2. Psalm 51:1-3 To the Chief Musician.
A Psalm of David when Nathan the
prophet went to him, after he had
gone in to Bathsheba. Have mercy
upon me, O God, According to Your
lovingkindness; According to the
multitude of Your tender mercies,
Blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash
me thoroughly from my iniquity, And
cleanse me from my sin. 3 For I
acknowledge my transgressions,
And my sin is always before me.
4. GUILT
• Difference in being guilty and feeling
guilty
• Guilt is the result of sin and blame (We
may be guilty and not feel guilty)
• Guilt feelings are the reaction to our
situation in life (We may be guilty or
innocent and have guilt feelings)
5. I. WHAT CAUSES GUILT FEELINGS?
• SIN - We sin and feel guilty because of
it - (Psa 51:3) For I acknowledge my
transgressions, And my sin is always
before me.
• CONDITIONING - We may have been
trained to feel guilty in either an
appropriate or an inappropriate
manner.
6. II.WHAT ARE THE EFFECTS OF
GUILT FEELING?
• MISERY - One can be driven to
despair by guilt feelings.
–SAUL (1 SAM 27-31) Saul is losing his
kingship to David because of his sin.
He summons the witch of Endor to
bring Samuel back from the dead.
Samuel in wounded in battle and kills
himself.
–JUDAS (MAT 27) Judas hangs himself
when he realizes Jesus is going to be
put to death after Judas betrayed him.
7. II.WHAT ARE THE EFFECTS OF
GUILT FEELING?
• Salvation and peace of mind - Guilt may
cause one to turn to God for peace and
salvation.
–DAVID (2 SAM 11 & 12) - David, Bathsheba
& Nathan - (2 Sam 12:13) So David said to
Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD."
And Nathan said to David, "The LORD also
has put away your sin; you shall not die.
–PETER (MAT 26 & JOHN 21) - Peter denies
the lord three times; Jesus asks Peter
three times if he loves him (2 AGAPAO, 1
PHILEO) And three times tells him to care
for his sheep.
8. III. HOW SHOULD WE HANDLE
GUILT FEELINGS?
• REMEMBER THAT JESUS DIED FOR OUR
SINS - (1 Pet 1:18-21) knowing that you
were not redeemed with corruptible things,
like silver or gold, from your aimless
conduct received by tradition from your
fathers, {19} but with the precious blood of
Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and
without spot. {20} He indeed was
foreordained before the foundation of the
world, but was manifest in these last times
for you {21} who through Him believe in
God, who raised Him from the dead and
gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope
are in God.
9. III. HOW SHOULD WE HANDLE
GUILT FEELINGS?
• IF WE ARE NOT CHRISTIANS, WE SHOULD OBEY THE
GOSPEL AND TURN GUILT FEELINGS INTO
REJOICING - (Acts 8:35-39) Then Philip opened his
mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached
Jesus to him. {36} Now as they went down the road,
they came to some water. And the eunuch said, "See,
here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?"
{37} Then Philip said, "If you believe with all your heart,
you may." And he answered and said, "I believe that
Jesus Christ is the Son of God." {38} So he
commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip
and the eunuch went down into the water, and he
baptized him. {39} Now when they came up out of the
water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that
the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way
rejoicing.
10. III. HOW SHOULD WE HANDLE
GUILT FEELINGS?
• If we are Christians, we should confess
our sins, pray to God for forgiveness
and then trust him for salvation and
peace.
–(1 John 1:8) If we say that we have no
sin, we deceive ourselves, and the
truth is not in us.
–(James 5:16) Confess your
trespasses to one another, and pray
for one another, that you may be
healed. The effective, fervent prayer
of a righteous man avails much.
11. YOUR GUILT?
• Do you have guilt feelings?
• Are they appropriate or inappropriate?
• How are you handling them?
• God does not want you to live with
guilt feelings
