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so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, ¹¹and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. —Philippians 2:10-11 Jesus is Yahweh. To see just how breathtaking this statement really is, we must understand what Paul has in mind here. He is quoting the LORD speaking through the Prophet Isaiah: “Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other. By myself I have sworn; from my mouth has gone out in righteousness a word that shall not return: ‘To me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear allegiance.’* Only in the LORD, it shall be said of me, are righteousness and strength; to him shall come and be ashamed all who were incensed against him. In the LORD all the offspring of Israel shall be justified and shall glory” (Isaiah 45:22-25). (*In the Septuagint, the Greek Old Testament Paul knew, this is translated “…every tongue confess to God.”) Whenever the name LORD is printed in caps in the English Standard Version (ESV) translation, it means the name Yahweh . For ancient Jews (and conservative modern ones), Yahweh was the Name of names; so sacred that they would not speak it nor would they write it in full (they abbreviated it YHWH). Yahweh was the Holy One of Israel (Isaiah 45:11). Paul Knew What He Was Saying As a Pharisee (Acts 23:6), Paul knew this text very well. He knew exactly what he was saying: Jesus of Nazareth is Yahweh . Pause and feel the weight of that statement. Paul once approved of the execution of those who claimed such things (Acts 8:1). He would one day die for proclaiming it. Today, as in Paul’s day, the world hates Jesus and those who proclaim him LORD ( John 15:19). We are not to be surprised (1 John 3:13). Rather we are to take heart, for Jesus has overcome the world (John 16:33), and in Him so shall we (1 John 5:5). The day is coming when every knee will bow and every tongue confess it with us. Boldly Confess Jesus Christ So in awe and wonder, with bowed knees, and joy-filled hearts, let us join Paul and boldly confess that Jesus Christ is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Exodus 3:15); the LORD of hosts (Isaiah 47:4); the only God (John 1:18); the true Bread from Heaven (John 6:41); the Light of the world (John 8:12); the Way and the Truth (John 14:6); the Resurrection and the Life (John 11:25); the Savior of the world (John 4:42); the King of kings and Lord of lords (Revelation 19:16)! Jesus’ Name is above all names (Philippians 2:9)! Yes! Jesus Christ is Yahweh ! For Reflection Give thanks to God for granting you the faith to worship Jesus as LORD . Pray for your friends and family members who don't yet worship Jesus as Lord. Ask God to grant them saving faith. Take time this week to look up the many passages referenced throughout this devotional. As you read, may your heart worship the LORD.

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, ⁶who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, ⁷but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. —Philippians 2:5-7 Having “this mind,” one that puts others before yourself and counts your needs lower than theirs, is only possible in Jesus. Through the indwelling Holy Spirit, believers are being transformed step-by-step into Christ’s image toward the final goal of conformity to Him (2 Corinthians 3:18, Romans 8:29). We get a glimpse of what holy living should look like in our lives by examining Christ’s self-sacrificial love. Christ has always been God (John 1:1), the creator, sustainer, and ruler of all (Colossians 1:15-17). He is God Almighty, preeminent—rightly worshipped, honored, and glorified. He knew and understood His position. We also have God-given authority in our various roles and responsibilities—we are parents, supervisors, students, and more. But our primary identity is as those who are “in Christ.” Jesus taught His disciples to rejoice not so much in their accomplishments but that their names were written in heaven (Luke 10:20). The Holy Spirit brings peace and confidence as He reminds us that being in Christ is more important than any other position we may hold. Though Christ knew His position and the honor He was due, He did not “grasp it tightly,” choosing instead to become the God-Man for the sake of saving His people. In our various roles, it can be challenging to separate who we are from what we do — and what we think we are due. Holding tightly to what we think we are owed can look like seeking to be respected or acknowledged for our talents, ideas, or position—and responding with frustration or irritation when we don’t receive it. It can be an inner desire to exercise our rights and not yield to another person or even listen to another point of view. It can be something as simple as refusing to give way in the grocery store or while driving in traffic, or demanding the last word. God’s sanctifying work in us reorients our need for recognition, reward, and respect, helping us instead to do all for God’s glory (1 Corinthians 10:31).  Christ “emptied Himself” to live as the God-Man in order to become the Servant of His people. Jesus didn’t set aside His glory because it was of no worth to Him; rather, the glory of what He did comes from the incredible value of what he gave up. As the indwelling Spirit of Christ impresses on you the call to set aside things of great value to you, ask Him for the wisdom and strength to do it. We're called to lay aside our “rights” but never our unshakeable position in Christ. For love of God and neighbor, we “empty ourselves” daily by praying for the salvation of those who do not treat us well, cooking meals to provide for those in our homes, promoting the good ideas offered by another, and serving wherever we see a need that we can meet. As God’s sanctifying work in us shows us ways we are tempted to make our own position preeminent, we can seek the Spirit’s power through His Word and prayer to learn to think and act like Christ and to continue to grow in Christlikeness. For Reflection How would you answer the question “Who am I?” What is your most significant role or position? Why? In what ways may God be calling you to set aside your rights? How can you seek the Holy Spirit’s aid? Ask God to show you where and how He might be calling you to serve. Ask for His grace and power to serve for others’ good and God’s glory. Gio Lynch  is a Brooklyn, NY native who serves Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington, D.C. as Children's Ministry Administrator. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking, camping and 18th century English country dancing.

