A few weeks ago, I found myself in a courtroom. Not exactly how I planned to spend my morning.
It all started with something small. My birthday’s in February, which means a few of our vehicles have registration renewals due by the end of that month. You’d think that would help me remember.
One of our vehicles had an expired tag—just by a few days. It was March 3rd, to be exact—only three days past! But that little sticker caught the attention of a local police officer. And instead of a warning (I mean, come on, it was only 3 days) … but instead of warning, we got a court date. Let’s just say ... I wasn’t thrilled.
So, of course, the next day I go to the courthouse to get the registration renewed. While I was at the counter, the woman helping me looked up and said, “Would you like to go ahead and renew the one that expired back in August?” August! Are you kidding me?!
So much for being salty about “only 3 days”! Apparently, I’d been a rolling violation for over six months—and had no idea. I’m starting to think maybe I shouldn’t be the one in charge of registrations anymore.
So there we were—standing in a courtroom, owning a mistake I hadn’t even realized I made. And all we could do was present the proof that the issue had been resolved. I wasn’t exactly sure what would happen next. I mean, I knew I wasn’t going to jail, but would there be a fine, court costs, traffic school, community service hours?! The judge looked over the paperwork and said two simple words: “Case dismissed.” We were free to go.
But here’s what hit me in all of this: I had broken the law—even if it was unintentional. I was guilty. And I had to show up in court to answer for it. But once the issue was resolved and the debt was covered, the verdict changed. The guilt was gone. The case was closed. The weight was lifted.
And in a much deeper, much more eternally significant way—that’s exactly what we see in the opening verses of Romans chapter 8. We are all guilty. We have all broken God’s law; whether we realize it or not. And we have no defense. But then came Jesus.
Here’s the core truth I want us to take home today: Through Christ, our guilt is gone and our freedom has come. And this truth is just the beginning. It is just scratching the surface of this chapter.
Today we’re launching into a new series of messages that will take a deep dive into Romans chapter 8—arguably one of the most powerful, hope-filled chapters in all of Scripture. This entire chapter flows out of the bold declaration that opens it: “No condemnation.” That’s the heartbeat of this series.
In Christ, we are no longer bound by guilt or shame–we are set free. In Christ, we are led by the Spirit. Adopted as sons and daughters. Anchored in a hope that endures every trial. And nothing—absolutely nothing—can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
That’s where we’re headed over the next six weeks. And it all begins with a verdict that changes everything.
Let’s read these opening verses together: The verdict is in! Follow along with me. Romans chapter 8, beginning at verse 1 …
Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.
For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
The Apostle Paul begins this chapter with …
I. A Verdict Delivered (Romans 8:1-2)
Paul opens Romans 8 like a trumpet blast: “Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” After all the struggle described in chapter 7—the weight of sin, the weakness of the flesh, the cry for rescue: “Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free …” (Romans 7:24)–he now announces that the verdict is in: No condemnation. Not less condemnation. Not temporary relief. Not "we'll revisit your case in six months." No condemnation—period.
Paul is using very specific legal language here. “Condemnation” doesn’t just mean the verdict—it means the penalty that verdict demands. It’s not just being found guilty—it’s receiving the sentence that guilt deserves.
And Paul says there is “now”—present tense—“no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Not in the future. Not if we behave long enough. Now. Because of Jesus, the gavel has already fallen—and the verdict is freedom.
Verse 2 tells us how: “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.”
Paul’s not referring here to written laws like the Law of Moses. This is bigger. He’s describing two competing powers—two rival “orders” that govern reality.
One is the law of sin and death: sin always brings separation, judgment, and death. That’s the default setting of fallen humanity. But the other is the law of the Spirit of life—the new governing principle introduced by Christ and applied by the Holy Spirit.
These two "laws" are like opposing forces. One drags us downward into condemnation. The other lifts us up into freedom. And through Christ, the law of the Spirit of life has shattered the control of sin and death over us.
So what does this mean for us? Paul is pointing to two key truths we need to hold onto. The first is this …
A. Our sentence has been overturned.
This is the judicial reality at the heart of the gospel: we deserved condemnation under the law. We were guilty. The evidence was overwhelming. But now, the sentence has been completely reversed. Not delayed. Not reduced. Overturned.
