LEARNING DAILY

 

Romans 8:1, There is therefore no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

 

You and I are walking on the narrow way but do or say things that do not please God; we sin. Here is the Good News, the Best News ever – Your sins and my sins were judged at the cross of Jesus Christ. The second you and I gave our lives in surrender to Him, judgment took place and we were no longer found guilty. “Your [a Christian’s] sins will not be judged because God already poured out the full fury of His judgment and wrath on Jesus Christ as He hung there on the cross, between heaven and earth on our behalf….” (David Jeremiah). Every one of us knows someone who needs to hear that message. Why don’t you pass this page on to someone else for them to read what Jesus has done for them. Perhaps this is the time for them to receive the Good News of salvation.

 

In Paul’s letter to the Romans, he has shown his readers that being a “good person” and “following the law is powerless to deliver us from the sinful nature and its sinful desires” (LSSB). Here he is telling his readers that “living free from condemnation, living in victory over sin and in fellowship with God comes through receiving and following the Holy Spirit” (LSSB). Yes, when we fail to do “right” we know it and tend to feel guilty – until we repent. That can be because Romans 2:15 tells us God has placed within each of us a sense of right and wrong. The narrow way is a difficult way! We cannot do whatever we want to do; our conscience will convict us of the wrong we have done. “The believer’s day of judgment is behind them, at the cross of Calvary. The unbeliever’s day of judgment is ahead of them” (DJSB). I know there are those who laugh at that. But it is a promise I am going to hold on to each day as I walk along the way to eternal life in God’s kingdom!

 

Paul writes a similar thought in 2 Corinthians 5:21, “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him’. There is no scripture that states Jesus Christ became a “sinner”; no, He remained the spotless Lamb of God. Read again what occurred. Jesus, who knew no sin exchanged His righteousness for your and my sin by becoming sin for us. “He received what each one of really deserved – death on a cross! It is by your faith and my faith that we receive what He deserved; God’s acceptance and eternal life with Him” (DJSB).

 

You and I receive “the righteousness of God” as a new creation. Think about this: when we accept the salvation Jesus Christ offers us, His righteousness and moral condition flows through us because of our faith in Him. Get your Bible out and read Romans 5:14-21. The entire passage is centered around living for Jesus Christ and being controlled by His love. The “the righteousness of God” is demonstrated and experienced by you and me in this world by being diligent about maintaining our relationship with Jesus Christ (Read Galatian 2:20). What a great reminder to us as we walk on the narrow way!

 

From now on DJSB will be used to note information or quotes from the David Jeremiah Study Bible and LSSB will refer to information and quotes from the Life in the Spirit Study Bible