It is troubling to see how many Christians today are weighted down under a spirit of condemnation. They are in condemnation because they feel like they are failing to keep the commandments of Christ. This is as important a subject as we will ever face, because it is a reflection of our Christian walk. How do we walk in love when confronted with the unlovely? The key is found in the above verse. We must be in Christ Jesus, and we must walk in the Spirit and not in the flesh. What we sometimes fail to comprehend is that there is never agreement between the flesh and the Spirit. The two will always be at odds. Much of the condemnation we feel is solely of the flesh, reinforced by the judgments of others. There will always be someone who is more than happy to heap coals of condemnation on the head of anyone trying to walk with God. Most of the condemnation we experience is simply our not living up to someone else's expectations.

Carnal interpretation of the commandments leaves room for nothing but failure. Evil men use these same commandments to manipulate, control and browbeat Christians into doing what they want them to do. We need to understand that there is nothing weak or wimpy about walking with God. It takes far more inner strength to turn the other cheek, to go the extra mile, to forgive than it does to defend self, to refuse to help or to harbor resentment. In our flesh, of our own strength, we will never be able to keep the commandments of Christ, nor does He expect us to. It takes the power of the Holy Spirit of God within to keep His commandments.

At best, self can only put on an outward imitation of walking in holiness. In today's world we see many examples of people who have the perfect smile, the right answers, all the outer trappings of good works, but your spirit cringes when in their presence. They may fool some people, but the Spirit knows every thought they think and sees into the deepest recess of their hearts. You can expect to encounter people who intellectually you can find no fault with, yet inside you cannot escape the feeling that something is just not right. This is the Holy Spirit within you discerning that you are in the presence of a counterfeit.

Know that the world is well aware of the commandments we are called to keep. There are many that use these same teachings as though they were weapons with which to abuse Christians. To walk in the Spirit frees us from condemnation. Keeping the commandments of Christ can only be accomplished in the power of the Spirit. The way that the wicked interpret Christ's commandments are not what we are called to walk in. To do that is trying to please men rather than pleasing God, in direct contrast to what we are called to do. When we get out of line, when we are acting or thinking in a way that is displeasing to the Spirit, we will feel conviction, not condemnation.

Because so many are victimized by condemnation, let's look in the Word at exactly what condemnation is and how it affects us spiritually. The word condemnation is not found in the Old Testament, but is used 12 times in the New Testament:

Luke 23:40 But the other answering rebuked him, saying, dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation (decision, judgment)? This was spoken by one of the men crucified with Christ, in response to the other who railed at Jesus saying,"Save thyself and us." The first man goes on to state that they were justly receiving their due reward for their deeds, while Jesus had done nothing wrong.

John 3:19 And this is the condemnation (justice, divine law, damnation), that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

John 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation (justice, divine law, damnation); but is passed from death unto life. Romans 5:16 And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation (adverse sentence), but the free gift is of many offences unto justification (an act of righteousness).

Romans 5:18 Therefore as by the offense of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation (adverse sentence); even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.

Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation (adverse sentence) to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

1 Corinthians 11:34 And if any man hunger, let him eat at home; that ye come not together unto condemnation (decision, judgment). And the rest will I set in order when I come. (In the full context, Paul was exhorting the believers concerning the taking of communion, and each one judging themselves lest they partake unworthily.)

2 Corinthians 3:9 For if the ministration (attendance, service) of condemnation (sentencing, adversely) be glory (dignity, honor, praise, worship), much more (to a greater degree) doth the ministration (to tear asunder, break, rend) of righteousness (Christian justification) exceed (super abound) in glory.

1 Timothy 3:6 Not a novice (young convert), lest being lifted up with pride (inflate with self conceit) he fall (be entrapped by) into the condemnation (damnation, judgment) of the devil (false accuser, slanderer). (Requirements to hold church office.)

James 3:1 My brethren, be not many masters (teachers), knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation (decision, judgment). (Those who teach are held to a higher accountability.)

James 5:12 But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea by yea; and your nay be nay; lest ye fall into condemnation (deceit, hypocrisy).

Jude 1:4 For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation (decision, judgment), ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness (lust, indecent, recklessly disregardful of justice, decency, deliberate maliciousness), and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.

There is a condemnation against all sin. There is divine law, justice and judgment, by which each one of us shall be called to give an account of our lives. Our acceptance of God, and Jesus Christ as Lord, exempts us from damnation. Damnation awaits all who refuse to believe, to obey, and to give honor and glory to God.

Our greatest responsibility is to live in the Spirit. We tend to try and discern spiritual things with the carnal mind. The Word tells us that the carnal mind is at enmity with the Spirit, and can never be subject to the law of God (Rom. 8). It is imperative that first, we believe, and second, that we become sensitive to the Spirit of God within. We need to stop trying to anticipate what we think our responses should be. When we are focused on trying to figure out how Jesus would act, we are looking to our own understanding. If you are walking with God, and seeking His will above your own, then rest in Him. He is right there. The Spirit does not always respond with hugs and kisses. There is such a thing as righteous indignation. Jeremiah 10:10 But the Lord is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting king: at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation (fury, especially of God's displeasure with sin).

