Have you ever done something wrong and the guilt never left you? Maybe you hurt someone, or you feel like you aren’t enough or doing enough to please God?
I used to think that if I hadn’t read my Bible enough, prayed enough, or done enough good things, that I could not talk to God, that I had lost favor with Him because of my actions. I felt unclean, not worthy. I thought He was disappointed in me most of the time.
But God began to shake this off of me years ago, and He can do the same for you. Anytime we have a core belief about God that is inaccurate and does not align with God’s word, we must let go of it and replace it with God’s truth. This in turn will heal our hearts.
Here are truths that will help you trade in your guilt for God’s grace.
Truth # 1 – Only Jesus can justify you
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! (Romans 5:8-9)
The Greek word for justified means to declare or to pronounce one to be just and righteous. Jesus declares you righteous, not by your doing, but by His. So it doesn’t matter if you feel unclean—if you have Christ in you, then He makes you clean. We must not let our feelings negate the truth of what Christ has done for us.
Truth #2 – His Grace is bigger than any of your sins, no matter how ugly.
Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned . . . For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous. (Romans 5:12 & 19)
Even though sin and death entered through Adam and came to all people (since we all have sinned), Jesus’ obedience and act on the cross, made us righteous. What one man messed up, Jesus fixed. Now think of your sin and make it personal – where you messed up, Jesus already fixed.
But the free gift is not like the trespass (sin). For if many died through one man’s trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. And the free gift is not like the result of that one man’s sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification. For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ. (Rom 5:15-17 ESV)
Many died through Adam’s sin, but much more have the free gift of grace from Jesus. Sin is not even on the same level as grace. Where sin increased, grace increased all the more! (Rom 5:20b)
The judgment of sin brought condemnation, but Jesus’ gift of grace, brought justification.
Instead of death reigning, those who receive 1) abundant grace and 2) the free gift of righteousness will reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.
It then becomes very clear that we have a job to do:
Our job is to receive abundant grace and the free gift of righteousness. Then, those qualities reign in our life through the power and desire of Jesus Christ! Isn’t that freeing?!
There is truly no condemnation (guilt) for those who are IN Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:1) How can you get “in” Jesus? You receive him as your Savior and ask him to wash you clean. He already paid for your sins, the payment is made, now receive grace and righteousness—paid for by Jesus.
Have you ever gone to a restaurant and at the end of your meal, the waiter says that someone at another table has paid for your meal? There is a moment of shock—for me? Why? You don’t even know me? Well, in a much greater way, you get to partake of abundant grace and righteousness—courtesy of Jesus. He paid for your check. How sweet! We could never handle the weight and pain of our sin, so He did.
The following is a video depicting a vision that Joseph Prince (Pastor of Creation Church in Singapore) had of what happened at the cross. Watching it is helps get a visual on Jesus taking our sin upon his body to bring us to righteousness. **It is a little graphic, and may not be suitable for all ages. (The video starts at 5 min and 45 seconds automatically)
Prayer: Jesus, I believe that you died on the cross to pay for my sins. The blood you shed and the beatings you took were the price for my righteousness and holiness. Thank you for standing in my place so that I can live free. In Jesus name, I command all guilt and heaviness to leave my mind and body right now because I am covered and made righteous by the blood of Jesus. I am cleansed, and I am free to have joy again. Thank you Lord, that your constant joy will never leave me, but always fills me up.
