Last week we considered the joy that comes from forgiving others and from being forgiven. This is a wonderful gift. But some of us may still struggle with lingering guilt for ways we have brought pain to others. We may have a wounded conscience that leaves us crippled by guilt and shame. It may seem impossible to forgive ourselves for what we view as an unforgivably hurtful act on our part. Counselors may help us deal with false guilt, but who is able to truly make us feel clean again on the inside in the wake of actual pain we have caused?
In addition, many of us would also concur with King David that our sin or offense is not simply against another person, but also against the God who made us and loves us.
For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is always before me.
Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight. (Psalm 51:3-4)
When we hurt another, it creates a cloud between us and that person. Our relationship may be broken and need healing. But for those of us who believe in a personal, Creator God, we recognize that our relationship with God is also broken and in need of renewal. We may find that, even when our relationship with the offended person is restored, we still feel weighed down with guilt and we feel estranged from God.
The good news is that the God of the Bible delights in forgiving sin and sinners:
For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his love for those who fear him;
as far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us. (Psalm 103:11-12)
As the Samuel Davies hymn says, “Who is a pardoning God like thee, and who has grace so rich and free?” The message of the New Testament is clear: based on the finished redemptive work of Jesus on the cross, God offers forgiveness and new life to anyone who will receive it. Just as the father forgives the prodigal son who returns, so our Heavenly Father welcomes us home with open arms.
Sin is real and a regular ongoing struggle in our lives. Paul, the apostle, reminds us of this all too familiar list of joy stealers: sexual sin, hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, quarreling, factions, envy, and drunkenness (Galatians 5:19-21). Since we so often give way to these selfish thoughts and feelings, and even the greatest people of faith in the Bible fell into serious sin (King David was guilty of adultery and even murder), what are we to do?
The answer is in biblical teaching of repentance—real repentance, and full repentance. After his sin with Bathsheba, David offers this amazing prayer that becomes a model for all of us, in Psalm 51. Have mercy on me. . . Wash me . . . cleanse me . . . create in me a clean heart O God. We see a confession, a turning away from sin, a remorse and deep sadness. But then a surprising thing happens.
Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones that you have broken rejoice.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and uphold me with a willing spirit. (Psalm 51:8, 12)
Full repentance leads to restored joy, which comes from a heart that has been washed clean. For a long time, I thought that the validity of my repentance depended on the depth of my sorrow for my sin. The goal of repentance is not remorse and sadness, the goal of repentance is restored joy. How can this be? It is because God’s forgiveness is real and complete and powerful enough to overcome even the gravest sin.
But what about our conscience, which may be still weighed down with guilt? Do you think your sin is unforgivable, beyond God’s reach for pardon? Read the story of Abraham pretending that his wife was his sister, read the story of David and Bathsheba, read the story of Saul of Tarsus murdering Christians. Anyone who is truly willing to turn to God, to call upon the Lord Jesus to save them, can know forgiveness and cleansing. And the promise is a cleansed conscience.
Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. (Hebrews 10:22)
Some of us may be living in a self-made prison and may not be sure how to escape. But If the Son shall make you free you shall be free indeed (John 8:36). Isn’t that what we need, to be set free from guilt and sin? How might you remind yourself, day by day, that you are truly forgiven and set free by the loving heavenly Father? Maybe try writing notes to yourself or repeating the prayer of forgiveness until it truly sinks in. You can join the many who have come to know this liberating experience, as in the Charles Wesley hymn, “My chains fell off, my heart was free, I rose, went forth, and followed thee.”
No human being can offer us a cleansed conscience. Only God can do that, and he is willing.
Could you fix the formatting? When a picture is displayed, a sentence of the text appears as single stacked letters next to the photo so it’s difficult to read. This on my iPhone. Perhaps it’s not a problem when viewed on other devices.
Dick, thanks for the note. If you turn your phone sideways, does that solve the problem? It does with mine. I know that it is not great quality on the phone, but hope that helps.
Yes