Freedom from Guilt

Man has what psychology calls an "inferiority complex" towards God. It is the consciousness of sin. Man is afraid of God. He is afraid of himself. Consciousness of sin is the underlying cause of all the human religions which have sprung up.

Many have tried and still try to quiet their conscience and to free it from this inferiority complex by doing acts of penance, by fasting, by taking part in religious ceremonies; others try to do it by giving alms, by repeating prayers, or by doing good works.

All this may give temporary relief from the pressure of the weight on the conscience, but it will never be able to free the heart from the consciousness of sin.

Why? Because man is a sinner, that is, a transgressor, an offender against the law of God. But he is more than this. He is, by his nature, biased towards sin; he is joined to Satan, and is a partaker of his nature of evil.

The problem is then: How can sin be gotten out, not only as transgression, violation and guilt, but also sin as an evil nature, a tendency to evil, ingrained into the very being of every man?

IN CHRIST, and this is the good news of the Gospel, God has provided a salvation which can solve this problem. The apostle Paul, in the Epistle to the Colossians, declares, "He has delivered us from the power of darkness, and has translated us into the Kingdom of His dear Son, by Whom we have redemption, even the remission of sins."

Note: We have three wonderful facts in this statement. One: We are set free from the dominion of sin (the sinful nature in us and the power of sin round about us). Two: We are brought into the Kingdom of the Son of God (that is, where He exercises His power to renew and defend us). Three: We have received the remission of our sins (that is, they are cancelled, taken away, wiped out, so that God says He remembers them no more).

If you accept this salvation in simple earnest faith, you will be able to come to God with complete confidence, liberty, and boldness, and to have fellowship with Him as a child does with his father. In this fellowship, consciousness of sin will no longer be at work as an inferiority complex. But the consciousness of complete salvation, worked out by His love for you through Christ, will fill your heart with joy, with boldness and with gratitude.

How do you do this? Long ago some men came to Jesus and asked Him what they should do to work the works of God. They too were suffering with this guilt of sin. Jesus answered them, "This is the work of God, that you believe on Him whom He has sent." This is the answer - believe! Believe on Jesus Christ the Son of God, Who took the burden of your sins upon Him so that you would not have to carry the weight and the guilt yourself. Freedom from the guilt of sin is a gift - a gift in the form of a Person, the Person of Jesus Christ. Receive that Gift, and as you receive it, you receive freedom from the guilt and the power of sin. How can this be? God in the perfection of His justice could not allow sin to go unpunished. The penalty was death, but in His love and mercy God Himself took our punishment. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, lived as a man but lived a perfect, sinless life. He did not have sin which had to be paid for. Therefore He could offer Himself in payment for our sin. God so loved us that He gave His Son for us - that we might be rescued from death.

Yes, God so loved that He gave - the Gift is for you. Receive it. You cannot pay for a gift; you cannot earn it. A gift must be accepted. The Bible says: "It is the gift of God, not of works." Believe it - believe on Jesus. Receive forgiveness and freedom from the power and guilt of sin. On that great day of judgment when everyone stands before God, those sins which have been paid for by Jesus will not be there to testify against you. God says He will not remember them against those who put their trust in Jesus Christ.

References: Col. 1:13, 14 John 6:29