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, ⁶who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, ⁷but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. —Philippians 2:5-7 What a simple command: “have this mind.” But nothing is harder for fallen human beings like you and me than to make ourselves nothing. Our Mind We are like Jesus’ disciples who, just hours before deserting him at Gethsemane, engaged in a debate over which of them was the greatest. We think more highly of ourselves than we ought to think. We covet and cannot obtain, so we fight and quarrel. We grasp at greatness because we covet the glory of being great in the eyes of others. Jesus’ Mind But that was not Jesus’ mind. Jesus’ mind was to seek the Father’s glory, not his own. The Son had one concern: to always do what was pleasing to the Father. His complete disposition toward the Father was “not as I will, but as you will.” And among us, he “came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” The Son did not grasp at glory. Instead, He humbled himself under the Father’s mighty hand, knowing that the Father would exalt Him at the proper time. Even the glory that He knew He would receive from the Father would glorify the Father. The Son had no desire for glory apart from the Father, for there is no glory apart from the Father. “For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen” (Romans 11:36). The Mind Jesus Wants Us to Have This is the mind Jesus wants us to have: to long for and live for the Father’s glory and not our own. Ironically, only those who have this mind will experience lasting exaltation. But this exaltation will have humility at the core, not pride. Because it will be the Father, who has given us everything, exalting us. And when He does, it will be His glory that shines.

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, ⁶who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, ⁷but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. —Philippians 2:5-7 Over the next four weeks and culminating in Holy Week, we will be memorizing Philippians 2:5-13. The context of this passage looks back to Philippians 2:1-4. Paul makes an appeal to the Philippian believers, So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. (2:1-2) Paul shepherds these precious believers on how to complete his joy—by exhorting them to unity, followed by the admonition, Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. (2:3-4) In context then, we can move to Philippians 2:5-7 with better understanding of God’s call to us. We will learn how low is the humility of Christ and how complete is the obedience of His servanthood. In these verses we are given the reality of Christ, His humility, and His obedience—a vivid, living picture of what the mind of Christ in the believer will reflect. “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus.” If you belong to Christ, you already have His mind. Jesus is our forerunner and has shown us how His mind will create expressions of humility in the life of those who belong to Him. Do you think it is impossible to be a genuinely humble servant of God? Look into God’s Word, to your Savior. Fix your eyes on Him. He will teach you His desires, attitudes, thought patterns, and ways of humility. “who though He was in the form of God” —form, not like a shape, but in the expression of His deity, character, and nature, exactly like God in every way “ did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself” —instead of treasuring His privileges, or having an attitude of clinging tightly to all His rights and honors, Christ set them aside for a time, yet always retaining His deity “by taking the form of a servant” —the character and nature of a lowly bondslave “being born in the likeness of men” —Christ, born of flesh, the God-Man, fully God and fully man The contrast of Christ’s pre-incarnate glory and His incarnate humility can be seen throughout Scripture. Today, let us hear His call to humility. Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. ( John 13:3-5) In John 13:12-17, Jesus explains to His disciples, “Do you understand what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor a messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.” For Reflection This week, study Philippians 2:1-13 to give context to our Fighter Verse passage. Make a list of other passages that express Christ’s humanity (Galatians 4:4) and His deity (Colossians 1:13-23). Reflect on a situation of disunity in your life. How would the humble nature of Christ in you and others make the situation different?

