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Biblical Support for Freedom From Condemnation and Sin

Freedom from condemnation and sin is a central tenet of Christian theology, rooted in the belief that through Christ, believers are absolved from the guilt and penalty of sin. This freedom is described as a constituent part of justification, where God pardons sins and treats believers as righteous [1, 6].

The concept of condemnation in biblical thought refers to the sentence of God against sin, a universal consequence stemming from the offense of Adam [3]. This condemnation is an inseparable consequence of sin, as highlighted in Romans 6:23, which states that "the wages of sin is death" [3]. However, the New Testament proclaims a profound liberation from this state. Romans 8:1 declares, "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." This freedom is further elaborated in Romans 8:2, which states, "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death" [4].

Christian liberty, as described in various biblical texts, encompasses freedom from several forms of bondage. It is conferred by God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit, and is realized through the gospel [8]. This liberty includes freedom from the law, particularly its curse, as well as freedom from the fear of death, the dominion of sin, and corruption [8]. The Westminster Confession of Faith articulates this, stating that the liberty purchased by Christ for believers includes "freedom from the guilt of sin, the condemning wrath of God, the curse of the moral law," and deliverance from "bondage to Satan, and dominion of sin" [18].

The forgiveness of sins is a key aspect of this freedom. It is described as God's act of absolving the sinner from the condemnation of the law, removing the guilt of sin and the sinner's liability to eternal wrath [1]. This forgiveness is a "peculiar prerogative of God" and is offered freely to all in the gospel [1]. Colossians 1:14 states that "in whom we have the redemption, the forgiveness of sins" [5]. The act of justification, which includes pardon, is a judicial act of God where he pardons all sins of those who believe in Christ and accounts them righteous [6]. This means that the claims of the law are satisfied in respect of the justified [6].

The process of receiving this freedom often involves confession of sin. God requires confession, regards it, and promises pardon to those who confess [7]. This confession should be accompanied by submission to punishment, prayer for forgiveness, self-abasement, godly sorrow, forsaking sin, and restitution [7]. As Psalm 39:8 expresses, "Make me free from all my sins" [2]. John Gill, in his commentary on this verse, notes that this deliverance includes freedom from the dominion of sin through efficacious grace, from the guilt of sin through the application of Christ's blood, and from obligation to punishment [15].

While believers are freed from the damning power and guilt of sin, they are not entirely free from its presence or influence in this life [11]. John Gill, commenting on 1 John 1:8, explains that even though believers are cleansed by Christ's blood, they are not without sin in this life, as evidenced by the confessions and complaints of saints throughout history [14]. Augustine similarly discusses the ongoing struggle with concupiscence, noting that while believers serve the law of God with their minds by refusing consent to sin, they still experience the desires of sin in their flesh [13]. However, Augustine also emphasizes that there is a greater freedom in saints now than there was in Adam, enabling them to serve God and become servants of righteousness [16].

The freedom from sin and condemnation is not merely an exemption from punishment but a profound transformation. Tyndale House on Ephesians 1:7 explains that believers, once "prisoners of sin," are freed from God's judgment and from bondage to sin because of Christ’s sacrificial death [10]. This freedom is a gift that allows believers to stand fast in the liberty of grace, free from the dominion, guilt, and damning power of sin, and from the tyranny of Satan [12]. Charles Hodge emphasizes that pardon is not a mere consequence of sanctification but an exemption from the deserved penalty of the law, satisfied by the justice of God [17]. This liberty is not a license for malice or evil behavior, as Christian liberty is not to be a cloak for such actions [9].

