Guilt And Grace

Guilt And Grace

Guilt and Grace

Romans 8:1 – “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

There is a very definite need for us to understand the role of guilt and conscience in the Christian life. For the believer, guilt feelings are not only destructive but they are opposed to a Scriptural view of motivation and actually reflect our own independent efforts to solve the problem of sin in our lives. These feelings can hinder spiritual growth unless they are handled properly.

Misunderstandings about guilt can be seen in two main areas:

1. Constant guilt feelings destroy our assurance of forgiveness. In spite of our intellectual knowledge of confession and forgiveness (1 John 1:9) in the Christian life, many Christians are experiencing no more freedom from a guilt-ridden conscience than are unbelievers.
2. Guilt feelings, instead of promoting spiritual growth, can cause legalistic and Pharisaical tendencies. Some visible signs of people who are guilt ridden:
3. The Christian who is constantly spiritually depressed and defeated.
4. The Christian who constantly goes to the altar during an invitation to “rededicate” himself/herself.
5. The Christian who is very legalistic and who rigidly orders his or her life and expects others to do the same.
6. The rebellious teen-ager who comes from a highly religious home.

(These are simply some possible signs of a guilt-ridden conscience and are not to be understood as indicators every time one of these symptoms occur.)

Definition of guilt – A complex reaction we experience when we realize that we are not who we think we are or not acting as we should act. The reaction may involve self-punishment, self- rejection, and a sense of shame or inferiority.

Example – Judas is a perfect example of a person who because of guilt goes to extreme ends in self-punishment. After betraying Jesus, he tried to get rid of the guilt by returning the 30 pieces of silver. When that failed, he threw the money into the temple sanctuary and went off and hanged himself.

Remember, Judas could have sought Christ and asked for forgiveness!

Question – If believers are not supposed to feel guilty, what are they supposed to feel?

Answer – They are to have a godly sorrow or a constructive sorrow. READ 2 Corinthians 7:9-10.

The main difference between guilt and godly sorrow is this: behind guilt feelings lies FEAR; behind godly sorrow lies LOVE. With guilt, one is motivated by fear or else overtaken by fear. With godly sorrow, one is motivated by love to change his or her actions.

Some ways that guilt is hidden or disguised:

1. Projection – when we repress our own feelings of guilt, sins, or unacceptable wishes and feelings, and attribute them to others.

Biblical example – David when confronted by Nathan (2 Samuel 12:1-7)

Modern example – a man who has a problem with physical lust. He cannot deal with his own feelings. So, he projects that guilt upon his wife. Thus, he forbids her to wear a bathing suit or go to the beach and says that other men will be looking at her and she will be tempting them.

2. Repression – when we have a dirty or uncomfortable thought or bring up a bad memory, we push it to the back of our minds and make every effort not to think about it or deal with it.

3. Reaction formation – when we assume a conscious attitude or action which is directly opposed to the inner wish or the repressed thought.

Biblical example – The religious rigidity of the Pharisees (Matthew 23:25-26).

Since a guilt-ridden person cannot deal properly with his inner self, he begins to focus on external actions, works, and effort. Thus, when others look upon the outward person they see this fine picture of religious devotion. But they do not see that on the inside there is a sea of turmoil. The guilty person fears what others will think if they really knew the struggle that was going on inside.

4. Compulsive activity – when a person feels guilty for not having achieved or done as best he could, he throws himself into his work to alleviate the fear and anxiety within. This has more recently been referred to as the “workaholic.”

5. Obsessive thinking – can best be explained by example. This is the person who feels guilty about say, having a bad memory. So when he goes to bed he torments himself by thinking, “Did I set the alarm?”, “Did I lock the door?” and keeps thinking these things until he gets up to see for himself.

NOTE – Some of these disguises are normal to all of us. Every time we make a decision some measure of anxiety comes over us. If we have forgotten to do something we remind ourselves a few times. Some of these defenses can in a sense be healthy for us. Some doubting is perfectly normal. But, when these doubts consume us then we have a problem.

In Christian circles, the disguise of obsessive thinking is very common in those who have a problem having assurance that past sins are forgiven. They are constantly wondering if God hates them, or if they have committed the unpardonable sin, or if they are really going to make it to heaven. They are plagued with thoughts like, “If was really a Christian I wouldn’t have these dirty thoughts,” or “Maybe I really didn’t mean it when I said I was sorry and I repented.”

These disguises that we use to avoid guilt feelings distort reality and keep us from seeing ourselves realistically.

Repressed thoughts go unresloved. Projected feelings build barriers between ourselves and others. Compulsive activity puts stress and strain upon us emotionally, physically, and spiritually and detracts from our family life. Obsessive thoughts cause unnecessary depression and worry.

