The Alpha of Guilt

UV 3047/10000 The Alpha of Guilt
Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water
Hebrews 10 v 22
Guilt is the most widespread and universal phenomenon that affects every human being regardless of background, culture, nationality. A good conscience sits lightly in us but guilt or an uneasy conscience is the heaviest thing a man cannot simply bear. No external act can cleanse us once our conscience is sullied. The needle of our moral compass goes haywire and points in all kinds of directions. Jesus alone provided the way to straighten or justify our hearts before the absolute holiness of God Almighty. Once our hearts are straightened, our lives begin to straighten or get sanctified. Just as our bodies are washed with pure water and becomes clean every single day, our hearts are justified by the shed blood of the Lamb that is Jesus, our spirits are sanctified by the Holy Spirit. Now, we can enter the presence of the Lord God with a true heart and full assurance of faith. The needle of our moral compass now points to the true North that is heaven and away from the south that is our weaknesses, our failings, our shortcomings. As long as we are journeying in this direction, our conscience is clear and the path gets brighter as we go.

Once we truly repent and receive Jesus as the absolution of our shortcomings, we are freed from guilt by grace. Scripture promises that though our sins be as scarlet, He makes our hearts as white as snow. We are freed from the work of death in our lives. Of course, being still in the flesh, we need to confess the individual sins and obtain forgiveness for these. The blood of Jesus is able to cleanse us of all manner of sin however vile. Freedom from guilt is greatly empowering and is the true inner freedom of our spirits. The enemy will keep us busy by drawing us again and again into various thoughts, words, actions and reactions that offend the spirit of the Lord. The remedy is to always draw near to the Lord, hear His word, the voice of the Holy Spirit and to abide in Him. When we hear His word, we should know that He is able to help us do that which He has commanded us and to do that which He has promised us therein. Hence, just as justification is by grace, sanctification and our growth and fruitfulness is also by grace. Our actions or inaction can hinder or hasten the work of grace in our lives.

Scripture warns us of wallowing in a false sense of guilt. Genuine guilt points us back to the Lord and does not take us away from Him. It impels us to draw nearer and nearer to Him such that He is closer to us than our own skin. Jesus promises, “ come to Me ye that are heavy laden (with guilt) and I will give your rest.” In place of guilt or shame, He gives us faith, hope, honour, abundant blessings, grace and love. We obtain freedom from guilt by substitution. We also obtain salvation by substitution. We now have the sinless conscience of Jesus. We are called hereafter not to mess up but to do our best to live the life that Jesus lives- close to the Father, obedient, not rebellious, humble not proud.