That’s what Paul means by “no condemnation.” It doesn’t mean we’re sinless—but it means we’re forgiven. It doesn’t mean we won’t struggle—but it means our guilt has already been judged at the cross.
Romans 5:18–19 reminds us: through one man, Adam, came condemnation for all. But through one man, Jesus Christ, came righteousness and life. In Adam, we were declared guilty. In Christ, we’ve been declared free.
So even in the midst of your battle with sin—even when you fail—this verdict stands. “... there is now no condemnation …” – Our sentence has been overturned and the second truth is this …
B. Our standing has been secured.
Paul says this verdict applies to those who are “in Christ Jesus.”
That phrase isn’t just a spiritual slogan—it’s a positional reality.
Listen to what Paul writes in Romans 6–“do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection …” (Romans 6:3-5).
Let me just ask you real quick: Is this true of you? Have you been united with Him in the likeness of His death? Have you been baptized into Christ?
Listen, if you are in Christ, you’ve been united with Him. Your past is covered by His blood. Your present is shaped by His Spirit. And your future is anchored in His resurrection.
That’s why Paul can say with boldness: “There is now no condemnation …” Not for those who try harder. Not for those who clean themselves up. But “... for those who are in Christ.”
This is where our freedom begins. We are not condemned. Not because God decided to overlook our sin; not because we’ve earned better treatment, but because Jesus stood in our place. Through Christ, our guilt is gone and our freedom has come.
First, we see a verdict delivered, and secondly, see …
II. A Penalty Paid (Romans 8:3-4)
Look with me at Romans 8, verses 3 and 4– “For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.”
If verses 1 and 2 announce the verdict, verses 3 and 4 explain the basis for that verdict. In other words—how can a holy God declare “no condemnation” over sinners like us? The answer is: because the penalty has already been paid. Justice hasn’t been ignored. It’s been satisfied. And Paul walks us through the logic of grace, step by step.
A. What the Law demanded, Christ fulfilled.
Paul begins by saying, “what the Law could not do…God did.” Now let’s be clear—the Law itself wasn’t broken. The Law is holy and righteous and good. The problem wasn’t the Law—the problem was us. “Weak as it was through the flesh,” Paul says. In other words, the Law could show us what righteousness looks like, but it couldn’t produce that righteousness in us. It could expose sin, but it couldn’t conquer it.
But what the Law couldn’t do, God did—by sending His own Son. That phrase is so personal. Not just “a” son—His own Son. That’s the language of love and sacrifice.
And notice how Paul phrases it: He sent His own Son “in the likeness of sinful flesh.” He doesn’t say Jesus was sinful—but that He came in the likeness of sinful humanity. Fully human. Truly flesh and blood. Yet completely without sin. Hebrews 4:15 puts it this way: “tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.”
Why did He come that way? Paul tells us: “as an offering for sin.” That’s Levitical language. It means Jesus came as the once-for-all sacrifice. The perfect Lamb who takes away the sin of the world. He came to fulfill the Law—not just in His life, but through His death.
The Prophet Isaiah puts it this way: “He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, and by His scourging, we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5).
2 Corinthians 5:21 puts it plainly: “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”
Jesus fulfilled every demand. Every requirement. Every righteous expectation of the Law. Not one part was left unfinished. So now, what the Law demanded—Christ fulfilled.
B. What sin deserved, Christ endured.
Jesus didn’t just live perfectly in our place; He died sacrificially in our place. Paul says, “He condemned sin in the flesh.” Think about that—God condemned sin. He didn’t sweep it under the rug. He didn’t overlook it. He executed judgment—but He did it in the body of His own Son.
Jesus took on flesh so that sin could be condemned in the flesh. That’s the heart of substitution. He bore the wrath. He carried the curse. He absorbed the judgment.
The very condemnation that should have fallen on you and me—fell on Him. So when Paul says “there is now no condemnation,” he doesn’t mean that sin doesn’t matter. He means the full weight of that condemnation already fell. And it didn’t fall on us—it fell on Jesus.
Verse 4 of Romans 8 tells us the purpose: “so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.”
In other words, Jesus didn’t just die to forgive us—He died to transform us. He paid the penalty, and now the Spirit empowers us to walk in a new way. Not according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.