One man has said (Bruce Narramore) that psychologically these disguises lead to neurosis and spiritually they cause legalism and Pharisaism.

In closing, I want us to remember the words of Romans 8:1.

Keep this in mind also – Do you remember when Jesus confronted the Pharisees about the cup washing in Matthew 23 how he outright condemned them? Yet, do you recall the instance when he was with the woman that had been in adultery (John 8).

Jesus openly forgave her and exhorted her to sin no more.

If we hide our guilt, the Word and the Spirit will convict us of it harshly. But, if we acknowledge our guilt and have a godly sorrow motivated to change by love for Christ, he forgives us. Our Lord never had a harsh word for an admitted sinner. But to those who sought to hide their guilt he spoke harshly and forcefully.

We are going to continue this study, but for now I want you to remember a few final short thoughts:

1. We are fallen creatures. Settle in your mind now that perfection will never be reached in this life.
2. You are not the only Christian who has ever had unclean thoughts or impure wishes.
3. If you have these inner constant guilt feelings you may simply need to unload them to a brother or sister in Christ who cares for you.
4. If you are struggling with guilt, do not attempt to resolve the problem by blaming others or by burying yourself in activity. Do not lay down extra-biblical rules for others to follow simply because you are having a problem in a particular area.
5. Look to the Scriptures, particularly the book of 1 John. Open up to the Spirit and allow him to minister assurance to your soul.
6. Remember that when Christ died on the cross, he died for all of your sins, even the ones you have not yet committed.

GUILT Part 2

Adam and Eve were created in the image of God and lived in perfect harmony with him and with themselves in the Garden of Eden. Although they were naked, they were not ashamed.

Inwardly, they were happy and at peace with themselves. They knew their indentity in relation to their Creator. There was no burden to prove their worth or to live up to anyone’s expectations. They possessed emotional harmony.

When the serpent came and tempted them, he implied that they were naive, blind, and inferior. If they would only eat from the forbidden tree, they would have knowledge of good and evil. This knowledge was not simply an intellectual knowledge of moral values, but rather an experiential knowledge.

Unfortunately, an experiential knowledge of evil does not make us like God rather, it alienates us from him.

Adam and Eve’s sin placed them into an immediate state of guilt and shame. They were guilty of sinning against God. The guilty feeling which they experienced led to shame.

Now notice, there was not yet any threat of wrath from God. Their own consciences condemned them. The initial threat to them was not a word from God because God had not yet sought them out. The initial threat was their own emotions telling them that something was wrong. The mental guilt and anxiety they now experienced was a natural reaction of fallen man to the awareness of his sinful condition. Their guilt was not a positive force, that is, it did not lead the to repentance or contrition. Instead, their guilt motivated them to make their own coverings of fig leaves and to hide from God! Their guilt and anxiety caused them to be afraid of each other. There was no longer a feeling of harmony when they looked upon each other.

When God came to them and questioned them, they immediately projected their guilt onto someone else. Eve said that it was the serpent’s fault, and Adam sais that it was Eve’s fault. In hiding from each other and God, they initiated the process of psychological defense. They began denying their guilt and their helpless condition.

Now to make a point. The guilt and anxiety experience of Adam and Eve was not the result of their environment. It was the result of their own sinfulness. Guilt feelings are always experienced when we sense some type of inconsistency or duality within ourselves. Adam and Eve suddenly realized that they were no longer what they were created to be. They realized that they had not obtained what they thought they would. They found that the serpent had deceived them.

Guilt occured immediately after the fall. Since Adam was our representative (theologically called “federal headship”), we are now all born with guilt and anxiety feelings. These feelings are not simply the result of the environment we have grown up in.

Difference between GUILT and ANXIETY:

GUILT always has reference to something in the PAST while ANXIETY has reference to something in the FUTURE.

It is impossible to experience guilt about something we have not yet done. We may experience guilt over our wishes about something in the future, but the guilt is about our wishes, not about what has not yet happened. Anxiety comes when we think about the potential consequences of a past act.

Infants also feel guilt and anxiety although perhaps not as intense or as understood as that which adults feel. When a child reaches the stage of development where he becomes conscious of the mental faculties, he immediately has an awareness of right and wrong. The Bible teaches the doctrine of original sin, that is, all men are born sinners by nature. Therefore, even before we can make conscious moral choices we are responsible for our actions.

Let us talk about an infant for a moment. There are times when an infant needs to be fed because it is truly hungry. If its feeding schedule is not met, the baby may cry as a means of expressing its need to be fed. However, many times, an infant will cry to be fed simply because of a selfish desire to have wishes (not needs) met.

