The reason it is possible for God to pronounce the glorious vindication of “no condemnation” over us is because the imputation of the perfect obedience of Jesus Christ to us. This is our justification, this is our exoneration, this is our judicial deliverance. The Lord is our righteousness.
But when we move from the subject of justification to that of our day-to-day sanctification, we sometimes forget the spirit of free grace that animated the former, and that it is the same spirit. When God looks at us in Christ, He sees no fault or sin or any kind. That is why there is no condemnation—that is our justification. But when He looks at us with our sanctification in view, we know that He can see sin (which He does not “see” in our justification). But when we realize that He can see sin in us at all, we tend to assume He can see nothing but sin in us.
The grace of God which bestows on us the sentence of “not guilty” is not a grace that is looking for excuses to condemn elsewhere. It is not the case, in other words, that God says no condemnation in justification and all condemnation in our sanctification.
Put another way, do not simply assume that God’s eye can see the smallest sin, and so that is all He cares to look at in you. God’s eye can see the stirrings of His grace in you. He sees and rejoices in the smallest beginnings. God not only sees the fruit, He also sees the smallest bud. As one great preacher once put it, He makes much of our littles.
As we partake of this bread and this wine, we sing to God gratefully. But never forget that God, knowing what we are like, receives us here with infinite gladness. He rejoices over us with singing.
So come, and welcome, to Jesus Christ.
A timely word fitly spoken