Talk

The Verdict Is In

Louie Giglio
February, 11, 2024

Louie Giglio kicks off a collection of talks called Epicenter, focusing on Romans 8. As he breaks down Romans 8:1-4, we see the importance of the words “therefore,” and “in Christ” in verse 1, reminding us that because Jesus sacrificed Himself for us on the cross and paid for our sins, there is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus.

Key Takeaway

Though the reality of our fate is to face condemnation, those in Christ face a new reality: the justification of our sins because of the grace of God and the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

Romans 8:1-4

Therefore refers to the big picture of the Bible: the purpose of God, the problem of man’s sin, and God’s plan for the solution—the perfection of all things.

  1. Purpose—God's purpose for our lives: that we would experience paradise with God.

  2. Problem— our sin. Our way over God’s way; not trusting God’s heart and intentions (Romans 7:15-25).

You're going to serve someone—either the devil or God. You may find yourself thinking, "What's the big deal? I can do it my own way." But you were created by and for God, and when you turn your affection to anything or anyone other than God, that's where sin and holiness meet, and wrath comes (Romans 1:18-25).

God had a plan before Jesus came—a divine exchange. An animal sacrificed for nakedness. An innocent for the guilty. Until He could send His Son to live a perfect life and atone for our sins once and for all, ridding us from condemnation.

Condemnation declares that we are unusable, and our inability to be used is our fate; except for some of us, that fate is to be torn down now and eternally.

But Paul in Romans 8:1 assures us that condemnation is no longer part of our story if we are in Christ Jesus.

Your church attendance, denomination, religious practices, prayer, and efforts to be a good person won't save you.

The law (performance) wasn’t intended to be a means to salvation, but rather a means by which we would understand what sin was (Romans 7:7). It reminds us we have a problem.

What the law couldn’t do, GOD DID. Grace through faith (not the law) is the means to salvation (Romans 8:31-34).

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

Romans 3:23-24

Your salvation is not based on performance but on your position. The new label over your life is not condemned. Condemned is the reality we should be facing, but because of Jesus, those in Christ now bear the label of, "justified," just as if we had never sinned.

Where does that leave you?

  1. Ask yourself, "Are you in Christ?" If not, admit your sin. Repent and turn to God. Yield to His Lordship.

  2. Do you see, agree with, and understand your new identity?

...Christ in you, the hope of glory.

Colossians 1:27

For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.

Colossians 3:3

This is your new position and your new identity. Live out of it.

“
"What the law was powerless to do, God did."
”
Louie Giglio

Discussion Questions

  1. Have you ever paid attention to the word "therefore" in Romans 8:1? How has Louie Giglio highlighting this word helped you understand that there is importance to every word in Scripture?

  2. Louie points out that we are always serving someone—whether it's the devil or God. Has this extreme perspective helped you understand better why your affection cannot be in the middle?

  3. How do you wrestle with the need for wrath and the gift of grace?

  4. Read Romans 7:15-25. How do you relate to this passage?

  5. If you have been saved by grace through faith, do you sometimes forget this free gift and live as if you are still facing condemnation?

  6. Scripture clarifies that your purpose in this life is to worship God above all else. Can you say that is true for your life?

  7. Has your salvation ever turned into a performance rather than a relationship with Christ? How?

  8. According to Scripture, our reality is to face condemnation if we are not in Christ. Have you fully taken the time to grasp this concept?

  9. Are you in Christ? If not, will you make the decision today to repent and turn to Him?

  10. If you are in Christ, have you been living out your life understanding that you have a new identity in Christ? How or how not?

Scripture References

1Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,
2because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.
3For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh,
4in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
15I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.
16And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good.
17As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me.
18For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.
19For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.
20Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
21So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me.
22For in my inner being I delight in God’s law;
23but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me.
24What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death?
25Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!

So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.

18The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness,
19since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them.
20For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.
21For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.
22Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools
23and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles.
24Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another.
25They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.
16For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
18Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.
7What shall we say, then? Is the law sinful? Certainly not! Nevertheless, I would not have known what sin was had it not been for the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.”
31What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
32He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?
33Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies.
34Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.
23for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
24and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
27To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
3For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.
Louie Giglio
Louie Giglio
Louie Giglio is the Visionary Architect and Director of the Passion Movement, comprised of Passion Conferences, Passion City Church, Passion Publishing and sixstepsrecords, and the founder of Passion Institute.