Introduction
“Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for ‘The righteous shall live by faith.’” Galatians 3:11
Do you ever struggle with guilt over sins you’ve committed or your failure to do what is right? Have you felt shame related to your past or present? Does your inability to “measure up” depress you? Many Christians wrestle with these types of feelings.
These thoughts of guilt, shame, and failure can make us feel like a hostage, trapped in a vicious cycle of sin and shame that frustrates and discourages. If this is you today, Jesus invites you to look to Him for relief from your burden of guilt.
When sin entered our world, the burden of guilt and shame came in like a flood (Genesis 3:6-10). No amount of good works or right behavior on man’s part could make things right again, but God devised a way for us (2 Samuel 14:14, John 14:6) through His Son Jesus (John 3:16, Romans 5:19).
If you put your faith in Jesus then God declares you, “Not guilty!” based on what Christ did for you through His perfect life, atoning death and triumphant resurrection (Romans 4:25, Romans 5:9). You are justified by grace (Titus 3:7; Romans 4:2–5), through faith (Acts 13:39; Romans 5:1), because of Jesus (Romans 5:16; Galatians 2:16–17).
As your representative, Jesus lived perfectly—never sinning, always doing the will of the Father, never falling short, continuously measuring up. And by grace, Jesus’ perfect life has been credited to you. Jesus has earned eternal life and acceptance for you. When God looks at you, He sees the perfect righteousness that Jesus has given to you. You are not guilty, Jesus took that burden on Himself for you; now you are righteous because God has declared it so (2 Corinthians 5:21).
When Jesus died on the cross, He took on all your sins (past, present, and future). Those sins are no longer yours; He has taken them from you so that you can be free from them and the guilt and shame that came with them (1 Peter 2:24). Now, there is no condemnation for you because Jesus was condemned in your place! (Romans 8:1). There is no punishment for you because Jesus has taken it on your behalf (Isaiah 53:5). You are free from your burden of guilt and free to live a life of joy in Jesus!
Illustration
In the Book of Philemon, we read about a slave by the name of Onesimus who stole money from his master, Philemon, and then ran away. But apparently, Onesimus ran right into the Apostle Paul who was a friend of Philemon. Paul shared the message of Jesus’ death and resurrection with Onesimus, and by grace, Onesimus became a believer in Jesus. Paul then wrote a letter and sent Onesimus back to his master, Philemon, with it.
Onesimus was guilty under the law. Onesimus owed a debt to Philemon. With this in mind, Paul writes to Philemon (the master) about Onesimus (his former slave):
Philemon 1:11-12, 18-19 (NIV) Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me. 12 I am sending him—who is my very heart—back to you. So if you consider me a partner, welcome him as you would welcome me. 18 If he has done you any wrong or owes you anything, charge it to me. 19 I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand. I will pay it back.
The Apostle Paul was willing to pay the debt of another! To relieve Onesimmus of his burden! What kind of love must Paul have had for Onesimus to take Onesimus’ burden and carry it? To assume his debt and pay it? A very strong love, indeed Paul called him “my very heart.” Because of Paul’s intercession and willingness to assume the debt, Onesimus came home to Philemon free of all charges, as if he had never stolen, and was accepted as if he were the Apostle Paul himself! He was received as a beloved brother now, not a mere slave.
Such is the same kind of love that Jesus has for you! You, like Onesimus, have done wrong, and have become guilty before a holy God. You owed a great debt to God. This debt could only be paid by death, for “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). But hear these words to you today, the words that Jesus says to the Father on your behalf:
The debt he/she owes to You, and any wrongs done, have been charged to my account. I, Jesus, am writing this with my own nail-pierced hand, I have paid it back. I am sending this one, who is my very heart, back to You. He/she is not guilty, and I’m thankful that You receive them as you would receive Me.
Jesus Christ assumed your guilt and paid off your debt of sin. Look at Him dying there on the cross as a guilty Man, and understand that your guilt was removed, your debt paid, and your pardon purchased!
Application
Next time feelings of guilt and shame burden you, look to Jesus and His cross to see that your sins have been removed from you and paid for by Jesus. Wash away your guilt and shame in the blood of the Lamb. You have been justified and declared righteous by God because of Jesus. By grace, Jesus has set you free from the guilt of your sin.
When the fear of God’s anger floods your mind, and you imagine that you are so terrible there is no way that God could forgive you, look to the cross and see your gruesome sin hanging there in the body of Christ receiving the punishment you deserve. And then hear Jesus yell out in a loud voice, “It is finished!” meaning “Paid in Full!” Your sin debt has been erased, friend. “Shake off your guilty fears.” The Father has received “the bleeding sacrifice” of Jesus in your place, and pardoned you because of Him.
Jesus’ wounds plead for your forgiveness. Through His death and resurrection, Jesus has justified you! You have nothing to fear because you are in Christ. Receive the love of God as it flows from the cross of Christ and let it cast out all your fear so that you can move forward in faith!
And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness. (Romans 4:5)
Question: How does looking to Jesus and believing in Him relieve you of the burden of guilt?
Joe writes, “Jesus paid it all! My sin, guilt, and shame are taken away and played on Jesus! As I look to Him and believe this, all condemnation falls away, all fear falls away, and all need to probe something or work a doing better falls away. Instead, I begin to realize that in their place, there is full acceptance (Eph. 1:6) in the Beloved (Jesus). I am free. The guilt and shame places chains on me that are not supposed to be there. When I look to Jesus my chains fall off.”
Alana writes, “Because He loves me, Jesus took my sins upon Himself, and therefore I have nothing to be guilty of. My sins are gone and forgiven by the blood Jesus shed for me. Thank you, Lord, for your steadfast love for me. Thank you, Lord, for giving your life for mine. Thank you, Lord, for showing me what true love and mercy are. Lord help me keep my eyes on You. Help me Lord live for You each and every day. Amen.”
Jeromy writes, “By looking to the cross of Jesus and seeing Him there dying, breathing His last, for me and my sins that have flooded me with guilt and shame, I find forgiveness. Blessed forgiveness. Thank you, Jesus, for paying the full price for all my sins. For taking it all. Thank you Jesus. Thank you for reaching down and bringing me up from my slavery, setting me free, washing me clean, and making me be blessedly clothed in Your righteousness. Thank You Jesus!”
Sophia writes, “Guilt- what a tool of the devil. Guilt brings us down and stops us from praising God and living for him. It makes us forget that we are forgiven and are looked at as righteous through Jesus! For OUR sake, he made him to be sin WHO KNEW NO SIN, so that in him, we might become THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD. That’s such a dramatic change. Thank you God, that I don’t have to live in the guilt and shame of what I’ve done, of the sin I commit, of the times I let you down. Lord, You look at me as righteous. Thank you that you send me – “your very heart”- to the father on your account. Take the burden of guilt from me and bring me joy and peace instead through your love, so that I may continue to praise you and live every day for you.”to help men and women find freedom in Christ through the gospel.
Reprinted by permission from the Looking to Jesus study at www.settingcaptivesfree.com. SCF exists to help men and women find freedom in Christ through the gospel.