The Condemnation Condition

Condemnation.
I struggle with it, it really bothers me.
I see it almost daily- in public, in private conversation, and quite often in social media, and it stings like salt in a wound.  My spirit cringes, for real!  This is not what being a Christian is about. There have been times I've caught myself starting to say something only to realize it is coming out as a condemning statement, and I have to stop myself.  There is no taking back a spoken word, and my tongue can be so thoughtless.  I will have nothing to do with it, it will NEVER be a part of my message.

"Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.…"    Romans 8:1

Pretty clear to me, how about you?  So why then does it keep popping up everywhere I turn?

The Problem

I see those trapped in the Condemnation Condition as being like a fisherman casting a wide and careless net.  In most instances this begins innocently out of genuine Christian concern.  However, while you may reel in some who recognize themselves in your blatant highlighting of faults and feel conviction to change, there are an uncountable many more that will be wounded by it.  Not MIGHT be, I said WILL be wounded by it.  Not to mention you leave behind a huge powder keg for the enemy, who will relentlessly twist and contort it for further confusion and ultimate alienation from Christ.  When you feel the urge, I beg you, IT IS NOT WORTH IT! 

The Holy Spirit has made me sensitive to the spirit of condemnation in others around me and I know I've caught myself in it, too.  Frustrating!  My husband has heard me preach this sermon so many times he could probably recite my points by heart (I took pity on you and made this short, so pity that man!), it has been burning in my soul for quite awhile now.  My journey of study through this topic has lead me to two essentials in battling condemnation:

1.  Truth.
2.  Love.

Finally, a pretty simple answer!  Both of these principles together will squash condemnation at its very core.  What I have witnessed first-hand is that truth spoken without love is a perfect recipe for condemnation, and often falls upon deaf ears.  But in the same vein, if you have love without truth, it is merely a smoke and mirrors lie of the devil.  Much like a chemical reaction in your high school science lab, these two elements are poison by themselves, but mix them together correctly and you have the ability to create a new product, more beautiful than its parts. 

 "As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; but SPEAKING THE TRUTH IN LOVE, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ,"  Eph. 4:15
(emphasis mine)

The Truth and The Love:  

I have many times allowed condemnation to escape my lips, some days it is a quite an effort to avoid it!  Even writing about condemnation I find myself foreseeing that the possibility exists that it may come across as condemnation against those who are caught in this sad Condemnation Condition.  This is not in any way my purpose.  I have been working on this blog post for some time, doing my best to speak the Truth in Love and hopefully open some eyes.  The reality is that the Condemnation Condition is real and functioning silently as a virus, running rampant through our churches and destroying our testimonies.  I love people, I cannot continue to sit by idly and watch the destruction happen!  

We CANNOT and WILL NOT successfully reach ANYONE for Christ when the stink of condemnation taints our breath.  So, what's the answer?  Put these two verses (Romans 8:1, Ephesians 4:15)  deep into our hearts and make a decision to only speak the truth in love.  Not just truth, not just love.  You're not perfect, and oh, Lord help me, I am FAR from it, but with the Holy Spirit's help we can finally stop treading water in the murky waves and get out there and get some real work done in the body of Christ!