“33 Who can bring an accusation against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies. 34 Who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is the one who died, but even more, has been raised; he also is at the right hand of God and intercedes for us.”
In the previous devotionals, Paul has described that God is, for His elect, working all things for their good and is not withholding anything from them, even the life of His own Son, Jesus. In this section, Paul continues: It is not just that Jesus died as the perfect sacrifice in your place, but also that this sacrifice justifies us in the eyes of the Father. We are righteous in His sight because of Christ’s sacrifice. Verse 34 sounds very much like the beginning of the chapter from verse 1:
“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus,” — Romans 8:1
For those who are in Christ, they have been justified by His life, death, resurrection, and ascension. There is no condemnation. There is no one left to condemn us. No human can condemn us, they have no standing to do so. Any other human being is in the exact same situation as we are. Every one of us is a slave to sin in need of salvation in Christ’s name.
“Then the scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery, making her stand in the center. “Teacher,” they said to him, “this woman was caught in the act of committing adultery. In the law Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” They asked this to trap him, in order that they might have evidence to accuse him. Jesus stooped down and started writing on the ground with his finger. When they persisted in questioning him, he stood up and said to them, “The one without sin among you should be the first to throw a stone at her.” Then he stooped down again and continued writing on the ground. When they heard this, they left one by one, starting with the older men. Only he was left, with the woman in the center. When Jesus stood up, he said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” “No one, Lord,” she answered. “Neither do I condemn you,” said Jesus. “Go, and from now on do not sin anymore.” — John 8:3-11
In this story we see that the only one with the standing to condemn sinners is God, and by His grace and mercy, He has chosen to refrain from doing so for those who are His elect. Not only that, but God has also provided the one and only way by which these same sinners can be redeemed, forgiven, and made righteous. That is through Jesus Christ’s life, death, resurrection, and ascension.
“The one who vindicates me is near; who will contend with me? Let us confront each other. Who has a case against me? Let him come near me! In truth, the Lord God will help me; who will condemn me?” — Isaiah 50:8-9a
God’s love for His elect doesn’t just stop at His death and resurrection. Christ not only bore the wrath and judgment of the Father toward the sin of all those who would be saved, but we are also shown mercy and grace by God in Christ’s ascension. Jesus, even now, actively shows His love for us in that He is at the right hand of the Father, interceding for us. (v. 34b)
“So the Lord Jesus, after speaking to them, was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the word by the accompanying signs.” — Mark 16:19-20
“Now many have become Levitical priests, since they are prevented by death from remaining in office. But because he remains forever, he holds his priesthood permanently. Therefore, he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, since he always lives to intercede for them. For this is the kind of high priest we need: holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. He doesn’t need to offer sacrifices every day, as high priests do — first for their own sins, then for those of the people. He did this once for all time when he offered himself. For the law appoints as high priests men who are weak, but the promise of the oath, which came after the law, appoints a Son, who has been perfected forever.” — Hebrews 7:23-28
This passage in Hebrews explains the monumental change that takes place when Jesus takes over as the high priest after His ascension, fulfilling the old sacrificial system with His own perfect sacrifice. Jesus’ priesthood will last forever. He is the perfect priest. And rather than approach God through the temple sacrifices and the Levitical priests, now all Christians have much more direct access to God the Father through Jesus the Son, as He intercedes for us.
“For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with hands (only a model of the true one) but into heaven itself, so that he might now appear in the presence of God for us. He did not do this to offer himself many times, as the high priest enters the sanctuary yearly with the blood of another. Otherwise, he would have had to suffer many times since the foundation of the world. But now he has appeared one time, at the end of the ages, for the removal of sin by the sacrifice of himself.” — Hebrews 9:24-26
The Apostle John similarly wrote in his first letter:
“My little children, I am writing you these things so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father — Jesus Christ the righteous one. He himself is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours, but also for those of the whole world.” — 1 John 2:1-2
All of this serves as evidence that God is for us, and that none of those who have been saved by His gospel of faith in Jesus will face condemnation for their sin.