Paul, in ministering to the Romans on the turmoil inside of man,
… the warfare between the will and the desires in man,
concludes that the only deliverance for ‘wretched man’ is
… Christ Jesus our Lord!

There is therefore now no condemnation
to those who are in Christ Jesus,
who do not walk according to the flesh,
but according to the Spirit.
---Rom. 8:1

Yet having said this, many other questions arise,

Why does one still feel condemned?
What does ‘in Christ’ mean?
What does it mean to walk according to the flesh?
How do you walk according to the Spirit?

From Romans 8:1, above, it is clear that,
… God does not condemn us!
Jesus Himself confirmed that when challenged by the religious leaders …

When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman,
He said to her, "Woman, where are those accusers of yours?
Has no one condemned you?"
She said, "No one, Lord."
And Jesus said to her, "Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.
--- John 8:10-11

Yet, having said to the woman that He does not condemn her,
Jesus also said to her … ‘go and sin no more!’
Telling both her and us,
… it is sin and the Law that condemn us, not God!

Let me give you an example of how condemnation comes!
Jesus, in ministering on the Law, said this …

You have heard that it was said to those of old,
'You shall not commit adultery.'
But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her
has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
--- Matt 5:27-28

How are we to understand that?
For instance, if your pastor warns you not to look twice at a woman,
… because if you do, you are committing adultery!
And you go past a billboard on which there is a scantily clad woman,
… who attracts your attention, and you dare have a second look,
you are going to feel condemned, no matter what!

Yet Jesus says to a woman caught in adultery … Neither do I condemn you!

What does that mean?

The Law condemns your actions
… but Love looks upon the heart!

However Jesus also said to her (and us), go sin no more!
… telling us that there is something we need to deal with!
What?
How?
Paul in teaching about this, wrote this to us …

For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal
but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,
casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts
itself against the knowledge of God,
bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,
--- 2 Cor. 10:4-5

Although Jesus is not going to condemn you, (love)
yet unless you deal with the thoughts yourself, in the right way,
… by taking them captive,
… by lining them up with God’s standard,
… by allowing Him to be Lord of that situation,

Your actions and your sin will condemn you! (law)

This brings us to the next question,
… what does ‘in Christ’ mean?

Jesus in ministering on life (in Him), in John 15:1-8,
… on the relationship we should have with Him,
on the impact this relationship should have in our lives
… and on the lives of those around us,
concludes by saying this,

If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you,
you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.
By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit;
so you will be My disciples.
--- John 15:7-8

Being ‘in Christ’ is a real time relationship, an active relationship …
A relationship that has its root in 2 Corinthians 10,
… telling us that the starting point of being ‘in Christ’,
is by actively making Him Lord in all of your life!

In your thoughts!
… so that you can weigh up your thoughts against His standard
In your actions!
… so your response to your thoughts lines up with His will, His standard.
In your life!
… so you hear Him in your daily life and in every decision you make!

Truly Lord - the decision maker and standard - in your life,
… that is what being ‘in Him’, means!

In Him is not a place or a position in life because of Him,
… not something that you sing about,
… and that He is responsible for!

No!
It is a relationship with Him,
… in which you are responsible to live according to His standard,
… in which you are responsible to act on His instructions!

We are quick to want to take authority, in Jesus name,
… to quote God’s Word and to expect God’s action!
But what exactly is it that Jesus said to us about this …

And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying,
"All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.
Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them
in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you;
and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.
--- Matt 28:18-20

That authority, that victory, is in Him … are you?

We are also quick to say …

… as He is, so are we in this world..
--- 1 John 4:17

But don’t forget to also read what makes, as He is, real in us …

This is the message which we have heard from Him
and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.
If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness,
we lie and do not practice the truth.
But if we walk in the light as He is in the light,
we have fellowship with one another,
and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.
--- 1 John 1:5-7

He is in the light … are you?

Are you walking according to the flesh, or according to the Spirit?
This is probably one of the more difficult questions to answer,
… particularly when one looks at it from a ‘spiritual’ perspective,
… instead of from a natural perspective, in the Spirit!

What exactly is the flesh?
Self!

In other words, the flesh is about ...
… my standard!
… my decision!
Doing things my way, according to my will!

Which tells you that walking according to the flesh means,
you are not in Christ, because you are in you!

How do we know that?
By looking at what the Bible says …

There is therefore now no condemnation
to those who are in Christ Jesus,
who do not walk according to the flesh,
but according to the Spirit.
---Rom. 8:1

The Bible does not say according to a spiritual law,
… but according to the Spirit (the Spirit of God)
In other words,
… according to the leading of the Spirit of God!

I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.
However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come,
He will guide you into all truth;
for He will not speak on His own authority,
but whatever He hears He will speak;
and He will tell you things to come.
He will glorify Me,
for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.
All things that the Father has are Mine.
Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you.
--- John 16:12-15

Walking according to the Spirit,
… means you are walking according to His leading!
And He will lead you into the presence of Jesus!
… He will guide you into all truth, showing you God’s standard,
Self is therefore replaced by Him, when you are lead by Him … (in Him)

Thus you will be walking according to the Spirit (‘s leading)
… and be in Christ Jesus,
For that is where the Holy Spirit will guide you into being!

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God,
these are sons of God.
---Rom. 8:14

Are you?