggle, Paul understood that it is by God’s grace, through His Son Jesus Christ, that we are free. Therefore we can honestly rejoice, saying, “Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (v. 25).
The father of the Reformation, Martin Luther, suggested, “Out of pure grace God does not impute our sins to us, He nonetheless did not want to do this until complete and ample satisfaction of His law and His righteousness had been made. Since this was impossible for us, God ordained for us, in our place, One who took upon himself all the punishment we deserve. He fulfilled the law for us. He averted the judgment of God from us and appeased God’s wrath. Grace, therefore, costs us nothing, but it cost Another much to get it for us. Grace was purchased with an incalculable, infinite treasure, the Son of God himself.” Thanks be to God!
Thankfully affirm in prayer how God’s Spirit has enabled you to believe.
Jeremy Summers is director of adult spiritual formation for the Church and Multiplication Division of The Wesleyan Church.
