So often, we hear these terms defined but we still don't fully understand their roles in the kingdom of God. Here are some dictionary definitions of the words according to Merriam Webster:
What is Conviction?
- The act of convincing a person of error or of compelling the admission of truth
What is Condemnation?
- " to declare to be reprehensible, wrong, or evil usually after weighing evidence and without reservation"
What is Grace?
-unmerited divine assistance given humans for their regeneration or sanctification
- a virtue coming from God
- a state of sanctification enjoyed through divine grace
-disposition to or an act or instance of kindness, courtesy, or clemency
It can all get confusing if you don't go DIRECTLY to God's word and pick apart these terms yourself.
Lets start here :
" If anyone hears my words and doesn't keep them, I don't condemn him, because I didn't come to condemn the world, but to save it." (John 12:47)
"There is NO condemnation for those IN CHRIST JESUS." Romans 8:1
You can clearly see that condemnation IS NOT from Christ! that is made absolutely clear in these scriptures.
I read in a devotional, " The Dare," by Josh Mayo
" Conviction is the tool of the holy spirit, Condemnation is the tool of the enemy."
So often, people want to make God out to be this bad God who sits around in heaven and judges their every move. He is NOT that kind of God.. don't let the enemy fool you! God wants nothing more than to love on you! But He absolutely wants you to keep His comandments and follow what He says... but if you don't He isn't going to condemn you.. He will , however make you FEEL awful about your choice which will hopefully cause you to TRUE repentance which is where CONVICTION comes in. God makes you feel a certain way about your sin that almost hurts you. Your love for God takes over and you feel awful about what you have done to sin against Him.. Conviction causes you to run to God.. tell Him what you have done.. and ask for His forgiveness.. you repent.. TURN AWAY from that sin... and are forgiven!
SATAN, however, is the " accuser of the brethren..." Revelation 12:10
Satan condemns you even before you are proven guilty of anything! He is NOT a just devil.. He wants to make you feel SOOOO bad about your sin that you RUN from God because you feel " too dirty, unholy, and too unrighteous " to go before God. That one sin.. mixed with all that condemnation from the enemy can lead to a MAJOR downward spiral in your walk with Christ which is EXACTLY what the enemy wants!
PRAISE GOD that we DON'T Have to go through all of that foolishness the enemy tries to hand us! Because Jesus lived a PERFECT and SPOTLESS life... Sinless... went to Calvary...got up on a cross with nails in His hands and feet...thorns on His heads... blood dripping from the slashes on top of slashes He endured... ALL so we could be seen as RIGHTEOUS people in the eyes of God! PRAISE HIM!
"God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." 2 Corinthians 5:21
The bible says
" But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me." 2 Corinthians 12:9
God's grace is more than enough to cover all of your sins! Anytime you sin He covers you and forgives you. NOW DON'T GET IT TWISTED... there are STILL consequences for your sin... you will STILL be judged on it one day... but your sin won't put a huge divide between you and God that would make Him rebuke you. His grace is the love that after you sin... you can STILL RUN back into His loving arms! His grace and mercy is what has covered you when you had sex with 10 different people and don't have that STD or an unexpected pregnancy! He had mercy on you! He has plans for you.. His grace is what helps illustrate His love to you!
BUT PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE Do not ABUSE God's AMAZING grace! Just because He gives it to you.. it isn't rights for you to use Him up! That is a mockery of everything God is... we as His people must STOP THAT NOW!
"Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you;
therefore he will rise up to show you compassion.
For the Lord is a God of justice.
Blessed are all who wait for him!" -Isaiah 30:18
Conviction brings sorrow to you.. it is SUPPOSE to hurt when you hurt God. He hurts when you sin! It is almost like you nail JEsus right back on the cross.. thank God He took it over 2,000 years ago.. but it still hurts. The bible says that God's kindness leads us to repentance ( Romans 2:4). God's kindness and grace towards us should definitely MAKE us want to repent and turn away from any sin that can hurt us but more importantly hurt God's feelings!
I want to encourage you today... if the enemy has brought any condemnation on your life .... TELL HIM to SIT HIS EVIL TAIL DOWN! You are covered in God's love... His grace and mercy... and you are not condemned because of your sin! You are NOT held on or bound by that sin. God wants you to run to Him and ask for forgiveness.. He wants you to turn away from anything that can harm you! Don't let the enemy lie to you anymore! You are NOT condemned ..YOU ARE FREE in Christ Jesus! Hallelujah!
I pray that today... you understand the difference between conviction and condemnation. I pray that God has shown you that you are LOVED by Him so much that He sent His son to die for you so you DON'T have to be condemned anymore! I pray that you know that the enemy is a LIAR and the truth is NOT in Him and that He won't win! I pray that you no longer let the enemy make you feel guilty for the things in your past. Do not let Him whisper in your ear the things that you have done... or how you have messed up! Call Him out! Tell Him HE IS THE ONLY ONE CONDEMNED TO HELL FOR ETERNITY...and because you are SAVED and know that Jesus is your Lord and savior and have confessed it to the world.. YOU WILL not let Him punish you daily.. you KNOW you are righteous and spotless in Christ Jesus.. and you WILL be in Heaven worshipping God's holy name for eternity! You are LOVED by an amazing God and Have been SAVED !
You are SO dang Loved!!!!
Nicole L.
