“If we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins.” (I John 1:9)
“I blew it again.” “I didn’t mean to say that” “I know I said I wouldn’t do that anymore. It just happened, and I didn’t mean for it to.” Have we not all said something similar? Have we not all done or said something we didn’t want to? We pray for God to set a guard over our mouth, but the words just pour out like a trash can turned over. We try hard not to cop that attitude again, but it just rears its’ ugly head before we even realize it. We promise ourselves we won’t overspend, overeat, over react, but then it happens – again. Then we feel the guilt and shame. We beat ourselves up. We feel weighed down with a burden we never wanted to carry again – but nonetheless, there it is.
What do we do with all the guilt we carry? Is it real or false guilt? Actually, it is both real and false. Okay, now that I have your attention, allow me to explain. It is real guilt for the fact that we are real sinners. Placing our faith in Jesus Christ removes all the penalty of our sin, but the truth remains that until we get to our eternal home, we carry inside of us a human nature bent on sin. We can thank Adam and Eve for that. “For I was born a sinner – yes, from the moment my mother conceived me.” (Psalm 51:5) “If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in truth.” (I John 1:8) But our guilt is also false guilt if we cannot let go of the burden of it, because of the fact that we are in a relationship with a God who is abundant in mercy and forgiveness. “Let us approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” (Hebrews 4:6) “Mercy triumphs over judgment.” (James 2:13)
So here is the bottom line. Yes, we are truly guilty. When we sin it is we who commit the act. No one else does it for us. No one holds a gun to our head. We alone bear the responsibility. But being loaded down with guilt, once we have taken that guilt to God and asked for forgiveness, is a false guilt. God promises us, “I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.” (Hebrews 8:12) Did you get that? Once confessed, God no longer remembers our sin. So here’s the question – Why do we remember it?
Darlene