The wages of sin is death. Guilt and shame are a couple of by-products. And sometimes, these serve as a bigger obstacle to repairing a relationship with God than the actual sin. Sin is bad enough but guilt and shame can be equally detrimental. Even after confessing sins, one still feels that God hasn’t forgiven them because they are stuck in the web of guilt. People also make it worse by pointing fingers, casting blame and calling names.
Though Guilt and Shame are twins, born in the garden, only moments apart, they aren’t identical. Guilt is usually tied to an event: I did something bad. Shame is tied to a person: I am bad.
Guilt is the wound. Shame is the scar. Guilt is isolated to the individual. Shame is contagious...No one can share in your guilt, but many can share in your shame.- Daniel Dewit
You’re thinking about how terrible you are
How disappointed God is in you
How undeserving you are of his love and kindness
For many, the antidote is isolation. Isolation from friends from church and God by discontinuing the activities of prayer and Bible study. We’re not supposed to be proud of our sins, we’re supposed to feel remorse which will lead to repentance. To be stuck in a place of perpetual guilt is straight from the devil.
Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done. At every point you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter.- 2 Cor 7:10-11
Because of the separation sin caused between man and God, he sent his own son whom he loved to die so that we might be reconciled back to Him. He sent His son so that we may be declared "not guilty" (justification) of the sins we committed and continue our daily walk of sanctification.
That’s how important seeing you whole and forgiven, He doesn’t want to see you feeling shameful. If he didn't, Jesus wouldn't have died. Life is too short and the death of Christ too sacred to waste time, regretting the past.
When God said he had forgiven you, He wasn’t lying. He didn’t stutter. He didn’t change His mind along the way. He is not like your dad or boyfriend who didn’t deliver on his promise. He is the King of kings, if he said it trust Him to keep His word.
God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?- Numbers 23:19-20
So take Him at His Word. If you need a reminder, here are some verses for you.
✊As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.- Psalm 103:12
✊I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins- Isaiah 43:25
Hol'up! Hol'up! He's blotting out my transgressions for His own sake, not mine??? Wow!!!
✊If we confess our sins to the Lord, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness- 1 John 1:9
✊My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.- 1 John 2:1
✊Therefore, there is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death- Romans 8:1-2
✊I acknowledge my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” and you forgave the iniquity of my sin.- Psalm 32:5
✊If anyone be in Christ he is a new creation, old things have passed away; behold all things have become new.- 2 Corinthians 5:17.
This is not to say that we should flaunt our weaknesses but we should be humble enough to repent and seek help.
What shall we say [to all this]? Should we continue in sin and practice sin as a habit so that [God’s gift of] grace may increase and overflow? Certainly not! How can we, the very ones who died to sin, continue to live in it any longer?- Romans 6:1-2
For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are,yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need- Hebrews 4:15-16
Are there any texts I did not add? Let me know in the comments.
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