Welcome to Hank’s Place –
Ever since the Garden of Eden, guilt has battered humanity.
I am sure you have felt guilty at times. For stuff you did. Or maybe did not do. How about when you did well but felt you could or should have done better? Yikes! None of us can win against guilt.
When I was saved, the church I was in didn’t fully understand a person is saved, not kind of saved or partly saved, and it is by God’s GRACE — a gift. And, that we are JUSTIFIED — declared NOT GUILTY — by the blood of Jesus shed at Calvary. I was told my heavenly father was looking down on me and expecting me to get things right. Talk about pressure! Worse than the world in fact.
But what does Scripture say? Here is Hebrews 10:22; “Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.”
Or Galatians 2:16, “Nevertheless, knowing that a person is not justified by works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, …since by works of the Law no flesh will be justified.”
To be justified means we are NOT guilty. Jesus became our sin bearer, assuming responsibility for ALL OUR SINS.
If we are righteous and justified, we cannot still be guilty of sin. 2 Corinthians 5:21 reads, “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” Thank God for the cross of Calvary where all our sins have been nailed, where the Divine exchange took place.
God in His grace never says we are not doing enough, giving enough, praying enough. We who have faith in Jesus Christ are not guilty. Forever not guilty. We are never out of fellowship with God. Consider the blood of Jesus, and rejoice!
As you begin to understand the FINISHED work of the cross, it changes the way you view your mistakes and failings. You no longer dwell on your weaknesses – there’s no power there. Instead, you fix your eyes on Jesus who was “delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.” Romans 4:25.
Sure, the accuser may bring a case against us. Even an excellent case! However, the issue is not whether we have stumbled but whether Jesus has been raised. And if He has been raised then we have been justified. Case dismissed.
It takes no faith to look at our mistakes and condemn ourselves. But it does take faith to look at Christ and say, “Because of you, I have been judged not guilty for all time. Thank you, Jesus!”
Yes, don’t look at your mistakes but look at Jesus and thank Him that the guilty verdict against you has been thrown out. Take another look, and COME ALIVE!
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