Sunday: In Jesus Christ
“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit” (Rom. 8:1). What does “no condemnation” mean? No condemnation from what? And why is this such good news?
Image © Lars Justinen Goodsalt.com
“In Christ Jesus” is a common phrase in the Pauline writings. For a person to be “in” Christ Jesus means that he or she has accepted Christ as his or her Savior. The person trusts Him implicitly and has decided to make Christ’s way of life his or her own way. The result is a close personal union with Christ.
“In Christ Jesus” is contrasted with “in the flesh.” It also is contrasted with the experience detailed in chapter 7, where Paul describes the person under conviction before his or her surrender to Christ as carnal, meaning that he or she is a slave to sin. The person is under condemnation of death (Rom. 7:11, Rom. 7:13, Rom. 7:24). He or she serves the “law of sin” (Rom. 7:23, Rom. 7:25). This person is in a terrible state of wretchedness (Rom. 7:24).
But then the person surrenders to Jesus, and an immediate change is wrought in his or her standing with God. Formerly condemned as a lawbreaker, that person now stands perfect in the sight of God, stands as if he or she had never sinned, because the righteousness of Jesus Christ completely covers that person. There is no more condemnation, not because the person is faultless, sinless, or worthy of eternal life (he or she is not!) but because Jesus’ perfect life record stands in the person’s stead; thus, there is no condemnation.
But the good news doesn’t end there.
What frees a person from slavery to sin? Rom. 8:2.
“The law of the Spirit of life” here means Christ’s plan for saving humanity, in contrast with “the law of sin and death,” which was described in chapter 7 as the law by which sin ruled – the end of which was death. Christ’s law instead brings life and freedom.
| “Every soul that refuses to give himself to God is under the control of another power. He is not his own. He may talk of freedom, but he is in the most abject slavery. . . . While he flatters himself that he is following the dictates of his own judgment, he obeys the will of the prince of darkness. Christ came to break the shackles of sin-slavery from the soul.” – Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 466. Are you a slave, or are you free in Christ? How can you know for sure? |
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"But then the person surrenders to Jesus, and an immediate change is wrought in his or her standing with God. Formerly condemned as a lawbreaker, that person now stands perfect in the sight of God, stands as if he or she had never sinned, because the righteousness of Jesus Christ completely covers that person. There is no more condemnation, not because the person is faultless, sinless, or worthy of eternal life (he or she is not!) but because Jesus’ perfect life record stands in the person’s stead; thus, there is no condemnation."
This paragraph makes sense if God operates on a legal model/paradigm like we do in our human 'justice' system - but it doesn't make sense if God operates on a healing/restoration model/paradigm. These two models are at odds with each other.
From the justice model/paradigm there is no condemnation because God's sentence upon me has been absorbed by Jesus. From the healing model/paradigm, there is no 'condemnation' because I am actually being brought into remission from my terminal condition - I am actually being restored back to being/living in harmony with the image of God that humanity was originally created in. God is actually fixing the damage that is caused by sin and therefore restoring things back to the way God intended that they should have been (ie humanity only having a knowledge/experience of good and not of evil).
Which model/paradigm makes more sense and actually fits reality? Which one is more consistent with Romans, and with the entire Bible?
For many years Physicists argued over the model for light. There were those who argued that light was made up of tiny particles and there were others who argued that light was essentially wave-like in behaviour. Both models were backed by powerful minds in the scientific world (Newton and Huygens), each arguing that their model was the only model that fitted the data. To cut a long story short, neither model was a complete description of the nature of light and it wasn't until quantum theory was developed that both models were essentially replaced. Now that may not be the end of the story because we are continually finding out more about light as we explore and apply our minds to understanding the data.
Salvation has many aspects to explore as well. We look at the old sacrificial system and draw elements of our understanding from that. We look at the life of Christ and how that developed and ultimately replaced the sacrificial system. And today as we explore salvation in the modern context we find even more to appreciate about what Jesus did for us and continues to do with us. Like the models of light, is it not possible that both the substitution and the healing models are part pictures of a greater whole.
