Forgiveness

There have been times in my life when I have fallen short of what I know God would have for me. I have failed at putting on Christ and putting off the old man as scripture instruct in many areas of my life. (Rom. 13:14) I have the old nature that pulls constantly at me to hate God, love myself and follow my own lusts. (Rom.7)  We all struggle with this, and we will continue until the day we see Him face to face. (1 Cor. 13:12, 1 John 3:2) Then, on that day, I will finally be free from my sin and be like Jesus. What a day that will be!

If you are a child of God and are striving after the Lord, Do you struggle with guilt over your sin – even when you know the father has forgiven you of it? (Rom.8:1) I know I do! I have to constantly remind myself that He has made me pure in Christ, and that there is no condemnation for those in Christ.

Lets see what the father has said about our sin.

Rom.8:1-9

1There 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. 2For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. 3For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, 4that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. 8So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. 9But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you.

Here is a break down of the preceding verses to help you gain a deeper understanding of what is intended.

8:1 therefore. The result or consequence of the truth just taught. Normally it marks the conclusion of the verses immediately preceding it. But here it introduces the staggering results of Paul’s teaching in the first 7 chapters: that justification is by faith alone on the basis of God’s overwhelming grace. no condemnation. Occurring only 3 times in the NT, all in Romans (cf. 5:16, 18), “condemnation” is used exclusively in judicial settings as the opposite of justification. It refers to a verdict of guilty and the penalty that verdict demands. No sin a believer can commit—past, present, or future—can be held against him, since the penalty was paid by Christ and righteousness was imputed to the believer. And no sin will ever reverse this divine legal decision. those … in Christ Jesus. I.e., every true Christian; to be in Christ means to be united with Him (see 6:2, 11; cf. 6:1–11; 1 Cor. 12:13, 27; 15:22). walk according to the flesh … the Spirit. This phrase is not found here in the earliest manuscripts but only at the end of v. 4, perhaps indicating an inadvertent copyist insertion.

8:2–30 The Spirit, who was mentioned only once in chaps. 1–7 (cf. 1:4), is referred to nearly 20 times in chap. 8. He frees us from sin and death (vv. 2, 3); enables us to fulfill God’s law (v. 4); changes our nature and grants us strength for victory over our unredeemed flesh (vv. 5–13); confirms our adoption as God’s children (vv. 14–16); and guarantees our ultimate glory (vv. 17–30).

8:2 The word “for” introduces the reason there is no condemnation for the believer, the Spirit has replaced the law that produced only sin and death (7:5, 13) with a new, simple law that produces life: the law of faith (3:27), or the message of the gospel. the law of the Spirit of life. Synonymous with the gospel, the law of faith. the law of sin and death. The law of God. Although it is good, holy, and righteous (7:12), because of the weakness of the flesh (see 7:7–11; 8:3), it can produce only sin and death (7:5, 13).

8:3 what the law could not do. Deliver sinners from its penalty (Acts 13:38, 39; Gal. 3:10) or make them righteous (Gal. 3:21). weak … the flesh. Because of the sinful corruption of unregenerate men, the law was powerless to produce righteousness (Gal. 3:21). His own Son. See Ps. 2:7; Gal. 4:4; Phil. 2:6, 7; Heb. 1:1–5. in the likeness of sinful flesh. Although in His incarnation Christ became fully man (see 1:3), He took only the outward appearance of sinful flesh, because He was completely without sin (Heb. 4:15). condemned sin in the flesh. God’s condemnation against sin was fully poured out on the sinless flesh of Christ (Is. 53:4–8; cf. Phil. 2:7).

8:4 righteous requirement of the law. The thoughts, words, and deeds which the moral law of God demands. The ceremonial aspect of the Mosaic law has been set aside (Col. 2:14–17), and the basic responsibility for the civil aspect, which shows the application of the moral law in a community, has been transferred to human government (13:1–7). The moral law finds its basis in the character of God and is presented in outline form in the Ten Commandments; its most condensed form is in Jesus’ commands to love God and to love one’s neighbor as one’s self. It has never been abrogated, but finds its authority in the New Covenant. Every unbeliever is still under its requirement of perfection and its condemnation, until he comes to Christ (Gal. 3:23–25) and every believer still finds in it the standard for behavior.fulfilled. Although the believer is no longer in bondage to the moral law’s condemnation and penalty (7:6), the law still reflects the moral character of God and His will for His creatures. But what the external, written code was unable to accomplish, the Spirit is able to do by writing the law on our hearts (Jer. 31:33, 34) and giving us the power to obey it. not walk according to the flesh but … the Spirit. Not an admonition, but a statement of fact that applies to all believers. “Walk” refers to a lifestyle, the habits of living and thinking that characterize a person’s life (cf. Luke 1:6; Eph. 4:17; 1 John 1:7). Since every true Christian is indwell by the Spirit (v. 9), every Christian will manifest the fruit He produces in their life (Gal. 5:22, 23).

8:5 those who live … the flesh. All unbelievers (see v. 4). set their minds. This Gr. verb refers to a basic orientation of the mind—a mindset that includes one’s affections, mental processes, and will (cf. Phil. 2:2, 5; 3:15, 19; Col. 3:2). Paul’s point is that unbelievers’ basic disposition is to satisfy the cravings of their unredeemed flesh (Phil. 3:19; 2 Pet. 2:10). those who live … the Spirit. All believers.

8:6 carnally minded. In the Gr. “minded” is a noun form of the verb in v. 5. “Carnally” means “of flesh.” This is a simple spiritual equation: The person with the mind set on the flesh is spiritually dead (cf. 1 Cor. 2:14; Eph. 2:1). spiritually minded. This describes every Christian. The person with his mind set on the things of the Spirit is very much spiritually alive and at peace with God (see 5:1; cf. Eph. 2:5).

8:7 enmity against God. The unbeliever’s problem is much deeper than acts of disobedience, which are merely outward manifestations of inner fleshly compulsions. His basic inclinations and orientation toward gratifying himself—however outwardly religious or moral he may appear—are directly hostile to God. Even the good deeds unbelievers perform are not truly a fulfillment of God’s law, because they are produced by the flesh, for selfish reasons, and from a heart that is in rebellion.

8:9 dwells. Refers to being in one’s own home. The Spirit of God makes His home in every person who trusts in Jesus Christ. Cf. 1 Cor. 6:19, 20; 12:13. When there is no evidence of His presence by the fruit He produces (Gal. 5:22, 23), a person has no legitimate claim to Christ as Savior and Lord.

If you are in Christ, forgiveness of yourself and your propensity to sin is what the father wants from us. We forgive ourselves because the father has already done so by the death of Christ. Do not walk around with a heavy weight of guilt around your neck. Accept the position in Christ that He died to give you and let sin be less and less characterized in your life.