No Condemnation

September 9

The law of God establishes mankind’s guilt before Him. The law of God leaves His errant creation no wiggle room. Every man born into this Vale of Tears must acknowledge before God and himself that he is condemned by his own sin. Paul reminds us in Romans 3:10 that, “…there is none righteous, no, not one.”

If God so chose, He would be totally justified (not that God would require justification) in banishing every one of the sinful brotherhood of man eternally to the abyss! But, that is not what the loving Father desires for the fallen creature that He created for fellowship with Himself!

In II Corinthians 3:9 Paul expresses the polar opposite positions that our Triune God set before Himself when Adam and Eve tasted of the forbidden fruit: “If the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness overflows with even more glory.” Condemnation vs. righteousness—the former, man earned; the latter, he can never earn.

The One who inhabits the eternal glory of Himself has not chosen to abide in that radiance alone! It is the desire and longing of His heart to surround Himself with the fallen creature that He loves. That is why Jesus came to bear our sin, to cleanse us from it, and to establish our righteousness before the Father. That is why the Lord chose to give us His righteousness so we needn’t be condemned.