Alaskans celebrate the official state holiday known as Seward’s Day on the last Monday in March.
The holiday is named after Secretary of State William Seward who negotiated the purchase of Alaska from Russia in 1867.
Ridiculed by many people at the time as “Seward’s Folly,” America’s purchase of Alaska turned out to be a lucrative investment, yielding great returns in natural resources from gold to oil to fishing.
And of course, Alaska also boasts some of the most beautiful scenery in the country!
Many did not know all riches that Alaska would bring at the time it was purchased.
So, similarly, some believers may not know all the riches that come to them when they were purchased by Christ.
One is that we will never be condemned.
My series of blogs through Romans 6-8 brings me to Romans 8:34:
“Who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.”
There is only one person who has the authority to condemn and that authority is committed by the Father into the hand of God the Son and He has died and rose again for us!
The word rather means “very, very much more.”
He died but very, very much more, He rose for us!
Because of His resurrection, we have Christ’s resurrection life, so He cannot condemn Himself.
He not only was raised for us, He ascended to the right hand of God the Father as will.
He is there to intercede on our behalf.
Can Christ, who always lives to intercede for us, at the same time condemn us?
He cannot do both.
While praying for us, He cannot condemn us.
According to Ephesians 2:6, God has:
“raised us up together and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.”
We are with Christ in the place of honor, power, and authority.
We are to claim His power and authority over sin and live victorious over our enemy’s accusations against us.
Years ago, American writer Wilson Mizner, who was a talented fighter, one night visited a San Francisco bar with boxer “Mysterious” Billy Smith.
Mizner started a fight with some longshoremen.
At the end only one longshoreman was left standing.
Although Mizner rained punches at him, he stayed obstinately upright.
Suddenly, Smith noticed what was happening.
“Leave him alone, Wilson!” he shouted.
“I knocked him out five minutes ago.”
On investigation it turned out that a punch from Smith had indeed knocked the longshoreman out cold, but had also wedged him vertically between two pieces of furniture.
This is an accurate picture of our already-defeated but still standing enemy Satan, Jesus has already knocked him out!
Praise the Lord, we can never be condemned!
Blessings!
Pastor Ken Keeler, Director of Church Ministries