I’ve been staring at a blank page for about an hour. It’s not due to writer’s cramp. It’s not because I’m having a hard time attaching words to my thoughts. The problem: Writing a short devotional on such a large chunk of Scripture—and not just any Bible passage, but Paul … in Romans!

In this section of Scripture lie SO MANY well-known verses that I could write pages and pages on each one. Bangers like:

  • I know nothing good lives in me … I want to do what is right, but I can’t (Romans 7:18).
  • So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus (8:1).
  • The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you (8:11).

How do you choose?

In addition, each section is a continuation of the previous section. With words like “so,” “and,” “therefore,” and “but,” I keep going back to refer to what Paul has already said.

But in this conundrum also lies not only the brilliance of Paul’s writing but the totality of our struggle with sin and the glorious victory that Jesus has won for us. We start in 7:14 with Paul describing all too well what we already know—we can’t figure this “not sinning” thing out. Paul was no exception, and in fact, he called himself the chief of all sinners.

In his search and cry for help, Paul found the answer in Jesus. Not in doing the right thing all the time (impossible) but in the one who was sinless and blameless and fulfilled the law so we don’t have to.

Then 8:1 brings the reality of this full circle: “So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.” And through the power of the Holy Spirit in us (8:11), we are made new and alive and can live full lives full of victory over the power of sin and death.

OK, those were the bullet points. Your homework: Go back and read through this passage verse by verse to fill in the gaps and dig in. And here’s to hoping the next assignment I get is John 11:35.

Reflection:

  • How do you manage dealing with sin in your life? Do you experience shame? Regret? Frustration?
  • How can you start (today) to free yourself from that weight and truly experience a life with “no condemnation”?