By Iheanyi Njokui
Introduction
Romans 8 is one of the great chapters in the Bible. Its teaching about how the Holy Spirit operates in enabling the believer to defeat the forces of evil has always been recognized as of the utmost importance. Leon Morris suggested that while there are problems in understanding some of the details, the main thrust is clear.ii
Textual Discrepancy and Its Implication
The problem associated with Rom 8:1 is that most translations rely on a shortened Greek text that reads thus: “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus.” However, 98% of existing Greek manuscripts conclude verse 1 with a qualifying clause: “who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.” That is reflected in several English translations (KJV, NKJV, MEV, WEB). Some would settle this discrepancy based on external evidence—that is, the most numerous manuscripts (98%) or the oldest (2%). That debate is beyond the scope of this paper.
Most preachers rely on the shorter reading. They use this verse to allay guilt by reminding believers of their status in Christ.
As Martyn Lloyd-Jones explains:
“The Christian is a man who can never be condemned; he can never come into a state of condemnation again. “No condemnation!” The Apostle is not talking about his experience, but about his position, his standing, his status; he is in a position in which, being justified, he can never again come under condemnation. That is the meaning of this word “no.” It means “Never.”iii
Charles Stanley also noted in his discussion of Rom 8:1,
Verse 1. There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.” What a wonderful statement! It is not a question merely of what will be the justification of the believer when manifested before the judgment-seat of Christ, but “now” there is nothing to condemn those who are in Christ Jesus. If I look at myself in the flesh, it is, “O wretched man that I am!” If I look at what I am in Christ Jesus, there is now no condemnation (emphasis his).iv
Regrettably, Paul’s statement in 8:1 has quite a different meaning from the commonly accepted interpretation, which holds that Paul is discussing the truth of that justification as the removal of all condemnation. It is certainly true that there is no condemnation for believers, those who are in Christ Jesus. That is what the Lord Jesus says in John 3:17-18; 5:24. However, the Greek word the Lord used when He spoke of condemnation was krinō (John 3:18), not katakrima. When He spoke of judgment, He used krisis (John 5:24), not katakrima.v The question is:, What did Paul mean by using this rare word, katakrima?
What Does Katakrima Mean?
A big issue in understanding Romans 8:1 is the word translated “condemnation” (katakrima) from the original text. Katakrima is a noun that occurs three times in the NT, all in Romans (Romans 5:16; 5:18; 8:1).
Bauer, Arndt, and Gingrich, the foremost Greek lexicon, says that this word katakrima doesn’t merely mean “condemnation,” but that it focuses on the punishment that follows the pronouncement of legal guilt. In English (and in John 3:18), condemnation focuses on guilt.
Arguably, condemnation is not a good translation of katakrima, because condemnation primarily refers to a declaration of guilt. However, the word katakrima refers to punishment as a result of guilt rather than guilt itself.
In his commentary, Zane Hodges translated this verse: “Therefore there is now no servitude to sin for those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk in relation to the flesh but in relation to the Spirit” (emphasis mine).vi
Hodges continues to explain:
This servitude to sin, Paul declares, does not exist for those of whom two things are true. These two things are: (1) they are in Christ Jesus, and (2) they do not walk in relation to the flesh but in relation to the Spirit. Regrettably the words who do not walk in relation to the flesh but in relation to the Spirit (found in KJV, NKJV) are omitted by most modern translations (e.g., NIV, NASB, JB). This omission by modern translators is due to their reliance on a few older Greek manuscripts that differ from the Majority Text.
The first part of Paul’s statement specifies that one must be in Christ Jesus to experience this freedom from sin’s bondage: there is now no servitude to sin for those who are in Christ Jesus. The truth that we are in Christ Jesus does not come into play in Romans until we reach 6:1-11 where it leaps to prominence in Paul’s exposition. Chapter 6, in fact, begins Paul’s response to the problem of the reign of sin and death that has occupied him in 5:12-21.
In 6:1-11 it is made clear that our union with Christ (by the baptism of the Holy Spirit) is the foundation for our “walk in newness of life” (6:3, 4). By virtue of this union we have been united with Christ in His death and resurrection so that now we are “dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (6:11, emphasis added). The words “in Christ Jesus” in 6:11 (en Christō Iēsou) are precisely the words used here: [those who are] in Christ Jesus (en Christō Iēsou).
Being in Christ Jesus is absolutely essential to victory over sin but, as Paul’s previous discussion has shown, by itself it is not enough. The second step to victory therefore is how the Christian person walks. He must not walk in relation to the flesh but in relation to the Spirit.”vii
Conclusion
The arena of application in Romans 8:1 is not to unbelievers regarding how to become justified. Nor is it to believers, reminding us that there is no condemnation for us. The application is that there is no servitude to sin, for those who are in Christ Jesus, [and] who do not walk in relation to the flesh but in relation to the Spirit.
Therefore, my view on Paul’s writing in Rom 8:1 is that the Spirit provides the means by which the Christian can be set free from his ongoing “penal servitude” to the flesh. We’ve been set free in our position.
Salvation is a free gift from God, but if it is going to impact your everyday life, you must walk according to the Spirit.
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Iheanyi Njoku serves as the Pastor of Wholesome Bible Church and is also the Principal of Unique Christian High School, both located in Aba, Abia State, Nigeria. He and his loving wife, Ifeoma, have four wonderful boys.
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i Iheanyi Njoku took a GES Seminary course taught by Bob Wilkin on Bibliology and Ecclesiology. This paper is an expansion of a paper he wrote for class.
ii The Pillar New Testament Commentary – by Leon Morris
iii D. M. Lloyd-Jones, Romans: An Exposition of Chapters 7:1–8:4, The Law: Its Functions and Limits (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1975), 271.
iv See https://bibletruthpublishers.com/romans-8/charles-stanley/on-the-epistle-to-the-romans/charles-stanley/la61473.
v See “Romans 8:1 Doesn’t Mean What Most Translations Say” (at faithalone.org).
vi Romans: Deliverance from Wrath, p. 206.
vii Ibid., pp. 207-208.