condemnation verses God's justice

"Who can bring an accusation against God’s elect? God is the One who justifies. Who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is the One who died, but even more, has been raised; He also is at the right hand of God and intercedes for us." (Romans 8:33, 34 HCSB)

When condemnation comes, remember that it is God who justifies. It is His sacrificial life, death and resurrection that weighs the scales of justice on our case. If we consider condemnation, this is contemplating that God's own act to fulfill and satisfy the penalty of the law, is insufficient to provide a judgement of righteousness.  

Christ died once for ALL!

REFERENCES

1 Peter 3:8 
Hebrews 9:28 
Romans 3:25 
Romans 6:10 
"The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God."
Gill's Exposition   "For in that he died,.... The death of Christ was settled and agreed to in the covenant and council of peace; it was spoken of by the prophets, and typified by sacrifices; Christ came into the world in order to die, and actually did die the death of the cross; in which the great love of God and Christ is expressed to us; and which is a fundamental article of the Christian faith: and when he died, he died unto sin once: he died to that, which we by nature are dead in, and could never make atonement for; which he himself never lived in, and which men naturally love to in; and which had he not died for, we must have died for to all eternity; and he died not for any sin of his own, or of angels, nor for the sins of every man, but for the sins of his people; it may be rendered, he died in sin: in the likeness of sinful flesh, in which he was sent; having as a surety sin laid on him, and bore by him, and for which he was wounded, bruised, and died: or rather to sin; that is, to make atonement for it, procure the pardon of it, take it away, and utterly abolish it: and this he did "once"; this is observed, in reference to the repeated sacrifices of the old law, which could never expiate or remove sin; and to show, that Christ's dying once was enough, his sacrifice was fully satisfactory to the law and justice of God: but in that he liveth: which must be understood, not of his life as God, but as man; and that not on earth, but in heaven; where he lives with God, at the right hand of God, and by him, by the power of God: and he liveth unto God; to his glory, and to make intercession for us."

Why is it important to remember and meditate on the fact that "Christ Jesus is the One who died, but even more, has been raised; He also is at the right hand of God and intercedes for us", as a Christ seeking Holy Spirit baptized Christian? Because in the frailty of our flesh [the "skin" so to speak of our old nature that we war with, not yet fully perfected and yet fully not glorified into His likeness as we will be (by God's finishing work of complete sanctification)] we combat thoughts and words of condemnation and pride.  The worst of these for me being self condemnation, a self destructive bad habit that for way too many years I have allowed myself to indulge in.  

It is important to meditate and dwell on this truth in faith; that the same truth and faith that saved me and brought me to truth and life is the same holding truth that keeps me.  

In the courtroom of my God, my Heavenly Father as the righteous judge, the Slain and Risen Lamb of God as my advocate, the Holy Spirit is teaching me to trust in God's justice,  when my flesh fails and the accuser raises his argument, puts me on the witness stand to see if I will testify in faith or in doubt and self condemnation.  The record itself was expunged by the blood of the Lamb when I confessed my sin and received the great gift of Forgiveness and Redemption.  The verdict is complete and without appeal. Yet what remains now is the testimony of my words (both spoken and internal).  When condemnation arises it like an attempted appeal to see if the verdict of righteous was just.  The only the thing left to present is the word of my testimony, and yet even that does not cancel the verdict.  If I testify in against the myself, can I also truly testify against Christ Jesus? NO because it would not be true and the Holy Spirit testifies in the Truth of the justice of Christ's Blood (1 John 5:6).  "God is the One who justifies. Who is the one who condemns?"(Romans 8:33b-34a) 

This is important to meditate on, so that I may testify to myself (and to my enemy), in agreement and acknowledgment of the perfect sinless life, propitiating death, and life giving resurrection of Christ Jesus; and in doing so, that I may continue to grow strong in the life and faith of God.  It is His robe of righteous life that I wear.  It is complete.  It is enough. It is without fault or blemish. 

Therefore there is no condemnation for those who are IN Christ Jesus! (Romans 8:1)

MY PRAYER:

Hallelujah! Thank you Jesus!

I am humbly and joyfully grateful!!

I will walk in your ways Lord!  Teach me!  Teach me to pray.  Teach me to walk. Teach me to testify to myself and others. 

I am just beginning to understand the overcoming power of testimony. 

Thank you Lord my God for your Word, the bible, available in so many different forms and translations in my time.  Holy Spirit teach me to meditate on it day and night and night and day, that I may not sin against You, that the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart (thoughts) would make You smile and Your joy to rise up and bubble over. 

I, in You - You in me 

In the Name above all names, 

Jesus the risen Christ,

AMEN