Feeling in constant condemnation. Need help

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VadCrusoe

Puritan Board Freshman
Regarding from Mexico
Sorry for my English it's not my mother-tongue, but I need your help

I accepted Christ in 2013 since then my life change and I started to love the bible, God and his Church but I frequently fall on my past sins. There was good and bad times of faith but on October 14th when I was singing rock of ages suddenly a great fear came to me, I was devastated I feel like God's forsaken me, since then I read and pray every moment but that strange felling of the wrath of God upon me doesn't go away. After that day i run away grom sin i cant left, im fearful its a false repentence, im so confused
I'm really desperate because I read many good books, but it seems it doesn't bring peace ¿does God exasperate with me? I really search God, but I feel He's not on my side, please help ¿does God is discipline me? i feel condemn every day. Need your help
Thanks in advance.
 
Vad, the first thing you need to know is that you are not alone in feeling this. Many Christians through the ages have felt this way, usually due to some sort of confusion about God's relationship to us. Secondly, there is always hope in Christ. Thirdly, running to Christ for forgiveness over and over again never makes God's forgiveness somewhere more difficult for Him to give to you. This is because all your sins (past, present, and future) had their guilt wiped clean by the blood of Jesus Christ.

When you became a Christian, your fundamental relationship to God and His law changed. No longer is God your judge (He has already judged you as being in Christ Jesus). No longer does the law condemn. It is your friend now, instructing you in the way of thanksgiving and gratitude. And God is now your Father. You are past condemnation (Romans 8:1).

Satan is the person who is always trying to tell Christians that they've really blown it this time. He is the one trying to tell you that you have backed away from God so far that you are back into condemnation. There is no basis for believing this. What you need to know is that every time you turn from your sin to Christ, God forgives you. And when that happens, that sin is no longer on the table. While God might discipline you by allowing you to experience the consequences of sin, that is discipline, not condemnation. Often, the actual sin is not merely what you know it to be, but also a sort of hidden pride, as in, "My sin is so much greater than other people's sin that God cannot forgive me." The blood of Christ has infinite power to cleanse and save.

Always repent and come back to Christ. Remember also that the Christian life is a process of becoming more dependent on Christ, not less. What is God doing, then, in allowing some Christians to struggle with the same sin over and over again? One thing He is doing is revealing to you just how deep sin goes, so that you will stop relying on yourself and start relying more and more on Him to fight the battles. The battle belongs to the Lord.

Lastly, be encouraged by the mere presence of the struggle. Unbelievers have no such struggle. At least, it is not on the level of all-out warfare that the Christian has. This is because we have the remnants of the sin nature in us, even while the Holy Spirit is battling that sin nature in order to conquer it.

Make sure your conscience does not become deadened by this struggle, but when you run back to Christ, you will find that your conscience is more tender. Many Christians think they are actually becoming worse and worse Christians, when what is actually happening is that sins that never used to bother them before now become evident.
 
Vad, the first thing you need to know is that you are not alone in feeling this. Many Christians through the ages have felt this way, usually due to some sort of confusion about God's relationship to us. Secondly, there is always hope in Christ. Thirdly, running to Christ for forgiveness over and over again never makes God's forgiveness somewhere more difficult for Him to give to you. This is because all your sins (past, present, and future) had their guilt wiped clean by the blood of Jesus Christ.

When you became a Christian, your fundamental relationship to God and His law changed. No longer is God your judge (He has already judged you as being in Christ Jesus). No longer does the law condemn. It is your friend now, instructing you in the way of thanksgiving and gratitude. And God is now your Father. You are past condemnation (Romans 8:1).

Satan is the person who is always trying to tell Christians that they've really blown it this time. He is the one trying to tell you that you have backed away from God so far that you are back into condemnation. There is no basis for believing this. What you need to know is that every time you turn from your sin to Christ, God forgives you. And when that happens, that sin is no longer on the table. While God might discipline you by allowing you to experience the consequences of sin, that is discipline, not condemnation. Often, the actual sin is not merely what you know it to be, but also a sort of hidden pride, as in, "My sin is so much greater than other people's sin that God cannot forgive me." The blood of Christ has infinite power to cleanse and save.

Always repent and come back to Christ. Remember also that the Christian life is a process of becoming more dependent on Christ, not less. What is God doing, then, in allowing some Christians to struggle with the same sin over and over again? One thing He is doing is revealing to you just how deep sin goes, so that you will stop relying on yourself and start relying more and more on Him to fight the battles. The battle belongs to the Lord.