I am not sure that we gain anything by saying the models are contradictory. I would like to start from the paradigm that they are different views of the salvation story and they may well dovetail together.
Another illustration: When I was a kid there was a range of angular hills on the eastern horizon. Every day I looked at these hills and admired than distinctive sharp edges against the rising sun. When I was a little older, I started travelling a bit and we visted the other side of the hills. They were rounded and completely unrecognizable. It took me a few trips to work out that I was looking at the same range of hills. Later still I flew over the hills in an airplane and saw the view from above; angular valleys and cliffs on one side and rolling hills and shallow gently sloping valleys on the other. If I had always stayed on the one side of those hills I would never have had a full picture of what they were like. If we look at salvation in only one way, maybe we are not seeing the full picture either.
On the salvation front; I see Christ's work for us as a substitute. It makes sense that He died the death that we deserve. There is a legal sense that we can grasp hold of, but at the same time it is an outpouring of love that is part of the healing process.
Hi Maurice
I appreciate your feedback.
I absolutely agree that the actual reality of this and other phenomena is likely to be complex and multidimensional and that our attempts to understand are likely to be progressive and cumulative. And I absolutely agree that we see "but dimly" despite progressive 'light' that is accumulated along the way under God's Spirit inspiration and revelation.
At the same time I wonder whether all proposed 'models' are valid (in term of do they actually represent reality)? For example, is the flat earth paradigm just another perspective - or is it one that is not actually consistent with reality? Or another example, doctors in the past used to promote cigarette smoking as an appropriate treatment for certain lung conditions.
So I can better understand a point you made, from your perspective, can you expand on your statement that "Jesus died the death that we deserved"? (I know Ellen White actually used this phrase too). What specifically was the cause of the "deserved" death and how did Jesus death specifically address/redress that situation?
The reason I am exploring this topic is because each 'model/paradigm' directly or indirectly implies characteristics of the nature and character of God and his orientation to/dealing with sin, humans and salvation.
I am a bit pressed for time at the moment Phil so I will only give you a short answer. I only present this as something to think about. One way of looking at it is that once sin made its way into the human race we were essentially a broken creation. A pottery analogy: we are like broken pots - essentially worthless - destined for the scrap-heap.
But the creator, unwilling to see his creation discarded, puts himself on the scrap-heap so that we can be saved. Part of my thinking is based on a very deep sense that the battle between good and evil is not merely a bit of play acting, but that evil threatened existence itself.
By the way, the flat-earth theory works very well if you are building a house or even planning a small town. It fails when you want to build a long suspension bridge or see something beyond the horizon. I have a bit of fun with some people around here because out on the coast from here we are 80km north of Sydney and on a clear day can see a tall tower in the centre of Sydney poking above the horizon. Some people wont believe me even when I produce photographic evidence! Moral of the story: Sometimes even flawed models work if you know their limitations.
So, Maurice, are you saying that we need to look at salvation like the blind men who decided to each take hold of a little bit of an elephant and from there each came up with what they concluded an elephant to be like----a tree trunk (one of its legs,) a rock, (one of its toe nails,) a rope, (its tail,) a huge leaf, (its ear,) a wall, (its side,) etc. and etc? So would the elephant be Jesus or would the elephant be sin? And where would you put the "fruit of the Spirit," in all this?
Yes Pete, its a bit like the blind men and the elephant except that we are a bit more curious and know that the rock and the rope etc are part of a whole and we talk about it and create models that make sense of the data.
The elephant (big picture) in this case is salvation. And one "fruit of the spirit" that is relevant to this situation is that we are generous in spirit to those who have a different model. As I said earlier, sometimes an incomplete model works quite well.
You make good points - and as someone who is also in a science-based field, I understand what you are saying.
