Recently I began feeling a certain way and for some reason I couldn't shake the feeling. As I prayed the Lord revealed that the feeling was that of condemnation. The truth is, I associated that feeling with conviction, a false conviction. Have you ever been there? The results are subtle but certainly can be a hindrance.
“No condemnation” can be defined in courtroom language. To have “no condemnation” declared means to be found innocent of the accusation, to have no sentence inflicted and no guilty verdict found. By the grace of God, believers in Jesus Christ will not face the condemnation of God. “We have passed from death to life” (1 John 3:14).
The Bible teaches that every human being will be brought before the judgment throne of God for an ultimate and decisive judgment (2 Corinthians 5:10), and Christ Himself will be the judge (John 5:27). We are all naturally under the condemnation of God: “Whoever does not believe stands condemned already” (John 3:18). But Christians will not be found guilty on Judgment Day (John 3:18; Matthew 25:33–34).
Paul takes this a step further in Romans 8 when he teaches believers are not only free from bondage to sin, they are free from the inner emotions and thoughts that tend to bring feelings of condemnation to the Christian when he does commit sin (Romans 8:2). Christians are free from the “law of sin and death,” which means, although they will commit sin, the Law no longer has the power to condemn them. We are not under the Law’s condemnation because Jesus fulfilled (“filled-up, completed”) the expectations of the Law perfectly, and believers are “in Christ” (Romans 8:3)
NOTE: This is not a pass to continue in sin.
Because believers are in Christ, they have the joy of being counted as righteous, simply because Christ is righteous. Paul also points out that genuine Christians, although they struggle, will not live “according to the flesh”; that is, they will not persist in a constant state of sinful living
PHILIPPIANS 3:8
"And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith"
SELF (FLESH) and/or
THE ACCUSER
As you know, we have an adversary who is doing everything in his power to hinder the work of Elohim.
But why Condemnation?
When we fall into the trap of condemnation, it puts more focus on our efforts and the lack thereof. And less focus on the Father and his Grace.
HOWEVER....
To put it plain: If you get hit with condemnation there is a sense of defeat, not doing your part, not worthy of grace, ect.
In doing so he isn't trying to simply attack your emotions, he is trying to attack the power within you.
The Power of FAITH
If your understanding is removed by using guilt and shame then expectancy is removed. If the expectancy is removed, then faith is removed. Which will ultimately put you in an idle state.
Paul asks some profound questions that we need to consider and embrace
ROMANS 8:33-34
"Who will bring an accusation against the elect of God? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.
The Answer
JAMES 4:7-8
"Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you."
Paul encourages us that we need not fear condemnation because we can come to God as our loving, forgiving Father (Romans 8:15–16). Christians who live in shame and guilt over past failures are needlessly condemning themselves when they ought to be.....
..."forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead" - Philippians 4:13
Fear can be paralyzing
"but perfect love drives out fear"
As Christians, we must understand that our justification is found in Christ alone—in His finished work on the cross—not in what we do or don’t do.
Believers can find solace in the assurance that we have been adopted into God’s own family and have been made heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17). Nothing can separate us “from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:39).
BE ENCOURAGED!
Credits:
picsabay gotquestions.org biblehub.com