Sources

  1. Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Forgiveness of sin — One of the constituent parts of justification. In pardoning sin, God absolves the sinner from the condemnation of the law, and that on account of the work of Christ, i.e., he removes the guilt of sin, or the sinner's actual liability to eternal wrath on account of it. All sins are forgiven freely (Acts 5:31; 13:38; 1 John 1:6-9). The sinner is by this act of grace for ever freed from the guilt and penalty of his sins. This is the peculiar prerogative of God (Ps. 130:4; Mark 2:5). It is offered to all in the gospel. (See [219]JUSTIFICATION.)”
  2. Psalms “Psalms 39:8 (BBE) — Make me free from all my sins; do not let me be shamed by the man of evil behaviour.”
  3. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Condemnation — The sentence of God against sin -- Mt 25:41. Universal, caused by the offence of Adam -- Ro 5:12,16,18. Inseparable consequence of sin -- Pr 12:2; Ro 6:23. Increased by Impenitence. -- Mt 11:20-24. Unbelief. -- Joh 3:18,19. Pride. -- 1Ti 3:6. Oppression. -- Jas 5:1-5. Hypocrisy. -- Mt 23:14. Conscience testifies to the justice of -- Job 9:20; Ro 2:1; Tit 3:11. The law testifies to the justice of -- Ro 3:19. According to men's deserts -- Mt 12:37; 2Co 11:15. Saints are delivered from, by Christ -- Joh 3:18; 5:24; Ro 8:1,33,34. Of the wicked, an example ”
  4. Romans “Romans 8:2 (BBE) — For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.”
  5. Colossians “Colossians 1:14 (LEB) — in whom we have the redemption, the forgiveness of sins,”
  6. Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Justification — A forensic term, opposed to condemnation. As regards its nature, it is the judicial act of God, by which he pardons all the sins of those who believe in Christ, and accounts, accepts, and treats them as righteous in the eye of the law, i.e., as conformed to all its demands. In addition to the pardon (q.v.) of sin, justification declares that all the claims of the law are satisfied in respect of the justified. It is the act of a judge and not of a sovereign. The law is not relaxed or set aside, but is declared to be fulfilled in the strictest sense; an”
  7. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Confession of Sin — God requires -- Le 5:5; Ho 5:15. God regards -- Job 33:27,28; Da 9:20-23. Exhortation to -- Jos 7:19; Jer 3:13; Jas 5:16. Promises to -- Le 26:40-42; Pr 28:13. Should be accompanied with Submission to punishment. -- Le 26:41; Ne 9:33; Ezr 9:13. Prayer for forgiveness. -- 2Sa 24:10; Ps 25:11; 51:1; Jer 14:7-9,20. Self-abasement. -- Isa 64:5,6; Jer 3:25. Godly sorrow. -- Ps 38:18; La 1:20. Forsaking sin. -- Pr 28:13. Restitution. -- Nu 5:6,7. Should be full and unreserved -- Ps 32:5; 51:3; 106:6. Followed by pardon -- Ps 32:5; 1Jo 1:9. Illustrated -”
  8. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Liberty, Christian — Foretold -- Isa 42:7; 61:1. Conferred By God. -- Col 1:13. By Christ. -- Ga 4:3-5; 5:1. By the Holy Spirit. -- Ro 8:15; 2Co 3:17. Through the gospel. -- Joh 8:32. Confirmed by Christ -- Joh 8:36. Proclaimed by Christ -- Isa 61:1; Lu 4:18. The service of Christ is -- 1Co 7:22. Is freedom from The law. -- Ro 7:6; 8:2. The curse of the law. -- Ga 3:13. The fear of death. -- Heb 2:15. Sin. -- Ro 6:7,18. Corruption. -- Ro 8:21. Bondage of man. -- 1Co 9:19. Jewish ordinances. -- Ga 4:3; Col 2:20. Called the glorious liberty of the children of God -- Ro”
  9. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Malice — Springs from an evil heart -- Mt 15:19,20; Ga 5:19. Forbidden -- 1Co 14:20; Col 3:8; Eph 4:26,27. A hindrance to growth in grace -- 1Pe 2:1,2. Incompatible with the worship of God -- 1Co 5:7,8. Christian liberty not to be a cloak for -- 1Pe 2:16. Saints avoid -- Job 31:29,30; Ps 35:12-14. The wicked Speak with. -- 3Jo 1:10. Live in. -- Tit 3:3. Conceive. -- Ps 7:14. Filled with. -- Ro 1:29. Visit saints with. -- Ps 83:3; Mt 22:6. Pray for those who injure you through -- Mt 5:44. Brings its own punishment -- Ps 7:15,16. God requites -- Ps 10:14; Eze 36:5. Pun”
  10. Ephesians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Ephesians 1:7: 1:7 he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son: Believers, who were once prisoners of sin, are free from God’s judgment and from bondage to sin because of Christ’s sacrificial death (see 1:14; 4:30; Rom 3:24; 1 Cor 6:20; Col 1:14; cp. Matt 26:28; Mark 10:45; Heb 9:11-12, 26; 1 Pet 1:18-19).”
  11. Romans (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Romans 6:18: Being then made free from sin,.... Not from a sinful nature; nor from a corrupt heart; nor from vain thoughts; nor from sinful words; nor from sinful actions altogether; but from the damning power of sin: sin brought all men under a sentence of condemnation; Christ has bore the execution of this sentence in himself for his people; hence, as considered in him, they are free from it; and such as are born again have passed from death to life, and shall never enter into condemnation: likewise, such persons are free from the guilt of sin; men are in a legal sense arraigned”
