Unforgiveness leads to condemnation.
Good afternoon my God, Faith ,Grace , and dachshund family , I pray that everyone is having a thoughtful Tuesday. I pray today that you can put someone first before yourself, and pay it forward. The last two or three days we have been discussing un-forgiveness, and forgiveness. This is a very hard topic to cover , because we all grow at different rates , and forgiveness does not come easy to some people for different reasons.
Today I would like to explore with you a first cousin to un-forgiveness. I guess some of you maybe wondering what that would be, and when I state it, some of you might disagree and that’s fine, because this is a discussion. So, I’m going to piggyback a little on the past few days , because I believe they are connected. Many times when we find it hard to forgive someone we end up condemning that person, condemnation is the word for today.
Have you ever noticed how hard it is to train your dachshund babies or children when you find fault in everything they do. You tell them to sit and they stand or to come and they run in the opposite direction, and then you get frustrated, and say you will never learn to sit or come, there’s just no help for you. Some people tell their children you will never amount to anything, or you might say I will never forgive you.
Condemnation can be defined as “to pronounce to be guilty, to sentence to punishment, or to pass judgment against.” kataginosko {kat-ag-in-o’-sko}
from 2596 and 1097
(1) to find fault with, blame
(2) to accuse, condemn
KJV: condemn 2, blame 1
I stated above that condemnation was the first cousin to un-forgiveness and I mention it this way , because a lot of time we have already past judgement on that person, because we might think we are in a better position in Christ. When I don’t forgive some I’m basically passing judgement on that person, like you will never amount to anything, I just spoke a negative word in that person’s life.
Most of you should remember the parable of the woman caught in the act of adultery. John 8:4-11 (KJV)
4 They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.
5 Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?
6 This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.
7 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.
8 And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.
9 And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.
10 When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?
11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.
Un-forgiveness and condemnation are cousins, because we are putting ourselves in God’s place. Jesus had every right and the authority to judge the woman caught in adultery, Jesus was the only person there without sin, but yet He did not condemn her. Jesus was more interested in the woman’s future rather than her past. When it takes someone a long time to forgiven someone , they are continually living in the past and reliving whatever it is that someone has done to them, they have condemn the person and passed judgement on that person.
When you condemn someone you are in effect saying that you are the judge, jury and the executioner. The woman accusers wanted her stoned to death and according to Jewish law ,she could have been stoned on the spot, but Jesus in His wisdom asked the question. Let him who is without sin cast a stone. As we see in scripture no on cast a stone, and then Jesus make this remarkable statement. John 8:10-11 (KJV) 10 When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? 11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.
Inconclusion when we see a brother or sister in sin go to them in private. Matthew 18:15 (NIV)
15 “If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. When we condemn someone, we are passing judgement. We have just as many opportunities to witness than we do to condemn someone.
As we look at the news and, in our homes, and neighborhoods not everyone is a Christian. We cannot condemn them because they might be living a lifestyle that does not conform to the word of God. They may be living in adultery, or homosexuality, drugs, atheist or anything that does not line up with the word of God. It’s simply our job to share Christ and let Holy Spirit do the rest. That’s what Jesus would do.