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, ⁶who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, ⁷but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. —Philippians 2:5-7 It is important to remember that this amazing passage on the identity of Christ (Philippians 2:6-11) is stemming from a command directed at us in Philippians 2:5 — “have this mind among yourselves.” We should hear this command, gaze at the humility of Christ, and then ask what his example of humility means for us. Beyond Christian Politeness It seems that too often Philippians 2 is made into the “Christian politeness” passage. We come away from this text with the mindset “okay, now be nice to one another.” But I think we should see that the example of Christ’s humility pushes us beyond merely being cordial to the people we live around. This passage about the humility of Christ is not about us taking the trash out and helping old ladies cross the street. It includes those things, but goes way beyond those things. Dream Big This kind of humility from this God is what pushes us and calls us to start orphanages in Sudan, translate the Scriptures into languages that don’t have the Bible, have moms invest in a career of raising four children at home, adopt children who need a family. Christ’s humility drives us to both washing dishes and pouring out our lives for the good of this world and the glory of God. It doesn’t just mean, “be nice.” This is a humility that calls us to dream big things about the gospel overcoming this world and God’s name being hallowed.

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, ⁶who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, ⁷but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. —Philippians 2:5-7 We live in a world consumed with personal glory. As much as we may disdain this sort of arrogance in other people, the truth is that we all struggle with pride. We long to be the center and are willing to use others to build ourselves up. We want to be in control and become anxious when we realize that we're not. We complain because some part of us thinks that if we were God, things would be better. We secretly celebrate others’ failures because it makes us feel better about ourselves. We envy others’ successes because we feel like we deserve it more. Ever since Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit in the garden, people have been trying to be like God. The Bible tells us that there is one person who was different. One person who did not act out of rivalry or conceit, but in humility spent His life looking out for the interests of others. There was one person who didn’t seek His own glory, but lived His life for the glory of His Father. Paul tells us about this person in Philippians 2, and what he says about him ought to blow our minds.  Here Paul tells us that the humblest man to ever walk the face of the earth was God. Let that sink in for a second. The humblest man who ever walked the face of the earth was God . But Paul doesn't stop there. He continue, that though Jesus was God, He didn’t cling to His equality with God. Instead, He humbled himself and took on the form of a servant. Oh, how different Jesus is from us! Even though we are created human beings, we are constantly grasping after equality with God—something we don’t deserve and will never achieve. But Jesus had it. He had what everyone in this world has been fighting for since the beginning. Yet, He willingly let it go in order to take on flesh and come down to earth. When He came, He told his disciples that He didn’t come to be served but to serve. You and I have a hard time serving those who are in positions of authority over us. Can you imagine how hard it must have been for Jesus to serve sinners like you and me? Yet He did. While His disciples argued over which one of them was the greatest, the Son of God got up from the table, laid aside His outer garments, and tied a towel around His waist. Then Jesus did something that no other superior in all of ancient literature ever did, He washed the manure off of His disciples’ feet. And that was just the beginning. Soon even the towel would be ripped off of Him and the Son of God would hang naked on a cross. There, the humblest man who ever lived died the death of the arrogant. There, the one who refused to grasp the glory that was rightfully His died like a thief in our place. He died for all the times we have tried to steal God’s glory for ourselves. There, the Son of God gave His life as a ransom for many. There, God opposed Jesus for our pride so that one day we might be exalted on account of His perfect humility. There at the cross, you and I find the antidote for our pride. John Stott wrote, Every time we look at the cross Christ seems to say to us, "I am here because of you. It is your sin I am bearing, your curse I am suffering, your debt I am paying, your death I am dying." Nothing in history or in the universe cuts us down to size like the cross. All of us have inflated views of ourselves, especially in self-righteousness, until we have visited a place called Calvary. It is there, at the foot of the cross, that we shrink to our true size. ( The Message of Galatians, The Bible Speaks Today, p. 179) At the cross, it becomes painfully obvious that you and I don’t deserve to be the center. But the cross doesn’t leave the center empty. Instead, the cross shows us who ought to be there. You see, the only way we will ever stop grasping after the center, is if we find someone that we believe is more worthy of it than we are. The Bible tells us that Jesus is that one. He is more worthy of the center than you. Not just because He is God, but also because He has loved you and gave His life on the cross for you. So take your eyes off of yourself and look to Jesus. Let His beauty and His worth and His love overwhelm you; let His power and majesty and glory entrance you; let His promises protect you; let His resurrection from the dead give you a living hope. He is the center, and life is so much better when we realize that. So, “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus…” (Philippians 2:5). For Reflection What evidences of humility do you see in Christ? How does the cross serve as an antidote for our pride? What are some attributes of the mind of Christ? How does your thought life compare?

