Morning & Evening Devotional Reading–

 February 13– Evening

by C. H. Spurgeon, revised and edited by W. C. Neff

“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” 

—Romans 8:1

Come, my soul, and think of this. Believing in Jesus you are actually and effectually cleared from guilt before God; you are led out of your sinful prison. You are no longer in chains as a bond-slave, but you are now delivered from the bondage of the Law; you are freed from sin and can walk at large as a free man. Your Savior’s blood has procured your full discharge. You have a right now to approach your Father’s throne. No flames of vengeance are there to scare you now; no fiery sword; justice cannot strike the innocent. Your disabilities are taken away; you were once unable to see your Father’s face, but you can see it now! You could not speak with him before, but now you have access to him with boldness. Once there was a fear of hell upon you; but you have no fear of it now, for how can there be punishment for the guiltless?

He who believes is not condemned and cannot be punished. And more than that: all the privileges you might have enjoyed, if you had never sinned, are yours now that you are declared righteous in his sight. All the blessings which you would have had if you had kept the law are yours because Christ has kept it for you. All the love and the acceptance which perfect obedience could have obtained from God belongs to you because Christ was perfectly obedient on your behalf and has imputed all his merits to your account. You are exceedingly rich through him, who for your sake became exceedingly poor.

“A debtor to mercy alone, of covenant mercy I sing;
No fear in Your righteousness clothed, myself and my offerings to bring.
The terrors of God and His Law, with me have nothing to do;
My Savior’s obedience and blood, hide all my transgressions from view.”

Oh, how great the debt of love and gratitude you owe to your Savior! [M&E]