So I was encouraged to read these words in CJ Mahaney's The Cross Centred Life the other day. Balm for a tender conscience.
Condemnation appears in innumerable forms. It's the weight on the heart of the businessman who was rarely home when his kids were growing up. It's the undercurrent of grief and mental self-torture in the woman who had an abortion twelve years ago. It's the nagging conscience of the Cristian man who muttered a crude insult at a reckless driver twelve minutes ago. It's the lingering sense of regret over a lack of prayer; it's kind words unsaid and promises broken.CJ Mahaney The Cross Centred Life 37-43
Some of us have been carrying so much, for so long, that we think it's normal to go through life weighted down. ... But in Romans 8:1 the Bible tells us, "There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." ...
The enemy of our soul with his lies will always be swift to whisper accusations. When these challenges come, don't try to fight condemnation by promising to pray more, or to fast more often, or to memorize more Scripture. ... It's impossible to resolve issues of yesterday by doing better tomorrow. ...
You can't do it. That's why Jesus did it for you. ...
Lay down the luggage of condemnation and kneel down in worship at the feet of Him who bore your sins.
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2 comments:
Milton Vincent in "A Gospel Primer for Christians" addressed this issue in a way that really helped me. He writes, "As long as I am stricken with the guilt of my sins, I will be captive to them, and will often find myself re-committing the very sins about which I feel most guilty. The Devil is well aware of this fact; he knows that if he can keep me tormented by sin's guilt, he can dominate me with sin's power.
"The gospel, however, slays sin at this root point and thereby nullifies sin's power over me. The forgiveness of God, made known to me through the gospel, liberates me from sin's power because it liberates me first from its guilt; and preaching such forgiveness to myself is a practical way of putting the gospel into operation as a nullifier of sin's power in my life."
Thanks, Violet! Check out tomorrow's post ...
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