Why do many believers have trouble distinguishing God’s voice from the Accuser’s? Why do people have trouble accepting that condemnation is destructive, not constructive, and that we are to be open to gentle correction and what is instructive? Many people (and I stand guilty) seem to veer between one extreme and the other. Either we get a rebellious attitude that stems from insecurity and believe any form of correction is hurtful and threatening, or we believe any form of condemnation and harsh criticism, even if instructive, is from God and we must be a terrible person that is displeasing to God if we do not heed the correction without question. Some people experience problems with this concept due to distorted perceptions and the inability to find any balance in their lives. They may understand intellectually that when their thoughts turn to guilt, anger, and fear, this is not from God. They also understand intellectually when they feel a gentle tug on their conscience, filling them with a desire to make a change, this is God.
So if people understand these concepts intellectually and they are in Christ, why do they still believe guilt, anger, and fear thoughts are from God? Why is it difficult to get a revelation by experience that God does not condemn? This is not his way. It almost feels wrong that God would not condemn us, because most of live in constant guilt. We have not fully understood by revelation what it means to be free in Christ. Many people believe if the message is correct, it must be God, and so they don’t question the method in which they received the message. After all, it is God we’re talking about, and He always sets us right. God convicts us of our shortcomings and sins. What right-hearted Christian intentionally dismisses a message from God? None. But we feel guilty if we do not listen to the message that is correcting us, even if it is harsh condemnation. Yet, the devil’s name literally translates as “accuser.” And accusation is his number one weapon of deception and harm for well meaning Christians who have a tender conscience, like me.
What does the Bible say about how God speaks to us and the nature of our relationship with Him once we believe in Him? We must take all scriptures in context, but the message is clear. It remains consistent through various passages. Let’s look at a few:
1. “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.” Romans 8:1 This verse clearly states if we follow the Spirit, “and do not walk according to the flesh,” there is no condemnation. When we receive a message of guilt, condemnation, and accusation to make a change in our life, either to start doing right something we haven’t been doing, or to stop doing something wrong we have been doing, it is not from God. We are walking in the flesh, which God explicitly asks us not to do. Therefore, condemnation is not of the Spirit, and therefore, not of God . For some reason, Christians have difficulty believing or accepting that God does not speak to us with condemnation. We have more difficulty believing God abhors condemnation. Does God correct us? Yes. But the difference between God’s message and the Accuser’s is often the method, not the content, and often it is both. Below are several other scriptures that confirm this interpretation.
2. “He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor punished us according to our iniquities. As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.” Psalm 103:10, 12
3. “For God has not sent his son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved.” John 3:17
4. “I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; and I will not remember your sins.” Isaiah 43:25
5. “Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, ‘Now the salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ who have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who has accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down.’
‘And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.’” Revelations 12:10-11. This scripture shows the devil condemning Christians before God, and Christians casting down the accusations by affirming positive truths of their relationship to Christ. This scripture illustrates the devil uses accusations as weapons of destructive in our lives. Condemnation is destructive. These accusations are not of God. The passage also declares that speaking positive words of our relationship with God out of our mouth destroys accusation, condemnation and its consequences.
6. “When Jesus raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, ‘Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?’ She said, ‘No one, Lord.’ And Jesus said to her, ‘Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.’” John 8:10-11. Jesus didn’t chide the woman for her past actions; he acknowledged her human worth and told her (instructed her without condemnation) to go and live a good life in Him.
7. “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 This scripture doesn’t directly address condemnation, but it does show us the nature of God. His “yoke is easy” and His “burden is light.” Condemnation is always heavy and pressing, more then we can bear, but God’s ways are “gentle” and “meek,” as some other translations of this verse state. His burden is light because He does not accuse, and we can cast our cares on Him.
So what is significant in scripture about how God speaks to His children? God’s Word speaks directly to us that we are free of condemnation and forgiven when we believe in Him. He deals with our sins and weaknesses, regardless of what they are with love, honesty, and patience. God knows his people are broken, and therefore, reluctant to hear about their own weaknesses, and often sensitive to criticism. Therefore, God accepts the realities of our faults and flaws and made allowances for them, allowing us to grow. He works those flaws out of us gradually and gently. Condemnation creates ironic results, because it makes us more aware of our faults. The more aware we are of our faults, the less likely we are to change. What a person dwells on, they tend to become. God wants us to acknowledge our faults, but focus on what He did for us in His infinite love. By meditating on his love and grace, we are open to change, and as a result, we do. I have struggled ongoingly in this area, but through time, study, experience, and grace, God is showing me His ways of loving, changing, and communicating.
I thank God for distinguishing for me the difference between His voice and the Accuser’s. His voice convicts gently, His yoke feels compact and light, and His calling invokes responsibility, which empowers us to make changes in our lives. The Accuser’s voice condemns sharply—‘harsh, hard, sharp, and pressing,’” as Joyce Meyer puts it. His ‘yoke’ feels heavy and painful, like words of condemnation saying we need to make changes in our lives. Satan’s message often tells us what we need to do to change, but his message brings condemnation and blame, which disables us and puts us in a vicious cycle of helplessness, depression, guilt, judgment, and confusion. This naturally results in frustration, inaction, and futility. These are not experiences God wants from or for us, and they do not produce results, something God does want for us. As a result, many well meaning Christians have trouble receiving any kind of correction and stay stuck. Consistent study and meditation on these truths over time creates a revelation of God’s love and grace in our lives. Understanding God’s loving nature, the progress we so strongly desire is possible.
God may bring such feelings to light so we can see them, honor them, and surrender them to Him, and get back on the path of grace, love, and change. But God will NEVER use them to show us we are doing wrong and leave it at that. These differences are how we can tell the difference between God’s voice and the Accuser’s.
