³⁴ Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.

This is the next in Paul’s series of questions. Verse 34 restates in other words the question from verse 33. Since no one can bring a charge against God’s elect, surely no condemnation can be brought against them either. All these arguments bring to focus the first verse of this chapter:

Ro 8:1, There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

³⁴ Who is he who condemns?

Who has the right to ultimately condemn? There is only one and there is no one else except Christ.

It is Christ who died,

Christ is the only person with the right to condemn because He died on the cross; He is the ultimate Judge. Only the final Judge has the right to give the sentence of final judgment. Christians have already received the justice of justification (v. 33). The death of Christ is the only basis for our justification. Jesus’ death sufficiently paid for the sins of man.

PRINCIPLE:

Jesus is the only One who has the right to condemn.

APPLICATION:

If God grants justification, no one can condemn us. God and Jesus are the only ones in position to condemn anyone. This should be a warning to any of us who want to condemn anyone else. Only God knows all the facts about a situation because He is omniscient.