Life in the Spirit: From Condemnation to Adoption

Life in the Spirit: From Condemnation to Adoption

Have you ever been falsely accused of something? The frustration and hurt that comes with such accusations can be overwhelming. Now, imagine being not just accused, but convicted of a heinous crime you didn't commit. This was the reality for Kirk Bloodsworth in 1984.

At just 23 years old, Kirk's life took a dramatic turn when he was accused and convicted of the brutal murder of nine-year-old Dawn Hamilton. Despite glaring discrepancies between his appearance and eyewitness descriptions, Kirk found himself on death row, his protestations of innocence falling on deaf ears.

For seven long years, Kirk lived with the weight of this false conviction. But in 1992, a glimmer of hope appeared in the form of a new forensic breakthrough: DNA fingerprinting. Through persistence and the grace of scientific advancement, Kirk was finally exonerated in 1993, receiving a full pardon later that year.

Kirk's story of wrongful conviction and eventual exoneration serves as a powerful metaphor for our spiritual journey. While most of us haven't experienced such a dramatic legal ordeal, we can all relate to the feeling of being accused, judged, and condemned - if not by others, then by our own conscience.

This brings us to a profound truth found in Romans 8:1-2: "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death."

Just as Kirk was set free from his unjust conviction, we too have been set free from the condemnation of sin. But here's the twist - unlike Kirk, we were actually guilty. We stood condemned, metaphorically on death row, awaiting the execution of our spiritual sentence. And that's when God stepped in.

Romans 8:3-4 tells us, "For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do: by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and to deal with sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, so that the just requirements of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit."

This is one of the great paradoxes of the Christian faith. Jesus, who knew no sin, became sin on our behalf. He took on human flesh, not to condemn us, but to condemn sin itself. Through His sacrifice, we who were once guilty have been declared innocent, set free, and pardoned.

But this freedom isn't just about escaping punishment. It's about entering into a new way of living - life in the Spirit. The apostle Paul contrasts two forces at work in our lives: the flesh and the Spirit. The flesh represents our fallen human nature, prone to sin and self-centeredness. The Spirit, on the other hand, is God's own presence within us, guiding us towards righteousness and life.

We have a choice in how we live. We can set our minds on the things of the flesh, which leads to death, or we can set our minds on the things of the Spirit, which leads to life and peace. This isn't about perfection - even as believers, we still struggle with sinful desires. But we're no longer slaves to those desires. We have been given the power, through the Holy Spirit, to choose a different path.

This new life in the Spirit isn't something we have to achieve on our own. In fact, we can't. We need help - lots of it. But here's the beautiful thing: God knows this, and He's provided exactly what we need. The Holy Spirit isn't some impersonal force or power. He's a person, the third person of the Trinity, who comes to dwell within us when we put our faith in Christ.

As we cooperate with the Spirit, allowing Him to guide and empower us, we grow in holiness. This process, known as sanctification, is a lifelong journey of becoming more like Christ. It's not about earning God's love or acceptance - we already have that. It's about growing into the people God created us to be.

Perhaps the most beautiful aspect of life in the Spirit is the new relationship we have with God. Romans 8:15-16 says, "For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, 'Abba! Father!' it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God."

Imagine a child running down the street, face lit up with joy, shouting "Abba! Abba!" (which means "Daddy" in Aramaic) as they see their father returning from work. This is the kind of relationship God wants with us. We're not cowering slaves, afraid of punishment. We're beloved children, eagerly running into our Father's arms.

This truth should transform how we see God and ourselves. God isn't an angry overlord waiting to punish us for our failures. He's a loving Father who has adopted us into His family, made us co-heirs with Christ, and given us His Spirit to guide us into truth and righteousness.

As we reflect on this incredible gift of life in the Spirit, we might ask ourselves: How does this change how I live? How eagerly do I run to my heavenly Father? And how can I share this good news with others who are still living under condemnation?

Kirk Bloodsworth, after his exoneration, dedicated his life to criminal justice reform, working tirelessly to bring freedom to others wrongly convicted. In the same way, having experienced the spiritual freedom and adoption offered in Christ, shouldn't we be just as passionate about bringing this good news to others?

Life in the Spirit is not just about personal freedom and relationship with God - though it certainly includes those things. It's also about joining God in His mission of reconciliation and restoration. We've been set free and adopted into God's family. Now, let's invite others to experience this same transformative love.