Melody and Keith Green’s comforting song There is a Redeemer has been a enduring favourite in many churches in recent decades. In four short verses, it connects the “Precious Lamb of God” being slain for sinners with the consequence, which is Jesus can be “my Redeemer”.
Ordinarily, people sin and prevent themselves from gaining eternal life. But, as Paul explains in Romans 8:1-5 (CSB), “there is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus, because the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death.”
In other words, we shouldn’t fret because Jesus has paid for our sins. We don’t need to feel guilty!
Yet Christians can feel a sense of guilt, and not just at a moment when they are sinning. Curiously, I think feeling a sense of guilt can be more of a problem for Christians than non-Christians. If you don’t follow God, who’s to say that the time you were a bit rude or selfish or vulgar or annoying is really a problem? Our friends can say “oh, they deserved it” and we can feel justification in our sinful behaviour.
Christianity, however, encourages us to live to a different standard. “Be holy, because I am holy”, urges our creator.
The late R.C. Sproul noted that there is “an important difference between guilt and guilt feelings”. He said: “The only cure for real guilt is real forgiveness based on real repentance and real faith. However, we may have real and true forgiveness before God and yet not feel forgiven.”
Sproul, himself dealing with feelings of guilt, visited a pastor who suggested that the feelings were a reflection of not fully believing the promise of 1 John 1:9. The verse reads: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness”.
“What, then, are you trusting—your feelings or the truth of God?” the pastor said to Sproul.
The Christian website The Redeemed echoes this sentiment, saying that Christians need to “trust the promise”. It says the verse from 1 John “doesn’t say God will forgive us and then turn his back on us. No. It says he will forgive us AND cleanse us. Stay rooted in your relationship with God and he will help to direct you to a pathway where you can leave your shame and guilt behind.”
It adds that we should: “Ask the Lord to help free you from the feelings of shame and guilt. Ask Him to help you feel the joy you felt before those feelings took root.”