The Please-Like-Me's: Conviction ... Or Condemnation?
Friday, August 14, 2020
Living Free Every Day®
A ministry of LivingFree.org
Today's Scripture
"So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus." Romans 8:1 NLT
Thoughts for Today
According to Merriam-Webster, condemnation means that state of being declared reprehensible, wrong, or evil, pronounced guilty. Conviction, on the other hand, means the act of convincing a person of error or of compelling the admission of a truth, the state of being convinced of error or compelled to admit the truth.
Condemnation puts us under a heavy weight of guilt with no apparent way out. Conviction reveals truth to us and motivates us to confess and turn from sin.
Christ does not condemn us for who we are or what we have done. He paid the price for our wrongdoing by dying on the cross. When we turn from our sin and turn to him, he forgives and totally accepts us. Our righteousness is not based on what we've done, but on what Jesus has done for us.
Condemnation pushes us away from God. If you are feeling condemned by your heart or other people, it is not of God! Conversely, conviction leads us toward God—and hope. The Holy Spirit convicts us of sin and draws us to reconciliation with God through Jesus Christ. (Read John 16:8)
Consider this …
Are you allowing other people's comments and attitudes toward you to put you under condemnation? Have you become a people-pleaser to avoid their rejection and criticism?
God may sometimes work through other people to guide you in his way—but those people will not condemn you and insist you do things their way.
Prayer
Father, I sometimes come under condemnation because of what other people have said. Thank you that condemnation and the hopelessness it brings do not come from you. Help me to recognize it for what it is and not allow myself to stay under that condemnation. Please help me to be sensitive to the conviction of the Holy Spirit when I fall into error and to be quick to turn from the wrongdoing. In Jesus' name …
These thoughts were drawn from … Lessons Learned: Moving from Homosexuality to Holiness by Tammy Webb-Witholt. This group study offers biblical tools, along with an abundance of hope, to anyone struggling with homosexuality. It is also a great group for anyone desiring a deeper walk with God. Note: This curriculum was written especially for small groups, and we encourage people to use it that way. However, it can also be used effectively as a personal study.
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