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. ¹⁶For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. ¹⁷And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever. —1 John 2:15-17 “Do not love.” This command seems both strange and simple. It seems unexpected in the pages of Scripture where God’s love for the lost is revealed in Christ’s sacrifice on the cross, to pay for the sin of all who would trust in Him. Later in this same letter, we read that “God is love.” In the verses leading up to this command, we are told to love other believers. Why, then, this strange command to “ not  love " ? The kind of love that is prohibited is a love for “the world.” The world in this context does not refer to the natural world—rocks, trees, and oceans—nor does it refer to the inhabitants of the world—those for whom Christ died. Instead, this is a love for sinful world systems–the sinful elements of the world’s cultures, philosophies, rulers, and ethics–and the possessions one can acquire in the world. A love for material things should be a warning sign to us. If we love  worldly, ungodly things, the love of the Father is not in us. Your affections are like a teeter totter. A great love for the sinful world that is passing away reveals a lightweight love for God. By contrast, a hefty love for God is demonstrated in the rejection of sinful worldly isms and ologies and a loose hold on material things. You cannot love both. One side will outweigh the other. That’s because the world and the things in the world are corrupted. They are contaminated by the flesh (a desire for physical pleasure), the eyes (the deceitful allure of beauty), and the pride of life (elevating oneself above God). As such, they cannot come from God. Also, this world is passing away. It’s a waste of emotional energy and personal passion to spend your life on things that will not last. All of these things are passing away. What a tragedy to arrive at the end and have nothing to show for all of your effort and all of the affection you have poured out on this earth. It’s disappointing when a snowman that I worked on for a morning melts away when the afternoon sun comes out. How much more disappointment and sorrow will we experience if we have spent—not a morning—but a lifetime  loving and pursuing things that will merely pass away. The writer of this letter, the Apostle John, wants you to pursue that which is lasting—God Himself! Therefore, do not  love the world. Do not  love the things in the world. Don’t waste your affection. Love God, seek Him in the person and work of Jesus Christ. And you will abide, forever. For Reflection In what ways do you still love the world, its systems, its possessions? What things are you devoting time, attention, and energy to that are ultimately going to pass away? How can you remind yourself to pursue God every day this week? Nate Miller  is the Associate Preaching Pastor at Revive Church in Brooklyn Park, MN. Nate and his wife, Angela, live in Brooklyn Park and have three children.

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. ¹⁶For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. ¹⁷And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever. —1 John 2:15-17 1 John 2:15-17 makes clear one command—“do not love the world or the things in the world.” We are Christians and love is a big deal. God has designed it that love be central to our identity (1 John 2:10-11; John 13:34-35). We are to be gripped by God’s love for us and moved by our love for others. And the thing with our love is that it’s not just about what we do love, but also about what we don’t. Don’t Love the World John spends the rest of the passage backing up what he means. He gives a negative situation, explains what makes it negative, and then wraps it up with a concluding reality-check. Don’t love the world, because loving the world means you don’t have the love of the Father. Why are love for the world and the love of the Father contrary? John goes on in verse 16 to say that the world and the Father are at odds because what makes up the world are things that are not from the Father: desires of the flesh, desires of the eyes, and pride in possessions. Loving the world, as John sees it, is not some Teddy Bear-like disposition towards an abstract sphere of blue and green. Loving the world is a full-fledged embrace of carnal hedonism, covetous opinion, and pretentious materialism. And this stuff is not from the Father. If we love this stuff it means that the love of the Father is not in us. Reality-Check Moreover, John says, just to make sure we’re clear and you get what’s going on here, this world and all its desires are passing away. One day, it will be no more. But whoever does the will of God abides forever. This is the reality-check. Snuggling up to the world is jumping headlong into what does not last. The world’s enticing thrill is a smoke-screen that leaves us stumbling through life without realizing that we’re wasting it. We don’t want to do that. There is good news. Jesus Christ died for us and has been raised. He made us his own and by the Spirit he leads us in the road of repentance and faith. We can let go of our love for the world because the shackles of the world have let go of us. We can turn from our love for the world because Jesus absorbed the wrath such love effects. With our backs to the world, let’s set our eyes on the glory of Christ and live lives characterized by what we love, and what we don’t.

