This week, we are looking at how we live our life in the Spirit of God without any condemnation.
 
Our focal passage is…
Romans 8:1–4 (ESV)
There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. 3 For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 
 
Now, I realize that condemnation is referring primarily to being damned to hell. However, I believe there are some psychological aspects to this idea that we should explore. Since, because we are in Christ, we do not live under any condemnation and are set free from the law of sin and death, how should we think about ourselves and others?
 
A PSYCHOLOGICAL APPLICATION:
1.  Apart from the power of God, our self-image has been shaped by the communities where we grew up and continues to be shaped by our present communities.
There is an old saying that illustrates this:
     “I’m not who I think I am,
      I’m not who you think I am, 
      I’m who I think you think I am”
 
*Many of us have received much condemnation from our communities.
 
When I was a young boy, I was loaded with freckles.  I had quite a struggle with this. I remember hugging my mom, when I came only to her waist, and crying, “I’ll never get married. I’ve got freckles.”
One day at church an older man, Mr. Christy, said to me, “I’ll tell you how to get rid of those freckles.” Then, he suggested using sandpaper.  He thought he was being cute. But, to me, what I heard him saying was that my freckles were undesirable.
 
2.  Everyone of us is a part of the community shaping the self-images of others.
 
* Many of us have given much condemnation to others in our communities.
 
3.  One of the marks of Christian maturity is the development of our self-image separate from our communities (whether positive or negative), experiencing our identity only in Christ.
 
In 1 Corinthians 4:3-4, Paul says,  “I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. 
It is the Lord who judges me.” (NIV)
 
Paul knew that his identity was not based on what others thought about him and not even on what he thought about himself.
 
Years ago, Warren W. Wiersbe wrote a book titled, “Be What You Are.”  In that book, he lists 12 things that describe what our identity in Christ is all about.  Here are some of them:
 
A Child in God’s Family,  A Sheep in God’s Flock, A Pilgrim Citizen, A Member in Christ’s Body,  A Priest at God’s Altar, A Stone in God’s Building, A Soldier in God’s Army, A Runner in the Race,  An Ambassador of the King, A New Creation.
 
In the office of one of my friends hung a sign: “Be who you is, cause if you be who you ain’t, you ain’t who you is.”
 
4.  In Christ, we have been freed from condemnation both from others and from ourselves.
     * When we condemn ourselves, we deny our true Identity.
     * When we receive condemnation, we deny our true Identity.
     * When we give condemnation, we do not represent Christ to others.