June 12, 2009
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Links to my series "Dealing with Past Sins & Guilt"
At the end of this post are the links to a series of posts I wrote on dealing with past sins & guilt. (These are a subset of my series on Kingdom-Obsessed People.)
I struggled with guilt for a long time. These feelings of such intense guilt didn't come until over twenty years after I was saved. The closer we come to God, the more intensely and clearly we see our sin (e.g.- see Isaiah 6). Though there is godly guilt and godly sorrow, the devil wants us to be consumed by ungodly guilt and ungodly sorrow. I am praying God's love for those of us who are in Jesus Christ might captivate us so we might no longer be held captive to sin and guilt but realize we have been set free to offer ourselves to God as living sacrifices! Christ's blood is sufficient to atone for and to cover each and every one of the sins of those who have believed on Jesus.
In addition to all the posts below, I would strongly encourage you to look through my posts on assurance and fighting for joy, my posts on assurance, as well as some additional posts tagged "past sins and guilt" which were written subsequent to the series of posts which I included below.
God does not want us to be bound up with guilt over our sin. Yes, we must confess our sin, and we must strive put off the old man and to put on the new, to put on Christ, to mortify sin so we walk by the Spirit rather than in the flesh (and we can do so by the power of His Holy Spirit who dwells in us). But as born again children of God, I am praying we would accept God's free gift of cleansing and forgiveness He has provided to us through His Son Jesus Christ. That is part of our birthright as believers in Him. God's grace and God's forgiveness is not cheap, but it is available to us. May we accept these gifts humbly and remember that for all who have believed on Christ, Christ no longer condemns us (because He was condemned in our places; He bore our punishment on the cross). And then let us take seriously His admonition to go and sin no more (knowing the power He provides through His Holy Spirit to live holy lives). And when we do sin, let us grieve our sin (for our sin does grieve God), but at the same time may we not become guilt-laden, but go to the throne of grace and freely confess our sins to our holy Father with the full assurance we will receive cleansing and forgiveness through the blood of Jesus Christ. The life of a Christian is to be a life of continuing confession and repentance; our sanctification, though accomplished in God's eyes, is ongoing in this life through Christ's life which dwells in us.
If you have any further questions or concerns, I invite you to message me and/or comment below.
Yours in Christ for your joy,
KarenDealing with past sins & guilt: Holy God, Holy God, what do YOU see?
Dealing with past sins & guilt: God's Good Gift of Guilt
Dealing with past sins & guilt: Godly guilt does not break the bruised reed
Dealing with past sins & guilt: God does not despise the broken & contrite heart
Dealing with past sins & guilt: Godly guilt leads us to declare spiritual bankruptcy & run home
God's people ought to be welcoming "Hookers & Robbers"
Dealing with sins & guilt: "If any man sin, we have an advocate."
"Either we accept the atonement of Christ or we repeat it."
Dealing with sins & guilt: Henri Nouwen-"God's mercy is greater than our sins."
Dealing with sins & guilt: A Bedtime Benediction from Spurgeon: "Thou art greatly beloved"
Dealing with sin & guilt: Are you wearing the Garment only God can provide?
Forgiveness & cleansing of sin leads to God's Commission: "Penitents should be preachers"
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