Why do Christians feel condemned?

[alaric]

In the bible, there is a verse that says whoever is in Christ, there will no longer be condemnation.

Romans 8:1 = Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus

I have come to this conclusion that many Christians DO NOT believe that God has removed ALL their sins. They only believe that God removed the sins that they did before becoming a Christian. And they have to follow the law and try to live a sinless life (or try to sin less) to please God.

When they try to follow the law to please God, they are essentially arming the devil with a weapon. And whenever they break a law, the devil will use the law to condemn them. In Colossians 2:14-15, it says God disarmed the devil by Jesus’ death on the cross.

Colossians 2:14-15 = When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us ALL our sins, having cancelled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

How did God disarm the devil?

It is written in Ezekiel 18:20 “The soul that sinneth, it shall die.”

When Jesus died on the cross, he took our sins and paid the penalty on our behalf.

2 Corinthians 5:21 = God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Having paid fully for our sins, Jesus magnified and fulfilled the law. Since Jesus has fully paid for our debts (sins), we are no longer slaves under the law.

Imagine a man who purchase a house from HDB. Because he does not have money, therefore he has to take a loan from the bank. Every month, he has to pay the bank every month until the loan + interest is 100% cleared. Then one day, his father wanted to clear the loan for his son and paid everything that the man owes to the bank. Once the loan has been fully paid, the man is no longer under debt to the bank. When the next month come, even if the man receive a letter from the bank for loan payment. He can ignore the letter and penalty for non-payment because he knows the house have already been fully paid.

How do we know that Jesus has paid for my past, present and future sins?

Hebrews 9:26 & 28 says that Jesus appeared ONCE to do away with sin.

Hebrews 9:26 = Otherwise Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But he has appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself.

Hebrews 9:28 = so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.

God created time. Therefore, God is outside time. Most of the prophesies in the bible, God wrote them thousands of years in advance. It is written in the bible that God knows the end from the beginning.

Isaiah 46:9-10 = Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure.

Revelation 22:13 = I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.

If God knows the future, then God knows every single sin that we are going to do from the day we are born to the day we die. Therefore, Jesus’ death on the cross is payment for our past, present and future sins.

How clean are we after Jesus paid for our sins?

It is written in the bible that we are like Jesus in this world.

1 John 4:17 = This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus.

This means that if you are born again, your identity is in Christ.

If Jesus is sinless, so am I

If Jesus is righteous, so am I

If Jesus is holy, so am I

If Jesus is seated on God’s right hand, so am I

If Jesus is blessed, so am I

If Jesus has favour with the Father, so am I

Once you believed that ALL your sins have been washed away, you should not have consciousness of sin.

Hebrews 10:2 = For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins.

And the devil will no power over you. And you will be able to live a life that Christ paid with his life for you to have.

 

[Stephen3141]

In the bible, there is a verse that says whoever is in Christ, there will no longer be condemnation.

Romans 8:1 = Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus

I have come to this conclusion that many Christians DO NOT believe that God has removed ALL their sins. They only believe that God removed the sins that they did before becoming a Christian. And they have to follow the law and try to live a sinless life (or try to sin less) to please God.

When they try to follow the law to please God, they are essentially arming the devil with a weapon. And whenever they break a law, the devil will use the law to condemn them. In Colossians 2:14-15, it says God disarmed the devil by Jesus’ death on the cross.

Colossians 2:14-15 = When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us ALL our sins, having cancelled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

How did God disarm the devil?

It is written in Ezekiel 18:20 “The soul that sinneth, it shall die.”

When Jesus died on the cross, he took our sins and paid the penalty on our behalf.

2 Corinthians 5:21 = God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Having paid fully for our sins, Jesus magnified and fulfilled the law. Since Jesus has fully paid for our debts (sins), we are no longer slaves under the law.

Imagine a man who purchase a house from HDB. Because he does not have money, therefore he has to take a loan from the bank. Every month, he has to pay the bank every month until the loan + interest is 100% cleared. Then one day, his father wanted to clear the loan for his son and paid everything that the man owes to the bank. Once the loan has been fully paid, the man is no longer under debt to the bank. When the next month come, even if the man receive a letter from the bank for loan payment. He can ignore the letter and penalty for non-payment because he knows the house have already been fully paid.

How do we know that Jesus has paid for my past, present and future sins?

Hebrews 9:26 & 28 says that Jesus appeared ONCE to do away with sin.

Hebrews 9:26 = Otherwise Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But he has appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself.

Hebrews 9:28 = so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.

God created time. Therefore, God is outside time. Most of the prophesies in the bible, God wrote them thousands of years in advance. It is written in the bible that God knows the end from the beginning.

Isaiah 46:9-10 = Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure.

Revelation 22:13 = I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.

If God knows the future, then God knows every single sin that we are going to do from the day we are born to the day we die. Therefore, Jesus’ death on the cross is payment for our past, present and future sins.

