No Condemnation

Today I am going to talk about a subject that is so important and most of the time misunderstood.  The subject is no condemnation.  What does that mean to you?  Hopefully we can come to a clearer understanding as we go through this teaching.


What has brought this subject to be more real to me lately is when God got my attention about it to the extent that it felt like God walked up behind me and popped me in the head.  All I had done was make a statement under my breath about a pastor that said something that I did not agree with.  Sounds simple enough, but immediately the Holy Spirit said to me; “I do not condemn them, why do you?”  This was like a wake up call! 


A friend of mine made this statement; “My thought processes no longer facilitate condemnation, what a happy way to live...”  This makes so much since, but the question is; how do we get to that point? 


In John we are told a story that I would think everyone is familiar with, if you are not that is okay, I am reading in the 8th chapter starting in verse 3;


John 8:3-12 (KJV)
 3 And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst,
 4 They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.
 5 Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?
 6 This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.
 7 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.
 8 And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.
 9 And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.
 10 When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?
 11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.


In verse 10, Jesus asked where are those thine accusers?  Who were the accusers Jesus was talking about?  I see three if not possibly four.  Right away most would say the scribes and Pharisees.  Today who would that be?  The first accuser that comes to my mind is satan.  So you might ask, so are you saying the scribes and Pharisees were of satan?  No, what I am saying is, that today if anyone, (believer and non-believer) condemns another they are being like a puppet on a string being used by satan to divide the brethren.  The tool being used here in this passage is the law that was given to Moses.  Unfortunately today this tool even though it has been fulfilled by what Jesus did for us is still being used today.  Even by those who say they believe in the Grace message.  I believe what God has revealed to me is that when it comes to Grace strive to be as gracious as He is in dealing in these matters.  Be like Christ, stoop down, take a deep breath, act like you don’t even hear the accusations, if you have to respond, give yourself a minute to think about what your response will be.  The second accuser that comes to mind is the woman.  Self condemnation to me is of the worst kind, it is a killer, it is the #1 cause for suicide and another tool used by satan to make you think that this is how others see you including God.  The third accuser is one I just touched on and that is thinking that God is an accuser, that because of all your failures and shortcomings you are afraid of God and feel unworthy.  Nothing could be any farther from the truth, but I can promise you satan will do his best to get you to believe it. 

Don’t’!  I am here to tell you it is a lie! God is not accusing you, satan is!  In Romans we read;


Romans 8:1 (KJV)
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.


This is such a liberating verse but the problem that I have found among believers is that they grab hold of the personal concept of the verse and leave out the fact that it also pertains to the way they should deal with others as well.  The word condemnation is defined, the act of condemning, the state of being condemned.  The word condemn means, to judge. I want you to hear this if you do not hear anything else that I am saying God is not mad at you. God does not judge you. Because of the finished work of Jesus, God does not believe what satan says about you. God loves you!


To bring this to a close let’s turn to;


Isaiah 54:8-10 (KJV)
 8 In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the LORD thy Redeemer.
 9 For this is as the waters of Noah unto me: for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth; so have I sworn that I would not be wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee.
 10 For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the LORD that hath mercy on thee.


What Isaiah is talking about here is Jesus and the covenant that God made with him on our account.  He said just like the covenant that I made with Noah that I will not flood the earth again and then gave us a rainbow to remember what was said.  Here God makes covenant with Jesus and says “My favor is on thee, I will no more be angry, or judge thee, I will always love you, this covenant of peace cannot be taken away.”  Because of this covenant God made with Jesus for those who believe in him there is no condemnation!  As God gave the rainbow as a sign of remembrance, the blood of Jesus is a sign to all that believes and because of the Blood there is no condemnation.  


Jesus says, to all of us today, “Neither do I condemn thee.” 


God loves You!