My motivation for raising discussion is a concern that the nature and character of God, the nature of the sin problem, and hence actual process of salvation continues to be so misrepresented by mainstream dominant 'models' that many people I interact with want nothing to do with the God that these 'models' portray and many Christian's I interact with are living defeated lives. That is why I have been (and others I am aware of across the world) researching to see if there are 'models' that more accurately reflect and make accessible a more true explanation and understanding of the phenomena mentioned above (models that better fit the 'data')- and it appears there are.
Dear Maurice Ashton, I appreciate you 'going to bat' to defend basically SDA - and a few[?] others - idea on 'Biblical Salvation'.
I think the overriding idea/s is/are the 'answers' are not 'exclusive' and 'scientists' STRUGGLE with idea of leaving a place for faith - THOUGH IF THEY ARE ACTUAL SCIENTISTS THEY SHOULD BE AWARE OF THE NEED FOR FAITH[!], their FLAWED theories ARE useless without it. [Did you see the study that ~ 2% of 'scientific' papers actually follow scientific methods!]
I believe that the only possible one to whom any ******* was 'paid' was the God who was told to 'go away' - I/we can do this ourselves. This occurred to me on a Sabbath when a new believer asked ME, to whom was the 'penalty' paid.
Thus endeth this 'reply'.
Pete, we are all a bit like the blind men trying to understand the elephant. The plan of salvation is so comprehensive and so far above our thoughts that we will not be able to exhaust the subject by study through eternity. So we all see just a little of the big picture. It is in coming together and sharing our understanding that we get a better picture than we would get on our own.
Unfortunately we are also much like the blind men in the parable insofar as some of us like to think that *our* view of the atonement is the correct one and the *only* correct one, thus ignoring/denying/dismissing and sometimes ridiculing other views.
Since the subject is so essentially infinite, I think we should make every effort to incorporate into our understanding whatever aspects can be derived from Scripture, and that probably means *listening* to each other.
The legal aspect and the healing aspect -- Are these concepts really contradictory and at odds with one another?
Not at all, for both are essential to our salvation.
Sin is--
1. Rebellion against God and His government and laws. It places us under the rule of another master and in the kingdom of the evil one. And Paul makes it clear that we are all guilty -- condemned as enemies of God's kingdom. The law demands our death!
2. Sin is also destructive and very harmful to the person involved in it. It enslaves, ruins and causes misery, and unless we find healing it destroys.
Thus one of the first steps in salvation needs to be the legal aspect bestowed on the repentant sinner coming to Christ. Full forgiveness is a legal act, forgiven because Christ took the penalty, and fulfilled the demands of the law, and sets us free from the guilt and condemnation. Justification comes before the "healing". Justification is the legal aspect of removing our condemnation and guilt and changing our citizenship from the kingdom of the enemy, to that being a citizen of Christ's kingdom.
Now comes the sanctification. We have been set apart for a holy purpose, and Christ sends his Holy Spirit to dwell in us, enabling the transformation of lives -- enabling the healing from sin to take place.
Notice the story of the woman caught in adultery.
First -- Jesus forgave her sins, and took away the condemnation from her. That was the legal aspect -- freeing her from the guilt and the punishment.
It is AFTER being legally cleared, forgiven, and accepted as part of God's family, that the healing begins. We are to "reckon" ourselves dead to sin and alive in Christ. That doesn't mean we've lost all temptation to sin -- no, but by the Holy Spirit we count that carnal nature, dead, and with the Holy Spirit, we put to death the deeds of the flesh, and walk according to the Spirit's leading.
Our best actions will not save us, but when our lives show the influence of Christ within, that is an indicator that we are connected with the One Who saved us. And in the end it's our connection with Christ that will be judged.
Thanks for your input Ulrike.
I would appreciate if you would expand on what you said in point 1 regarding “...condemned as enemies of God’s kingdom” and “the law demands our death”. Specifically, (1) what is the source of the condemnation you refer to, and (2) what is the evidence/biblical basis for the statement that the law demands our death?
Thank you.
the wages of sin is death..That is the paradigm. WE can choose to be a slave to sin or slave to Jesus. I see only HOPE in Roman 8 and that is a choice.
