This is not a new concept; that there is no condemnation for me represents the bedrock of my faith. And I hope it is the same for you as well. However, it was sitting in the recesses of my mind until recently during a conversation. It transpired that both of us had failed in one way or the other. My faith failed in the face of a health problem and my friend’s peace failed in the face of provocation. But rather than consider ourselves failures, we reminded ourselves that there is no condemnation for us.
For us, there was no pity party. We simply picked ourselves up, dusted ourselves off, and determined to go and sin no more. The Bible passage on the topic is even sweeter. It says, there is now no condemnation; it is in the present. This is not as if we were free from condemnation at one point in the past but are now condemned. And neither is it that we are now condemned but will be free from condemnation in the future. No. There is NOW no condemnation for us.
Now, I appreciate that not all believers know that truth and there are several reasons this might be so. It could be a result of wrong teaching where the pastor always wants you to feel condemned for committing sin. For that, they quote the words of Jesus, where He was introducing the work of the Holy Spirit. “When He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment.”
Study The Bible For Yourself
They forget to tell you that the sin of the world is unbelief in Jesus, as we see in the very next verse. They make it about your lying or your fornication or drug use. You thus go around feeling condemned and feeling the need to always ask for forgiveness. That is the result of wrong teaching which is a result of your failing to study the Bible for yourself.
The solution to this particular problem is simple; not easy, but simple. Pick up your bible and start studying and get on the path to having no condemnation. Don’t worry if you do not understand what you are reading. The Eunuch did not understand either but that did not stop him from reading until God sent Phillip to explain it to him. You may actually start your reading from that passage; it is in Acts 8.26-39. Do not allow the length of the passage put you off.
Let me tell you, I used to think that my many professional degrees meant I should readily understand the bible. However, I discovered that it was not so, and reading this passage helped me. I am sure it will help you to see such a highly-placed palace official needing help to understand the bible.
The things of God are not academically discerned, or as the bible says, who by searching can find out God? That means there is no shame if you do not understand at first. Keep studying until God in his infinite mercy, sends you help until there is no condemnation for you. Particularly as you know it is like medicine against all wrong doctrines. Keep at it.
For those Who Are In Christ Jesus
We now come to the reason my friend and I were sure that there is therefore now no condemnation for us. It is because we know that we are in Christ Jesus. And that brings us to the other reason so-called believers may be living under condemnation. Put simply, they are not in Christ Jesus. To prevent you from thinking I am being impolite, let us look at the entire verse. If you have been with us for a while, you know we always recommend studying at least a whole verse.
We don’t wish to be like satan who quotes a small portion of one verse to try and make you fall. The verse from which we took the topic for this post is very instructive. “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. To those who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.”
Right there, you see three conditions and if you do not meet those conditions, you will feel condemned. The first condition is that you must be in Christ. Are you in Christ or are you just in the church? It is an answer you have to sort out between you and God alone. My place is just to get you thinking seriously so that you do not miss heaven.
There Is No Condemnation To Those Who Do Not Walk After The Flesh
The second step is that once you are in Christ, you must no longer walk according to the flesh. You will have no condemnation when you do that. Even when you are born again, the flesh will try to rear its ugly head. We all know that, but the child of God must do everything to keep his flesh under control. Here is how Paul describes his battle. “But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection. Lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.”
Now, if Paul could have this battle over the flesh, who are we to think we will not have similar battles? But for us to have no condemnation, we have to keep fighting and not walk according to the flesh. Finally, a man who would have no condemnation must live according to the (Holy) Spirit. Who controls your thoughts, words, and actions? You or the Holy Spirit? Perhaps it is your spouse or your boss or your party affiliation. But to have no condemnation with God, His Holy Spirit must control you.
You now know the three conditions if you want to move away from condemnation. It is up to you to do the necessary and I pray God will help you.
Maranatha!
