Post by beloved on Oct 12, 2006 9:07:58 GMT -5
While it is good to not feel condemned for our failures, it is good to feel Godly sorrow. Without godly sorrow there can be no repentance.
2. Corinthians 7:9-10
Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that you sorrowed to repentance: for you were made sorry after a godly manner, that you might receive damage by us is nothing.
For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.
We should never feel condemned for our sins:
Romans 8:1; 9
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
But you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit....
We should accept the forgiveness of sins provided for us and forgive ourselves for our failures:
Hebrews 10: 2
For then the worshippers once purged should have no more conscience of sins.
We cannot and should not try to make ourselves righteous before God with our good works, or lack of sinful ones:
Ephesians 2: 8-9
For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.
But, we should never get to a place where we don't care that we sin. I'm speaking about godly morals and empathy here. We should not get into a self condemning and judging mode of ourselves or others, but we should judge our sin and repent from it, and renew our minds so that we no longer live in that sin.
It is dangerous if/ when people get into a place in their life where they sin and have no conscience, sorrow, or regret for what they have done. Sociopaths and Psychopaths have no conscience/ empathy for others. The man that just shot all those sweet little Amish girls had no conscience. He defiled and hardened his conscience to the point that he became capable of a monsterous and evil act. Anyone can become just as cold as he is though if they defile their own conscience.
Acts 24: 16
And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offense toward God, and toward men.
If you have no empathy for others, or sorrow for the wrongs you do, there is a problem that you need to seek God's help for. It should bother you when you have harmed others, God, or yourself with your wrongs. Sorrow should produce repentance in your heart which should be the birth of change in your behavior.
I. Cor. 8: 7
.... and their conscience being weak is defiled.
If your conscience doesn't hurt you when you sin, it is weak through defilement. That defilement comes from ignoring our conscience and continueing in sin, and justifying it, until it bothers us very little to continue in our sin- even if it hurts others or ourselves.
I. Timothy 1:5
Now the end of the commandment is charity (love) out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned.
The pure heart is our born again spirit that never sins once it has been made a new creature (born again), the good conscience is (should) be in our heart (mind, soul). If we get our mind (heart) lined up with the love in our spirit, the result should be fulfilling the commandments- not out of fear of hell, but out of love for ourselves, others, and God. Our motivation for not sinning will be love instead of fear of what God will do to punish us.
Hebrews 9: 14
How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works.
We should believe and accept our forgiveness from God and forgive ourselves, but we should not grow cold hearted and care not what we do to God, ourselves, and others and live lawlessly.
I. Timothy 4:2
Speaking hypocrisy; having their consciences seared with a hot iron;
Do not grieve the Spirit of God by living carelessly with no care for the offense, pain, and wrongs that you produce in your life and the lives of others. God is grieved when we hurt ourselves and others with our sins, just as we were grieved the day we found out about the man who murdered the innocent little Amish girls. God will not leave you for your sin, but it does grieve Him when we live carelessly and in the very sin that He has delivered us from the dominion of through Jesus blood. If grieves Him as it should grieve us to sin, because the the opposite of living in love is living in sin.
If you have a hard conscience, I would first recognize and acknowledge it, and then repent of it (change your mind). Pray that God will change and soften you. Then make it your lifestyle to renew your mind to God's Word.
2. Corinthians 7:9-10
Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that you sorrowed to repentance: for you were made sorry after a godly manner, that you might receive damage by us is nothing.
For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.
We should never feel condemned for our sins:
Romans 8:1; 9
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
But you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit....
We should accept the forgiveness of sins provided for us and forgive ourselves for our failures:
Hebrews 10: 2
For then the worshippers once purged should have no more conscience of sins.
We cannot and should not try to make ourselves righteous before God with our good works, or lack of sinful ones:
Ephesians 2: 8-9
For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.
But, we should never get to a place where we don't care that we sin. I'm speaking about godly morals and empathy here. We should not get into a self condemning and judging mode of ourselves or others, but we should judge our sin and repent from it, and renew our minds so that we no longer live in that sin.
It is dangerous if/ when people get into a place in their life where they sin and have no conscience, sorrow, or regret for what they have done. Sociopaths and Psychopaths have no conscience/ empathy for others. The man that just shot all those sweet little Amish girls had no conscience. He defiled and hardened his conscience to the point that he became capable of a monsterous and evil act. Anyone can become just as cold as he is though if they defile their own conscience.
Acts 24: 16
And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offense toward God, and toward men.
If you have no empathy for others, or sorrow for the wrongs you do, there is a problem that you need to seek God's help for. It should bother you when you have harmed others, God, or yourself with your wrongs. Sorrow should produce repentance in your heart which should be the birth of change in your behavior.
I. Cor. 8: 7
.... and their conscience being weak is defiled.
If your conscience doesn't hurt you when you sin, it is weak through defilement. That defilement comes from ignoring our conscience and continueing in sin, and justifying it, until it bothers us very little to continue in our sin- even if it hurts others or ourselves.
I. Timothy 1:5
Now the end of the commandment is charity (love) out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned.
The pure heart is our born again spirit that never sins once it has been made a new creature (born again), the good conscience is (should) be in our heart (mind, soul). If we get our mind (heart) lined up with the love in our spirit, the result should be fulfilling the commandments- not out of fear of hell, but out of love for ourselves, others, and God. Our motivation for not sinning will be love instead of fear of what God will do to punish us.
Hebrews 9: 14
How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works.
We should believe and accept our forgiveness from God and forgive ourselves, but we should not grow cold hearted and care not what we do to God, ourselves, and others and live lawlessly.
I. Timothy 4:2
Speaking hypocrisy; having their consciences seared with a hot iron;
Do not grieve the Spirit of God by living carelessly with no care for the offense, pain, and wrongs that you produce in your life and the lives of others. God is grieved when we hurt ourselves and others with our sins, just as we were grieved the day we found out about the man who murdered the innocent little Amish girls. God will not leave you for your sin, but it does grieve Him when we live carelessly and in the very sin that He has delivered us from the dominion of through Jesus blood. If grieves Him as it should grieve us to sin, because the the opposite of living in love is living in sin.
If you have a hard conscience, I would first recognize and acknowledge it, and then repent of it (change your mind). Pray that God will change and soften you. Then make it your lifestyle to renew your mind to God's Word.