“There is a significant difference between conviction brought about by the Spirit and self condemnation brought about by the Accuser as he acts on my pride.  Conviction of sin draws me away from myself and toward God;  it frees me to repent, grants me sorrow over offending my King, and floods me with relief in knowing that his smile still rests upon me.  It eventuates in my loving Jesus more.  Paul’s words from Romans 8.1, “Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,” bestow great relief on my soul.

Self condemnation, on the other hand, draws me down into myself and away from God.  It makes me afraid and distrustful of him.  It entraps me in unrelenting self -loathing and unbelief.  It makes my heart cold toward the Lord; he’s seen as a harsh taskmaster, a cruel tormenter.  It makes me think of my Savior the way I should think of my enemy, and this reversal brings a vicious glee to the Accuser.  Jesus slips from preeminence and is replaced by my shattered image of myself.  Self condemnation doesn’t make me love Jesus more, because it’s not essentially about him.  It’s about me.”

Comforts from the Cross

Elyse Fitzpatrick

“Do you think God gets mad at you?  Can you picture him saying, ‘You’re really in trouble now!’?  Do you think he’s a demanding, impatient, angry Father just waiting for an opportunity to punish you?  If you answered yes to any of those questions, you need the comfort that only the gospel can bring….

We all know what it’s like to live with– and break–laws and rules.  My mom told me when to be home and how to make my bed.  The government tells me how fast to drive.  Books tell me how to communicate with my husband and how to raise my children.  And of course, the Bible tells all of us what God commands.  We live in a world governed by laws.  The Bible tells us that God’s law is good, but we have a problem with it.  Even as Christians we don’t obey it perfectly, and so day after day we live with guilt and fear of punishment.

Here’s a gospel truth that is just astounding and meant to comfort your guilty burdened soul: because Jesus Christ perfectly obeyed every facet of the law in your place and then died bearing all the guilt and wrath that was rightfully yours, you are no longer obligated to obey the law as a way to avoid his wrath.  God has already poured out every drop of his wrath on his Son in your place.”

Elyse Fitzpatrick

Comforts for the Cross