Pete. The paragraph you are referring to in the lesson is a wonderful description of justification by faith. You're making sense, reality if you will is an attempt at describing sanctification. Both are essential in being in Christ, walking in the spirit, or if you will obeying the law of Spirit of Life. How are we being restored back into harmony with God?(sanctification). By Studying God’s word prayerfully. That word presents before you, in the law of God and the life of Christ, the great principles of holiness, without which “no man shall see the Lord.” Hebrews 12:14. It convinces of sin; it plainly reveals the way of salvation. Give heed to it as the voice of God speaking to your soul." Christ is the way to salvation. John 14:6. And being told the story of Jesus over and over as the wonderful song Paulette gave us, recommends.
Phil,
Even A Graham Maxwell admits in his SDA bible commentary portion on Romans that imputed righteousness is not explicit from the verses in Romans but only implicit. I wonder how many in Sabbath school classes have noticed, in the lessons/discussions of justification..the lack of the word "repentance". Most assume that one just needs to accept the death & righteousness of Jesus as their substitute for salvation and then go on from there in their experience in the church...ever learning & never coming to a knowledge of the truth....but always confessing like in 1 JN 1:9 to keep safe. Hebrews 6:1 (foundation) indicates that repentance from dead works precedes faith in God.
I agree with your observations Jim bob. And such observations are one reason why I question the substitute model of salvation (in addition to an assertion that it does not match a whole of bible view of salvation) as a valid model of salvation. To repeat a ‘hit the mark’ from a few weeks back, “where is the power?” Where is the evidence that the substitution model of salvation is resulting in powerfully changed lives? If this model is valid, shouldn’t the evidence of such changed lives be evident - as opposed to the observations you have noted?
Phil, I liked the substance of your post and the compelling questions you posed at its end, "Which model/paradigm makes more sense and actually fits reality? Which one is more consistent with Romans, and with the entire Bible?". My answer would be the healing model.
For too long Christians have spoken about God's rescue of humans in ways that sound nebulous and detached from reality, especially when we employ our distinct brand of religious jargon. I believe that the "justice model" versus the "healing model" is equivalent to a "performance model" versus the "being/nature model". Meaning that Scripture seeks to inform humanity of an innate failure of our being (Dt 5:29), which our Creator has demonstrated a deep commitment to restoring (Eze 11:19-20; Heb 8:10). Meanwhile His "witnesses" appear wedded to the "performance paradigm" and esthetics, such that we appear quite satisfied to engage in wiping away the blood of all types of human deviance and put the proverbial band-aid (Ten Commandments?..Christian standards?) over the bullet hole.
We are ripe for a paradigm shift in the emphasis of our messaging. We need to bear witness from the Creator's point-of-view, that ALL humans are NATURALLY and critically compromised (1 Cor 2:14; Rm 5:12). This unhealthy state of being, now with it characteristic double-mindedness (Gen 3:22) has left us incapable of producing the LOVE that our Creator deems acceptable (Mt 22:37-38), a love that should NATURALLY bond us to Himself. How are compromised humans to produce this essential, BONDING LOVE that "the FIRST and GREAT COMMANDMENT" REQUIRES--that of "ALL your HEART..ALL your MIND"--when some portion of ALL our MINDS are preoccupied with EVIL (Rm 7:18,21,23; Gal 5:17)? Then the problem becomes a vicious, closed cycle when God's HOLY SPIRIT intended for our PURIFICATION (Act 15:8-9)of EVIL and PRODUCTION of GOD'S LOVE (Rm 5:5) encounters the EVIL interference of MISUNDERSTANDING (Jn 8:43) and UNBELIEF (Jn 7:39).
Yes, we are overdue for a "model upgrade". One in which "the law of the SPIRIT OF LIFE in Christ" (Rm 8:2) sets us free from the "law" now playing in theaters everywhere (Rm 7:21,23) and instead rewrites a new reality within our fallen human minds (2 Cor 3:3; Ps 37:31)!
