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About Jesus Steve Sweetman
"This
then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in His
presence whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts and He knows
everything." Has your heart ever condemned you? Do you sometimes have feelings of condemnation? They may appear at your heart's doorstep when you're feeling a little insecure. Not all that we feel is an accurate portrayal of the real situation. There are two things we can learn from this verse that can help us in these times. One truth is found in the previous verse that says, "let us not love in word or in tongue but with action and truth". (1 John 3:18) John says that if we love with action, we can rest, and be at peace when our hearts condemn us. The reverse may be true as well. If we do not love with action our hearts may be justified in its condemnation. According to this verse, if we love we don't need to feel condemned. There is something else that is said here. John tells us that God is greater than our hearts. This is vital in our discussion. The Lord knows everything, as this verse says. He knows our actions and our hearts. Even though we may condemn ourselves, He doesn't. He looks at us through the blood that was shed on the cross. He sees the true sinful condition of our lives, yet He sees it through blood stained glasses. Therefore we are righteous and holy in His eyes. We don't stand in a place of guilt or condemnation. We have been acquitted, and set free from all wrong doing, and any resulting feelings of condemnation. We all know John 3:16 but look at verse 17 and 18. "For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him. Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe in Him is condemned already..." Here we see that Jesus does not condemn us. If we believe in God's provision we are free from condemnation no matter how we feel. If we do not believe, we stand condemned. Condemnation is a state of being, not a feeling. Does this shed
any light of our feelings? Can you see what you feel at times may not be accurate.
Do you know that God doesn't condemn you? Do you know that condemnation is
not a feeling? It is a state of being, a judgment pronounced against you by God.
God has pronounced the believer free from condemnation. The unbeliever though is condemned
already because he has chosen not to believe.
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