The familiar saying “The is now no condemnation in Christ Jesus” has been the subject of several sermons and messages from the pulpit, and often only half the truth as expressed in the Bible is exposited on. The Bible says that “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” (John 8:1). The word ‘therefore‘ implies that there is something of note which precedes this blessed assurance and the preceeding verses establishes the fact that only in Christ Jesus alone is the redemption from the law of sin and the salvation of mankind (Romans 7 24-25). Because of Christ, we now have no condemnation, but what is of note that we ought not to overlook or ignore, is the fact that there is no condemnation now to those who are in Jesus Christ, who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit of God.

The half truth is “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus”. The truth is “To those who walk after the Spirit and not after the flesh, after recognizing that only in Jesus Christ is the deliverance of their souls from spiritual death possible; to those believers, there is now condemnation.” This is not a license to continue a lifestyle of sin, for when we wilfully sin, we have no more sacrifice left by which we may be saved, but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the enemies of God (Hebrews 10:26-27).

Jesus asked the woman caught in adultery, “Where are your accusers? Has no man condemned you?” and when she recognized him as “not just another ordinary man, but as Lord”, he assured her that he did not condemn her either, and then proceeded to say, “Go and sin no more.” (John 8:10-11). In other words, “I do not condemn you, but going forward, do not sin by walking after your flesh, but sin no more, by walking after the Spirit of God.”

Romans 8:1-2 (KJV)
1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. 

John 8:10-11 (KJV)
10 When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?
11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.