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. ¹⁶For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. ¹⁷And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever. —1 John 2:15-17 In the seventeenth century, Puritan William Greenhill wrote helpfully about what John meant by the world . What is it Christians are not to love? World refers to the visible heavens and earth, with all the creatures in them, as they came from the hand of God. Genesis 1:1 tells us, “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” And after that, we are told of particular things that were created. In the New Testament, we are told that “all things were made by him,” and that “he was in the world, and the world was made by him.” The world, and all things in it were made by Christ”  (p. 3). World means customs, manners, worship, and fashions of the world. Romans 12:2 says: “Be not conformed to this world, but be transformed.” The world here refers to the ways of men, the worship of men, and the ways of men in the worship of God, elsewhere called “the traditions of men” (Colossians 2:8) (p. 4). World means the pomp and splendor of the world, which Satan makes use of to further his kingdom and interest as well as to hinder the kingdom and interest of Christ. It is the abuse of the glory and greatness of God’s creation, the excellencies and gifts of men, the profits and pleasures, and the honors, the comforts, and the contents of the world. In Galatians 6:14, Paul says, “But far be it from me that I should boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me and I to the world” (p. 5). Christians are not of this world; they are are chosen out of this world by Jesus: Jesus said, “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.”  (John 15:18-19) Christians will not love the worldliness of the world. To love the world is to highly esteem it, holding it in a high account. In Luke 14, when men were invited to the great feast, they held their farms, their oxen, their wives, and the things of the world in higher account than the things of Christ (p. 5). We love the world when our thoughts are fixed on the world. What a person loves, their thoughts are much upon. We meditate most on the things we most love (p. 6). Men are said to love the world when they desire the world. What men and women love, they desire much. Love is a desire to be united with the thing loved (p. 7). This love encompasses the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and the pride of life. Love for the world is found in setting the heart on the things of the world. Psalm 62:10 warns us: “if riches increase, set not your heart upon them” (p. 7). We are said to love the world when we employ most of our strength in, on, and about the things of the world (p. 8). We are said to love the world when we watch all opportunities and occasions to get the things of the world: to buy cheap and sell high; to get great estates, houses, lands, and things of that nature (p. 9). Men love the world when they favor the world the most. When they favor the things of the world in their discourses, they are in love with the world. Christ tells you, “Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks (Matthew 12:34). When the world is in the heart, the heart loves it (p. 12). A man loves the world when he mourns and laments for the things of the world that are taken from him. That which we love, we mourn over when we lose (p. 14). The world, with all of its enticements to love it, is powerful. We cannot overcome this power in our own strength. But Jesus has overcome the world! I have said these things to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”   John 16:33 It is the will of the Father that we believe in Him, and in Jesus Christ — the great overcomer of the world. The world may be passing away, but those who do the will of God abide forever. (Excerpts from Stop Loving the World  by William Greenhill (1598-1671), edited by Joel Beeke and Jay T. Collier; © 2011 Reformation Heritage Books.) For Reflection Examine your life. Would you be recognized as one who is not of this world, as one who is utterly devoted to Christ? Where do your thoughts typically run? What occupies your mind most of the time? When you turn to Jesus, He will give you the strength to set your mind on things above and resist the temptations to love the world. Turn to Him today.

