From Pastor's Heart :

Free From Self-condemnation

June 28,2019

One of the greatest hindrances to our walk of faith is sin consciousness. Many believers' faith fails to work simply because they constantly walk in self-condemnation. I John 3:21 tells us that if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God. The opposite is also true, if our heart condemns us, we will not have confidence toward God. This is why many fail to receive from God. They are constantly condemning themselves over their imperfections or something they have done in the past. Consequently, they never feel good enough to approach God much less receive from Him.

The origin of sin consciousness came as the result of Adam's fall. Adam took on the sin nature; and that sin nature is passed on to every man born into this world (Rom 5:12). The law was given to expose the sin nature in men so that men can put their trust in the One who would ultimately take on their sin nature and pay the full punishment of sin. The law was never intended to save anyone but to bring condemnation and thus turn men's trust toward Christ. As Gal 3:24 puts it, "Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith." After we are justified or declared righteous by faith, we are no longer under the law. Our sinful nature has been eradicated, and we have a brand new nature made in the likeness of God (Ephesians 4:24). We have been made righteous in Christ and placed into a right relationship with God (II Cor 5:21; Rom 5:1). God actually sees us in Christ. Therefore, we no longer need to walk in condemnation (Rom 8:1).

It is God who places us in Christ. We have nothing to do with it. It is not based on works. It means that God really wants to have a relationship with us. He really wants us to bless us, so much so that He was willing to sacrifice His only Son for it (Rom 8:32). God is absolutely head over heels in love with us. A person cannot have fellowship with someone he is upset over; and because God longs to fellowship with us, He made a provision for us to have our sin forgiven and to be cleansed when we sin (I John 1:9). God's heart is not to condemn us but to restore us, because sin breaks our fellowship with Him and gives place to the devil. God's eagerness to restore us is illustrated by Jesus' parable of the prodigal son.

We must see this very clearly in order to be free from self-condemnation. Because we still have a flesh that is not yet redeemed and is capable of sinning, we are prone to focus on our shortcomings. We must realize that God looks at us in Christ, and through Christ He is changing us to His likeness. So, on one hand, we need to stop focusing on our imperfections and start seeing ourselves in Christ, trusting in God to change us; on the other hand, we need to know that we are right back in fellowship with God when we confess our sin. The key is to from our heart to do what is right in His sight and get up when we stumble and fall. God is in the business of restoration and not condemnation. He is eager to forgive, eager to cleanse, and will not remember our sin or hold anything against us. We can have confidence with God and come boldly to the throne of grace to receive what we need.