The document discusses the topic of guilt from a Christian perspective. It makes three key points: 1) Feelings of guilt can be a blessing because they push us to seek forgiveness from God for our sins. However, some people sin so much that they become numb to feelings of guilt. 2) For Christians, the goal is to reach the kingdom of God, but sin prevents this. True repentance and turning to God in faith are needed to have sins wiped away. 3) When Christians feel guilty, they should confess their sins to God, ask Him to reveal any sins in their life, and remember that God has promised to forgive through the blood of Jesus Christ. False guilt from Satan can be

1. The Guiltof Sin– 11th
December2015
The Biblesays thateveryone sins in someform or the other. An unpleasantresultof sin is the feelingof guilt. On
one hand,feelings of guiltarea blessing,becausethey push us towards God by making us more aware of the
wrong. Just likephysical pain drives us to find out what's wrong some ware in our system, the spiritual pain of guilt
causes us to reconsider the wrong and hence it makes us seek forgiveness… There are people in the world today
who consciously and continuously do wrongfor others and sin so much that the feeling of guilt does not affect
them as itshould.But as they grow older the feeling of guiltthat was being kept under the carpet, eventually starts
to remind that person of the sinful actionscommitted. These wrongdoings can causedifferent forms of negative
feelings and eventual depression,which can greatly affect the happiness in one’s life.
When we do wrong to another we are deviatingfrom Gods plan for us and itis a sin which in turn takes us further
away reachingthe kingdom of God. We can learn this in 1 Corinthians 6:9-10,“Or do you not know that
wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters
nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men 10 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor
swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God”. The main objective for any Christian isto reach the kingdom of God,
but sin will notallowus to get there. Therefore guiltcan be a God given warning for the wrongdoer. The bibletells
us that God has promised to forgive anyone, no matter what the sin,when the sinner turns to Jesus Christin faith.
In the above passagewe can learn further: “And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were
sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Corinthians
6:11).
But to reach this importantmilestone we need ‘Repentance’ in our hearts.It is our confession to God that we have
failed Himand therefore we seek His forgiveness for our sinful nature.When we repent it states our desirefrom
God to change our hearts as a part of that faith in we have in Him. Therefore our guiltcan be can be put to good
use as the precursor to seek repentance which is a priority for our salvation.Wecan read in Matthew 4:17,“From
that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near” We get a deep
understandingwhen we read Acts 3:19, “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that
times of refreshing may come from the Lord”.
God's forgiveness,when we accept and understand it, is a wonderfully liberating experience.The feeling of being
downtrodden worthlessness,anxiety and depression can be removed from our hearts when we are liberated
through the power of Jesus Christ. Through His sacrificeby His death on the cross,Jesus applies Hisown
righteousness to us by taking away our sin which we can learn in John 1:29,“The next day John saw Jesus coming
toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! Our faith in Him avails us the
possibility of salvation and as for thosein Christ,we cannot be condemned which we can learn in Romans
8:1,“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus”.
As Christianswhatwe seek is a closerelationship with God. With all whatJesus did for us,His sacrificeand death
on a Roman cross,He wants to bringus closeto God. We can learn in 1 John 1:6 -7,“If we claim to have fellowship
with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in
the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin’.
Unfortunately, due toourhumannature, the realityof our freedomfromsindoesnotalwaysbring
freedomfromguiltyfeelings. Evenwhenwe receive forgiveness,the memoryof the sinscan remain.
Thisis notGods doingbut the evil one. Satan,the "accuser"doesnotmissan opportunitytoremindus
of ourfaultsand failures.ButasChristianswhohave receivedsalivationshouldbearinmindthatour
redemptionisthroughthe mightypowerof JesusChristandnomatterwhatthe evil one tries,he cannot

2. succeed. “…for the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night, has
been hurled down”(Revelation12:10).
As we discussedearlier,guilthelpsustoget closertoGod. Therefore when we feel guilty,there are a
fewthingswe can do: Firstlywe can beginto ConfesstoGod, inprayer,any sinthat ison your
conscience.Sometimeswhenwe feel guilty,itissimplybecause we are guilty!Therefore we needto
confessoursin and be relievedbyareminderof God'sforgiveness.Thisismade cleartous in Psalm
32:3-5, “For day and night your hand was heavy on me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of
summer.5 Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my
transgressions to the LORD.” And you forgave the guilt of my sin”. Second we must askGod to help ussee
anythinginyourlife thatneedstobe confessedandchanged.Be totallyhonestwithHim afterall He
knowseverythingaboutyouanyway!.Praythe wordsof Psalm139:23-24, "Searchme,O God, andknow
my heart!Try me and knowmy thoughts! Andsee if there be anygrievouswayinme,andleadme in
the way everlasting!"
ThirdlyrememberthatGodhas promisedtoforgive yoursinandtake awayyour guiltbyway of the
bloodof Christ. AsChristianswe musttrustthat promise thatwe can learn from1 John1:9, “If we
confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” One
can also remember the passagewe discussed earlier in Romans8:1.If guiltstill plaguesyou,evenafter
you've confessedandforsakenyoursins,thenthosefeelingsare false guilt createdbythe evil one!.We
mustrememberthatGod has beentrue toHis promisesandhasforgivenyou.Youare justifiedinHis
eyes.Meditate onBible passagesthatreiterateGod'spromise toforgive,like whatwe canreadin Psalm
103:8-12, “The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. 9 He will not always
accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever;10 he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to
our iniquities. 11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; 12 as
far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us”Finallyinalighterveinpray
that God wouldmake youdeaf toSatan's accusations.Ask God to restore yourjoyinsalvationandgive
youfreedomfromguilt:“Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me”
(Psalm51:12).
“Restore to me the joyof yoursalvationandgrant me a
willing spirit, to sustain me” (Psalm 51:12).
“Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God?
Do not be deceived…”1 Corinthians 6:9-10,