“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death” – Romans 8:1-2 (ESV)

Our Promise today is the endorsement we have that we have been set free from bondage to the law of sin and death. It helps immensely to first understand what the Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 7:13-25a which proceeds our promise verse today. The word “therefore” means the result or consequence of the truth just taught. Normally it marks the conclusion of the verses immediately preceding it. But here it introduces the staggering results of Paul’s teaching: that justification is by faith alone on the basis of God’s overwhelming grace. This is an amazing freedom-giving promise and it is all because of what Jesus Christ has done for us. To follow God, we have to be free from slavery to sin and its penalty—that was just the beginning. To build on this foundation, we must actively submit to the Holy Spirit’s ministry in our lives. God’s indwelling Spirit enables us to be “saved by His life” (Romans 5:10); His life is lived out through us as His instruments for righteousness. The word “condemnation” refers to a verdict of guilty and the penalty that verdict demands but Jesus promises that He has permanently removed that verdict from our account. 

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*John F. MacArthur Jr., The MacArthur Study Bible: New American Standard Bible., (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2006), Ro 8:1.
*Steven E. Runge, High Definition Commentary: Romans, (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2014), 138.