Condemnation

I wonder would someone care to elaborate on the differences between condemnation from the devil and conviction from God?Would conviction hinder you in your prayers? Or would that be condemnation. Example: A sin that happen a few years back. You are reminded of it out of the blue and you acknowledge your trnagression you have since forsaken it and are slowly making restitution and are daily in the word, daily in prayer and seeking the face of God and yet the nagging thought is that that thing is not forgiven and forgotten. is this condemnation ? Would it be wrong to stand on the principal of 1st John that if we confess he is faithful and just to forgive. Any help would be appreciated.

Hi Brother David from Ky,Nice to see you on SI. I used the old name "Gideons" and have changed it.I've lived most of my life in self-condemnation of some sort or another. It always drives you away from the prayer closet and it's from Satan.If you've truly repented, then the power of the sin is broken by the blood of Jesus. What you will experience is joy, incredible joy as the sin is destroyed.Lord God of heaven, I'm praying that you will break this spirit of condemnation that is haunting my brother David. I claim deliverance by the blood of Jesus by faith.Brother, it's God's kindness that leads to repentance. If you've truly repented, how many times do you need to repent for the same offense? That's not to say that the Lord won't discipline you but that won't result in self-condemnation.Stand on the verse you referenced in the prayer closet. Remember it's not based on an emotional feeling but by faith I believe your blood has cleansed me as I've honestly confessed this sin and repented of it.May the fruit of the Spirit rise in your heart as you stand by faith on this promise. Blessings to you Brother David.

Quote:I wonder would someone care to elaborate on the differences between condemnation from the devil and conviction from God?Conviction from God! is an awareness that you have grieved the Holy Spirit, it brings you to repentance immediately.Condemnation from the Devil! is not something I dwell in, but on God's word which says there is now no condemnation on him who is in Christ. The devil will always try to succeed in presening your past sins, but God's word says that if you are faithful to confess your sins, he is faithful to forgive you of them. God's word also says that your trangressions are removed as far as the east is from the west. They are thrown into the sea of forgetfulness. God does not remember them, HE DOES NOT!The devil does, and his tactics are always the same. Now, when God looks at you he sees the righteousness of his son Jesus. He see's that you are being build, that you are his worksmanship. Hallelujah!Quote:Would conviction hinder you in your prayer?To be convicted is what would draw you to prayer, amen.I would worry if your were not convicted :-P

by inotof on 2005/12/7 22:04:55I wonder would someone care to elaborate on the differences between condemnation from the devil and conviction from God? We have got ourselves into an amazing muddle by not using words properly in their biblical context. The first thing to note is that 'condemnation' has absolutely nothing to do with the way we feel. It is a law-court term, and the law-court is not overmuch concerned about how you 'feel'. It wants to know your actions and your motives; everything else is outside its domain.The Greek word for 'condemn' (katakrinO) means to 'thoroughly judge'. It is used in approx 20+ times in the New Testament (Matt. 12:41-42; 20:18; 27:3; Mark 10:33; 14:64; 16:16; Luke 11:31-32; John 8:10-11; Rom. 2:1; 5:16,18; 8:1,3,34; 14:23; 1Cor. 11:32; Heb. 11:7; James 5:9; 2Pet. 2:6) and is usually translated 'condemn' in the KJV.Unfortunately the trail gets a bit confusing because the KJV also translates another word by the English words 'condemn/condemnation'. This is the word 'krinO' and it is translated as 'condemn' in Luke 23:40; John 3:17; 1Cor. 11:34; 1Tim. 3:6; James 3:1; Jude 1:4, and this can really confuse the issue. It really should be translated 'judge' or 'judgment'.A Roman law court had various stages in its operation.1. accusation2. verdict3. sentence4. executionThe 'judging' was an earlier stage in the process, while the 'condemning' was at the end of the process. The progress can be seen in “And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment {krima-judgment) was by one to condemnation (katakrima-condemnation), but the free gift is of many offences unto justification.” (Rom. 5:16, KJVS) Here the 'judgement' results in 'condemnation' which is the sentence/execution, and the end of the process.As a result of 'justification by faith' which is the judicial pronouncement of 'not guilty as charged' the whole process comes to an end. With a 'not guilty' verdict the law's interest and authority ends, and the 'accused' can walk out of the court 'made free'. For those who are justified by faith there is literally 'no condemnation'. 'Condemnation' being the follow-on stages when a 'guilty, as charged' verdict (judgment) has been given. The legal process thus comes to an end and there is 'no condemnation'.Satan, who is not the judge, has no power of condemnation. He is the accuser of the brethren but has no authority to judge, sentence or execute. What most Christians call 'condemnation' is actually 'accusation'. Only God has the power to judge and to sentence.I suspect that none of this will actually help you! But if you can call things by their proper biblical names it will certainly help you to ask the right questions and thereby get the right answers. The question you are really asking is 'how can I distinguish between Satan's accusation and God's conviction.'? The difference can often be discerned by checking the motives. Satan only comes "to steal, and to kill, and to destroy". His accusations have no 'remedial' purpose in them. He just wants to crush you because that is the only way he can get at God. God, on the other hand, wants to forgive and to change and to heal you, or if you want it in Bible words... He comes"'that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." Consequently God 'conviction' is always to bring us to repentance. God never says 'repent' without telling us what to do about it, Satan will accuse and tell you that there is no remedy.

