Jesus did not come into this world to condemn us. He came with something better. He brought mercy with love. He was condemned by self-righteous people as being the friend of sinners, and so he was. He still is. God does more than forgive some of our sins. He forgives all our sins. The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanses us from all sin (1 John 1:7).
Jesus died on the cross, taking the condemnation of all our sins. Condemnation is gone! By faith in Jesus Christ, we are free from all condemnation. So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1, NLT). That's the way to get rid of all condemnation.
Condemnation is a heavy load that robs us of peace and joy. Condemnation constantly reminds us that we have sinned. We can try to get rid of guilt in different ways. We can medicate it with drugs or alcohol. We can bury it deep within our hearts, but the tormenting thoughts don't go away. We may even judge other people to take the attention away from our own condemnation.
The friend of sinners can set you free from all condemnation. His name is Jesus. He was the friend of sinners in Bible days, and he has not changed. He's still the friend of sinners. Jesus is the only one in all of history who died for your sins. His word of mercy declares that you are forgiven by simply believing in Him. Your condemnation is gone at the cross of Jesus. His resurrection proves it.
