There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. Romans 8:1
Read that whole chapter if you have about two extra minutes. Or remember to later.
Condemnation.
This is what I got when I typed it in on Google.
con·dem·na·tion
ˌkändəmˈnāSH(ə)n/
noun
1.
the expression of very strong disapproval; censure.
"there was strong international condemnation of the attack"
| synonyms: | censure, criticism, strictures, denunciation, vilification; More |
2.
the action of condemning someone to a punishment; sentencing
I grew up knowing about God. I didn't know Him though.
We can all say we know about the President of the United States, but we don't know him.
There's a big, big difference.
Incase you've never read my blog before, (which I saw on my stats that someone in Ukraine read one of my posts recently... that's the first time from anyone from that country... so, hello to you!)
but incase you've never read my blog before I will give you a really quick background on me.
My name is Hannah.
I've been married nearly eight years to truly my best friend in the world.
We have a daughter and a son.
I'm nearly 27. (yikes, pushing 30!)
My dad was an alcoholic until I was 12 years old, which was when he was saved.
At 17 years old I accepted Jesus into my heart and repented of my sins.
A couple weeks later I was baptized.
I believe we don't make enough about baptism because we are supposed to do as Jesus instructed, but I don't believe that it is essential for salvation. I've watched people die sad and sickly deaths and they physically couldn't get baptized if they wanted to. My aunt and uncle were missionaries in Africa and they used to preach that you needed to be baptized because that is a needed part of salvation until the water in the village they lived in was so dirty they couldn't even get in it. So, they realized that couldn't and wouldn't preach that. The thief on the cross next to Jesus was not baptized. What about those two weeks in between the time I was saved and baptized? Was I not saved? Of course I was. My point is that I 100% believe in baptism and that if you can do it, do it! But whether or not you are baptized, I do not believe the Lord will deny you eternal life if you have repented of your sins and your heart is right with Him. Again, I do believe you need to be baptized if physically possible though. Okay... moving on!
I wasn't perfect before I was saved.
And I'm not perfect now.
My Uncle Zane preached two weeks ago at his church and he said to everyone, "I don't need to know all your dirty details." There's nothing wrong with telling your testimony. I have heard some people's testimonies over and over again and they will tell you enough for you to get "the picture" or "the idea." Not details that will be stuck in your head every time you see them... I also had a friend say to me something that I also totally agreed with. She said that so many girls hide behind being a "good Christian girl" and never telling people (other women) that that wasn't always the case! I think it's healthy to share your life before you were a Christian with someone who it would help and encourage, to the extent that you would feel comfortable with. Now getting up speaking on stage in front of 500 strangers... that's your call.
God doesn't expect us to hang out all our dirty laundry or bring out all the skeletons in our closets to prove how bad we were.
My dad was a drunk. My father in law has never touched alcohol of any form to his lips.
Mary Magdalene for sure had some issues. I know some women (who at least paint the picture!) who have it all together, all the time.
I told lies before I was a Christian. Maybe you have never told a lie...? I would like to shake your hand. Seriously.
I have a friend who slept around a bit before she was saved. Grant and I shared our "firsts" together on our wedding night.
While we are on the subject of sex... let me just throw this little nugget out there for ya.
Do you know that looking upon a woman with lust is having adultery with her in your heart? That's what the Bible says. So to everyone who prances around with an imaginary medal on your chest that says "VIRGIN WHEN MARRIED" in big bold letters... although that is something to be commended for and I pray already over my children that they will share their first engagement in sex on their wedding night...
I pray for their PURITY above that.
Purity people!
Everyone has their own opinions, and they're entitled to that just as I am, but I believe the guy who looked at porn for the past 10 years up until he got married but he was a virgin... is just as impure as the girl who had sex once or 200 times before her wedding night.
Where do you draw the line then, Hannah? you ask...
Well, use some horse sense first off. Secondly, if it's making you want to lead to something more, it's wrong! Call me old fashioned or dumb or whatever. I don't care. I don't write for your approval anyhow. But, I know I'm right on this.
I know a girl who has all kinds of tattoos. I mean all kinds... I know another girl who doesn't have her ears pierced.
I know a guy who used to be addicted to meth. I don't even know what meth looks like, honestly.
Do they sniff it? Shoot it? Smoke it? Well, I'm thankful I don't know!
Big lie. White lie.
Prostitute. Child molester. Rapist.
Jealous of your best friend. Gossips about everyone.
Expects everyone to wait on you. Because you're entitled to be respected and nobody else is.
Says every dirty word. 100 times a day. Says a dirty word only when really, really upset.
Kissed only the man you're married to right now. Did everything leading up to sex, but didn't have the final act of sex. Had sex a few times in high school and college. Or maybe a few hundred times.
Gay.
Had an abortion. Slaps your kids. Yells at them.
Beats your wife. Secretly hates your wife.
Had a full out physical affair. Emotional, texting only affair. Porn addict.
Drugs, every single day. Smokes cigarettes when stressed out. Overeats when stressed.
Laziness. Won't pay people back when you owe them. Makes people feel bad for you all the time, like you don't have any money. Ever.
Knows all the Bible and always has an answer but shows zero love to the lost and dying world around you because you're too caught up in your life and your problems.
Are you any of these? Maybe not. But I have a feeling there is a good... No. A great chance that over half the people who will read this can find themselves in one of the sentences above.
You may be thinking... okay Hannah. Way to make me FEEL condemnation.
Well, I am going to leave you with a thought.
What if God sent his Son to die only for the people who had never drank, never made out with anyone other then their spouse, never cussed, never lied, never was jealous.
Well, my, my.
We cheapen and lessen what He did on the Cross of Calvary when He shed His innocent blood when we believe Satan's LIE, that we will never be good enough to be saved. Never be clean enough. Never be holy enough. Never be a strong enough prayer warrior. Satan is good at one thing. Lying. He led me to believe for the longest time that I wasn't ever going to be a powerful Christian because of anything I said or did before or after I was a Christian. He told me I will never be good enough for God. He tries to still do that to me in my relationships with others. I often find myself trying to win a friend over, when in reality, if they truly love me... they will love every part of me. Not just the Hannah who can do for them and make them laugh. But the Hannah who needs uplifting occasionally and may be moody sometimes and not have a single interesting thing to say. (Usually the moodiness is due to hunger, FYI.)
My point though, that I'm wanting so badly to make... is this.
You weren't perfect before you were saved. You aren't perfect now. I wasn't perfect before I was saved. I'm not now either. Your Pastor, your best friend, the televangelist, the homeless lady laying on the sidewalk. They never were and never will be perfect.
I believe in holy living. But I also believe we won't know true holiness and perfection until we step over into Glory. I want sin out of my life... "Big" or "small." It's all the same in God's eyes. Sure, different sins have caused different judgments to fall on a person or people, but sin in itself, no matter when you did it, before or after Salvation happened for you, no matter the degree, separates us from God and puts you and I in desperate need of a Savior and His forgiving Hand on our dirty lives.
Read that line I underlined above a few times and let it sink in.
Condemnation is from Satan. Guilt is from Satan.
But as a Blood bought Child of God, WE HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO MAKE HIM FLEE through the powerful and mighty Name of Jesus Christ.
Rebuke Satan! Read Roman 8. It'll turn your whole day and if you let it, your whole life around.
Thank you so much for reading.
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