Guilt

Good Morning,

There is no question that it hurts us when we fail our Lord.  Guilt, shame, embarrassment, and more can punish the child of God.

Such was the case when Peter went out and wept bitterly after denying the Lord three times.  

The world responds differently to guilt than the believer.  Remember the prophets of Baal when Elijah challenged them? They were screaming, jumping up and down, and cutting themselves.   Then there was the maniac that Jesus dealt with; he would cut himself, wander around the tombs, and cry.

Pagan, devil worship across the world is often tied to piercing and cutting themselves and abusing their bodies.   The Catholic rite of penance was often beating themselves, somehow punishing themselves for their sin.  This self-punishment is still practiced in many countries today.  Some people will have themselves tied to a cross, others really use nails and will hang for a while in hopes of paying for their sins or making God happy.   

None of these rituals are scriptural in the least.  Jesus bore our sins; He paid for them and suffered for them, and with HIS STRIPES we were healed. (Isaiah 53:5, 1 Peter 2:24) 

Our stripes are of no value. Living for God pleases God.  Shedding sinful, depraved blood cannot atone for wrong doing; you can be sure that all our blood is corrupt!  

Biblical sorrow:

2 Corinthians 7:10 “For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.”

The sorrow that makes us punish ourselves is not godly.  Godly sorrow brings us sorrow and repentance, and then we live for God.  No one in the New Testament ever beat themselves or tied themselves to a cross. 

There is no need to cut yourself, pierce yourself, hate yourself, or take your own life.  That kind of sorrow is satanic and far from any Bible truths. 

Isaiah 53:4 “Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.”

vs. 5 “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.”

We sorrow, but not as those that have no hope, we have hope! We have rejoicing, knowing the forgiveness and mercy of God. 

Pastor