Question 1

What does God condemn?

Accepted Answer

Psalm 1:5They will be condemned at the time of judgment. Sinners will have no place among the godly.Proverbs 12:2The Lord approves of those who are good, but he condemns those who plan wickedness.Mark 16:16“Anyone who believes and is baptized will be saved. But anyone who refuses to believe will be condemned.”John 3:18“There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son.”John 12:48“All who reject me and my message will be judged on the day of judgment by the truth I have spoken.”Romans 1:18God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness.2 Thessalonians 2:12Then they will be condemned for enjoying evil rather than believing the truth.God condemns sin, wickedness, and evil because they are in open rebellion to his standard of goodness and holiness. God condemns those who reject his Son and his message of salvation, for they have chosen to rebel against God himself and therefore ally themselves with God’s enemy, Satan.

Question 2

What gives God the right to condemn people for sin?

Accepted Answer

James 4:12God alone, who gave the law, is the Judge. He alone has the power to save or to destroy. So what right do you have to judge your neighbor?God made the law, rightly declares the verdict, and solely administers the consequences.Romans 3:4, 6-8, 10-11Even if everyone else is a liar, God is true. As the Scriptures say about him, “You will be proved right in what you say, and you will win your case in court.” . . . If God were not entirely fair, how would he be qualified to judge the world? “But,” someone might still argue, “how can God condemn me as a sinner if my dishonesty highlights his truthfulness and brings him more glory?” And some people even slander us by claiming that we say, “The more we sin, the better it is!” Those who say such things deserve to be condemned. . . . As the Scriptures say, “No one is righteous—not even one. No one is truly wise; no one is seeking God.”God not only created truth, he IS truth itself; therefore, he sets the standard for truth and justice.Psalm 145:17The Lord is righteous in everything he does; he is filled with kindness.God is absolutely righteous and absolutely kind. He is a just and merciful judge who never issues an unjust sentence.

Question 3

Will God condemn me for my sins?

Accepted Answer

Isaiah 26:21Look! The Lord is coming from heaven to punish the people of the earth for their sins.Revelation 20:11-15I saw a great white throne and the one sitting on it. The earth and sky fled from his presence, but they found no place to hide. I saw the dead, both great and small, standing before God’s throne. And the books were opened, including the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to what they had done, as recorded in the books. . . . And anyone whose name was not found recorded in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire.Ultimately God will judge and punish all sin.

Question 4

How can I escape God’s condemnation?

Accepted Answer

John 3:16-17“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.”John 5:24“I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life.”2 Timothy 1:9God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time—to show us his grace through Christ Jesus.You can escape God’s condemnation when by trusting in Jesus Christ, the Savior that God sent. When you realize that he died for your sins and took the punishment so you wouldn’t have to, you understand his great love for you. This allows your love for him to begin to grow. Then you begin a lifelong journey of serving him and experiencing his love.Romans 3:24-25Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past.Romans 5:16-17Adam’s sin led to condemnation, but God’s free gift leads to our being made right with God, even though we are guilty of many sins. For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ.Romans 8:1-2So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.Titus 3:7Because of his grace he made us right in his sight and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life.If you have put your faith in Jesus, and so belong to him, you have been freed forever from condemnation. Jesus bore the ultimate punishment for your sins—death—when he died in your place. He declares you “not guilty.” This is God’s gracious gift of salvation in Jesus Christ.

Question 5

Why shouldn’t I judge or condemn others?

Accepted Answer

Luke 6:41-42“And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own? How can you think of saying, ‘Friend, let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.”John 8:3-9As he was speaking, the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. They put her in front of the crowd. “Teacher,” they said to Jesus, “this woman was caught in the act of adultery. The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?” . . . [Jesus] said, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” . . . When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one.Romans 14:4, 12-13Who are you to condemn someone else’s servants? Their own master will judge whether they stand or fall. And with the Lord’s help, they will stand and receive his approval. . . . Yes, each of us will give a personal account to God. So let’s stop condemning each other.You should not judge and condemn others because each individual is responsible to God alone, and he judges sin in each person’s life. Because you are a sinful person as well, you have no right to condemn anyone. When you have recognized your sin and received God’s forgiveness, you are you able to help another down the same path of forgiveness and obedience.Luke 6:37“Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn others, or it will all come back against you. Forgive others, and you will be forgiven.”Luke 18:9-14Then Jesus told this story to some who had great confidence in their own righteousness and scorned everyone else: “Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a despised tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: ‘I thank you, God, that I am not like other people—cheaters, sinners, adulterers. I’m certainly not like that tax collector! I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.’ “But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.’ I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”Romans 2:1You may think you can condemn such people, but you are just as bad, and you have no excuse! When you say they are wicked and should be punished, you are condemning yourself, for you who judge others do these very same things.You should not judge or condemn others because you will often use the wrong criteria in your judging. As you judge, so will you be judged—judgment will fall back on you.James 4:11Don’t speak evil against each other, dear brothers and sisters. If you criticize and judge each other, then you are criticizing and judging God’s law. But your job is to obey the law, not to judge whether it applies to you.You should not judge or condemn others because your job is to be obedient to God’s ways.

Question 6

How can I change my condemning attitude?

Accepted Answer

2 Corinthians 5:17This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!God gives you a fresh start when you come to him—only he can change your attitude toward others from condemning to loving. And if God is willing to give you a fresh start, shouldn’t you be willing to do the same with others?Psalm 139:23-24Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.If you sense that you have a condemning attitude toward others, ask God to examine your life, then respond wherever he convicts you and follow his ways.Proverbs 3:3Never let loyalty and kindness leave you! Tie them around your neck as a reminder. Write them deep within your heart.Ask God to take away your condemning attitude and give you a heart full of loyalty and kindness toward others.Romans 14:10, 13So why do you condemn another believer? Why do you look down on another believer? Remember, we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. . . . So let’s stop condemning each other. Decide instead to live in such a way that you will not cause another believer to stumble and fall.Seek to live your life helping others follow God instead of condemning them when they stumble.Ephesians 4:29Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.Replace caustic criticism with helpful and encouraging words. If you do this consistently, what a difference it will make!

Condemnation