These two verses must be understood in terms of the preceding chapters of the Book of Romans.

Paul has been laboring with the Jews to show them God is perfectly able to ascribe righteousness apart from the Law of Moses.

In Chapter Six Paul then adds a necessary explanation. Being free from the Law of Moses and being justified by faith do not mean we now are free to sin or that Divine grace is an alternative to righteous behavior. If we do not choose to present the members of our physical body as slaves of righteousness we will die spiritually.

Chapter Seven reveals the plight of the individual who is made aware of his sinful state by the Law of Moses. He wants to keep the Law but finds there is an urge to sin dwelling in his flesh. What is he to do? Who can deliver him from the chains of sin that bind his body?

With his mind he rejoices in the Law of Moses but is imprisoned by the sin dwelling in his body.

Since he is committing acts of sin that the Law condemns, and that he himself condemns, he lives under constant condemnation. So we have two problems: the first is Paul being forced to do things both he and the Law hold to be sinful; the second is the condemnation that results when we know we are sinning against God.

The resolution of this bondage must ultimately include both removal of condemnation and release from the power of sin to control us.

Therefore we understand the eighth chapter of Romans to be Paul's way of coping with the discrepancy between what he wants to do in his mind and what his flesh wants to do.

So Paul begins with the problem of condemnation: "There is no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus."

Please note carefully it does not say, "There is no condemnation to those who have taken the four steps of salvation," or "there is no condemnation to those who have made a decision for Christ" (a wretched expression from my point of view).

The all-important requirement is that we are "in Christ Jesus." We are without condemnation if we are "in Christ Jesus."

Now, what does it mean to be in Christ Jesus?

To be in Christ Jesus is to be living in Him right now! It does not say those who were in Christ Jesus or those who will be in Christ Jesus but those who are in Christ Jesus.

Are you in Christ Jesus right now? Is everything you are thinking, saying, and doing proceeding from His Presence in you? If not, why not?

Are you counting on some action you took in the past to be keeping you from condemnation? It won't work. It is yesterday's manna. You are not in Christ Jesus, you were in Christ Jesus and it does not say there is no condemnation to those who were in Christ Jesus.

To be continued.