How clean are we after Jesus paid for our sins?

It is written in the bible that we are like Jesus in this world.

1 John 4:17 = This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus.

This means that if you are born again, your identity is in Christ.

If Jesus is sinless, so am I

If Jesus is righteous, so am I

If Jesus is holy, so am I

If Jesus is seated on God’s right hand, so am I

If Jesus is blessed, so am I

If Jesus has favour with the Father, so am I

Once you believed that ALL your sins have been washed away, you should not have consciousness of sin.

Hebrews 10:2 = For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins.

And the devil will no power over you. And you will be able to live a life that Christ paid with his life for you to have.

Again, I would show prudence, in coming to conclusions on what a lot of this language
means.

I don't see you quoting a primary teaching of Jesus, on this subject. That is,
his dialogue on "I am the true vine...".

1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower. 2 He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit, and every one that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit. 3 You are already pruned because of the word that I spoke to you. 4 Remain in me, as I remain in you. Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me. 5 I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing. 6 c Anyone who does not remain in me will be thrown out like a branch and wither; people will gather them and throw them into a fire and they will be burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you. 8 By this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples. 9 As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love.
New American Bible, Revised Edition. (Washington, DC: The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2011), Jn 15:1–10.


Jesus is giving severe warnings to "all branches that are in me" (to use his language).

Jesus is saying that branches "in me" had better show the fruit of righteous living,
or else the Father will take them away and destroy them.

This does not agree with some Christians' understanding of the
"God does it all"
theology, that seems to be popular.

Jesus is also laying out a scenario which continues throughout our life,
and is not talking about an instantaneous "conversion" experience.

I think that some of your assertions, are naive, and not what
Scripture means.

 

[Mark Quayle]

Again, I would show prudence, in coming to conclusions on what a lot of this language
means.

I don't see you quoting a primary teaching of Jesus, on this subject. That is,
his dialogue on "I am the true vine...".

1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower. 2 He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit, and every one that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit. 3 You are already pruned because of the word that I spoke to you. 4 Remain in me, as I remain in you. Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me. 5 I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing. 6 c Anyone who does not remain in me will be thrown out like a branch and wither; people will gather them and throw them into a fire and they will be burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you. 8 By this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples. 9 As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love.
New American Bible, Revised Edition. (Washington, DC: The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2011), Jn 15:1–10.


Jesus is giving severe warnings to "all branches that are in me" (to use his language).

Jesus is saying that branches "in me" had better show the fruit of righteous living,
or else the Father will take them away and destroy them.

This does not agree with some Christians' understanding of the
"God does it all"
theology, that seems to be popular.

Jesus is also laying out a scenario which continues throughout our life,
and is not talking about an instantaneous "conversion" experience.

I think that some of your assertions, are naive, and not what
Scripture means.

You are right, but admit, this venue doesn't lend itself to exhaustive study.

 

[com7fy8]

At the end of Roman's 8:4 Paul says he is speaking of >

"us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit."

I see that this means us who are submissive to God . . . so we are living in His love where there is no condemnation. Because we can not walk according to the Holy Spirit and not walk in His love.

"Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you." (James 4:7)

So, believing this and that is not enough > we need to submit to God and how *He* corrects us > Hebrews 12:4-14. Our Father corrects our character so we are and love like Jesus. Here is where there is no condemnation.

We need to trust Jesus by submitting to Him. And then we are guaranteed "rest for your souls" >

"'Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." (Matthew 11:29)

 

[Jo555]

It's the difference between law-conscience and Christ-conscience.
One brings condemnation and death. The other brings the realization that we are accepted in Christ and have life .
We remain in Him by faith. We are fully accepted and redeemed in Christ and with our faith in Him we remain in Him and bear fruit.

If we do not believe and are counting on our works, we are cut off due to unbelief.

Romans 11:
17 If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, 18 do not consider yourself to be superior to those other branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you. 19 You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.” 20 Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but tremble. 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either.

22 Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off. 23 And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. 24 After all, if you were cut out of an olive tree that is wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree!

 

[David Lamb]

And they have to follow the law and try to live a sinless life (or try to sin less) to please God.

I agree that sinless perfection is not possible in this life. However, Christians should certainly strive to sin less, in other words to be increasingly holy. It's what the bible calls "sanctification." For example, Peter wrote to his Christian readers:

“Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, "Be holy, for I am holy."” (1Pe 1:13-16 NKJV)

 

[Aaron112]

Romans 8:1 = Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus

Amen. Truth.

 

[Jo555]

I agree that sinless perfection is not possible in this life. However, Christians should certainly strive to sin less, in other words to be increasingly holy. It's what the bible calls "sanctification." For example, Peter wrote to his Christian readers:

“Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, "Be holy, for I am holy."” (1Pe 1:13-16 NKJV)

For the child of God there is discipline to turn us from sin so that we may walk with Him, bearing fruit.

