Guilt of our wrongdoings, our sin, should bring us to a place of repentance AND restoration.
Guilt is what you feel when you do something bad.
Shame is what you feel when you think you are bad.
Genesis 2:25
“And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.”
Genesis 3:6-10
“So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, … the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. … But the LORD God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.”
Galatians 5:19-21
“Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”
❖ Sometime guilt leads to shame which leads to regret. – John 13:36-38
❖ It is much harder to live for God than to die for Him. – Luke 22:54-62
❖ Sometimes guilt leads to shame leads to regret which leads to repentance. – Luke 15:17-24
1 Timothy 1:12-17 (emphasis added)
“But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God…”
We are the children of God if we:
- Recognize our sin. – 1 John 1:8-10
- Turn away from our behavior. – Luke 5:30-32
- Receive His forgiveness. – Acts 13:36-39
Guilt leads to shame which leads to regret which leads to confession, which leads to repentance, which leads to forgiveness, which leads to reconciliation, which leads to relationship.
Reconciliation is the restoration of relationship.
Romans 8:1 – No condemnation
Galatians 5:19-21 – Fruits of the Flesh
Romans 8:12-17 – Joint heirs with Christ
Galatians 5:22-24 – Fruit of the Spirit
Galatians 2:20 – crucified with Christ
Romans 7:18-19 – Desire to do right, but don’t do it
1 John 1:5-10 – God is light!