Condemning Others
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit (Romans 8:1, KJV).
Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven: Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again (Luke 6:37-38, KJV).
For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved (John 3:17, KJV).
For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God (1 John 3:20-21, KJV).
What is condemnation? Meriam Webster describes condemnation as ‘to declare to be reprehensible, wrong, or evil usually after weighing evidence and without reservation’.
Condemnation in the Bible in Greek is Krisis and means judgement, damnation, opinion or decision given concerning anything 3a1) esp. concerning justice and injustice, right or wrong 3b) sentence of condemnation, damnatory judgment, condemnation and punishment.
Condemn in Hebrew is Rasha’ and means to judge or condemn as guilty.
Recently I was given three words to release about Donald Trump winning the election. The words I received were ‘he would win’, ‘he would overturn’ and ‘justice would prevail’. In the natural as it currently stands it appears very much like my words are wrong. I have spent much of my walk learning to discern God’s voice as opposed to hearing my own flesh, or an evil spirit. Testing my discernment in this way (in the public arena) with a very specific word like this was my first time and very scary. It would prove to me one way or another if I was truly discerning God or not. I had originally prayed to God and told Him that I would stop ministering if it proved wrong as I did not want to be a false prophet, and especially did not want to lead people astray if I was listening to a counterfeit spirit. In times like this other people have their varying opinions and are happy to share them. Some quickly told me from the beginning I was wrong and needed to repent, others agreed with me and told me to keep standing while giving me encouragement, and to ‘wait and see’, whilst others vocally executed judgment against those who were believing they had it wrong, telling them that they were weak in their faith and were bowing down to fear of man instead of fear of God. During some of these moments I felt very condemned. Although I had started doubting my own discernment I never once doubted God. If it was God I heard and if God said He would overturn the result then He will do it. I had no doubt about this – my problem was, was it really God? Throughout this God showed me that I could still trust in Him and to believe that He had this and no matter which way it turned out that He would use it for good. Throughout this God never once condemned me. In fact He did the very opposite and enveloped me in His love and presence (in the same way as when I was first born-again and filled with His Spirit) as I wept one morning so that I had no doubt that this was Him. He told me in that moment not to give up the Ministry because He needed me and His body (the Church) needed me, and He gave me peace that He had it no matter the outcome. God knows me so well and knew that I would have condemned myself if I had of gotten it wrong, and even if I had of gotten it right I would have still condemned myself for my lack of faith when the doubts came.
Condemnation is something that many of us fall into. People seem to be guilty of condemning one another and themselves frequently. As I was pondering all this (especially the fact that the body of Christ was so in disunity and condemning one another) I heard the words ‘condemnation’ echoing in my spirit and I knew that God wanted to share with me His thoughts on condemnation, and that I was to also go to the word of God (His Bible) to see what it said on this subject. Armed with pen and paper this is what I heard and what I believe He spoke, “It is time to rise up as one body – the body of Christ. It is time to receive the mind of Christ. My children are all over the place – there is so much disunity in the body of Christ. It is time to rise up. It is time to love one another as I love you. Why are you condemning and attacking one another in a way that I don’t and never will? The devil is in the flesh of man. You need to repent and lay down your flesh and rise up in the new man. You cannot rise up in the new man until the old man is dead. I am not highlighting these things to condemn you, but to convict. Ask Me if you have ever condemned anyone and I will show you. Condemnation is a sin and against the ways of God. If you have entered into this you need to repent and confess your sin to Me and apologise to those whom you have condemned. If you are condemning yourself you need to apologise to yourself. You wound yourself with your own words when you condemn yourself. This is a sin and how can healing come if you have not confessed your sins? If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9, KJV). If you confess your sins I can forgive you. If you also have unforgiveness toward anyone how can God forgive you? Condemnation in the Church toward each other is condemnation against My own body. Now you [collectively] are Christ’s body, and individually [you are] members of it [each with his own special purpose and function] (1 Corinthians 12:27, AMP).
And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand (Mark 3:24, KJV).
