Power To Triumph Over Guilt

Prior to receiving Jesus Christ as our Savior, you and I had the natural tendency to sin. Sin was automatic for us. We sinned freely, regularly, and daily. Sometimes what we did wrong did not seem wrong at the time, and other times it bothered us greatly. Discovering ourselves capable of some pretty dark stuff was more then disconcerting. We simply never thought we would ever sink so low...could go so far...or violate our values and beliefs so violently...even repeatedly. Yet we did just that...more than once...for some folks such moral failures have become entrenched habitual sin. That is how it was for us all before Christ; I remember so much of it all too well.

IT IS NOT NATURAL FOR CHRISTIANS TO LIVE IN SIN

Once we have received the life of Christ, it is no longer natural for us to sin. Our new nature prompts us to walk in close fellowship/relationship with God. That is part of what it means to be a “new creature” in Christ Jesus (2 Cor. 5:17) and a “partaker of the divine nature” (2Pet. 1:3-4). Things are indeed different now that we know the Lord. While we are not perfect, it is wonderful being forgiven by God for who and what we were. We really like the "new."

    We Are New Creations “In Christ” and We Can Now Obey God.

2 Cor. 5:17-18 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. [18] And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;

In this new environment of relationship, fellowship, and position with God through Jesus Christ, we have new power and fresh opportunities. The vital part is the fact that believers are "in Christ." He makes all the difference for us. Please allow me to illustrate. A fly naturally cannot fly and survive at 30,000 feet.  Yet I can enthusiastically submit to you one actually did.  You see, we were on an airplane flying to Phoenix, AZ. Apparently, a common housefly booked that flight also! There he was all over the cabin buzzing around and annoying everyone it encountered. That common ordinary housefly was doing the extraordinary at about 30 thousand feet. It was alive, moving, breathing, flying, investigating, and driving some of us mad seemingly effortlessly even at such great altitudes. The key is the fact that he was in an airplane...an environment that afforded him extraordinary ability and opportunity.  Likewise, the Christian is “in Christ” and as such he or she can do exactly the prescribed will of God. We are made capable of breaking bad habits and initiating healthy habits. Christians have the capacity to live differently. We are not merely sin-slaves anymore who cannot refuse sin. We have the power to live for God because we are “in Christ.”

   We Have Received ALL Necessary Equipment to Live For the Lord Since We Are Partakers of the Divine Nature.

2 Peter 1:3-4 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: [4] Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

No amount of weakness on our part or corruption in this world can prevent us Children of the Heavenly Father from pleasing Him with our manner of life. Again living defeated in sin and being constantly overcome by guilt is not normal for believers. Beloved, we can break with sinful practices by the grace of God, the power of the Holy Spirit, and in harmony with the Scriptures. There is so much hope for positive change "in Christ."

CHRISTIANS ARE NOT SINLESS OR PERFECT

The previous observations do not mean we will not occasionally yield to temptations and commit sin against God or fellow human beings. In those instances the Holy Spirit will quickly convict us about our sin. If we are sensitive to the Lord our sins will seem unnatural, odious, and undesirable to us. Our new natural desire is to please the Lord Jesus. You, like me, will want to receive God's forgiveness and be restored to fellowship with our heavenly Father. Righteousness and godliness have become the pursuit of our lives and not what sins we can get by with.

Ephes. 4:21-24, If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: [22] That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; [23] And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; [24] And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

Col. 3:9-10, Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; [10] And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

These incredible passages reinforce our conviction that life for genuine believers is different from the average nonbeliever. We appreciate the things that pertain to God and godliness. The things that are important to us have a biblical precedence or anchor and we want the new life God has made available to us. We are far from perfect, but we long to be righteous in practical ways.

     GOD’S FORGIVENESS PROVIDES RELIEF FROM GUILT.  OTHERWISE, GUILT WILL DESTROY US!

Another way of stating we are not perfect is admitting that real believers still do commit sins and fall into temptations. This is where the guilt comes into play....

       What is Guilt? 

