Comments on: Condemnation

By: Words from Brothers and Sisters across the Blogosphere « Cindy in South Dakota

Sun, 24 Jan 2010 23:59:58 +0000

[...] Condemnation on Birget Whelan, by Birget Whelan. What a ministry to the hurting heart! Not so long ago it was not unusual for me to feel so burdened down and distressed by past sins and my own unworthiness that I must have really irritated God, whose blood I dishonored by my unbelief. It’s not about our unworthiness–it’s about His love. [...]

By: Birgit

Birgit — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 14:23:15 +0000

Hi Cindy, so good to see you :) and you have captured so well the heart of God’s grace here – “We cannot pay, but He already did.” What a gift that we have been set free of our past mistakes, and are loved so unconditionally.
Love and blessings to you.

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So lovely to see you, Laree. With lots of love xo

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Wow, this is such a good point, Des, that we can come to Him – just as we are. That He meets us here, and it is His Spirit that works in us to bring about healing and change and freedom from sin. His grace abounds.
Thanks for your thoughts, lots of love xo

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This is a really good point @ngie, I hadn’t thought of that – in the end, because of Jesus’ incredible grace, this woman received mercy, and freedom – did the man? We obviously don’t read any more about him.
It makes me think that as painful as it can be to come to God in our weakness and regret and shame, that the experience of His forgiveness and grace is the incredible gift of doing so.
I love the new perspectives you bring!

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Michelle, you and I have so much in common, friend :) Like you, I seem to remind myself regularly of the ways I am letting God down, with a heart that really wants to please Him. At different times, God does this incredible thing of reminding me in a hundred different ways about His grace, that His grace and mercy and love abounds to me and each of us, because of Jesus. Whenever I get this fresh revelation, it is like letting out a sigh of relief! What a gift we have been given. Total freedom because of Jesus.
I pray that He continues to encourage of us with this really good news! :)
Thank you so much for your prayers at this time. Look forward to catching up more soon.
Lots of love to you, Birg xo

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So, so true Hope! Your thoughts here reminded me of the name of the enemy given in Revelation – the accuser of the brethren (Rev.12:10, my emphasis).
Conversely, God has a way of lifting us up, and reaching us again with the message of His grace, and forgiveness, and immeasurable love. Your words have been a reminder to me, to keep growing in my ability to hear and receive God’s encouragement :)
Hope you’re well, friend. I’ve been thinking of you recently. Lots of blessings to you.

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Rain, you’ve made such a good point here about accepting His gift. I’m learning so much about this at the moment. That victory has been won. That forgiveness is ours. That there is greater freedom waiting for me in Christ, as I simply accept and receive by faith what He has done on the cross. I tend to let questions and doubts get in the way, but I am learning to ‘cast down’ these ‘imaginations’ (2 Cor.10:5) and simply accept, as you say :)

By: Rain

Rain — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 14:51:05 +0000

You’ve captured so beautifully here: the heart of condemnation- which is to drag us down and shame us; vs. the heart of God- to bring wholeness and new life, to remove our pasts from us and give us hope. All we need to do is accept His gift.

By: Birgit

Birgit — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 21:41:19 +0000

Thank you so much to each of you for your replies here, and for what you’ve shared, I so look forward to replying more fully over the weekend, with love, Birgit.

By: Hope

Hope — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 21:17:50 +0000

The voice of the enemy speaks loud and thunderous – condemning with every breath. Listening past the noise to that still small voice that says “my blood has covered your sin” is something we need to practice and be reminded of by those who He sends to encourage us. Thank you. As always, perfect blog for today.

By: Michelle

Michelle — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 20:44:39 +0000

I’ve been thinking about this post since you wrote it. I speak condemnation to myself all. the. time. I know it comes from my upbringing, but learning to concentrate upon the positive truths of God’s word is a struggle for me. It was always, and only, the “thou shalt nots” that were taught in my home.

He did not condemn her. And He keeps reminding me of that.

I need to start listening.

Thanks, Birg. Love you. Hope all’s well…been praying for you and yours. xo

By: @ngie

@ngie — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 14:18:11 +0000

Every time I think on this story I wonder about the man. She shared her sin yet I wonder if her freedom was shared.

This is a beautiful essay, Birgit. Thanks for sharing.

By: Desire

Desire — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 13:29:51 +0000

Hi my friend

One of my favourite messages last year were from this passage in the Bible…the naked woman being punished all by herself, the man she was with probably disappeared quietly…

So what I have learnt that day was that God invites us, in our nakedness, loniliness, shame and sinfullness to come to Him AS WE ARE. He promises us we will not LEAVE THE SAME.

Thank you Birgit, what a great reminder for the rest of 2010 to know that we are free in Christ.

By: Laree

Laree — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 20:32:17 +0000

Thank you Birgit, I got a lot out of this.

By: cindyinsd

cindyinsd — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 16:37:02 +0000

Thanks, Birgit

What a great reminder–especially when the enemy comes, as he does, and whispers to us of the things we’ve done in the past. It does not honor Jesus for us to lament and mourn yet again for sins that He has paid for–as if what He did was not enough. We cannot pay, but He already did. What a wonderful Savior!

Love, Cindy