Lastly, be encouraged by the mere presence of the struggle. Unbelievers have no such struggle. At least, it is not on the level of all-out warfare that the Christian has. This is because we have the remnants of the sin nature in us, even while the Holy Spirit is battling that sin nature in order to conquer it.

Make sure your conscience does not become deadened by this struggle, but when you run back to Christ, you will find that your conscience is more tender. Many Christians think they are actually becoming worse and worse Christians, when what is actually happening is that sins that never used to bother them before now become evident.
There's no way I can thank you for your words, I constantly tell me the gospel every moment, but feeling like this it's an ongoing feeling.

The thing that surprise me the most is the moment I felt that, I was singing and in the Last verse I was on a deep anxious fear. then on this feeling i was diagnosed with gastritis and lost some weight just in two weeks and just for those toughts

How can I interpret this feeling? its is from God or the devil

Can this feeling really is a discipline of the Lord?

Can God forsake somebody despite bear some fruit?

There are good books on this topic on feeling condemn or discipline?

Thank you for your patiente
 
Do you struggle TO sin, or do you struggle AGAINST sin (Roman's 7) ? Big difference. 1st John is an excellent test of assurance. I think that is what you are having trouble with, assurance.
 
I just read 1 Peter 1, and this made me think of you.

And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.
1 Peter 1:17‭-‬19

You must be in a place where you know for sure that Jesus made atonement for your sins. This has nothing to do with what you can do, accept that you fully believe it and trust Him. That is your right standing with God. It is His work for you. Do you wholeheartedly believe this?

Next, because Peter implies that they "know" they have been saved by Jesus, he calls them to be serious about sin and to fear God. You can and should know you are saved by God, and you should also hate sin and fear God. He is our judge. If you are not repenting of sin and seeking holiness, it is very reasonable to not have peace about your standing with God. Sin is really a wicked thing and the Bible doesn't go easy on the consequences of it. Therefore we shouldn't either.

But it is the Gospel, my friend. Jesus offers you salvation. Throw yourself on God's mercy. But repent of all sin and fear Him as you live in freedom.

May He bless you always. Take good care!
 
Do you struggle TO sin, or do you struggle AGAINST sin (Roman's 7) ? Big difference. 1st John is an excellent test of assurance. I think that is what you are having trouble with, assurance.
When i struggle i fight against sin and disires. I read 1 john and its seems i have the salvation but i struggle with that sansation
 
I just read 1 Peter 1, and this made me think of you.

And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.
1 Peter 1:17‭-‬19

You must be in a place where you know for sure that Jesus made atonement for your sins. This has nothing to do with what you can do, accept that you fully believe it and trust Him. That is your right standing with God. It is His work for you. Do you wholeheartedly believe this?

Next, because Peter implies that they "know" they have been saved by Jesus, he calls them to be serious about sin and to fear God. You can and should know you are saved by God, and you should also hate sin and fear God. He is our judge. If you are not repenting of sin and seeking holiness, it is very reasonable to not have peace about your standing with God. Sin is really a wicked thing and the Bible doesn't go easy on the consequences of it. Therefore we shouldn't either.

But it is the Gospel, my friend. Jesus offers you salvation. Throw yourself on God's mercy. But repent of all sin and fear Him as you live in freedom.

May He bless you always. Take good care!
Thank you, when this happened i was struggling with sins; reading the bible, pray and praising because want more of Jesus. When i fix on Jesus i can rest but there's this feeling of condemnation
 
Thank you, when this happened i was struggling with sins; reading the bible, pray and praising because want more of Jesus. When i fix on Jesus i can rest but there's this feeling of condemnation
Yeah. Each person is different in how they interact with God. For me, I trust in Christ alone for my salvation, but if there is sin in my life I'm aware of, it has to be conquered and killed, or else I cannot have spiritual peace.
 
