God invites us to live in freedom, not condemnation. Learn the difference between the two.
What is our first instinct when we don’t get the outcome we want? When our day is unraveling and headed in the wrong direction? When our problems seem to be cropping up faster than weeds on a sunny day?
If you are anything like me, you may jump to conclusions that are full of condemnation.
God is unhappy with me.
God is punishing me.
I must have done something wrong.
Having dealt with people who are quick to accuse, blame, and punish, I begin laying their actions and proclivities onto God and presume that He is anxious to condemn me too.
I easily forget that God is different—He hasn’t treated me this way in the past and won’t in the future.
And so, once again, I must remind myself that God is not waiting to accuse me, judge me, trip me up, or punish me.
These are human characteristics, not Divine qualities. They are lies from the enemy, not biblical truth.
When I look to the Bible, I see story after story of God’s love and compassion for His creation.
Let’s look at one story in particular that involves a woman and Jesus. Continue reading here . . . . .
The rest of this post is at Living By Design Ministries where they are having a giveaway and where you can sign up for their newest free email bible study about Jesus’s parables. It’s called Storyteller. If you haven’t yet done one of their email bible studies, sign up and try one. They are short, informative. and packed full of God’s word. Storyteller is 22 days long and starts October 11.
To remind you of the difference between freedom in Christ and condemnation, you can click the print and make yourself a copy.
Thanks for stopping by.
Remember to walk in the freedom of Christ.
Theresa
Join the discussion: What helps you live in freedom?
May link up at Maree Dee (#Grace & Truth), Anita Ojeda (#inspirememonday), InstaEncouagements ((IE Link-Up), and Jeanne Takenaka (#tellhisstory).
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What a difference between the left and right sides of the chart!
Freedom vs. Bondage
Lightness vs. Burden
Smile vs. Frown
Hi Linda. Love your list. Let’s add, unconditional love vs. conditional love. I know side of the list I want to live on.
Theresa, loved your post! everything really resonated wth me. The chart really brings it home by comparing both sides of the chart! I so want to live in freedom, but too often end up on the wrong side, plunging into condemnation. Thank you for your wisdom here!
Donna, I think this is a life long battle. Our enemy is constantly pulling us over to condemnation, people around us can be pushing us into condemnation, we can condemn ourselves. But hopefully with grace and God we keep struggling back to freedom. Back and forth we go. Spending more time in freedom as we learn and grow.
I did that early in my Christian life–I thought everything that went wrong was due to God being unhappy with me. What rest in knowing there’s no condemnation in Christ, that He’s full of mercy and ready to forgive.
Yes, Barbara, such rest knowing with God there is no condemnation. That is one of the distinguishing features of the Christian religion as opposed to other religions.
This is so powerful, Theresa, “In triumph, they entered; in silence, they left.”
It is such a contrast, Lisa.
Theresa, this is such a powerful illustration of how Jesus was constantly confounding the people who thought they were so righteous and holy. I wonder what the woman felt as she watched the last Pharisee walk away? She probably had no words to describe it, no matter how hard she tried. Wonderful post (and chart), my friend.
I have thought of that too, Lois. What the woman thought. It might have been the first time someone stuck up for her and showed compassion to her for a long time. My guess, it changed her life.
Theresa, this was a great and powerful piece. I knew after the introduction, I’d want to read the entire article over at Sarah’s place. It is easy to live under our own self-condemnation and the guilt and condemnation from others. Sad we project that onto God. Like how you note that since God’s never done this to us in the past, He won’t today or any tomorrow. I remember when our ladies group did a Bible Study by Christine Caine, Unashamed, about being free from condemnation and guilt. She said something profound that has always stuck with me. “People say shame on you!; God says shame off you!”
Hi Karen. It is sad that we project so many false things onto God, like thinking he condemns us. I like that saying, “God says shame off you.” Always. That sounds like a good bible study.
Theresa, loved this reminder today. I tend to revert back to thinking that each decision I’ve made was a mistake somehow and that God is just waiting for me to arrive in heaven where he can show me what my life would have looked like had I made all the right decisions. I love this line: “I easily forget that God is different—He hasn’t treated me this way in the past and won’t in the future.” That isn’t how God works. Besides, if I’d not made those mistakes, I would have made others, because I’m not perfect. God works through my mistakes.
WE get so nervous and upset about our mistakes, and yet God can turn all of them into opportunities and learning experiences for us and others. This is so comforting. When I am not living up to my levels of rightness and making mistakes, I try and remind myself of all the people in the bible who made mistakes. Big and little, even multiple mistakes. And God still used them. Their mistakes and wrong decisions did not keep God from using them. What a comfort.