It seems there can be two errors in extremes. One appears to be counting on works to be saved, and that everytime you slip you lose your salvation.

The other appears to be that sin doesn't matter and there are no consequences for sinning.

I find that errors generally come from disregarding a portion instead of seeing where it fits into the larger picture of Christ.

 

[Jo555]

For the child of God there is discipline to turn us from sin so that we may walk with Him, bearing fruit.

It seems there can be two errors in extremes. One appears to be counting on works to be saved, and that everytime you slip you lose your salvation.

The other appears to be that sin doesn't matter and there are no consequences for sinning.

I find that errors generally come from disregarding a portion instead of seeing where it fits into the larger picture of Christ.

Furthermore, the sad part is often those that are trying to help others find freedom from sin, point them to the law of just trying harder in their own power by partaking if the knowledge of good and evil, and the guilt and condemnation that comes with that, instead of acknowledging their weakness on their own, and putting their trust in the Lord who will empower us by his Spirit.

If we are looking to the way of old, we are putting ourselves under the curse of the law.

Was talking with someone about this recently. They were talking about deliverance ministry and I don't doubt there are good ones doing good works, yet the way she described it sounded like putting people back under the curse rather than the simplicity of turning to the Lord and trusting in Him.

 

[Johan2222]

In the bible, there is a verse that says whoever is in Christ, there will no longer be condemnation.

Romans 8:1 = Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus

I have come to this conclusion that many Christians DO NOT believe that God has removed ALL their sins. They only believe that God removed the sins that they did before becoming a Christian. And they have to follow the law and try to live a sinless life (or try to sin less) to please God.

When they try to follow the law to please God, they are essentially arming the devil with a weapon. And whenever they break a law, the devil will use the law to condemn them. In Colossians 2:14-15, it says God disarmed the devil by Jesus’ death on the cross.

Colossians 2:14-15 = When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us ALL our sins, having cancelled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

How did God disarm the devil?

It is written in Ezekiel 18:20 “The soul that sinneth, it shall die.”

When Jesus died on the cross, he took our sins and paid the penalty on our behalf.

2 Corinthians 5:21 = God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Having paid fully for our sins, Jesus magnified and fulfilled the law. Since Jesus has fully paid for our debts (sins), we are no longer slaves under the law.

Imagine a man who purchase a house from HDB. Because he does not have money, therefore he has to take a loan from the bank. Every month, he has to pay the bank every month until the loan + interest is 100% cleared. Then one day, his father wanted to clear the loan for his son and paid everything that the man owes to the bank. Once the loan has been fully paid, the man is no longer under debt to the bank. When the next month come, even if the man receive a letter from the bank for loan payment. He can ignore the letter and penalty for non-payment because he knows the house have already been fully paid.

How do we know that Jesus has paid for my past, present and future sins?

Hebrews 9:26 & 28 says that Jesus appeared ONCE to do away with sin.

Hebrews 9:26 = Otherwise Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But he has appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself.

Hebrews 9:28 = so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.

God created time. Therefore, God is outside time. Most of the prophesies in the bible, God wrote them thousands of years in advance. It is written in the bible that God knows the end from the beginning.

Isaiah 46:9-10 = Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure.

Revelation 22:13 = I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.

If God knows the future, then God knows every single sin that we are going to do from the day we are born to the day we die. Therefore, Jesus’ death on the cross is payment for our past, present and future sins.

How clean are we after Jesus paid for our sins?

It is written in the bible that we are like Jesus in this world.

1 John 4:17 = This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus.

This means that if you are born again, your identity is in Christ.

If Jesus is sinless, so am I

If Jesus is righteous, so am I

If Jesus is holy, so am I

If Jesus is seated on God’s right hand, so am I

If Jesus is blessed, so am I

If Jesus has favour with the Father, so am I

Once you believed that ALL your sins have been washed away, you should not have consciousness of sin.

Hebrews 10:2 = For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins.

And the devil will no power over you. And you will be able to live a life that Christ paid with his life for you to have.

There are many vain heretics today in the church teaching that God is a liar, saying the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to life, because they don’t want to hear the truth. 2 Timothy 4.3, 4.

Romans 3:25 KJV
Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

SINS THAT ARE PAST.

Hebrews 6:4-6 KJV
For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, [5] And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, [6] If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.

“It is impossible to renew those who fall away” after they have received Christ.

James 1:14-16 KJV
But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. [15] Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. [16] Do not err, my beloved brethren.

Sin brings forth death. But do you have life?

Is it not a sin to call God a liar?

1 Corinthians 6:9-10 KJV
Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, [10] Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

Revelation 21:8 KJV
. . . and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

James 2:19-20 KJV
Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. [20] But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

“O vain man”