For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. John 3:17 (NKJV)
Do you feel that one day your mistakes from the past are going to come back and haunt you? That feeling of impending doom is called condemnation…and it is not from God. He is not out to get you.
Condemnation is a horrible word. According to Thayer’s Greek Lexicon, it means to “judge worthy of punishment.” It is incredibly sad how many people believe that God is out to get them— the same God who created them and sacrificed His only son so He could have a relationship with them.
Many feel like they can never measure up to God’s standards. It causes them to avoid God because they think He is out to punish them.
More than anything, God wants a relationship with you. He is not an angry, judgmental Father who can’t wait to nail you for every wrong you have ever committed. He is a loving dad who wants the best for you. In fact, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16, NKJV). Jesus died and rose again to restore your relationship with God.
According to Romans 8:1, “now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus”. In other words, God is not looking to punish you. We all have things we need to improve…please don’t stop improving! At the same time, know that God is not out to get you. Trust in His love and the power of His Word to change you from the inside out.