Condemnation Does Not Motivate: Grace Does

The AA cult is based on motivating people by shame and discomfort.

Much of the world in general and religious systems in particular operate along these lines.

We are not set free from sin by being reminded of our sins and failures.

We do not behave right by being told what to do.

We behave right we know what we have the gift of righteousness, and we are righteous before God.

We do not live right by being told how to live. We live right when we believe right, then we know that we are right before God, and thus we live right.

Righteousness the eternal gift, allows His life to live in and through us.

Eternal righteousness gives rise to His eternal life, just as the Holy Spirit rushed in upon the one hundred and twenty disciples on Pentecost, and on the first Gentile believer, Cornelius.

I have long relied on condemnation to motivate me.

A sense of  "what if?" and "what about?" had goaded me for a long time.

The fear of worse consequences had oftentimes been the only key motivation for anything.

Yet that kind of movement does not produce life and that more abundantly.

Never.

The more condemned that we feel, the more we will see the very wrongdoing in our lives that we want to get rid of .

I have listened to two testimonies on sexual perversion, for example/

In both instances, the subjects talked about "the shame" or "the condemnation" they felt.

What more is it going to take before pastors start preaching the fullness of the Gospel, that in Christ we are justified from all things, and our sins are forgiven?

Condemnation does not motivate. It kills and destroys, neutering growth and preventing life.

The grace of God teaches us to say "No!" to sin and to lead godly lives (Titus 2: 11).

For the longest time, I spent so much time trying not to feel bad, trying to shake away the sense of shame and guilt.

I had forgotten what living really is all about.

He is our life -- and I had not known that. Today, I now understand the fullness of His life in mine!

And I want to learn more!

Paul was very clear -- we keep on receiving the gift of righteousness and abundance of grace (Romans 5:17)

There is no condemnation, and let us not entertain it any further in our lives.