philologos wrote:I suspect that none of this will actually help you! But if you can call things by their proper biblical names it will certainly help you to ask the right questions and thereby get the right answers. Quite the contrary Philogo! This has been most helpful as it has allowed me to truly see that there is no condemnation! That God has allowed me to be justified by faith and not on feelings. That i must learn to distinguish betwixt the "feelings" and the "faith". Thanks to all who gave thier imput. This has been a rough year for me personally and there a lot of answers that i am seeking, alot of things that i thought i knew and i do not. I've been serving the Lord (or at least trying to) for about 10 years and it seems as tough i've been faced with how prodigal my life has been in private. Actually, i wrote a poem about it that I'll post soon.Glory to God for His son, our propition !

Inotof honey,Please forgive me, if my explanation brought some type of discouragement and if I hurt you God knows that’s the last thing I ever wanted to do was to hurt you.I Thank God for Philologos and the others as well that can bring forth a more explicit explanation and answers to your questions/concerns.I pray that through this outline of biblical truth God would bring forth some clarity, understanding, and peace to your soul. May the WORD of God set you free, and may you always know that God Loves You…

Brother David,I saw today's My Utmost for His Highest and decided to log back in and put this up for. I pray it encourages you.The Impartial Power of God By one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified —Hebrews 10:14 We trample the blood of the Son of God underfoot if we think we are forgiven because we are sorry for our sins. The only reason for the forgiveness of our sins by God, and the infinite depth of His promise to forget them, is the death of Jesus Christ. Our repentance is merely the result of our personal realization of the atonement by the Cross of Christ, which He has provided for us. ". . . Christ Jesus . . . became for us wisdom from God--and righteousness and sanctification and redemption . . ." ( 1 Corinthians 1:30 ). Once we realize that Christ has become all this for us, the limitless joy of God begins in us. And wherever the joy of God is not present, the death sentence is still in effect. No matter who or what we are, God restores us to right standing with Himself only by means of the death of Jesus Christ. God does this, not because Jesus pleads with Him to do so but because He died. It cannot be earned, just accepted. All the pleading for salvation which deliberately ignores the Cross of Christ is useless. It is knocking at a door other than the one which Jesus has already opened. We protest by saying, "But I don’t want to come that way. It is too humiliating to be received as a sinner." God’s response, through Peter, is, ". . . there is no other name . . . by which we must be saved" ( Acts 4:12 ). What at first appears to be heartlessness on God’s part is actually the true expression of His heart. There is unlimited entrance His way. "In Him we have redemption through His blood . . ." ( Ephesians 1:7 ). To identify with the death of Jesus Christ means that we must die to everything that was never a part of Him. God is just in saving bad people only as He makes them good. Our Lord does not pretend we are all right when we are all wrong. The atonement by the Cross of Christ is the propitiation God uses to make unholy people holy.

If it is from God it will lead you to a way out (hope) ie forgivness and cleansing through Christ.If it is from the Devil it will lead you no where... just a dead end with no hope. God would like all to come to repentance. The Devil would like all to go to hell.