I will wait until I am in glory with Jesus to hear the story of redemption. Right now the glass through which I see things dimly will only get me into circular conversations. So like Paul in 1 Cor. 2:1-2, I only want to know of Jesus and Him crucified. Anything else is too lovely for me. This song borrowed from public domain sums it up for me:
Tell me the story of Jesus,
Write on my heart every word;
Tell me the story most precious,
Sweetest that ever was heard.
Tell how the angels in chorus,
Sang as they welcomed His birth,
“Glory to God in the highest!
Peace and good tidings to earth.”
Refrain:
Tell me the story of Jesus,
Write on my heart every word;
Tell me the story most precious,
Sweetest that ever was heard.
Fasting alone in the desert,
Tell of the days that are past,
How for our sins He was tempted,
Yet was triumphant at last.
Tell of the years of His labor,
Tell of the sorrow He bore;
He was despised and afflicted,
Homeless, rejected and poor.
Tell of the cross where they nailed Him,
Writhing in anguish and pain;
Tell of the grave where they laid Him,
Tell how He liveth again.
Love in that story so tender,
Clearer than ever I see;
Stay, let me weep while you whisper,
“Love paid the ransom for me.”
END STATEMENT
“The law of the Spirit of life” here means Christ’s plan for saving humanity, in contrast with “the law of sin and death,”
Not exactly but certainly headed in the right direction.
Romans 3:27
That is what is meant by the law of the Spirit of life. It is a matter of "living by faith." Of course, faith is paramount to the plan of salvation which is what Christ came to bestow upon us.
To me THE LAW OF THE SPIRIT OF LIFE IN CHRIST JESUS is just simply "The Law of THE LAW GIVER" to be merciful and forgiving etc. and etc. to us way more than THE LAW itself can or would ever do to save us.
"The Law of THE LAW GIVER" to be merciful and forgiving etc. and etc. to us way more than THE LAW itself can or would ever do to save us.
I am not sure I understand what is attempting to be said here. I think there is some danger in 'lifting' anything above the Law which is perfect, just and good and a law of liberty and which some 'believers' functioned as intended 'under'. Scores of believers - known and unknown, 7000 in the time of King Ahab. When my father died I happened to get his last Bible and it was an NIV. I was reading in Psalm 119 and I came across 13 instances of where normally 'word' would appear, I found 'promise'. Strong's indicated that was a valid - even to be preferred translation and in those instances a different word is used.
EGW Text Only Web site
Tuesday- November 28, 2017
The Soul Re-Created in the Image of God
The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. John 6:63.
The central theme of the Bible, the theme about which every other in the whole book clusters, is the redemption plan, the restoration in the human soul of the image of God. From the first intimation of hope in the sentence pronounced in Eden to that last glorious promise of the Revelation, "They shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads" (Rev. 22:4), the burden of every book and every passage of the Bible is the unfolding of this wondrous theme--man's uplifting--the power of God, "which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."
He who grasps this thought has before him an infinite field for study. He has the key that will unlock to him the whole treasure house of God's Word. . . .
The creative energy that called the worlds into existence is in the Word of God. This word imparts power; it begets life.
Every command is a promise;
accepted by the will, received into the soul, it brings with it the life of the Infinite One. It transforms the nature, and re-creates the soul in the image of God.
By being the sons of God by adoption(Gal 4:5) we possess a new standing, our identity which is by faith “in Christ Jesus.” First, because of the Savior’s incarnation (“in the likeness of sinful flesh” Phil 2:8). and second, by His atoning death on the cross :“sacrifice for sin” (1 John 4:10), the believer has been saved and has entered a new position in Christ.The subject with which chapter seven concludes by God's providence (verse 25) is still under consideration. That providence explained in detail by the above texts.
The phrase "there is therefore now"--refers to the immediately preceding context: "no condemnation: to them which are in Christ Jesus".What happened? The Father made his Son who "knew no sin. . .sin for us," in order to make all who believe in Him, to be "made the righteousness of God in Him" (2 Cor 5:21). Therefore it goes on to say the ones in Him in this divine reckoning are free from the guilty of sin and condemnation of the law because Christ took that condemnation on their behalf already. Therefore for those who are in Him the debt is settled. "By their position "in Christ" they stand not condemned anymore, neither will they be condemned again.
