The General Secretary of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Samuel Obuobi, has emphasised that Jesus Christ came to earth not to condemn sinners, but to save them from the guilt and consequences of sin.
Delivering a sermon titled “Now No Condemnation” during the Holy Saturday service of the Taifa Zone in the Achimota Area, as part of this year’s Easter Conventions, Apostle Obuobi explained that Jesus is not concerned with the sinful state people find themselves in. Rather, He is focused on redeeming them. “That is why all who put their faith in Him are not condemned,” he said.
Using Romans 8:1 as his foundational text, Apostle Obuobi stated, “There is now no condemnation for those who believe in Christ.” He clarified that to be condemned means to be declared guilty and deserving of punishment.
He pointed out that freedom from condemnation requires two key conditions, that is, being in Christ, and walking according to the Spirit, not the flesh.
Tracing the origin of condemnation to the Garden of Eden, he cited Romans 6:23 and Romans 5:12 to show that humanity fell under condemnation through Adam’s disobedience. “When Adam sinned, all humanity was condemned with him. Death spread to all through his disobedience,” he stressed.
“In the Garden of Eden, mankind was declared guilty and worthy of punishment. That punishment was death—the consequence of disobedience,” he added.
However, Apostle Obuobi proclaimed the good news that in Christ Jesus, humanity has been released from this condemnation. “Through Christ, we are freed from the guilt and punishment of sin,” he said.
He reiterated that Jesus did not come to judge or condemn sinners, but to save them. As a result, those who believe in Christ are no longer condemned but are now justified.
He explained that justification is a remissive act, in which God forgives and cancels sin completely. He further noted that justification is a restorative act, in which the forgiven sinner is restored to God’s favor through the imputed righteousness of Christ.
“God now sees the believer through the lens of Christ. He no longer sees us as sinners, but as righteous. This gives us the confidence to come before Him,” Apostle Obuobi said.
He emphasized that the foundation of justification is the atoning work of Jesus—His death and resurrection—as stated in Romans 5:9 and Romans 4:25. “When a person accepts Christ, God places their sin on Christ and credits them with His righteousness,” he explained.
He further noted that justification does not mean the punishment was simply withheld. “The punishment for sin was executed—but not on us. Jesus took our place and bore the punishment on our behalf,” he said.
Apostle Obuobi concluded with an appeal to those who have not yet accepted Christ to do so, in order to be freed from the guilt and consequences of sin, and to experience the peace that Christ alone can provide.
