What's the difference between feeling convicted and feeling guilty?

[shredhead320]

I was wondering. If I had been asked by someone what the Holy Spirit does I would say makes us feel guilty of our sins. But apparently, guilt is a bad thing from what I've seen on this site so I was wondering what the difference is! Can someone share with me?

 

[shredhead320]

What i mean is does the Holy Spirit make us feel bad for sinning? I mean, I've done things before and not felt bad but just known it was wrong. But I usually feel bad about it/guilty? I mean, is that the work of the Holy Spirit - or just letting me know that something is wrong. Ugh.

 

[heron]

Timing.
Conviction is good. We regret, ask forgiveness, and accept it. We move on in confidence that what God promised us is true and real.

Hanging on to guilt often means that we don't quite grasp how ready God is to let go of our offense. If we believe God, we need to choose to believe what He says.

 

[heron]

Look at it this way-- if someone stole from you, you would hope that God and a swarm of other people would defend you. You would want that person to have inner conviction to return the goods.

Even though God forgives us, He doesn't want others harmed by our actions. So conviction from Him, sure... why not.

 

[vjaine]

Guilt makes us feel worthless and unworthy to be loved by God. It drives us away from God. Satan to use guilt to convince us that we are worthless and that God can't doesn't want anything to do with us.

Conviction alerts us that we have sinned, gently or strongly and drives us towards God for forgiveness and redemption.

One pull you towards God, another pulls you away.

 

[shredhead320]

So, the Holy Spirit doesn't make us feel BAD about our sins? Have I been attributing something bad to the Holy Spirit?

 

[AngelDove1]

I was wondering. If I had been asked by someone what the Holy Spirit does I would say makes us feel guilty of our sins. But apparently, guilt is a bad thing from what I've seen on this site so I was wondering what the difference is! Can someone share with me?

guilt; the fact of commiting an offence,
a feeling of responsibility for wrong doing

conviction; the Holy Spirit,lets us know when we have done wrong...give us warning.

 

[shredhead320]

So, the Holy Spirit makes us aware of our guilt - we in turn feel bad/regret. Satan tries to prolong this regret and make us feel constantly guilty - which is not right?

 

[AngelDove1]

So, the Holy Spirit makes us aware of our guilt - we in turn feel bad/regret. Satan tries to prolong this regret and make us feel constantly guilty - which is not right?

satan knows our weaknesses...
he never lets up.
He will set you up any way he can.

right or wrong,he (satan) wants your soul.

God sent the Holy Spirit,to guide us,
not to harm us.

 

[heron]

All of the above.

When I first hear the Holy Spirit convict me, it's when I'm about to do something destructive. When I actually do it, I get a hint of Holy Spirit reinforcement, but then the following thoughts are internal knowledge, and then sometimes guilt.

As everyone said above, Satan knows that guilt will draw you away from God. And like you said, guilt and conviction are two different terms.

 

[4Christ2]

The word of God tells us that "there is now no condemnation to them that know the Lord." Guilt comes from condemnation. Feeling damned and hopeless because of something we have done. This is from the enemy. Conviction is that still, quiet voice in our newly recreated spirit that hears the Holy Spirit when He speaks to us. This is some of the wondrous gift of salvation - for we know that God only chastises those who belong to Him. Blessings

 

[heron]

Sorting this out further...

Repentance isn't talked about as much as it used to be. But if we're talking legalities about God, we still have to face God with the rules we're quoting about Him.

Ephesians 2 gives a good reasoning on the subject.

There are some discussions on condemnation after Jesus' resurrection:

A few chapters after the "no more condemnation" verse--

Romans 13:2

Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves.
​

Ananias and Sapphira who lied about their generosity in Acts 5

1Timothy 3:6

[To be an overseer] and not a new convert, so that he will not become conceited and fall into the condemnation incurred by the devil.
​

I Tim 5:12

...Refuse to put younger widows on the list, for when they feel sensual desires in disregard of Christ, they want to get married, thus incurring condemnation, because they have set aside their previous pledge. (Unclear about whether it's social condemnation or judgement from God.)
​

2 Peter 2:3-6

and in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.

For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to pits of darkness, reserved for judgment;
​

...and other OT examples...

then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from temptation, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment, and especially those who indulge the flesh in its corrupt desires and despise authority.

Daring, self-willed, they do not tremble when they revile angelic majesties...

For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangledin them and are overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first.

For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn away from the holy commandment handed on to them. It has happened to them according to the true proverb, "A DOG RETURNS TO ITS OWN VOMIT," and, "A sow, after washing, returns to wallowing in the mire."
​

​

Jude 1:4

For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.