"For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free" rather, freed me, "hath" here refers probably to the time of his conversion, when Paul first believed in Jesus Christ as his personal savior freed him "from the law of sin and death" referring an inward principle of action, operating within him and the regularity of a law (Rom 7:17,20 ,21). This is an accomplishment. It appears that "the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus" here means, that new principle of action which the Spirit of Christ(Holy Spirit)sets up within us denoting the law of our new being(Rom 6:17) ". . .you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance". This "sets us free," as soon as it takes possession of our inner man, "from the law of sin and death" that is, the enslaving power of that corrupt principle.
Pete, you are on the right track.
And Anele, your second last sentence is spot on - that is what the "law of the Spirit of life is". Ellen White also refers to it as "the of life for the universe", the "circuit of beneficence" and "the character of the great Giver, the law of life".
"But turning from all lesser representations, we behold God in Jesus. Looking unto Jesus we see that it is the glory of our God to give. “I do nothing of Myself,” said Christ; “the living Father hath sent Me, and I live by the Father.” “I seek not Mine own glory,” but the glory of Him that sent Me. John 8:28; 6:57; 8:50; 7:18. In these words is set forth the great principle which is the law of life for the universe. All things Christ received from God, but He took to give. So in the heavenly courts, in His ministry for all created beings: through the beloved Son, the Father’s life flows out to all; through the Son it returns, in praise and joyous service, a tide of love, to the great Source of all. And thus through Christ the circuit of beneficence is complete, representing the character of the great Giver, the law of life. {DA 21.2}"
If one reads Desire of Ages pgs 20 and 21, it can be seen that the principle of other-focused giving and living (Agape love) is THE principle that underpins life and the law/s of reality (God's law/s if you will). This is the heart motivation of all beings who have not 'fallen'. For those who have/are fallen, their default heart motivation is self-seeking, self-protecting, etc.
The heart motivation of other-focused leads to life - the heart motivation of self-focused can and does only produce death because it is a violation of that which is necessary to sustain life. I believe David understood this and hence why his prayer was for the (re)creation of a clean heart and right spirit within him (Ps 51:10 and see also Eze 36:26).
Salvation involves (among other things) God's Spirit working collaboratively within those who are willing to bring about a restoration of their heart motivation - backing to being other-focused instead of self-focused/referenced. This is what is necessary for a human to be restored from operating according to the principle of the 'law of sin and (leading to) death' and instead back to "abundant"/eternal life via collaboratively living in harmony with the law/s of heaven (and the universe) that the Spirit helps us live by which lead to life.
This is God actually fixing/restoring what got broken within humanity back in Genesis 3 - for any member of humanity that is willing (John 3:16).
Why does the study of Rom 8, of all chapters, exclude the last half of the chapter, especially verses 28-39? Do we have something to hide? not to be spoken about?
Interesting to see the analogy of the blind people touching the elephant above. Our Sabbath school teacher used it last week in Sabbath school.
Is this common because the SDA church is usually referred to as the poor BLIND, naked, lukewarm Laodicean church? I recall Jesus mentioning about the "blind leading the blind".
Doesn't He also say that "he who wills to do His will, shall know the doctrine..."? I also recall that the popular song.."Amazing Grace" has a line in it , "was blind but now I see". Is there an eyesalve issue still?
Has soteriology..study of salvation become as complicated as rocket science or brain surgery?
I don't see the understanding of the Gospel that complicated, a child is able to understand it, but Satan has blinded the eyes of so many that they do not want to see the truth of the Gospel (see 2 Cor.4:4). Also so many false teachings about a salvation that allows a person to live as they choose has been formed over the years that we certainly do need that eyesalve from the Holy Spirit so we, ourselves, will not be deceived.