Hey Pastor John,
After you left our house tonight, I remembered a couple of things that stood out to me from The Father and Son* reading this Past Sunday night.
The first part was from the Just a Few section. It said, “Since nothing good dwells in us, as Paul said, it follows that if anyone feels guilt for doing wrong, it is never that he is convicted by his own conscience, for conviction for sin is good, and good is not in us.”
Nothing good in us… what a thought!
That led me to wonder what the difference is between conviction and condemnation, as seen in 1 John 3:19-20: “And by this, we know that we are of the truth, and we will assure our hearts before Him, for if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and He understands everything.”
Is condemnation the opposite of justification?
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Condemnation and conviction are parts of the same experience. Our hearts condemn us only when God convicts us of wrongdoing. Our hearts, on their own, cannot condemn us. God must first convict us.
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And if faith is having confidence that what I am doing is pleasing to God, then what would be the opposite of that—the confidence that what I am doing is displeasing to God?
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Such confidence is what faith is, and faith is the opposite of unbelief, which is refusing to believe the truth that God freely offers.
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Also, in the Finding Glory section, you said, “Many of God’s children who join a Christian church live unsatisfied lives, unfulfilled in Church religion, but thinking they are pleasing God, they go along with the program.”
That touched me because it is the absolute truth to me. In Christianity, I felt that hope-crushing burden. I called that miserable feeling “keeping the faith” or “fighting the good fight.” Sure, I had some good times at church functions, but when I’d get home, I’d feel empty. I wanted the Holy Ghost; I wanted to know the truth of it all; I wanted to feel something real. And those neatly wrapped, feel-good sermons just couldn’t hold water by the end of the day. I remember wondering if there was something wrong with me.
I was relieved when I realized I was not “saved” and that my life didn’t have to continue that way, and that there is so much more we can experience in God during this life. It felt like not being “saved” actually saved my life.
I am so grateful Jesus rescued me from that tormenting lie. And I am very thankful he put me in your care with this wonderful body.
Thank you!
Johnny
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