Now I desire to remind you, though you know all things once for all, that the Lord, after saving a people out of the land of Egypt, subsequently destroyed those who did not believe.

And angels who did not keep their own domain, but abandoned their proper abode, He has kept in eternal bonds underdarkness for the judgment
​

These relate to a nonrepentant or deceitful heart. We need to keep the reality and appreciation of Jesus' sacrifice continually before us.

Romans 8:1-9

Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus
.... what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did
...so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us
... those who are in the flesh do not please God.
​

He didn't do away with the standards, but made a way for us not to be condemned (eternally-spiritually) by our errors. The freedom from condemnation IS available to us. But we need to recognize that we always answer to God.

Eph 2:19

So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's household..
​

 

[rocklife]

sometimes having a nagging feeling has been a way of God letting me know to perservere to make something right.

Even in forgiveness, sometimes we have to still work to make things right, especially if we've hurt someone else in the process. For example, apologizing.

And I am so thankful God has cleaned my conscience. We still live and make mistakes, and I believe He still nudges us on, especially if we have offended someone. We need to try to help fix that. That has been one of my experiences, that can be seen as guilt. Everything does feel better, even if you are crying in apology and embarrassment, which has happened to me several times.

 

[1Newcreation]

So, the Holy Spirit makes us aware of our guilt - we in turn feel bad/regret. Satan tries to prolong this regret and make us feel constantly guilty - which is not right?

The Holy spirit convicts us..... lets us know we are doing wrong, we in turn should feel the need to confess, repent and ask for forgiveness, which then brings us peace. Praise the Lord for the peace He gives us.
God NEVER condemns, He CONVICTS, which is a good thing because it helps us to get back on the right track, it prompts us to make changes, it gives us direction, !!!!

John 3:17 "For god did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him"

Also note this......Satan will drag up stuff from our past and try and remind us, and we may get a bad feeling. Sometimes if we are tired or in a weak moment. But No STOP right there, we have to remember Hey I confessed that sin, the Lord is faithful and has forgiven me for it, I am now cleansed by His blood, I am a new creature in Him.
The Lord will NEVER remind us of our past sins. That is why we can live in such freedom, if we trust Him, and believe His Word.

Psalm 103:12 "As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us"

Micah 7:19 "You again will have compassion on us, you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl our iniquities into the depths of the sea"

God is Good, Give Him Praise!!!!!!

 

[Treasurer]

Conviction is a heart issue. Some people have convictions towards living a unmarried life. This is not a law or command. But to disobey this conviction, for this person would be a sin (Romans 14:23 ...They would be condemned for not acting in faith before God. If you do anything you believe is not right, you are sinning.)

I think all of us have convictions. Wether small or big in our eyes. They are standards we live by.

My thoughts, anyways.

 

[JPPT1974]

When we feel guilty, we feel as
We are like being condemn but
In God, there is no condemnation
As He cleans and clears us in the
Hope and sake of His one and only
Begotten Son who died for us and arose from the dead
So that we wouldn't be condenmed to die
An eternal death from God!

 

[3Princessmom]

I was wondering. If I had been asked by someone what the Holy Spirit does I would say makes us feel guilty of our sins. But apparently, guilt is a bad thing from what I've seen on this site so I was wondering what the difference is! Can someone share with me?

For me, guilt is when I've already done something wrong. A conviction can come before, during, or after sinning. you can't really feel guilty without committing the wrong, I don't think. A conviction is a nudge from the holy spirit, telling you what to do, what is right. Ever heard the song "Spirit Thing" by Newsboys? If not, you've got to get a hold of it somehow, it's the perfect explanation!

 

[bigdAddyweAve423]

I have been dealing with this over the last few weeks; Feeling Guilty over something that I never did. That is satan attacking me; satan will always put that thought in your head that you did something wrong, he is a liar, that thought leads to guilt over something you never did.

Hope this helps.

 

[Everlastinglife]

I was wondering. If I had been asked by someone what the Holy Spirit does I would say makes us feel guilty of our sins. But apparently, guilt is a bad thing from what I've seen on this site so I was wondering what the difference is! Can someone share with me?

My opinion. Feeling guilty is knowing you have done wrong, feeling guilt doesnt mean you feel bad. However being convicted is knowing you let not only yourself down, but let Jesus down aswell.

 

[rita727]

Guilt makes us feel worthless and unworthy to be loved by God. It drives us away from God. Satan to use guilt to convince us that we are worthless and that God can't doesn't want anything to do with us.

Conviction alerts us that we have sinned, gently or strongly and drives us towards God for forgiveness and redemption.

One pull you towards God, another pulls you away.

Well said.