Raising Our Expectations Of Jesus- No Condemnation

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My theme of raising our expecations of Jesus was inspired by a great sermon by a good friend of the family, Jeremiah and you can watch it here:River Church // 3391 - Be Expectant

One I have known my whole life that Jesus is God's son.  I have known that He died on a cross for our sins.  I have known that if you believe that, and confess Him as LORD you would be saved from Hell.  In the past year I have asked God to show me more of Jesus.  I have prayed that I would begin to really understand the significance of His death and resurrection.  And what I have come to realize is that EVERYTHING hinges on Jesus.

One of the first verses I wanted to  look at is "So now there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." Romans 8:1

If you are a believer, you trust and say that Jesus is your Lord, that he became your sacrifice before God for all your sins, past, present, future, ALL of them, and you belong to Him, you have to realize, you can not be condemned (found guilty or punished- according to Strongs) for sin.  This is our new covenant with God, "And I will forgive their wickedness, and I will never again remember their sins." Hebrews 8:12

 "My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought! My sin, not in part but the whole, Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more, Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!" ~ IT IS WELL WITH MY SOUL

Maybe you get this, and you already know this, and that is INCREDIBLE and truly a revelation from God, but I didn't know this to be true in my heart until this past fall.  If God NEVER remembers our sins, then why do we?  Why do we keep feeling ashamed for something we have already been forgiven for?!  Receive your forgiveness, receive the grace and mercy of God, and do not let the devil or your thoughts keep you in a cage of regret, worry, or shame any longer.  If you are child of God, then because of Jesus, your debt was payed and you have peace with God and that will not be taken from you, EVER, God's covenant is eternal and He NEVER goes back on His word.  "I will make a covenant of peace with them; it will be an everlasting covenant. I will establish them and increase their numbers, and I will put my sanctuary among them forever." Ezekiel 37:26

Yesterday was a day I was feeling condemned, I was questioning, feeling like I had messed up.  Yesterday there were 2 things that made all the difference in the world.  

First:

2 Corinthians 10:5 says  "We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ"  It is so important that as soon as thoughts come into our mind, that we take them captive.  It is like a war zone in there, we have to keep it in check.  We need to take EVERY thought captive to the obedience of Christ.  Now what is the obedience of Christ?  What else does the word say about His obedience?  "For just as through the disobedience of the one man (Adam) the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man (Jesus) the many will be made righteous." Romans 5:20  It is so key for me to know that it wasn't my obedience that made me righteous (right with God) it was Jesus' obedience. What makes me justified before God is my faith that Jesus was enough, the perfect sacrifice, the blood of divinity was sufficient to wipe me clean of all my unrighteousness forever. “For in the gospel a righteousness from God (that God makes us right in His sight) is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith." Romans 1:17. 

If my faith hasn't changed, and I still believe that the cross was enough, even if I mess up, His blood is still all that was needed to make me righteous.  What is more powerful sin, or the blood of Jesus?  His blood stands. I enter into the Holy of Holies by the blood of the Lamb, not by the law.  Jesus is always there interceding for me if I do mess up.  His blood speaks a better word. "But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense--Jesus Christ, the Righteous One." 1 John 2:1b  Does this make me want to sin, since I know I have peace with God?  Absolutely not!  When I know I am not condemned and that I am made righteous it gives me the ability to overcome sin.  The end of the "no condemnation" verse says "And because you belong to him (Jesus), the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death." Romans 8:2

Remembering it is about what Jesus did, not what I did (right or wrong) reminds me I do not stand condemned and I have the grace to overcome these shortcomings through His strength and by the power of the Holy Spirit.  I have been set free! "Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law.  Instead, you live under the freedom of God's grace."  Romans 6:14

Second and even more important:

I hang out with the only one who can give me peace:  My God. "...we set our hearts at rest in his presence whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything." 1 John 3:19-20 When you are feeling ashamed or guilty, go to God.  If you've messed up confess it,  and receive the forgiveness you already have, afresh.  There is something about saying everything out loud before Him.  He already knows it all, but I feel like when I speak it out, I unload it all, and remember I have already been forgiven "In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace."  Ephesians 1:7.  Notice this verse says we HAVE forgiveness, because of His Grace.  I am so thankful for his grace, I didn't earn it, I didn't deserve it, but He gave it to me, and I am thankful!

I hope this was an encouragement to you and that you can receive His forgiveness afresh, the gift of no condemnation and have faith and believe that Jesus' obedience made you right before God. 

A great song about coming before God, by the blood of Jesus, not condemned. Take Me In ~Kutless