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life (John 5:24, KJV). I do not condemn you so neither should you condemn one another. Condemnation in the body of Christ is rife. I have used this event (about Trump) to reveal the hearts of My children. How did you react? Were you just and holy toward each other or did you judge and condemn one another with unrighteous judgment? Did you judge one whose faith was not as strong as yours? Or did you condemn one who believes differently to what you believe? Did you react in love when one rebuked you? Love one another as I loved the Church and gave Myself to you. Would you lay down your lives for one another? Let go of the judgements and the fleshly responses you make toward one other. How do you let them go? You repent, you apologise and ask Me to raise you up into the new creation. You put on love – My love for one another. Beyond all these things put on and wrap yourselves in [unselfish] love, which is the perfect bond of unity [for everything is bound together in agreement when each one seeks the best for others]. Let the peace of Christ [the inner calm of one who walks daily with Him] be the controlling factor in your hearts [deciding and settling questions that arise]. To this peace indeed you were called as members in one body [of believers]. And be thankful [to God always] (Colossians 3:14-15, AMP). This is not condemnation but a rebuke and a convicting of your flesh to repent so I can clothe you in the armor of love. But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation (1 Thessalonians 5:8, KJV). Without this you cannot love one another as I do. It is not man’s fault that you react to each other in this way. Man is fleshly and the uncircumcised heart is wicked until it is laid down and exchanged for Mine. Wherever you have a weakness I need to expose it so I can rest My strengths upon it. Before I can do this you must first ‘see’ your weakness and those things that are contrary to My Kingdom. Many things you cannot change yourself. Can you see that you react in a way that is contrary to My Kingdom? If so then with a sincere heart turn away from this by confessing your sin and asking Me to help you. I do not expect you to turn away from these things without My help because you cannot achieve perfection yourself. This is what I have been outworking in My children – for you to see your own inability to be perfect as I am perfect. Men can never be perfect without God. God is perfection and through Jesus He is perfecting you into His image. The only way to receive all I have for you is to lay down yourself and this can only come in your weakness so I can raise you in My strength.”
After I received this word I wondered if all this could be backed up by the word of God. I found many Scriptures (which I included) to back up what the voice of God spoke to me. However the one in Isaiah 54:17 confused me. No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD (Isaiah 54:17, KJV). This Scripture is telling the servants of God that every tongue that rises up in judgment against us we will condemn as this is our heritage from God, but yet on the other hand God was telling me that although He chastises and disciplines He does not condemn His children, and once you accept Christ as your Lord and Savior you are saved and made right before God through His Blood. He was also telling me that condemnation toward each other was a sin and it meant that you were condemning Christ’s own body because we are the body of Christ and we are sinning against His body when we do this. I asked the Holy Spirit why these Scriptures contradicted each other and He told me to read the passages before Isaiah 54:17. After reading this I realised that this was referring to the world coming against the believers in Christ. This was not written for believers to condemn other believers in Christ. This passage in Isaiah I believe is also specifically about the end-times (particularly the millennial time where Jesus and His Bride live together in the Promised Land). When the world (who is antichrist) refuses to be saved and it is time for Jesus to execute His final justice and judgment against all of mankind the word of God also tells us that we are given the power to judge and condemn the world alongside Jesus when He does this. Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? (1 Corinthians 6:2, KJV). God’s ultimate goal is to save all of mankind through Jesus, but when the end comes He has no choice but to condemn the world who follows and worships the antichrist who is ruled by satan.
(PRAYER) – “Father God in Jesus name I ask that You would reveal to me anytime I have condemned anyone.” (Wait on God and see what He shows you – He may also show you that you have to apologise to anyone you have condemned). “I repent in Jesus name for the sin of condemnation. I am sorry for condemning others and I am sorry for condemning myself. I apologise to myself for condemnation. I forgive those who have condemned me and I bless them in Jesus name. I am sorry if my responses to any rebukes were condemning and not done in love. I confess the sin of condemning Your body Lord Jesus when I condemned those within the Church, as they are ‘Your’ body. I lay down my flesh and my weakness and ask You to perfect me into the true image of God - which is Jesus Christ, Who is sinless and Who is perfect. Perfect me Lord God by Your Holy Spirit into that image. Cover me in Your love which is the perfect bond of unity. Infill me with Your love so I can love You, love myself and love one another through Your love. These things I pray in Jesus name, Amen.”
By Tania Francis