When we interpret the commandments to love, carnally, from our own understanding, we can only fail. If Jesus had come to earth with the same concept of love that we possess, he would never have given His life a ransom for many. If you let them, those enemies of the cross of Christ will browbeat you with the commandments of Christ. The Spirit's response is never predictable, sometimes He'll have you keep silent and suffer the verbal onslaught, other times he will have you respond by saying it like it is. Jesus is our example, what did Jesus do? One day I sat down and went through the four Gospels, just focusing on Jesus' words. I was surprised at some of the ways he responded to people, and the harsh way that He spoke to some, especially the religious leaders, as well as the disciples. At no time did I see evidence that Christ was weak or afraid of anything of this world. We are called to follow Christ, to walk in the Spirit putting down our flesh, making it subservient to the Spirit. We need to be aware of the difference between condemnation and conviction. The first is usually from man (the devil), while the second is what we feel when we have grieved the Spirit of God. We need to recognize what we are feeling, and then respond accordingly, refusing to accept condemnation and repenting when under conviction.

Condemnation is one of the most exercised tools in the devils arsenal. It is a most deceptive form of attack because it uses the Word of God against the believer. We fall prey to it when we are still trying to be a Christian in our own strength, and have not yet learned to fully surrender all to Christ and live by the Spirit. Each step we take toward surrendering our thoughts, our interpretations of the scriptures, our best efforts to be Christ like, takes us that much closer to walking in the Spirit continually. There is no more "how should I respond?" "What would Jesus do?" there is simply acceptance that you are in Christ, and no longer live from the realm of trying to please men.

Sin is sin, blasphemy is blasphemy, rebellion and rejection never have been and never will be tolerated by a Holy God. So much of what we say and do is what we think others expect of us. We need to learn to trust the Spirit of God within us. He knows our thoughts; the intents of our hearts, and will never give us more than we can bear. He will never leave us or forsake us. Isn't it time we learn to rest in Him? To trust that the response that rises up within is from God, and not our flesh? To walk in the Spirit is to bypass the intellect. Our mind is where we come under attack. Mentally we can debate the prompting of the Spirit literally to death. We will never receive the mind of Christ by our intellect. "That which is spirit is spirit, and that which is flesh is flesh."

I have witnessed blasphemers using the Word as a bludgeon to try and manipulate professing believers into doing what they want them to do. "Love me, forgive me, give to me, be kind to me, while I continue to mock and ridicule your God." This is nothing new; it has gone on since the beginning of time. That does not make it any less troubling when one is confronted with it. We will all have to give an accounting of our lives before God.

The ungodly are by no means the primary users of condemnation; religious leaders are adept in the use of it. An example being: a young man had come to the Lord and was seeking to follow Christ with all his heart. The church he was attending began to push the people to get out and witness, go door to door and invite people to their church. They must come in and accept all the teachings of the church; their specific take on baptism and all the other rules and regulations they had established. The young man wanted to do what God wanted him to but did not feel right about doing this. One Sunday morning while driving his family to church he felt intense condemnation because he was not doing what they were pushing him to do. The opening verse came to him and he spoke it aloud in the car. Because he had accepted Jesus as his Lord, God did not condemn him. He was experiencing condemnation because he was not satisfying the desires and requirements of men. As soon as he spoke the verse aloud he felt a weight lifted off him. This condemnation did not originate with God, but with man. The same leader later told this young man that if he left this church, he would go to hell.

2 Timothy 3:16, 17 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. Many try to manipulate and coerce others into doing what they want, believing the way they believe, and walking in the light from their fire... use this same scripture. We are charged to follow Christ. If you are in a situation where someone is trying to Lord it over you and using condemnation as a means of doing so, you can rest assured that God is not the author of it.

Another example: A man was a member of a very large, established Assembly of God Church. They were putting together a program. The pastor approached this man and told him that he had a specific role in mind for this man to play. When the man told the pastor that the Lord had told him he did not want him to be in this program, the pastor was very offended. From that time on the man was shunned. This is a perfect example of the pastor wanting the parishioners to do what he wanted them to do. He had no respect for the individuals' own personal walk, nor did he care whether they were being obedient to what God had shown them. His only concern was what he wanted. This is far too common an occurrence in Churches today.

The next time you feel condemnation, look for the source. Who is it coming from? Then look to the Christ within, and give it to Him. As long as we are in Christ, we do not have to live in condemnation. Send it back to source from which it came. Press into knowing God in greater depths, lengths, breadths and heights than you have ever known.

John 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. As Christ has overcome the world, Christ in us will also overcome the world in our lives as well.