| LIFE IN THE SPIRIT |

Romans is an incredibly powerful book. John Piper calls it the “greatest letter ever written.” The letter, written by Paul (whom we read about in Acts, previously called Saul), is the most comprehensive explanation of salvation in Jesus Christ that we have in all of scripture. It is also a wonderfully practical letter. The entire second half of the letter explains the implications of a life lived in the light of salvation.

No Condemnation

When my oldest son was seven years old, he came downstairs distressed telling us that he had a dream that our whole family was in hell. As many Christian parents struggle, we do not want to hide from our children the reality of God’s judgment, but we also do not want to put them in a place where their imaginations and natural fears are stirred more than their understanding of the grace of God.

So, I took my son to Romans 8:1. I told my son that hell is God’s right anger upon sinners for their rebellion against him, but that Romans 8:1 says that there is no condemnation; that is, there is no anger or wrath, “for those who are in Christ Jesus”. Therefore, any time he would have a dream or a fear of hell, he should turn on the light, open to this verse in his Bible, and let God’s Word remind him that we have no fear of hell or the wrath of God because we trust in Jesus and his promises.

This is one of the most significant and most comprehensive promises in the Bible. It states things so simply. There is no condemnation; there is nothing to fear, there is no anger, there is no punishment, and there is nothing but promise for those who are in Christ Jesus. Romans is a letter that so clearly helps us to understand precisely what it means to be found in him and so to receive such a blessing.