In the Spirit of Barnabas the Encourager.

“Overdue good news.”

The beauty of evangelical faith is that salvation is a consummated fact. This means that salvation is not a possibility, that salvation is not a matter of probability, that salvation is not a matter of majority, but of an absolute certainty so that those who are in Christ Jesus face no condemnation.

To have been already condemned to salvation and sentenced to eternal life is indeed overdue great news that needs to be repeated again and again until it sinks deep into our hearts and minds. “There is therefore no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Romans 8:1.

Paul is the author of those words and the one thing we need to remember is that Paul was a mean dude, a cruel fanatic religious nut who persecuted the church by using abusing power and authority. Paul was a regular blasphemer, a persecutor, and a violent man.

To hear the words of certainty from one who “Certainly deserves condemnation” is more valuable than the words of a regular average believer. If any religious man would say those words, we could have understood his line of thinking and that he was being consistent with his theology.

Paul was a despicable man who spoke those words with such a certainty and honesty that there is something there to believe. Paul had a message because his soul was on death row and now speaks as a free man. “There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

Again, here Jesus is the gospel. Jesus is the message of the gospel. It is Jesus who said ‟If I am lifted up, I will draw all men unto myself.” Jesus is the light of the world that attracts all the bugs from the darkness. This is a call to free men and women to live their lives as free people in whom there is no condemnation.

Trace your fears of the future to past sins and experiences and concepts of justice and punishment in which you dwelled rightly under the death penalty.

But now you are in Christ Jesus and for you there is no condemnation.

To read this line should be enough to make you jump from your bed of handicap stage where once you laid down begging for grace.

One more time, “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus our Lord.” How else can I encourage the body of believers of my generation without telling these wonderful truths? Not only that but there is Eternal rest of life without end for those who believe in Jesus in a childlike manner.

Yesterday for the first time in my life I passed out for two minutes at the tail end of my Dialysis. The nurses were scared and they Quickly returned some liquid into my system. They were scared for me, but I was not scared even as I write this letter because of the certainty that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Just a few minutes before I passed out, I got this text from a beloved saint.

I came across this quote today and thought of you.

“Extraordinary afflictions are not always the punishment of extraordinary sins, but sometimes the trial of extraordinary graces.” Matthew Henry.

Praying for your dialysis goes well today.”

Gerry Gutierrez.

PS. The pictures are of Josiah and Aaliyah working as a team to foundries for Josiah’s soccer team. Nothing like a clean refrigerator. Hire them while they are available. Saturday Soccer.