Romans 5:1-2 (Amplified) says, "Therefore, since we are justified (acquitted, declared righteous, and given a right standing with God) through faith, let us (grasp the fact that we) have (the peace of reconciliation to hold and to enjoy) peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One. Verse 2 goes on, "Through Him also we have (our) access (entrance, introduction) by faith into this grace (state of God's favor) in which we (firmly and safely) stand; And let us rejoice and exalt in our hope of experiencing and enjoying the glory of God."
Notice how all the things the scripture talks about in verses 1&2, are appropriated by faith. Verse 2 says , "Let us rejoice in (exalt in our) hope of experiencing and enjoying the glory of God." Romans 1:17 (Amplified) says, "For in the Gospel a righteousness which God ascribes is revealed, both springing from faith and leading to faith (disclosed through the way of faith that grouses to more faith) as it is written. The man who through faith is just and upright shall live by faith."
So many of God's children live with the heart condition spoken of in 1John 3:21(Amplified) which says, "Beloved, if our consciences (our hearts) do not accuse us (if they do not make us feel guilty and condemn us) we have confidence (complete assurance and boldness) before God." The condemning heart is perhaps the most lethal heart condition in the Body of Christ. This condition holds the believer in a state of limbo nearly constantly.
This condition develops when the Christian doesn't have his mind renewed by the Word of God. This believer, even thought he is saved, never enjoys the liberty of Christ's deliverance because he continues walking more in his soulish realm than in the spirit realm. He trust more in how he feels than in what the Word says. He professes that Jesus died for his sin, but still allows the same condemnation that brought him to Jesus to keep him from fellowship with Jesus.
Notice how in Romans 1:17 (Amplified) we're instructed to increase in our faith and allow our faith to bring the truth of His Sacrifice and victory in the resurrection into focus. Because we haven't cared to walk on the other side of the cross, where Jesus' victory for us lives, we continue allowing the enemy to hold us in condemnation for our past and keep us out of the joy Jesus gave.
The condemning heart is a serious heart problem because it always reminds us of our failures instead of Christ's victory. This limits our allowing His grace to cleanse us like He wants too. Even though we have His grace and His favor in our lives, we won't allow it to flow to the deepest cleansing power in our heart. Therefore, our heart is still condemning us even though His Blood has cleansed us. In the heart condition of the believer with a condemning heart, even when the Father wants to bless them, their heart condition won't allow it. Their heart always tells them that they don't deserve to be blessed.
This was true for all of us before we ever accepted Jesus. We didn't deserve to be blessed or healed or even have the privilege of having our prayers answered.But now, because of Jesus, grace has overlooked and done away with our past and has put us in a place where we have legal rights to enjoy all of His blessings.
Until the truth of the Word is made greater than the shame of our past, we (because of our hearts) have shut off the reason for our justification in Christ. Our hearts will not allow us to walk above the old man. This translates into the believer's mind as humility, but the real reason is a lack of faith in what God has said about us. His Word must be greater than your emotions and past. When we come to the cross, we are sinners without God, without hope and without covenant. Each of us had to come to that acknowledgement before we could be saved. By faith, we acknowledge that Jesus died for us and forgave our sins.
This portion of our faith was brought on by the condition of our heart. When we knew in our heart that we were sinners, our heart condemned us and brought us to the cross. Now, we must allow the Word of God to bring about a new heart (a new spirit). We must have a new one that will continue growing in faith and bringing about our right standing with God now, because of the cross.
The old Christians hymn, "Just As I Am," has brought many people to salvation, but Jesus didn't leave you just as you were. Our heart and mind must be renewed by God's Word in order to bring about a cure for the condemning heart. The truth of God's Word must be greater than the past lies of the devil. Our faith must dare believe the resurrection side of the cross. We must allow the truth of His risen glory to outshine the darkness of the old man.
These things already belong to you now...in this life...because of Him. If you've already received Jesus as your Lord and Savior, then you're already righteous by faith, you're already justified by faith and you're already favored and have all the grace abounding towards you. These were covenant promises and He is faithful to His covenant. These aren't things God will do once you start being good. These are His promises to us after you receive Jesus by faith and not because we are good, but because He is good.
The condemning heart is one that still remembers the old man instead of knowing the new one. All the promises of God are already yours whether or not we enjoy them and accept them or not. It all depends on your heart. Will faith in Him reign over shame in you? Will God's Word override the things from the past? Or, will we allow condemnation be lifted above truth? If our faith believes that Jesus died for us, then why can't we allow our faith to believe He also rose from the dead for us? If faith allows our heart to believe He bore our sins, then we should let that faith cause us to believe we are righteous because of that.
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