All we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord has made to light upon Him the guilt and iniquity of us all.
Jesus not only took our iniquity upon Himself, but He also took the guilt, and we are free from both. To believe that our sins are forgiven and then remain guilty and condemned makes it clear that a person does not properly understand God’s Word. How can we feel guilty about something that the Bible clearly says God forgives, forgets, and removes as far as the east is from the west? (Hebrews 10:17–18; Psalm 103:12)
Feeling guilty is our carnal way of trying to pay for our sins, but we cannot pay for something that has already been paid for. Jesus paid and we are debt free! This does not mean that we don’t feel sorry for our sins. We may even feel a grieving in our hearts because of our iniquities, but a guilty condemnation is the devil’s tool to keep us from making progress and bearing good fruit for God.Conviction of sin is from the Holy Spirit and is intended to lift us out of sin, but condemnation is counterproductive because it presses us down and burdens us with feelings of overwhelming guilt.
The only way we can be useful to God is if we know what He has done for us, who we are in Him, and the power that is available to us as believers in Him. Jesus paid for our sins and in Him there is no condemnation (Romans 8:1). Make a decision to stop wasting precious time and energy feeling guilty about something that God has forgiven and forgotten.
Prayer of the Day: Father, thank You for Your great grace and mercy. Your complete forgiveness of my sin is astounding. Help me walk in the freedom that You have provided for me in Jesus.
