Grace and Guilt, today's thought

[DaveKerwin]

I had a thought today that I wanted to share. There have been times in my life when I felt so guilty about past sin that it put a major hinderance on God's work in my life. Recent circumstances, a discussion with a group of friends, and a verse I found today lead me to post this.

When we have sinned, we feel guilty. When we repent, we are forgiven. Yet, many times we do not feel forgiven and act as if we are not. I do not believe God wants us to do this. He has cleansed us from all unrighteousness. If you have turned from your sin and asked for forgiveness, then humbly accept the grace of Jesus Christ and move on. It is difficult to move on. But if you act like you are not forgiven, you isult the gift of God's grace. I do also believe we need to accept the consequences of our actions, but there comes a point where we just accept God's awesome forgiveness as well.

Mark 10:15
"I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it."

How would a child accept a gift? They will smile and be pleased to have it. How should we accept God's grace? Perhaps we should receive this gift in a similar manor instead of living a life drenched in guilt.

Just a thought.

 

[Job_38]

I agree, so many times we get to where we think that we cannot ask forgiveness. A child says sorry right away. Its like spitting in Christ's face when we sin, then rubbing it into his eyes when we do not repent.

Convictions great, I got some right now.

 

[DaveKerwin]

Right, convictions are great. I am not suggesting we live wildly and abuse grace and never think twice. We should have a humble repentance, but NOT get hung on guilt where we hinder God's work.

 

[seangoh]

Originally posted by DaveKerwin
Right, convictions are great. I am not suggesting we live wildly and abuse grace and never think twice. We should have a humble repentance, but NOT get hung on guilt where we hinder God's work.

U're absolutely right Dave.
In fact if we take awhile to think about the time we spend feeling guilty, it's not what the Lord wants us to spend our time. We have better ways of spending our time and that is to study and read the Bible more, thereby learning more of Christ and God's dealings with man.

Just yesterday i gave a testimony to 200+ christians in another church and i said at one point that by God's grace and providence i have experienced the joy of studying God's word. And that recently i was reminded of an incident from the past that was sure to bring me to depression everytime it came. But i said that now as i have experienced this joy of studying the Word, i had no time for depression!

I don't know how to explain the many blessings that come from studying His Word. I've been telling this to people but they don't seem to understand fully what i'm telling them. Should i just resign to the fact that these blessings are just not fully represented by mere words?

Anyway, just to keep things in perspective, the psalmist wrote in Psa 119:97 that he loved the law and meditated on it day and night. I find that the psalmist is so authentic and had so much love for the good things that we can all strive to be like him. Let's all strive to go in that direction and leave the bad things behind and look forward to the glorious appearing of our Great God and Saviour Jesus Christ!

 

[Outspoken]

"How would a child accept a gift? "

Great thought. I would say he was speaking about total trust and a belief without any preconceptions.

 

[HesMyAll]

When God forgives us He never sees that sin again.  Unfortunately, we do remember them.  But we are not to walk by what we feel but by faith.  We need to learn to forgive ourselves and move on.  We need to forget those things that are behind and press on in our walk with the Lord.

 

[DaveKerwin]

Originally posted by Hesmyall
When God forgives us He never sees that sin again.  Unfortunately, we do remember them.  But we are not to walk by what we feel but by faith.  We need to learn to forgive ourselves and move on.  We need to forget those things that are behind and press on in our walk with the Lord.

thats right!!!

 

[DaveKerwin]

anyone else have a thought?

 

[Andrew]

anyone else have a thought?

can you guys take it if I go one step deeper into grace?

the moment you were saved, ALL our sins, past present and future from the time of birth to death were wiped out and remembered no more.

thus when you sin, you dont need to confess sin to God TO BE forgiven. what you need to do is confess righteousness. Confession means to say that same thing God says. And what does God say abt our sins? That as far as the east is from the west, he has removed our sins and remembered them no more. He also says, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ.

when a Christian is sick, you show him scriptures on healing.
when a Christian is in lack, sciptures on God's provision.
likewise, when a person is sinful, scriptures on his righteouness in Christ.

this is the antidote to sin. God grace and the Christian's everlasting righteousness in Christ.

 

[DaveKerwin]

I am with you for the most part Andrew. I will still confess my sins though.

 

[Andrew]

Yes by all means confess. That's what I still do to make myself feel better -- not to earn something from God or to appease him. That only the Blood can accomplish.

I also confess becos its like saying sorry to the person you've offended in a close relationship. Rather then ignoring it or blaming someone else for it.

But just to reiterate, the Greek for "confess" does mean to "say the same thing". So let us say the same thing God says about our sins after the cross.

 

[Blade]

I like,

Romans 8:1 <I>There is </I>therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

 

[DaveKerwin]

Originally posted by Blade
I like,

Romans 8:1 <I>There is </I>therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Yes, if we are in Christ (by our faith), then we are not condemned!