Do you ever feel for people of faith dealing with guilt? That stomach aching guilt? The guilt that causes ulcers? The guilt that causes us not to ever do or think of such a thing again?
On the flip side do you ever feel for people who struggle with a sin and then decide that God will take care of it?
A friend of mine was talking with someone who thought good works gave us a good place before God. You sometimes will hear this when people say that Christianity is too easy. This may be true since we sinners can’t earn God’s favor by all our good intentions and good works. We just believe God forgives and presto! We’re out of the prison house of guilt. Scripture says it right? "If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him (Matthew 7:11)!
Also, “The righteous will live by faith” (Habakkuk 2:4). Yes, God forgives the person who trusts in Him through Christ… that sin is off the book… but you still pay your dues to people. I'm finding this to be true in my life. The sins of others and my own sin falling upon me like a stack of bricks.
In many cases God forgives, but you still live with the fact that you and all those around you are drowning in the effects of sin. I see it too often on this side of the city. The effects of your sin giving yourself and everyone around you ulcers.
In extreme cases, God forgives but you still go to jail. In your life and mine, we trust God forgives us but we’re still paying the consequences to others and our conscience pains us for what we’ve done wrong.
No, I don’t think living in forgiveness is so simple.
The upshot of this not-so-easy fact of life is that we need to keep hearing God’s words of forgiveness so that people’s words of judgment don’t totally depress our souls. That applies to us all. So at least for here and now, “Be of good cheer. Your sin is forgiven. Your sin is forgive!"
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