The three Biblical condemnations we wish to look at are quite well known to us; But in some areas of Christadelphia they tend to confuse these three condemnations. We won’t go into that, but we’ll look at the positives:
THE FIRST CONDEMNATION
The first condemnation we wish to look at is the condemnation that came upon Adam, being enforced upon him for his transgression, having partaken of the forbidden fruit.
In other words, The first condemnation was the sentence of God upon Adam;
“which defiled and became a physical law of his being, and was transmitted to all his posterity.” (BASF Clause 5)
Thus Adam:
“was adjudged unworthy of immortality, and sentenced to return to the ground from whence he was taken” (BASF Clause 5)
This condemnation is referred to in
Romans 5:16
“And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one, [ie. Adam] to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification”
So this is the first condemnation. We find that, in this context “condemnation” defines the mortality of the fallen state (that Adam was cursed with), as we read on:
Romans 5:
17 For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)
18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.
For “by the righteousness of one”, some KJV margins offer, “by one righteousness”.
This alternative rendering is supported by the original Greek and most later translations; for example:
ESV Romans 5:18
“Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men” (This is an important distinction which we will look at later.)
This verse adds: “leads to justification and life for all men”. That is; it is available for any nationality; anyone who, by God’s Grace, avails themself of it.
We see that the Adamic “condemnation” of Romans 5 v16 &18 is, in verse 17 (above) is described as: “death reigned by one”
So this is the condemnation which caused Paul to lament; “who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” (Rom. 7:24) He adds; “I thank God through Jesus Christ” (v 25)
So this first condemnation is what Paul styles “sin in the flesh” (Romans 8:3) and what the philosophers call “Human nature” with all its ills; it is “this mortal” (1Cor.15:53); it is the curse of dying thou shalt die and “unto dust shalt thou return” (Gen. 3:19). It’s the fallen state and it is written in the cells of the body which were changed from “very good” (Gen.1:31) to very bad at the tribunal in Eden (Gen. 3:11-19): so it is now written in our DNA; we all grow old and die, suffering all kinds of ailments and weaknesses on the way.
Man’s natural thinking and behaviour is also affected; “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.” (1John 2:16).
The original word for “condemnation” in Romans 5:16,18 is Katakrima (noun) which signifies “an adverse sentence” (i.e. the verdict)
It’s the name of an adverse verdict and so in the KJV it is rendered “condemnation” each of the 3 times it occurs in the original Greek. We have looked at the first 2 occasions (Romans 5:16,18). The last place in scripture where the original word is in this form, katakrima (as a noun) is:
Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”
Those in Christ Jesus are under no “condemnation” in God’s sight; being made free morally from all manner of sin including sin in the flesh or as expressed in the next verse “the Law of sin and death”:
Romans 8:2 “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.”
Though Physically still under the curse of mortality, those in Christ have the assurance of sharing the victory that Christ received in the resurrection to immortality.
So katakrima– “condemnation” (v1) is here also named “the law of sin and death”. It is that which is personified as Diabolos, also named “sin in the flesh” and all the other definitions we have mentioned.
Paul is here showing us the solution to the “Condemnation” we are born under. Those “in Christ Jesus” are to be released from the physical “condemnation” by resurrection to life eternal. The faithful can thank God that in Christ they shall be delivered “from the body of this death” (Romans 7:24,25)
So we have considered the first of the three forms of condemnation in the scripture.
To lead us into the second condemnation, we first need to consider a little further the rendering of Romans 5:18. The KJV has the latter part of the verse as follows:
“…by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.”
Literally in the original Greek, it is as follows:
ἑνὸς (henos) one δικαιώματος (dikaiōmatos) act of righteousness
This is also the rendering in the English Standard Version as follows:
ESV Romans 5:18
“Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men.”
This verse (Romans 5:18) is showing us that as Adam’s one trespass led to mankind’s condemnation – (we have looked at this word as a noun) so one act of righteousness brings salvation to man.
The one act of righteousness relates to the act of righteousness God did to the body of Jesus on the cross – even the declaration of his righteousness in the condemnation of sin in the flesh – to bring atonement and salvation to man (Rom.3:25;8:3).
THE SECOND CONDEMNATION
This brings us to a second, but different condemnation. The second form of condemnation we wish to look at is a verb [signifies an action], a doing word.
We read of this in Romans 8:3:
“…God sending His own son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh”
The word “condemned” here is not a noun – as the name of our condition, but the grammatical form is that of a verb – an act
It’s the same stem word, but the different word ending renders it a Verb not a noun signifying an action. The original is κατέκρινεν (katekrinen) and it signifies to judge against.
