The Lord is certainly concerned about the sins of His people.  He tells us in 1 John 2:1 “My little children, these things write I unto you, THAT YE SIN NOT. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. While we should never take sin lightly, the Lord assures us that if we do sin, the Lord Jesus Christ is our advocate (comforter, consoler).  We learn that so that we might not become discouraged on the occasion of any sin we might commit.  We are told what to do in the event of any sin in 1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

There may be times when the Lord determines that we need to be chastened because of our sins.  This is not condemnation.  This is the Lord acting in love to correct an erring child of His.  We read in Proverbs 3:11-12, “My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction: For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.”  Notice that LOVE is the motivation for the Lord when He corrects us.  Even as a father takes delight in his child and will discipline that child when it is needed, so does the Lord correct those He loves.  Job tells us in Job 5:17, “Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty.”  We read further about this truth in Hebrews 12:11, “Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.”

Some believers may sin to the extent that the Lord determines that they can no longer live on the earth.  We read in 1 John 5:16-17, “If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it. All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death.”  What is this ‘sin unto death’?  We are not told specifically, but it is a sin which warrants our physical lives to be taken.  Probably the best example of one who sinned a ‘sin unto death’ is Moses.  We read in Numbers 20:7-12, “And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Take the rod, and gather thou the assembly together, thou, and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes; and it shall give forth his water, and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock: so thou shalt give the congregation and their beasts drink. And Moses took the rod from before the LORD, as he commanded him. And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock? And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also. And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them.”  Because of Moses’ disobedience, the Lord did not allow him to lead Israel into Canaan.  For the account of Moses’ death, read Numbers 27:12-14; Deuteronomy 32:48-52.

Now let’s read Romans 8:21, “Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (NASB).  The Lord does not want His people to sin.  He may discipline His children for their sins.  He may even end someone’s physical life because of their sins.  However, the Lord will never condemn or judge His people for their sins.  Because of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, the believer’s sins have all been PAID FOR.  1 John 1:7 tells us, “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST HIS SON CLEANSETH US FROM ALL SIN.”  Realistically, how could a righteous God condemn us for the sins His Son has already paid for?  Because of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, the believer has been made righteous!  2 Corinthians 5:21 says, “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”

Indeed, believers are beyond condemnation.  Our sin debt has been PAID IN FULL.  Yet, as we have seen, the Lord does not take sin lightly and neither should we.  Romans 6:1-2 says, “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?”  A true believer will want to please his Lord and will seek to abstain from sin.  A true believer will seek to walk worthy of the One who has made him righteous.  1 John 4:17, “Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because AS HE IS, SO ARE WE in this world.”  (351.4)