Have you ever done something you wish you hadn’t? Or, not done something you wish you had? Of course you have – we all have. It’s part of the human condition. We mess up. We sin.
When you have messed up did you feel conviction or condemnation? They are worlds apart, but we often cannot tell the difference between the two. In order to live in the life Jesus has for us it is imperative we learn to discern between the two, and reject one altogether.
So what’s the difference? Well, one is from the enemy, one is from the Spirit of God. One leads to death, the other to life. As I said, worlds apart.
When a building is condemned it is deemed to be uninhabitable and irreparable. It must be torn down. There is no hope for the building. When a man is condemned to die there is no recourse, he will be executed. Condemnation is all about death. It is hopeless. There are no options.
When we mess up: when we do or say something we shouldn’t have, or when we don’t do or say something we should have, the enemy attempts to bring condemnation. Condemnation revolves around this kind of “whisper campaign”:
“You are a total loser. All you do is screw up. There is no hope for you. You should know better. You will never change. You are pathetic and always will be.”
Or, you can substitute “you” for “I”. Often the whisper campaign is in the first person: “I am such a loser. I will never change.”, etc.
Condemnation brings shame which leads to death. We live in a constant state of guilt and shame and are, therefore, powerless, faithless and lifeless.
Condemnation – Regret – Shame – Death
However, scripture tells us that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ. Jesus took the penalty for us. Our sin in which we were condemned to die has been wiped away by the death and resurrection of Christ. The wages of our sin is death, but the free gift of God is life in Christ.
The Spirit of God brings conviction. Conviction involves a recognition of our sin and brings with it contrition. Contrition leads to repentance. Repentance leads to life. Contrition is feeling remorse for our actions and determining to make amendments, to make it right.
Conviction – Contrition – Repentance – Life
The key to all of this is humility. In humility we recognize we make mistakes. We don’t put ourselves under the pressure to be perfect. We empathize with the impact of our sin on others and feel their pain. We recognize that the only hope for real change and forgiveness is in Jesus through the work of the cross. Therefore, we repent of our wrongdoing with God and those we have hurt. We receive God’s forgiveness, forgive ourselves and experience the regenerating work of the Spirit of God to change our hearts and make us better men.
Living in a constant state of guilt and shame is really the result of pride. Pride keeps us under the pressure to be perfect. In pride we beat ourselves up because we “should” be better. Pride does not receive the grace and mercy of God because we don’t deserve it. We have to earn it somehow by beating ourselves up. In pride we refuse to repent and live in guilt and shame.
What a terrible way to live! Yet many of us live that way…
If you live in guilt and shame you have bought into the condemnation of the enemy whisper campaign. Jesus paid the price to set us free from the condemnation of the enemy. Sure, feel the pain your sin causes God and others, but then humble yourself and repent to receive the forgiveness, freedom, life, love, faith, hope, and strength God has for you.
The key to doing this is to believe what God says is true. Don’t believe the lies of the enemy, believe the Truth of God. The men God esteems are not perfect men. They are not the men who never mess up. Scripture tells us God esteems those who have a humble and contrite heart, and who believe what God says in true.
No, there is no condemnation for those in Christ. Conviction yes, condemnation no!
Romans 8:1
“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,”
John 3:18
“Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.”
Hebrews 12:1-2a
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.”
Isaiah 66:2b
“This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.”