  12. Galatians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Galatians 5:1: Stand fast therefore in the liberty,.... There is the liberty of grace, and the liberty of glory; the former of these is here meant, and lies in a freedom from sin; not from the indwelling of it, but from the dominion, guilt, and damning power of it; from the captivity and tyranny of Satan, though not from his temptations and insults; from the law, the ceremonial law, as an handwriting of ordinances, a rigid severe schoolmaster, and a middle wall of partition, and from all its burdensome rites and institutions; from the moral law as a covenant of works, and as admin”
  13. Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 5: Augustine — Anti-Pelagian — CHAP. 36.--EVEN NOW WHILE WE STILL HAVE CONCUPISCENCE WE MAY BE SAFE IN CHRIST.: But the apostle pursues the subject, and says, "So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin;"[3] which must be thus understood: "With my mind I serve the law of God," by refusing my consent to the law of sin; "with my flesh, however," I serve "the law of sin," by having the desires of sin, from which I am not yet entirely freed, although I yield them no assent. Then let us observe carefully what he has said after all the above: "Th”
  14. 1 John (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 1 John 1:8: If we say that we have no sin,.... Notwithstanding believers are cleansed from their sins by the blood of Christ, yet they are not without sin; no man is without sin: this is not only true of all men, as they come into the world, being conceived in sin, and shapen in iniquity, and of all that are in a state of unregeneracy, and of God's elect, while in such a state, but even of all regenerated and sanctified persons in this life; as appears by the ingenuous confessions of sin made by the saints in all ages; by their complaints concerning it, and groans under it; by the”
  15. Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 39:8: Deliver me from all my transgressions,.... Which were the cause and occasion of all his distresses, inward and outward; and the deliverance prayed for includes a freedom from the dominion of sin, which is by the power of efficacious grace; and from the guilt of sin, which is by the application of the blood of Christ; and from obligation to punishment for it, or deliverance from wrath to come, which is through Christ's being made a curse, and enduring wrath in the room and stead of his people; and from the very being of sin, which, though it cannot be expected in this ”
  16. Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 5: Augustine — Anti-Pelagian — CHAP. 35.--THERE IS A GREATER FREEDOM NOW IN THE SAINTS THAN THERE WAS BEFORE IN ADAM. (part 2): by that deliverance have that free will which enables them to serve God, not that by which they may be made captive by the devil. From being made free from sin they have become the servants of righteousness,[6] in which they will stand till the end, by the gift to them of perseverance from Him who foreknew them, and predestinated them, and called them according to His purpose, and justified them, and glorified them, since He has even already formed those thi”
  17. CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 24: of the sinner, to allow the conscience to be satisfied with any scheme of salvation which does not provide for the expiation of the guilt of sin by what really satisfies the justice of God. In the Bible, therefore, as well as in common life, pardon is not a mere consequence of sanctification. It is exemption from the infliction of the deserved penalty of the law. Whether this exemption is a mere matter of caprice, or unworthy partiality for the offender, or for considerations of expediency, or at the promptings of compassion, or upon the ”
  18. Westminster Confession of Faith (Reformed) “Westminster Confession of Faith (Reformed, 1646), CHAPTER 20 (part 1): CHAPTER 20 Of Christian Liberty, and Liberty of Conscience 1. The liberty which Christ hath purchased for believers under the gospel consists in their freedom from the guilt of sin, the condemning wrath of God, the curse of the moral law; and, in their being delivered from this present evil world, bondage to Satan, and dominion of sin; from the evil of afflictions, the sting of death, the victory of the grave, and everlasting damnation; as also, in their free access to God, and their yielding obedience unto him, not out of ”
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