Grace, Not Condemnation

John 1:16, ESV

For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.

Romans 8:1, ESV

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

I think God wants to remind us of this today. 

It’s an ironic thing that the more we grow in relationship with God, the more aware we become of our sinfulness. Sometimes the disappointment we feel in ourselves when we’ve messed up can lend a way for the enemy to have a heyday in our heads. It doesn’t matter if it was a response we regretted, a thought that took us off-guard, or some kind of word or action we’re ashamed of, the enemy loves to beat us down with his hammer of condemnation. 

But condemnation is just a fraud for those of us who know Jesus—because there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ! When we carry condemnation, we pick back up something we don’t have to carry. When we carry condemnation, we pick back up a guilty sentencing that Jesus already paid.

It’s not a bad thing to be disappointed in ourselves when we expected more from ourselves, but disappointment and conviction in Christ lead to repentance. Repentance lifts us up and turns our eyes on God, and God removes our sin as far away from us as the east is from the west.

That’s grace.

Condemnation, however, beats us down and turns our eyes off God and onto us. And if our disappointment in ourselves doesn’t eventually fade into the background of grace, then we’re too fixated on who we are rather than on who Jesus is—and we probably thought too highly of ourselves to begin with. 

By the grace of God, God began the good work in us, He will continue the good work in us, and He will bring it to completion—at the day of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 1:6)

Until then, we’re all just works-in-progress—and until then, there’s grace. :) 

Thank you, Lord, for your grace! Teach us how to extend grace—not only to others, but also to ourselves. Teach us to live according to your grace and not to allow the enemy to have his way with something you already paid for. Amen.