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:1) One of the most wonderful verses in the Bible is Romans 8:1. “ There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” The context of this verse must be observed to understand its significance. Romans 7 describes a great struggle in the lives of believers. Paul wants to keep God’s law but finds himself doing what he hates. At the same time, Romans 7 isn’t the end of the story, and it isn’t the whole story. The great declaration that there is now no condemnation in Christ Jesus fills us with hope. Now, in this new period of salvation history, God has accomplished salvation for those who belong to Jesus. Romans 8:1 is one of the most amazing sentences in the Bible. If we truly understand how important it is, we would be willing to face any  suffering in this life to stand in the right before God on the last day. And I mean any suffering. One of the most chilling stories I ever heard was told by J. Christy Wilson. He told about an Afghani believer who was a zealous evangelist, and he had his tongue cut off for his faith in Christ. They let him live for a little while after cutting out his tongue and then they killed him. None of us wants to have our tongue cut out. It makes me wince and shrink back to even think about it. But it is much better to have your tongue removed and to enjoy eternal life than it is to keep your tongue and go to hell. Please don’t misunderstand this story. We aren’t free of condemnation because we have earned God’s favor or done great things for Him. The only requirement is that we are in Christ, that we belong to Christ. And we are in Christ if we trust in Him for the forgiveness of our sins.  I went through a period in my life where I struggled with feelings of condemnation before God. When I was going through this time, I would think of my sins, and feelings of guilt and dread and defilement would wash over me. This went on for a long time. It was like living in Salem, Oregon during the winter with day after day of clouds and rain. In fact, I lived in Salem, Oregon during those days. But my problem wasn’t because of the weather. My days were cloudy for spiritual reasons.  Thanks be to God He gave me a great weapon to fend off the attacks of Satan. He gave me the Word of God. One of the verses I would meditate on and say to myself over and over was, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” I would preach to myself saying, “The truth isn’t what I feel. The truth is what God says about me.” And gradually and slowly the sun began to shine through the clouds. Little by little, as I proclaimed the truth to myself, I began not only to believe in my mind but to feel in my heart that what God’s Word said was true. This verse not only reminds us to trust God instead of our feelings, it has the power to move us to rejoice in God’s grace in Christ. For Reflection Do you wrestle with feelings of condemnation for past sins? Confess those sins to God and give Him thanks and praise for forgiving you in Christ Jesus.  Whenever Satan accuses you of forgiven sins, turn your eyes to Jesus and confess with your mouth, like John Newton did, that though you are a great sinner, Christ is your great Savior. Ask God to help you believe that you really are free from condemnation, and to increase your hope of heaven. Thomas R. Schreiner is the James Buchanan Harrison Professor of New Testament Interpretation and associate dean of the School of Theology at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. A Pauline scholar, Schreiner is the author or editor of several books including Romans, in the Baker Exegetical Commentary Series on the New Testament.

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. —Romans 8:1 Condemnation changes everything. It stems from a crime. It removes freedom. It changes the trajectory of a life. For more than 20 years, “Confrontation” has been my favorite song from the musical Les Miserables , the redemption story adapted from Victor Hugo’s book of the same name. The protagonist, Jean Valjean, served 19 years in prison for stealing bread. Haunted by his conviction, he hides his criminal past to try and make a life for himself. In the song, Valjean, now a successful businessman and mayor, encounters a policeman, Javert, who has been hunting him for years. In the beautifully written duet, the two men—criminal and lawman—sing over each other. The lawman repeats the powerful line, “Men like you can never change.” He makes clear what Valjean’s condemnation means: his identity, his future, everything, is defined by his condemnation. This week’s Fighter Verse brings us to a key moment in Paul’s letter to the Romans. Looking back over the previous seven chapters, Paul assures his readers that “there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”  If we have been “set free from sin” and have received eternal life, the “free gift of God” (Romans 6:22-23), why do Christians need to hear this? Because life this side of heaven is hard. More times than I can count in the last few months, we have received messages from friends and family that have involved stories of hopelessness, powerlessness, or anxiety. Cancer. High risk pregnancies. Conflict at work. Strained marriages. There is a lack of peace. There is a deep sense of the brokenness in our sin-stained world. But here in Romans 8:1, Paul reflects on the beauty of the work of redemption. Even in light of the continuing impact of sin this side of heaven, he says: “Now! No more condemnation.” Without a shadow of a doubt, the condemnation has been removed. No matter how things may appear. No matter how we feel about the past, no matter what we see in the present, those who are “in Christ Jesus” are free from condemnation. We’re not on the run anymore. Our future is secure. That’s the heart of this battle over condemnation. Those who trust Jesus face a daily struggle to trust that Christ truly has removed our condemnation. That God has permanently altered our future. This verse is the foundation of the powerful verses to come. We can be assured of our lack of condemnation because our justifying God gave up His Son to death so that there would be no charges against God’s elect (Romans 8:33-34). We are not, and will not be condemned. Christ is at the right hand of the king. “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31). Walk in that truth, Christian. Run with abandon in that blood-bought reality. Know that the king has declared you innocent because of the work of His Son. You are not and will not be condemned. For Reflection What brokenness are you seeing in the world that is causing you to doubt that your condemnation has been removed? What practical steps do you need to take to cast your anxieties about those things on Him, knowing He cares for you (1 Peter 5:7)? How should the truth that you are not “on the run” anymore change your life today?