As we mature, our ability to make conscious decisions increases and our conscious responsibility grows.

Question — Are guilt feelings from God?

Narramore – “Undoubtedly guilt has been a major means of motivation in the church. Endeavoring to stir people to godly living, church leaders have frequently aroused feelings of disesteem and self-condemnation. This has been especially true of the preaching ministry of the church and of devotional literature where there has been a major failure to distinguish between… guilt feelings and constructive sorrow.”

Narramore poses this question to Christian pastors, theologians, and counselors – “How can we lead people to freely acknowledge their sins without getting under a heavy burden of neurotic guilt?” He then goes on to say, “Without a successful resolution to these apparent conflicts we are in danger of communicating an oppressive rather than a liberating brand of Christianity…”

In the New Testament, guilt is never used as a motivating emotion. When used, it is in a legal or judicial sense, describing our condition as fallen people alienated from God because of our sins. The New Testament speaks of objective guilt (that is you are guilty because you have broken this law or principle) but never subjective guilt, or doing things because of a guilty feeling.

Guilt motivation first of all damages self-esteem and a sense of self-worth. I do not mean in the humanistic sense that we hear so much about today, but as such:

1. We are created in God’s image
2. We are given dominion over the earth
3. We are made a lower than the angels and crowned with glory and honor
4. We are purchased out of sin by Christ’s precious blood
5. We are indwelled by the Holy Spirit
6. We have eternity prepared for us

Guilt motivation leads to self-condemnation and punishment. Christ’s death on behalf of his followers has removed any threat of impending wrath and doom for us who believe in Christ. Martyn Lloyd-Jones has written on Romans 8:1, “The Christian is a man who can never be condemned….Because this is true of him the Christian should never feel condemned.”

The Scriptures do teach that God corrects and disciplines his children. But this should not be confused with wrath and punishment for them. Punishment is reserved for the unbeliever in order to satisfy divine justice. Correction and discipline are reserved for believers in order to mature and form them into Christ’s image. Punishment focuses upon the past whereas correction focuses upon the future.

READ 1 John 4:17-18

Guilt motivation leads us to doing works in order to gain or maintain acceptance with God. Believers are accepted and remain accepted by God not because of their works but because of the merits and righteousness of Christ (Romans 3:24-25).

Christians should respond to their sins with a deep repentance, but guilt feelings in the believer’s life should not be seen as the Holy Spirit’s “tool.” To accept guilt feelings as such is to reverse oneself to being under the Law.

Negative reactions to guilt feelings:

1. Hopelessness – Like Judas who, instead of repenting, felt no hope and went and hanged himself.
2. Hide by rationalization – Using defense mechanisms to blame someone else (like Adam and Eve).
3. Rebellion – Since the feelings are there you simply rebel against the thing that caused the feeling. You turn away from Christ and the fellowship of the church.
4. Confession and alteration – Confess the sins and then try to change your ways by your own efforts. What happens is that there ends up being an outward change in the person, but the inner conflict and turmoil still remain.

Conclusion:

1. Objective guilt because of breaking God’s laws is quite natural for the unbeliever. He is guilty, therefore he feels guilty.
2. Guilt feelings ALONE never motivate us to repentance.
3. Guilt is not the proper motivation for Christian service and behavior.
4. Continued guilt feelings only serve to hinder a believer’s spiritual growth and maturity.
5. Guilt feelings in a believer will only produce negative reactions.

GUILT – PART 3

“The Alternative to Guilt”

In our study of guilt, we must keep in mind that there are two types of guilt.

1. Objective guilt – This is a state or condition. If a person breaks a law that person stands guilty. The broken law can be a civil law or a divine law. There may or may not be guilt feelings experienced in objective guilt.
2. Subjective guilt – This is an emotional state that one experiences internally. They may be the result of being guilty in the objective sense, or they may be false feelings based on any number of factors.

Example: A person runs a stop sign. That person is objectively guilty even though he or she may not feel guilty.

Example: A person goes swimming on Sunday. Has any civil or divine law been broken? No. However, because of pressure from others, the person may feel guilty. This is a false guilt. It is not objective guilt, based upon the breaking of a civil law or God’s moral law, but rather a psychological guilt, an emotional feeling.

