The Hawaiian Moorhen in my photograph above almost looks as if it is gathering sticks. People sometimes beat themselves up with imaginary blows from "sticks" of self-condemnation and extreme guilt. When you think about it, that sounds a lot like perverted pride. A "How could I, cool and collected as I am and being so righteous, ever sin like that?" attitude. That smacks of relying on self-effort instead of relying on the good Lord to help you. Remember that God hates pride (Proverbs 8:13; James 4:6).
When you feel guilty and condemned, you need to humble yourself and go to God and ask for forgiveness. Only He can forgive and cast your sins away and wipe the slate clean.
"Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you." - 1 Peter 5:7
But the verse we will focus on primarily this time is Romans 8:1 which says,
"There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit."
The term "in Christ Jesus" is unique to the New Testament. It truly expresses well the condition of the Christian as soon as he believes in Jesus, the Savior. The true believer surrenders all to Jesus, and desires to follow closely in His footsteps; to imitate Christ as much as he possibly can. If he is a true follower of the Lord, his life will bear much fruit. He looks to God and Jesus with true faith and obedience. Therefore, the person that is in Christ is one who can say, "In the LORD have I righteousness and strength.........". (Isaiah 45:24)
Self-conviction is very different from Holy Spirit-conviction. When the Lord convicts, He is specific as He lets us know where we were wrong, and He will oftentimes remind us of Scriptures to set us straight again and back on the right path. When coming from the good Lord, it is not a morbid in-the-pits type of doom and gloom, but one that turns us to Him in repentance and a sincere heart to confess the sin and then to not continue in that sin anymore. If you truly are converted, you have the Holy Spirit to always keep you on track where God's will is concerned.
Self-conviction can totally consume you in despair and guilt and feelings of not being good enough; you lose proper Christian perspective and, again, you need to turn to the Lord in prayer and confession.
Another thing to consider is the fact that these intense feelings of condemnation may be coming from the enemy: satan, or one of his demons. Such negativity is not coming from Jesus. Evil spirits want to condemn you and deceive you; satan is a liar and a deceiver, and will stop at nothing to tear you down and make you feel guilty and as if there is no hope. When you feel evil attacks on your mind, say the name of Jesus out loud. Or also say out loud, "I plead the blood of Jesus." Also, pray with fervor to the Lord for help. True, devout Christians cannot be demon possessed (remember Job was righteous and yet suffered terribly from the attacks of satan); so believers today may also suffer from the negativity of the demons. You need to remember that Jesus paid the price for your sin by His shed blood at Calvary; He took God's wrath for sin (your sin) upon Himself, and paved the way for you to gain eternal life if you but have faith and believe in Him. He paid the price for your sins. When you become a believer and a follower of Jesus Christ, there is no more condemnation for you. (Romans 8:1)
Remember, the Holy Spirit will not let you wallow in despair and gloom, but will move you to confess your sins and depart from them.
"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." - 1 John 1:9
But what about the unbeliever? Then, I am afraid, the unconverted will face God's wrath. Jesus, at the judgment, will have to say, "I never knew you: depart from Me, ye that work iniquity." (Matthew 7:23; read also Matthew 7:15-22). This may apply primarily to the false prophets, but it also applies to unconverted and carnal persons.
I urge you, if you have not yet accepted by faith Jesus Christ as your Savior, to do so now, while it is not too late.
We are living in the last days (Matthew 24). Jesus will return soon to take all true believers to heaven to be with Him.
"For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words." - 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18
Those words will be a comfort to the true believers and describe the Rapture of the Church. It is not comfort to carnal, sinful men who never gave their life to Jesus. Many will be left behind to face the seven year tribulation period when God pours out His wrath on all the ungodly persons left behind. There will be plagues and catastrophes like the world has never seen before. Much of the earth will be ruined, the water turned to blood, and much more as mentioned in the Bible in the book of Revelation. I urge you to read all of Revelation.
The Lord does not wish to see any perish, but instead that all come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9).
Repent and turn to the Lord today, while there is still time. Faith and belief in Jesus is your only hope.
Confess and repent of all known sin and begin to live a godly life.
Jesus will welcome you with open arms of forgiveness and love.
"The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." - 2 Peter 3:9
"And this is His commandment, that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as He gave us commandment." - 1 John 3:23
"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." - John 3:16
