There are few things that feel nicer than a clean conscience. Of course, that can be rather difficult to obtain...
All joking aside, it sometimes feels like guilt follows us around. The most law-abiding, well-behaved, kindest person in the world still can have moments of uneasiness where they feel as if they've done something wrong, but can't nail what it is. Why does our conscience appear to condemn us even when we haven't done anything? Guilt can be a crushing load to carry, and sometimes it seems impossible to shake it off. Why?
It starts with the basic distinctions that people make between right and wrong. People come with a list built in of what's good and what's not:
Everyone's list may not look exactly the same, but there are a few basics at least that most people agree upon:
...constantly ready to condemn?
If you want to be guilt-free and have a relationship with the God Who loved you so that you can live with Him in heaven after you die here, you could say a prayer like this:
All joking aside, it sometimes feels like guilt follows us around. The most law-abiding, well-behaved, kindest person in the world still can have moments of uneasiness where they feel as if they've done something wrong, but can't nail what it is. Why does our conscience appear to condemn us even when we haven't done anything? Guilt can be a crushing load to carry, and sometimes it seems impossible to shake it off. Why?
It starts with the basic distinctions that people make between right and wrong. People come with a list built in of what's good and what's not:
Everyone's list may not look exactly the same, but there are a few basics at least that most people agree upon:
- Show respect to others
- Don't steal stuff
- Don't poke people in the eye
- Don't kill people
- Don't cheat people
Anyway, all arguments about relative morality and societal conditioning aside, the point is that everyone has a moral compass, and this isn't an accident, even if you've heard contrary. In fact, it's given to us by God. The Bible says in it's very first chapter that we are created in God's image, and when examining the Book of Exodus one finds a list of commandments that God distributed to Ancient Israel. You've probably seen them.
These established basic rules for the living of daily life in Israel, and were part of a law that showed Israel how to worship God. That law clarified the differences between right and wrong. However, the same moral codes shown in these laws apply not just to Israel then, but to everyone now. This is where our moral compass comes in. Perhaps without ever reading these, still we know that we've all done the wrong thing at one time or another. Our moral compass is a reflection of what God has shown to be right and wrong, and after reading the short list above, it's certain that no one has done everything God commands. As Romans 3:19-20 says:
"Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. For by works of the law no human being will be justified in His sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin." (ESV)
In other words, even a good person can't honestly claim to have done nothing wrong, and no one can claim to be good before God by their own deeds. Incidentally, there's really no such thing as a "good person".
So the question is, where does that leave us? If our guilt is justified because we've done things that we know are wrong, does that mean we have to live with that guilt forever and simultaneously be in a state of God's disapproval? Does He look at us like this...
...constantly ready to condemn?
Absolutely not!
"But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It
was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be
just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus." (ESV)
What does this mean? Essentially, it means that God provided a way for us to have a truly clean conscience, and a relationship with Him. Although not one of us has lived perfectly, Jesus, the Son of God, made a great sacrifice in dying on the cross for our sins. He had to endure the guilt of every man and woman alive then, today, and in the future. If you believe in Your heart that He is the Son of God and that He died for you and that He rose from the dead on the third day, having washed away your sin, you can have His free gift of a guilt-free conscience before God and an eternity of life with Him after you die on Earth. To read about His sacrifice you can click here.
If you want to be guilt-free and have a relationship with the God Who loved you so that you can live with Him in heaven after you die here, you could say a prayer like this:
Dear God, I know that my wrongs deserve punishment because I've disobeyed your supreme law. I've fallen short of Your standards and don't deserve to be with You. I believe, though, in Your Son Jesus, and in His sacrifice on the cross for me, that He died and that You raised Him from the dead three days afterwards so that He now sits at Your right hand having washed my sins away. I confess You Jesus as the new Lord of my life and I ask that You would come into my heart. Please take away my sins and give me a clean heart and a clean conscience. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
If you prayed that and meant it, congratulations! You're clean before God and now have new, guilt-free life. This doesn't mean guilt won't still come at times, but it does mean you can now overcome it in the power of the blood of Christ.
Maybe you already have that power. Maybe you accepted Christ long ago but still beat yourself up with guilt. If that's the case, it's time to let it go. God gave His Son so you could be free from sin and guilt. Live in Christ's victory. He took your guilt away, and you don't need to hold onto it anymore. Ask God to help you acknowledge His victory over your sin and to help you live in the grace He won for you. Trust me, He will.
Childlike faith in an adult's world is free of guilt and free of charge.
That's a miracle, plain and simple.
(ESV Means English Standard Version)
"Peanuts", by Charles Schulz, accessed at http://www.readingreview.com/comics/pages_jpg/peanutsparade-17.jpg
"Dos and Don'ts", accessed at http://blog.omnipress.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/community-dos-donts.jpg
"Grumpy Judge" accessed at http://www.wordsfromtheherd.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/judge.jpg
The Ten Commandments- graphic originally from https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnGu238FH_MMSRnfUqUbakbNZsJyamB-U1NyJFzmYf1kJA_UDrZaBwUeGprQvWPpcs8xS9bozyOwA_uqf-hwuWfvB-W00PPQnqQHlJicAveaty53mwrNoaoJm_OG5R_BKL0EXnuNfJx6Q/s1600/tencommandments.gif and edited by I-BulldogStudios. Based on Exodus 20.
None of the above pages are owned or operated by I-BulldogStudios
No comments:
Post a Comment