Subjective guilt defined – (Narramore) Psychological guilt is the inner subjective experience of condemnation. Comprised of self-inflicted mental punishment, rejection and disesteem, psychological guilt is neither portrayed in Scripture as a positive motivation nor attributed to divine conviction. Even when guilt feelings motivate altered behavior, they tend to cause repression, depression, rebellion, or other personality dysfunctions. In this way, guilt feelings function like the law. They can promote guilt-based conformity or drive us to despair, but they have no power of positive motivation! Guilt feelings affect us the same way they did Adam and Eve. Their guilt showed them something was wrong but it did absolutely nothing to motivate them to repent. It only caused them to hide.

The unbeliever who is unrepentant, is objectively guilty before God. He has transgressed the laws of God and has set himself up to be the master of his soul. Such a person may or may not feel guilty but that is not the issue.

However, the believer, the one who has repented of sins and come to Christ for salvation and mercy, is no longer forever objectively guilty, that is, he or she is no longer under the condemning wrath of God. If the believer is not to feel guilty any longer, what is he or she supposed to feel when they sin?

The answer is this – When a believer finds that he or she has broken a law of God, he or she is to feel GODLY or CONSTRUCTIVE SORROW.

READ 2 Corinthians 7:9-11

Constructive or godly sorrow is a love motivated emotion that is the Biblical alternative to psychological guilt. Whereas psychological guilt is essentially a self-punitive process designed to atone for one’s sins, constructive sorrow is a love-motivated desire to change rooted in concern for the offended party and one’s relationship to God.

Because of an improper understanding of guilt feelings and godly sorrow, this is what usually happens to a believer:

1. He sins
2. He feels guilty
3. To ease the guilty feeling he confesses his sin
4. There is a temporary relief
5. The feeling of relief goes away and despair sets in
6. A lack of assurance takes over
7. The guilt feeling returns
8. There is confession again and the cycle continues

Narramore -“This process has become almost institutionalized in some churches …. 1 John 1:9 has come to be used as a kind of psychological spot remover for emotional guilt. Any time we feel guilty we confess our sins and receive assurance that we are forgiven. But we fail to change because we didn’t experience constructive sorrow.”

A person who experiences constructive sorrow will see these things:

1. Christ has paid the penalty for all sins, past, present, and future.
2. What needs to be focused on is not so much specific sins, although they must be dealt with, but rather a nature which is prone to sin and to alienate itself from God.
3. Therefore, what is needed is not mere confession, but a Spirit given desire to change one’s behavior, and a desire to show one’s love to God by being obedient to him.
4. Also, there must be a continual awareness of Christ’s presence in the life of the believer.

When subjective guilt feelings are experienced we take the initiative to atone for our sins. When constructive sorrow is experienced we realize that God has taken the initiative.

What is the role of the Holy Spirit? The Holy Spirit’s role is to convict us of sin. To convict means to reveal, to bring to light, or to expose.

In unbelievers, the Spirit brings sin to light and shows the person that he or she is under judgement and condemnation; that he or she must face the wrath of God unless they repent and come to Christ (John 16:7-17).

In believers, the Spirit reveals truth to us, and gives us the desire and ability to live by that truth. He does not condemn us or make us feel that we are under the wrath of God (Romans 8:1). He assures us that we are no longer under the law and its accompanying condemnation, but that we are now free in

Christ. He motivates us to holiness and godliness. He makes our sins known to us, but gives a witness that Christ has paid for them. Then, he motivates us to respond in love to what God has done for us in Christ. He then enables us to change and to obey the Word of God.

Constructive or godly sorrow does not mean that we must no longer take sin seriously. It does mean that we are no longer to feel condemned by our sins. Some Christians feel insecure unless they feel guilty and condemned. They fear that unless they feel this way, they will somehow take a license to sin. Some folks base their assurance of salvation solely upon whether or not they are always feeling like a worm! One person once told his counselor, “Without guilt, what would I do? I would feel completely at sea!”

When we see the depths of our sins, and realize just whom we have offended, we will be motivated by godly sorrow to repent and change our behavior. We will want to live differently, not in order to make us feel better, but because we want to show our love and gratitude to God for what he has done.

Before we conclude, let me talk about our awareness of guilt. It is proper for us to realize that we have broken one of God’s laws or Christ’s principles. We must be aware of being objectively guilty, otherwise we would never know our failures and shortcomings before God. But, an awareness of objective guilt is vastly different from feeling a false psychological guilt. An awareness of being guilty is what leads us to experience godly sorrow. What is wrong, is when we become aware of being guilty and then, instead of repenting and being obedient to God, we beat and punish ourselves and develop an inferiority complex which says we are nothing but a low-life worm.

There is a definite alternative to psychological guilt feelings. This alternative is to have a godly or constructive sorrow after becoming aware of being objectively guilty. May the Lord give us the grace and ability to change our way of thinking.