Accepted!

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus

Romans 8:1-4

It seems like everywhere we turn we hear the message, “You aren’t good enough!” It comes through loud and clear every time we turn on the TV or watch a movie or open a magazine. We’re not pretty enough or smart enough. We're not skinny enough or successful enough. We’re just not enough. We don’t measure up. And it isn’t just TV and movies that make us feel this way, many of us have heard this from our own parents. Some of us have even heard it from the church. 

But the Scripture above tells us differently. It says that there is no longer any condemnation for those who believe in Jesus. Another passage of Scripture says it this way. "For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God" (II Corinthians 5:21). And that’s exactly what this passage means when it says that “there is no condemnation for us.” Once we are in Christ, to God it is as though we had never broken any of His laws at all. Christ took our sin upon Himself and His perfection was attributed to us, so that when God looks at you and me He sees pure righteousness. 

Precious believer, when God looks at you He sees His perfect Son. If you are covered in the blood of the Lamb, then you are good enough for Him and for the entire world. No one has the power to hold anything over your head anymore. There is no condemnation for you anymore. Take this as a personal vote of confidence from above. It is as though God is saying to the whole world about you, "I cannot think of a single bad thing to say about him." 

Stand firm then. Your enemy wants to oppress you with a heavy burden called shame. This is obvious to us even in the name that the Bible gives our enemy. Satan is the Hebrew word for "accuser," and that is exactly what he does. He accuses us of all manner of evil to anyone who will listen. Don't allow him to burden you with the shame and guilt of your past mistakes. They are forgiven. And in the same way, don't hold on to the wrongs that your brothers and sisters in Christ have committed either for their sins are also covered in the blood of the Lamb.

For further reading this week…
   - Galatians 3:13: Jesus took our curse upon Himself.

   - I Peter 2:22-25: By His wounds we have been healed.

   - John 3:16-21: Those who are not condemned and those who are already.

   - Colossians 1:15-22: Holy and blameless.

   - Colossians 2:13-15: He canceled our record of debt.