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. —Romans 8:1 With the glorious declaration of Romans 8:1, the Apostle Paul reaches the summit of an arduous climb. When the word therefore begins a Bible verse, it’s time to pause and consider what has come before. The word denotes that something previously stated is bearing on what is said—the something is Romans chapters 1-7. In order to adequately consider the depth of meaning in Romans 8:1, it’s necessary to look at the previous chapters for context. In his book Knowing God, J.I. Packer says that “…as the book of Romans is the high peak of the Bible, so chapter 8 is the high peak of Romans.” He further explains, You will not penetrate the secret of Romans 8 by studying the chapter on its own. The way into Romans 8 is through Romans 1-7 and the impact of Romans 8 upon you will reflect what it has cost you to come to terms with what those chapters say. It’s important to read the full chapters of Romans 1-8 this week, but here is a brief outline to help: Romans 1:1–3:20 “The righteous shall live by faith” (1:16-17). Every person is lost and a helpless sinner. Our sin condemns us before God who is holy and righteous. The wrath of God is revealed against all unrighteousness (1:18). We have no excuses before Him (1:20-21). There is no one righteous; every person is guilty before Him (3:11-19). “For by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in God’s sight, for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin” (3:20). Romans 3:21–5:21 God provides righteousness to the Jew and the Gentile on the basis of faith in Jesus Christ (3:21-23). Justification is the gift of God’s grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. By the shedding of His blood, Jesus is the propitiation (satisfaction for God’s wrath against our sin) for us, that we might have redemption through faith in Him and be reconciled to God (3:24-25). “[Righteousness] will be counted to us who believe in Him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification” (4:24-25). God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (5:8). Romans 6–7 Those who believe in Jesus are by faith in union with Him in His death and resurrection, and are set free from slavery to sin (6:1-7). Believers have new hearts that now want to obey God—to present their bodies as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification and its end, eternal life (6:15-22). “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (6:23). Our position, by grace through faith in Christ Jesus, is that we are released from the Law and clothed in Christ’s righteousness—yet experientially, while here in our flesh, we still battle with sin. “Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (7:24-25). Romans 8 This brings us to our passage: “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (8:1). God has given us everything in Christ Jesus, including: Justification by His blood. He is the propitiation for sin. On the cross He paid the penalty for sin and bore the wrath of God against us. God now accepts us on the basis of Christ’s sacrifice. Sanctification by Christ’s righteousness, imputed to the believer and working in us by the power of the Holy Spirit for joyful obedience to God. Eternal Life and Glorification secured for the believer by Christ’s resurrection from the dead. The believer is made a child of God the Father, through Jesus, and made a joint-heir with Him in His inheritance. For Reflection How do you respond to this glorious good news — the gospel? Today is the day, the right time, to turn to Jesus and place your faith in Him. There is no sin that is unforgivable except the sin of not believing in Jesus — He has done it all for you. Romans 8:1 makes clear that by faith in Christ Jesus, the guilt of your sin — all that condemns you before God — is washed away by His blood shed for you.