We’re not just forgiven—we’re free. Free to live differently. Free to pursue righteousness. Free to live in obedience—not in order to earn salvation, but because we’ve already received it.
This is the beauty of the gospel: Jesus fulfilled what the Law demanded; Jesus endured what our sin deserved. And now, by the power of the Spirit, we walk not as condemned sinners, but as beloved sons and daughters.
First, we saw A Verdict Delivered and then A Penalty Paid, and finally, we see how all of this leads to …
III. A Life Transformed (Romans 8:5-8)
Look again starting at verse 5–“For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.”
These verses get to the heart of transformation. Because let’s be honest—if we’re declared not guilty, if the penalty has been paid, then the natural question is: What now? What kind of life flows from this freedom?
And Paul tells us—it’s a life that’s no longer defined by the flesh, but directed by the Spirit. A life transformed from the inside out. What we see here is …
A. A mindset that shapes our desires.
Paul draws a sharp contrast here between those who live “according to the flesh” and those who live “according to the Spirit.” And notice what he highlights first—not actions, but mindsets.
Look at verse 5 again: “For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh …” This is where transformation begins—not with our behavior, but with our beliefs. It starts with what we set our minds on. What we think about. What we value. What we pursue.
And Paul isn’t just talking about momentary thoughts. He’s talking about the settled direction of our thinking—the focus of our inner life. That word “set” implies intention and direction. It's about what dominates your imagination, what drives your choices, what fuels your desires.
Colossians 3:2 says it like this: “Set your minds on things above, not on the things that are on earth.” God’s Word reminds us that the natural mind cannot understand the things of God—but the spiritual person has the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:14–16).
So here's the question: What’s shaping your mindset? Is it the noise of the culture? The pressure to conform? The shame of your past? Or is it the truth of who you are in Christ?
Regeneration is not self-improvement. This isn’t a moral makeover. It’s a total transformation—a new heart, a new mind, a new Spirit within you. And when your mindset changes, your desires begin to shift. You stop chasing what once enslaved you, and you start craving what pleases God.
Paul shows us a mindset that shapes our desires and then we see …
B. A power that directs our path.
Paul goes on to say, “The mind set on the Spirit is life and peace.” That’s not a motivational phrase—it’s a gospel reality. Life and peace are not rewards for good behavior; “life and peace” are the byproducts of a Spirit-led life.
Because the Spirit leads us in a whole new direction. Verse 8 tells us that “those who are in the flesh cannot please God.” That’s not a guilt trip—it’s a diagnosis. Apart from the Spirit, we’re powerless to live the life God calls us to live. But in the Spirit, we’re empowered to walk in a way that does please Him—not in perfection, but in direction.
This is sanctification in motion. The Spirit isn’t just a comforter—He’s a conductor, directing the steps of your life. The Holy Spirit convicts, corrects, guides, empowers. He leads you out of your old patterns and into a new path.
So let’s be clear—this transformation isn’t about trying harder. It’s about living yielded. It’s about keeping in step with the Spirit, setting your mind daily on the things of the Spirit, and trusting that He will lead you.
Let me ask you something personal:
What have you been setting your mind on lately?
Where are your thoughts drifting when no one’s watching?
What’s been shaping your mood, your habits, your choices, your identity?
Because if your mindset is still shaped by the flesh; if you’re allowing the voice of this world to direct your path, you’re going to feel stuck, frustrated, and anxious. Even if you’ve been declared “not guilty,” you’ll still feel defeated.
But if your mind is set on the Spirit, if you’re daily tuning your thoughts and desires to His voice—you’ll begin to taste the life and peace Paul is talking about. And that’s the goal. Not just a verdict declared. Not just a penalty paid. But a life transformed.
Romans 8 begins with one of the greatest declarations in the entire Bible: “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” The verdict has been delivered. The penalty has been paid. This is more than just theology—this is life transformation. And it’s available right now.
So let me ask you—are you living in this freedom? Are you living in Christ Jesus?
Have you been baptized into Christ? United with Him in the likeness of His death, burial, and resurrection?
Are you walking by the Spirit? Setting your mind daily on the things of God?
Because this is where the Christian life begins. Not with shame. Not with striving.
But with the bold confidence that through Christ, our guilt is gone and our freedom has come.
