A Puzzling Enigma: Not condemned?
Michael Hardt
Upon initial examination, the doctrine of the two natures poses a perplexing enigma for the believer. To a sincere and sensitive soul, this puzzling question can even be agonising. However, this is only the case until the divine answer is discovered. At this point, troubling thoughts give way to overflowing thankfulness to God.
The enigma
If it is true (and Scripture affirms that it is) that I possess the old nature within me, complete with all its unlovable attributes, and if it is also true that I have no prospect of casting off, improving or even just weakening it during my lifetime on earth (which Scripture also confirms), how can God not condemn me? How can I ever find favour in His sight? How could He ever look upon me with pleasure? Omniscient and holy as He is, must He not necessarily abhor the evil that is present within me? Consequently, must He not judge me?
Admittedly, this was more than one question. But the central issue is this: does not God have to condemn me because of the old nature that is still within me?
Human responses that fall short of an answer
Dwelling on human ideas regarding the old nature does not yield much profit, save as it might aid our understanding of the truth more clearly. Therefore, we only mention some of the most common ideas on the subject:
- ‘My old nature will weaken over time’;
- ‘My new nature will grow stronger and eventually subdue the old’;
- ‘My old nature has already vanished’;
- ‘If every believer still has the old nature, it cannot be such a problem’;
- ‘I need to serve more, love more, pray more, and be more devoted so that God will be pleased with me’.
We will not delve into these human thoughts as they ultimately spring from the father of lies (as the remaining articles of this issue show).
The divine answer
Thanks be to God, there is a divine answer. It is presented immediately after the problem is outlined (in Romans 7). The first three verses of Romans 8 not only dispel human misconceptions but also ease the concerns of the sincere believer: ‘There is then now no condemnation to those in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set me free from the law of sin and of death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God, having sent his own Son, in likeness of flesh of sin, and for sin, has condemned sin in the flesh’.
Part 1: In Christ Jesus
The first point to realise is that God sees the believer as ‘in Christ’. This is the Christian position, the foundation upon which we stand in His favour.
Part 2: No condemnation
Secondly, we are assured that there is no condemnation for such (how could there be, given we are ‘in Christ’?). This statement means not only that a believer will not face eternal condemnation (which is also blessedly true), but it goes further: God tells us that, in His sight, there is nothing in us that would deserve condemnation.
This naturally raises the question of whether, in making such a statement, God somehow overlooks the presence of the old nature within us. As we will see, He does not overlook it but provides a wonderful answer.
Part 3: Set free
What a triumphant statement: ‘has set me free’. What a victory, especially considering the struggles outlined in Romans 7, the struggles of a man who sought to liberate himself. So, who has set him free and from what? He has been liberated from ‘the law of sin and death’, i.e. the power of sin — ‘law’ being used here in the sense of a ‘natural law’ in scientific terms (e.g. the law of gravity) — that used to govern his life, namely the law of having to sin. Who or what has achieved this? Another, more powerful law: ‘the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus’, i.e. the Holy Spirit acting as power in our lives by occupying us with Christ (hence ‘of life in Christ Jesus’).
Part 4: Sin condemned
The first three parts of the divine answer are indeed wonderful. However, you may still be wondering: what about the old nature in me? Why is it that there is no condemnation for me? Does God not need to condemn the sinful nature within me?
Yes, He does. But the wonderful news is that this took place long ago. Verse 3 tells us that ‘God, having sent his own Son … has condemned sin’. How and when? The answer is solemn. It happened on the day when, at noontime, the sun refused to shine, when God’s sword was directed against the man who is His fellow, when the Son of God became the target for the arrows of God’s quiver, when He sank into deep mire and the waters of divine judgment reached His soul.
The judgment has long passed. God judged sin in His Son, the man Christ Jesus. Subsequently, He raised Him from the dead and granted Him the place of honour at His right hand. In this way He demonstrated that the work of Christ is accepted. Christ is now beyond condemnation, in glory. And I am beyond condemnation because He bore it on my behalf on the cross — and I am ‘in Him’.
The old nature and the believer
In summary, the dilemma of the old nature remaining in us is countered by a twofold ‘but’:
1. The judgment on it has already been executed.
2. We no longer need to follow it; we are set free.
The beauty of this truth is that it hinges on Christ. The first point is a direct result of His work on the cross. The second point stems from us being linked and occupied with Him now in glory.
Practical implications
Surely, God’s answer to the puzzling enigma must fill us with gratitude and lead us to worship the Father who sent the Son and the Son who bore the judgment.
Additionally, it has practical implications for our daily lives. Realising that God has already dealt with our old nature means we no longer need to strive to attain His favour. This was the approach of the ‘I’ in Romans 7, who sought to please God through his own efforts. The Christian perspective is a different one: we are already in a position of favour, and that which is condemnable within us has long been judged, and God sees us in Christ.
This is the starting point for the life of a delivered Christian. We realise we have no strength, but we have the Spirit who keeps us focused on Christ and guides us to judge any impulse that is against Him. When we are with the Lord, sin will be gone. Yet, even now, its power has been vanquished.
From: Truth and Testimony, 2023