There is a common defense that has gone on too long where it’s been taught there’s no condemnation in Christ (that’s true IF you’re truly IN Christ, Romans 8:1-4), where individuals have been taught that and use it when they’re still walking in sin (disobedience to the Holy Spirit).  There’s a discrepancy here.  Christ came to demonstrate salvation from sin (1Timothy 1:15; Acts 4:12) by the leading of the Holy Spirit OUT OF the sinful nature which leads to death.  However, many are still walking in that same sinful nature because they have not fully subdued it by the leading of the Holy Spirit, all of that nature, and claim they are IN Christ.  No one can truly be in Christ until all of that nature is eliminated out of the man because there is no darkness in the Light.

1 John 1:1-6 (See also: 1 John 3:4-5)

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life— 2 the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us— 3 that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. 4 And these things we write to you that your joy may be full.

5 This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.

What does this fellowship mean?  In the Hebrew context fellowship can mean a few things:  to join, to consecrate, to labor with, to yield yourselves to, or a form of deposit or pledge.  To become joined to someone means to become one with them, as in a covenant, or a marriage.  If God is seeking a pure, spotless Bride for His Son in a covenant then that means He is not going to join Him with His people  until that person is fully cleansed (1 Thessalonians 4:1-8).  This was the whole issue with the Israelites when they became joined with other nations that did not follow God (Deuteronomy 7:2-4; Exodus 34:10-17).  This is no different for God’s people that He’s building up into a spiritual nation.  They are NOT to be joined with other things (sinful acts, thoughts, and agreements) that do not give glory to God or through His Spirit’s approval (2 Corinthians 6:14-18).  They must do away from them rightly by the Spirit’s leading (real repentance).  We are not supposed to be partnering (or agreeing—compromising) with sin or darkness and be considered to be a true abiding disciple of Christ (Ephesians 5:6-7).  

Yet many continue to walk in sin which leads to death because of their lack of full obedience to the Holy Spirit; make agreements with death and join their souls to it; then try to say they’re joined with Christ as well.  This is not truth.  One must sin no more so they do not self-condemn themselves.  See it’s not Christ that condemns you because He gives you a way out of condemnation, through the leading of the Holy Spirit in obedience—a Spirit led Life.  However, when one is disobedient to the Holy Spirit’s leading in all things, they will eventually become divided against the Truth (because of rebellion) and will ‘attempt’ (really it’s a delusion that God’s allowed these people to believe, 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12) to walk with darkness and the Light (which as in the Scriptures cited previously, that cannot happen). It’s the individual that condemns themselves in their rebellious nature.  This person instead causes division among the brethren when they do this.  These are people that are becoming one with the harlot and trying to claim they’re one with Christ also.  Paul made it clear about many forms of sin that are not of righteousness in Christ, yet many walk in these sins believing they are one with Him and claiming they are one with Him.  His true people cannot be one with the harlot AND one with Christ.  The process of salvation is that, a process.  His people must learn to walk in complete obedience to the Holy Spirit which leads them into repentance (yielding to the Holy Spirit), away from the sinful nature (consecration once and for all), and as they get further and further away from it, in God’s appointed time for them—they are fully complete or truly saved from death…sealed in their complete obedience to the Holy Spirit by His deposit into the investment of God through Christ’s Life living through us (Ephesians 1:13-14; 2 Corinthians 1:21-22; 1 Peter 1:22-23).  Only then are you able to labor or work withChrist.  One cannot labor or work with death in sin and with Christ because the ones in sin are at enmity with the Holy Spirit, with Christ, and with God.  This would result in a divided kingdom that cannot stand.  God called us into unity, but we cannot be unified if people are excused to walk in sin and death continuously without change by the leading of the Holy Spirit; along with others assuring them that it’s alright to walk in sin (based off the concept, ‘we’re all sinners’).  As true Christians we are to walk away from all sin by the Power of Christ which is the Holy Spirit, His Wisdom  (1 Corinthians 1:24); and this is what confirms the Truth is working and all powerful because there is overall transformation in the person’s life because of the division between soul and spirit that’s occurred (Hebrews 4:12).

Paul addressed the sin in individuals that would cause them not to inherit the kingdom of God.  If anyone walked in this sin continuously, without yielding to the Holy Spirit to lead them out of it, then they would not be considered children of God (the inheritors) nor would they be in union with Christ as His Bride (not in Christ, one with Him, abiding in Him).  

1 Corinthians 6:9-17

Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.

12 All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any. 13 Foods for the stomach and the stomach for foods, but God will destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. 14 And God both raised up the Lord and will also raise us up by His power. 

15 Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a harlot? Certainly not! 16 Or do you not know that he who is joined to a harlot is one body with her? For “the two,” He says, “shall become one flesh.”17 But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him.

In the above Scripture Paul was explaining that we can be raised up out of the dead state we’re in because of sin, by His power.  This Power would be by the Wisdom of God through His Holy Spirit.  So, Paul was asking if you are truly Christ’s then why then are you joining up with sin and death (the harlot).  He went on to say that if you are led by the Lord, by His Spirit through Christ, then you can be one spirit with Him and not one with death—which leads to condemnation.

It is important to know that one cannot use the defense that there’s no condemnation in Christ when they continuously walk contrary to the Holy Spirit in sin, whether it be in idolatry, fornication, adultery, homosexuality, in thievery, in coveting, etc.  (1 Corinthians 6:9-10).  Sin is sin!  There may be no condemnation in Christ (if you are truly in Him) but if you’re rebelliously walking away from the Holy Spirit’s leading then you are condemning yourself because of the sin of disobedience that joins with the course of this world or prince of the power of the air (Ephesians 2:2).  The condemnation comes upon you in your sin as long as you continue to disobey the command to walk away from it (John 8:11, John 8:34-36).  God may forgive you many times when you slip up in the sin but when you know of His Spirit and have been told by Him to quit the sin, but persist in it (by taking advantage of His grace, Jude 1:4), then eventually the consequence of death will catch up to you.  A perfect example of this is when God went against the false prophets and condemned them (Ezekiel 13: 1-23).  This is why it’s so important to continue to walk in obedience to the Holy Spirit, so that when God has fulfilled His work in you, you may be found sealed by His Truth and found worthy to be His Bride (Luke 21:36); and not condemned by the leading of your own spirit or imagination (Ezekiel 13:2-3).

In conclusion, condemnation does not come from Christ but instead a way, through His Holy Spirit; out of condemnation.  However, if you do not walk in the Holy Spirit’s leading but instead by the leading of your own spirit influenced by the sinful nature then you are in the place for condemnation.  Until the Spirit frees you under the Law of the Spirit then you are still under the Law that condemns (Romans 8:1-4).  Walking fully by the Holy Spirit’s leading brings you under the new Law, under grace as your Master, who is Christ (2 Corinthians 12:9; Romans 6:1-4, Romans 6:14; Romans 3:24); and this is Who frees you, Christ by His Spirit’s leading.

Hear what the Spirit is saying…