So in Romans 8:3 then, God judged against the fallen state – “Sin in the flesh”- as being unbefitting of the image of God, (which He conferred upon Adam in the beginning. Gen. 1:27, 9:6; 1 Cor.11:7; Jas. 3:9)
God; by determining the act of crucifixion – condemned – judged against – “sin in the flesh”. This was:
“…the condemnation of sin in the flesh through the offering of the body of Jesus once and for all, as a propitiation to declare the righteousness of God, as the basis for the remission of sins.” (Clause 12 BASF)
So the action of crucifixion that God did or which he determined should be done was an action, not the name of a condition. So it is important not to confuse the two (though they are related)- so this condemnation is judging against the human condition.
This is the “…one act of righteousness [that] leads to justification and life for all men.” (Rom.5:18 ESV)
God’s condemning-judging against – “Sin in the flesh” of Christ; being a righteous act, demonstrated the righteousness of God as declared by:
Romans 3
25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his [God’s] righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
26 To declare, I say, at this time his [God’s] righteousness: that he [God] might be just [righteous]: and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.
So the principle of this is that God is too holy, mighty and righteous to look upon iniquity as we are told in Habakuk (1:3). He cannot condone any sin at all. God will only share His Divine nature upon the principle of righteousness.
So there had to be a way of a covering for sin – showing Gods righteousness in condemning sin in the flesh. The fallen state that man is now in, does not befit the image of God which we bear. It defiles the image of God and therefore needs to be dealt with righteously.
God was not judging against Jesus, he was not even judging against the flesh of Jesus, he was judging against the condition of the flesh, the curse, the condemnation that we are born under; physical “Sin in the flesh”. He was showing what that is fitted for in his sight.
So it was an action against the racial condition of the race of Adam, in the fallen state. The atonement that this “one act of righteousness” produced is an atonement available for any of the human race. Anyone can avail himself of this atonement, because it was a racial condemnation of sin in the flesh, and it was in the form of an atoning sacrifice, “a propitiation”(Rom.3:25) – it was acceptable to God in this way.
Jesus acknowledged the righteousness of God by submitting to this requirement himself, because he was the only one in whom the condemnation of sin in the flesh could be shown clearly. Why? because all other men had personal sins. The condemnation had to benefit the race – not someone who had their personal sins dealt with.
And so therefore, Jesus had to be without transgressions or personal sins. All he had in the form of sin, was the human condition that he was born into – and God was judging against the state of that.
This was acceptable to God and he was pleased to show grace and mercy to the Lord Jesus on the third day, raising him from the dead, sharing His Divine nature with him, and also exalting him to be the head of the body, being “the firstborn from the dead” (Col.1:18). “Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.”(1Peter 3:22)
We have briefly considered the first two of the condemnations:
- The condemnation that we are born into – physical “sin in the flesh”.
- The condemning of this condition acceptably – judging against it, condemning sin in the flesh by “one act of righteousness” (Rom. 5:18 ESV)
THE THIRD CONDEMNATION
This brings us to the third use of the term “condemnation” that we need to consider; which is:
2 Corinthians 3:9
For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.
Here “of condemnation” in the original Greek is κατακρίσεως (katakriseōs) it is a noun and here its given as a name of the Law of Moses
The reason why Paul refers to the Law by this term is explained in:
Galatians 3:
10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.
11 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.
12 And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.
13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:
14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
Just as the Lord Jesus had to be born under our physical condemnation, so that he could share his deliverance from it, with his friends. So also, Verse 13 shows that, to deliver those under curse of the Law, he had to come under the curse of the Law that he could share his deliverance from it with those cursed by the Law. In this Paul is drawing attention to this item in the Law of Moses, as follows:
Deuteronomy 21:23 His body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day; (for he that is hanged is accursed of God;) that thy land be not defiled, which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance.
It is vitally important, not to confuse the condemnation of the curse of the Law, (2 Cor. 3:9) with the condemnation of sin in the flesh (Rom.8:3). So to recap, the three condemnations are.
THE FIRST CONDEMNATION
The Law of “Sin and death” (Rom.8:2) which is “Sin in the flesh” (Rom.8:3)
It is the physical Law of our being – mortality – the curse or condemnation inherited from Adam’s fallen state.
THE SECOND CONDEMNATION
God righteously condemned sin in the flesh in judging against it in the crucifixion.
THE THIRD CONDEMNATION
The Law of Moses was an external Law of Do’s and Dont’s, bringing condemnation.
We must understand the distinctions of the three condemnations to understand:
Romans 8:
1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
To confuse these three condemnations is to confuse the various operations of God in Christ. The atoning work of God in Christ cannot be appreciated without such an understanding, but when we behold the reality of how condemnation is removed in him, we see a beautiful arrangement that will bring about the salvation of his faithful brethren.
Les Fern
