Bella Vista Church of Christ
LIFELINES
August 28, 2002 Randall Caselman
Our Battle With Guilt
Guilt. What an awesome burden! Guilt has awesome powers. Guilt is an invisible giant that kills us slowly but painfully. Guilt is the result of sin. What do we do with it? Some of us drag it around, day after day after day, until the burden gets too heavy to bear, until we are crushed by the load. Every sin adds more weight until we don't have strength to go on. Ever feel that way? Perhaps you do now. Well, what can we do?
WE COULD BLAME OTHERS.
This is the dominating psychology of our day: I am not responsible for my own sins. It is my parents' fault, my upbringing. It's in my genes, a result of my environment. Some even go so far as to contend that sin is a disease. Let's get real. Sin is a transgression of God's law... Caused when we are drawn away by our own lust, our own evil desires. Unless done in ignorance, sin is a deliberate choice on our part to do what we want and can't be blamed on others.
WE COULD LOWER THE STANDARD.
Some advise us saying... "Don't be so hard on yourself. Others are doing it - look around. Why feel guilty for acting like the rest of the world? After all, religion is only a crutch for the mentally weak. We've come a long way from Bible days so don't be bound by old fogy rules. Even God wants you to have a good time." This kind of thinking seems to work for awhile, but conscience is hard to run from. Knowing to do right and not doing it only brings more guilt.
WE COULD TRY TO RUN AWAY.
We can always move to where nobody knows us. Start fresh. No history, no past. No sin, no guilt. But we cannot hide from ourselves. Guilt sticks to us. It is in us. Guilt is not something that can be covered up by a new address, a new house, car, blouse or suit. Sin makes us guilty inside, and changing external circumstances will not remove the burden.
WE COULD PUNISH OURSELVES.
Sweat under the weight of chronic regret. What a terrible way to live. This is suicidal. Many today just will not accept God's forgiveness. They keep rehearsing their sins over and over and over--like Judas and Lady Macbeth. What is done can never be undone... My sins are too ugly to be forgiven, so I just have to live with them. Such thinking, such harsh judgment results in chronic guilt and could lead to serious repercussions.
PERHAPS WE COULD ATONE FOR OUR GUILT.
I spend a good amount of my time counseling with people who think like this... I'll work harder down at church. I'll be a better person. I'll read my Bible more. Pray more. Give more. I'll tell the Elders that I'll teach a class or go on a foreign campaign. But you see, self-righteousness, personal good works, individual piety can never, never forgive or make up for sin, any sin, not a single one!! Scripture tells us that when it comes to forgiving sin and removing guilt, all our good works are nothing but a pile of filthy rags in God's eyes.
WE MUST COVER OUR SINS WITH THE BLOOD OF JESUS.
There is only one thing that can forgive our sin and remove our guilt... The blood of Christ. He bore our sins, our guilt, our shame on the cross. Where He died, we should have died. Our sins became His sins... He himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by His wounds you have been healed.
Here is the good news... This is the Gospel concerning guilt... In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace... For we are sons of God by faith. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ - have been covered, clothed with Christ... If we walk in the Light as He is in the Light, we have fellowship one with another and the blood of Christ continues to cleanse us from all our sin... If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
Don't let anybody tell you that you must pay for your own guilt. Jesus did that on the cross. Believe in Him. Obey Him. Accept His grace and His forgiveness. Become and stay guilt free by the blood of Jesus. No! No!! No sin can be greater than God's forgiveness. Even ugly hideous sins are forgiven at the cross.
Just as I am, without one plea
But that Thy blood was shed for me.
Just as I am, Thou wilt receive,
Wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve.
Because Thy promise I believe,
O Lamb of God, I come! I come!
Believe! Obey! Rejoice!
RANDALL CASELMAN