Guilt is a painful internal alarm that alerts us to the fact that we have sinned. It is a private anguish which prods us to acknowledge our destructive behaviors toward ourselves and toward others.                                                    

 We Don't like Emotional Pain of Any Kind. Grief, anger and fear are difficult enough. But, for many of us, guilt is the most difficult emotional pain of all.

Unfortunately, Guilt Is a Necessary Kind of Pain. Like all painful emotions, guilt is a distress signal that is meant to warn us that something is wrong. We need to pay attention to this warning. If we do not pay attention, we will continue in our destructive ways.  When we feel guilt we need to run to God, because this emotion warns us that something is not right in our relationship with Him!

  It Is Important to Remember That the Word Guilt Is Often Misused.

We say “I feel guilty,” for example, about things that have nothing to do with wrongdoing.

In Fact, Sometimes We Say “I Feel Guilty” for Behaviors That Are Good and Healthy. For instance, we may say “I feel guilty” when we say no to over commitments. What we are feeling, however, is not guilt. We are experiencing the anxiety which comes when we are not able to meet our own or other people's expectations. The people we disappoint when we say no may be angry with us. They may tell us we have failed them.

But Our Behavior Is Not a Violation of Our Conscience or of God's Moral Law. It is, rather, honest, self-respectful behavior. When we say “I feel guilty” for this kind of behavior, we are experiencing what some refer to as “false guilt.”

What I am Addressing Now is True Guilt Because of Sin.

The experience of guilt which is the focus of this message is the experience of true guilt.

Guilt From Sins of Commission; Things We Should Not Have Done, But Did Anyway.

We want to focus on relief from the pain we experience when we have lied, cheated, verbally attacked another person, committed adultery, looked at pornography, or spent the family's money on drugs, alcohol, or gambling. The fact that these failures are accompanied with felt consequences amplifies the realization of guilt. It is not only apparent to us, but others have been gravely impacted by our sinful behavior.  

Guilt From Sins of Omission; Things We Should Have Done, But Failed To.

I am focusing on the guilt that comes with a failure to follow through with God’s general plan and will for every Christian. These are failure related to Bible study, prayer time, church attendance, baptism, not joining the church, an unfaithful husband, a rebellious wife, a disobedient child, a delinquent worker, a lazy church servant, being, unforgiving, inconsiderate, and immodest behavior and appearance. These are failures to satisfy God’s expectations--sin. We need to focus on relief from the guilt that comes when our failures to live for God harm ourselves and those we love. There is HOPE in Jesus Christ our Lord!

How Do We Triumph Over Guilt?

In order to overcome guilt we need to seek forgiveness. This is God’s solution! At the heart of the Christian faith is the promise of forgiveness. The reality of our guilt and of God's provision of forgiveness in Jesus Christ is woven throughout the biblical text. The Bible tells us that when we acknowledge our sins and turn from them, God forgives us.

Proverbs 28:13-14,  He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy. [14] Happy is the man that feareth alway: but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief.

Jeremiah 31:34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord; for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.

Isaiah 53:5,  But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. 

Romans 5:6,  For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

Romans 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

These verses communicate hope beyond the ache of guilt! In them God promises forgiveness, cleansing, restoration, and a guilt free conscience. Instead of being cut off from fellowship with God because of our sinful behavior, we can be restored. Without these promises all we are left with is our bone-crushing guilt. I do realize there are other ways of dealing with guilt that many people and professionals advocate, but here God offers a real solution! We need to believe Him and choose the forgiveness He affords so graciously.

The Only Thing That Tends to Stand in the Way of Forgiveness for the Christian Who Sins Is our Questioning Whether God Will Forgive Us. Let me assure you, He will if we turn to Him in genuine humility to confess and repent of our sin (1 John 1:7-9). We must believe God on this point! Go ahead and own your failure or your part in a moral failure. Confess...agree with God about it. Acknowledge your obligations to make things right where applicable, and prepare to move on. Use your faith to take to heart the clear promises of forgiveness from God. He wants to restore you and me to fellowship with himself once we have strayed away. Faith is the victory. How do I know this to be true? The most famous parable of Jesus tells me so (Luke 15:11-24).