Guilt

A friend recently told me "I almost always cry in church...because...the love of Christ is overwhelming and it brings me to tears.  Also, I feel guilty and ashamed of my sins."  She then asked "if Christ died for my sins, if my sins are washed away, why do I feel guilty."  It's a good question:  Why DO we often feel guilty even after we've confessed our sin(s)?  I think in order to answer this question, we need a quick refresher course in doctrine.  Remember, there’s a difference between ‘the conviction of God’ and ‘guilt over past sin.’  When we sin, as believers we should feel a true remorse because we know our sin breaks God’s heart.  This remorse leads to conviction which brings us to a place of confession (saying to God “I did it, please forgive me”).  Once we confess our sin as wrong in God’s eyes, we then need to repent (make a u-turn), leave the sin behind (figuratively and literally) and move forward knowing our sins are forgiven and we’ve been washed fresh and clean. 

Guilt over past sin means one of two things:  Either we haven’t officially confessed that sin as wrong in God's eyes, received His forgiveness and moved forward ‘clean and surrendered’ or we're allowing the Enemy (Satan) to unjustly weigh us down with guilt when we should be walking in freedom.  Conviction in from God; guilt is from our Deceiver, the Enemy.

Try doing a word-search at “biblegateway.com” on the word “freedom.”  One of the first verses you’ll find will be Ephesians 5:1.  It says “...it’s for freedom sake that Christ set you free.  Do not be bound any longer to a yoke of slavery.”  You see, Christ sets us free from the slavery of our sin.  And because we're actually free (not slaves any longer), we need to act free; we need to walk “free;”  free from sin, free from shame, alive in Christ.  

I pray you'll experience the freedom from guilt Christ paid for on the cross.  Then, the only tears you'll be shedding will be tears of thankfulness and joy as you stand before Christ forgiven and free.