Not Guilty

V.1:

No condemnation for who?

Believers are not condemned.

John 3:18-19

John 3:18–19 NKJV

“He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

To walk according to the flesh, is to not follow Jesus

You have to allow yourself to be led by the Holy Spirit.

This passage doesn't say no mistakes, no failures, or even no sins.

It doesn't require perfection.

No condemnation does not mean no consequences!

Sin always has consequences, but believers won't have to face the eternal ones.

V.2:

Jesus is life, and is manifested in the believer.

John 1:4

John 1:4 NKJV

In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.

1 John 1:2

1 John 1:2 NKJV

the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us—

. . . and Jesus sets us free.

Jesus sets us free.

John 8:36

John 8:36 NKJV

Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.

Believers are dead to the Law, and it cannot claim you, you are free.

Believers have been delivered from the law.

Romans 7:6

Romans 7:6 NKJV

But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter.

v.3:

The law cannot condemn you

Before you are saved , the law condemns you, but after you accept Christ you are free.

Jesus comes in the “likeness of sinful flesh”

He truly came in the flesh (John 1:14), but only in the "likeness" of sinful flesh.

Outwardly, His body was exactly like that of other human bodies.

Because sin is passed through the father (it is inherited from Adam Rom. 5:12), Jesus’ virgin birth kept Him free from inherited sin, thus it was sinless flesh.

Romans 5:12 NKJV

Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned—

Jesus does what the law never could do, he payed the penalty for your sins.

The law prescribed the penalty, and Jesus payed it.

V.4:

Jesus bestowed his righteousness on us, so that the law might be fulfilled.

All of God’s righteous requirements were met by Jesus, and He gave us that righteousness.

Again, this is for those who do not walk according to the flesh.

You cannot fulfill the requirements of the law on your own.

Those who walk according to the flesh are trying to justify themselves, which is impossible.

vv. 5-6:

We are governed by the things that we focus on.

The things we focus on define us, choose wisely.

Colossians 3:2

Colossians 3:2 NKJV

Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.

V.7:

The carnal mind is at war with God. It is impossible for it to obey the law and will of God.

V.8:

Without faith, we cannot please God.

Hebrews 11:6

Hebrews 11:6 NKJV

But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

V.9:

With the Holy Spirit living in and empowering Christians, we can live a victorious life that is pleasing to God.

“spirit of God” and “Spirit of Christ,” both terms are used in this one verse, they are synonymous.

You cannot belong to the family of God unless you are in dwelt by the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit is given to you at the moment of salvation.

From the moment you are saved, you are never away from God’s presence.

Psalm 139:7-10

Psalm 139:7–10 NKJV

Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the morning, And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, Even there Your hand shall lead me, And Your right hand shall hold me.

V.10:

This refers to a bodily death.

Because of sin, the body will die, but we still have eternal life.

The Holy Spirit brings Jesus’ own righteousness to us.

V.11:

Just as the Holy Spirit gave life to Christ, He will to us.

He gives us eternal life spiritually, but this is also a promise of the future resurrection of our physical bodies.

We have been given a promise of a future resurrection of our physical bodies.

1 Thessalonians 4:16-18

1 Thessalonians 4:16–18 NKJV

For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.

God has prepared us for this, and given the Holy Spirit as His guarantee.

God has given us the Holy Spirit as a guarantee of His promise.

2 Corinthians 5:5

2 Corinthians 5:5 NKJV

Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.