Conviction and condemnation

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Romans 8:1

"Conviction" and "condemnation" are terms that you may have heard, but not fully understand.

In reading your bible and listening to sermons, we will frequently hear the terms that may at first seem to be very similar.

It is important to see that the two are very different.

Conviction
Conviction happens in the believer's life when the Holy Spirit tells us that something that we have done or are contemplating is not in agreement with God's will for us.

For example, if we have not prepared well for a test we are to take in school, we may have considered the possibility of cheating. We know that cheating is wrong and we hear the Holy Spirit telling us so.

Maybe we have heard something about someone at work that we don't know to be true, yet we repeat it to a co-worker. Again, the Holy Spirit is there to tell us what we've just done is wrong and let's us know that we should repent and ask for forgiveness.

In these two examples, the Holy Spirit is convicting us. He is helping us to remember what is right and what is wrong.

Condemnation
God created us for fellowship with Himself. We were created for His pleasure.

When we choose to live apart from God, we live in sin. The result of this sin is condemnation by God.

Once we become Christians, we are no longer condemned by God for sin. That is the good news! Being born again makes us new creations in Christ. We are no longer our old self and Christ now lives his life in us and through us.

If we sin after becoming Christians we are not condemned, but through repentance, we receive forgiveness through Christ's death on the cross.

Father,

We rejoice that we are no longer living under condemnation, but are new creatures in Christ. We thank you for the Holy Spirit who convicts us of any wrong doing and for Your grace to grant us forgiveness. We pray to you in the name of Your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen