Romans 8:1 tells us, “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Yeah God! But what does that mean exactly and how do I apply that truth to my daily Christian walk?

When we raise children, we give them boundaries in which to live their lives. We start with a few simple rules that will protect them from harm. Rule number one: Dad and Mom are the boss. What they say is the law. Obey them and things will go better than if they don’t.

Other rules may include: Don’t touch the electrical outlets around the house, no dessert if you don’t eat your dinner, don’t lie, leave other people’s things alone, always ask before rummaging the refrigerator, etc…These will vary by household.

It is our hope that they obey these “laws” or else they will suffer the penalty(ies). I believe in spanking. Read your Bible, God agrees with it too. But our ultimate hope is that they will eventually obey, not out of fear of punishment, but out of a desire to please us because they love us.

God works the same way. The Ten Commandments were given to the Israelites (and to us) to demonstrate to us what God expects. Thou shall not steal. That’s simple. If it is not yours, leave it alone. Thou shall not commit adultery. Again, it’s not rocket science.

Unfortunately, we all break these laws in one form or another, every day of our lives! And that would normally condemn us. Romans 6:23 The wages of sin is death. But for those who are “in Christ Jesus” there is no condemnation. Jesus paid the penalty of our sins when we accepted His substitutionary death on the cross instead of relying upon our own works for our salvation.

The law therefore, no longer condemns us. I am not going to hell because I stole a pencil from the work place or stole a passionate glance from the office secretary. We are set free to accept it as our own guide for pleasing the One who died in our place, just as we hope our children obey our household rules, not out of fear but out of their eventual love for us as parents.