There are good books on this topic on feeling condemn or discipline?
Books that I commend to you (listed in the order that I found them most helpful):
1) A Treatise on Spiritual Comfort, John Colquhoun (this book is unsurpassed in my opinion)
2) Chapters 90-99 of The Christian's Reasonable Service, Wilhelmus A'Brakel
3) Trouble of Mind and the Disease of Melancholy, Timothy Rogers
4) A Child of Light Walking in Darkness, Thomas Goodwin
5) Spiritual Desertions Discovered and Remedied, Samuel Willard

These books may speak to your case and bring you some comfort and assurance knowing that, not only are you not alone in these sorts of feelings, but that God is even able to turn the most dreadful apprehensions of His wrath into good, for the furtherance of your salvation and growth in grace. Don't listen to the lies of the devil that God has cast you off. Keep repenting and believing the Gospel; and trust and obey. God bless my friend, I will pray for you.
 
The Case and Cure of a Deserted Soul by Joseph Symonds is a good recommendation as well. He helps you diagnose if this is a season of desertion (so you can draw closer to God) or something else. It's excellent!
 
Thank you, when this happened i was struggling with sins; reading the bible, pray and praising because want more of Jesus. When i fix on Jesus i can rest but there's this feeling of condemnation
Fortunately for us, we can distinguish between actually being forgiven and the feeling that we are forgiven. Satan hates it when we are assured of our salvation, so he will do everything he can to undermine that. Remember that our assurance is based on three things: 1. the promises of God in Scripture; 2. the testimony of the Holy Spirit to our souls; 3. the fruit of the Spirit's work in our lives.

I can't just tell you to stop feeling condemned, any more than I could tell you not to think about your car. Now, really, don't think about that car! It won't work, will it? We have to substitute something different if we are to stop thinking about the car. If I tell you now to start thinking about your computer, and whether you will need a new one, or how fast it boots up, then you could easily stop thinking about the car. This analogy carries over into the subject of condemnation versus assurance. If I just tell you "Don't think about condemnation," that won't work very well. But if I say "Meditate on the promises of God in Scripture (here is a good list, for example); Meditate on the Holy Spirit's testimony to your soul; Seek out and pray for the fruit of the Holy Spirit in your life," then the feeling of condemnation will eventually become less, and the feeling of assurance will grow.
 
I also would like to encourage you to seek God in the face of Jesus Christ in believing, persevering hope until He blesses you with the feelings you desire. These are promises to us in Christ if we will humbly seek them.
 
Thank you all for your prayers and words, just for the future Christians in that condition; after pray every day and read the bible God put one promise in my hearth, and it's Matthew 11:28-30. I was reading John Bunyan's "Come and Welcome to Jesus Christ" he's explaining that it is necessary to know the condition of the soul and then run to Jesus. Even thought I prayed over that verse on the past month, It dont go deep on my heart until now.

I learned:

Don't be neglect on your spiritual life

Don't be in peace on your "little" sins

Trust on Jesus because he's precious and tender of heart, and he said he will not cast out someone that come to him in necessity

Don't lose hope, God will respond

Jesus is lowly and meek and know that persons fight to rest on him

thank you again, and sorry for my few words, it's hard to me explain in English the beautiful experience of rest on his Word. Be patiente
 
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You have already received some excellent counsel. I am probably the least credentialed person to offer any thoughts here. However, I have been dealing with feelings of "condemnation" my entire life, both social and spiritual. My nuclear family growing up was comprised of good people, but my sister and I never measured up to lofty "expectations," and were told so explicitly on a nearly constant basis. It was brutal at times. If I was such a disappointment to my parents, I must also be a wretched disappointment to God as well, went the internal logic. Thus, whenever I feel that fog surrounding me again, I have a few verses that I sort of ruminate upon to bring a little light back. I would suggest Romans 8:1; Psalm 34:22; 1 John 1:9; 2 Cor 5:17; John 3:18; Romans 8:34; and Psalm 103:12 as some that I have found to be a balm to the soul in such circumstances. Prayers sent.
 
Vad, the Puritan Richard Sibbes is very good at addressing the problem you face (I struggle with this too. Sibbes wrote a wonderful book 'The bruised Reed' based on Isaiah 42:3 and quoted in Matt 12:20 -
"A bruised reed He will not break,
And smoking flax He will not quench"

This is where our comfort lies, Vad. You may feel like a bruised reed but we have the promise of scripture that our Lord cares for the bruised reeds.

I recommend a wonderful devotional by Richard Sibbes recently published. I was recently reading a page of this devotional where Sibbes exhorts believers to come to Christ often, even when you sin many times. Keep going back to Christ, he is gracious and will always receive you (advice just like the other friends have given you). This devotional is aptly named 'Refreshment for the Soul'. I highly recommend it.
 
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