This is the essence of Christianity. This is the heart and soul of the Bible and of Christianity that there's a just judge and there are guilty people like me and there's the death of a great and holy Christ perfect bearing my sins and there is a verdict no condemnation if you will have it.

Why is the verdict of no condemnation at the very center of Christianity?

That's the question John Piper answers from Romans 834 in this episode of Light and Truth.

This sermon was originally preached

at Bethlehem Baptist Church on April 4th, 1999.

The essence of Christianity is that when condemnation is taken away,

no condemnation now I dread. condemnation is

There's not just a void there.

Rather screaming in to the removal of condemnation comes all that God is for us in Christ.

Let me put it in an equation and I'll write it this way so you can see it from that side.

First element in the equation is just judge and then a plus sign just judge. That's God.

Next element in the equation is

guilty sinner. It's me and you guilty sinner, that's me and you, guilty sinner. Now the equal sign, what are you going to get

on the other side? No condemnation. Now that's a very strange equation. Just judge plus guilty center equals no condemnation.

So I want to take you to Romans 8 and so I invite you to open your Bible if you have one or reach

for one under the pew in front of you or on the front of your worship folder is phones 833 which we're going to look at or if you have a pen in your hand it's printed on the pen

Christ Jesus is he who died, yes, rather, who was raised.

So take that with you and don't forget it.

But now I want to look at the context, just two verses.

And I want to look at the context, just two verses.

And I want you to hear Paul's rhetorical questions and his strange answers.

And I hope it lands on you with life-changing eternity opening power.

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