Do we seek God because of our guilt to make us feel better?
Who feels guilty?
Who can escape from feeling guilty? The bible says in Roman 3:23, for all have sinned and fall short of
the Glory of God. All will feel guilty at some point of our life. One incident that strikes my mind is the
encounter of Jesus with the adulterous woman in John 8 : 1-11.
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but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.
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At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he
sat down to teach them. 3 The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in
adultery. They made her stand before the group 4 and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught
in the act of adultery. 5 In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you
say?” 6 They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.
But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. 7 When they kept on
questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the
first to throw a stone at her.” 8 Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.
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At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left,
with the woman still standing there. 10 Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they?
Has no one condemned you?”
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“No one, sir,” she said.
“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”
This woman committed adultery and she need to be punished. According to the Law of Moses she must
be stoned to death. Jesus asked any one of them who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her. The
bible says everyone of them left and there was no one left to condemn the adulterous women. What does
this imply? They realized that they are not without sin. All of them are guilty of sin and that is why they
left without throwing the stone. Including all of us. If we stop for moment and examine ourselves, we will
realize that there many areas in our life that is not pleasing to God. Psalm 51:5 says “Surely I was sinful at
birth, sinful from the time we my mother conceived me.” We are all sinners because of our fallen nature.
What is guilt?
We feel guilty when we have committed something that is not right. For example, you drive your car
under the influence of alcohol and accidentally kill a father of five kids. You will feel guilty for what you
have done. As Christians we feel guilty whenever we commit a sin. Sin means doing something that
displeases God.
What is the purpose of guilt?
There is a purpose for guilt. Guilt makes us become sorrowful and regret what we have done. And this
sorrow should lead to repentance and salvation.
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Even if I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it. Though I did regret it—I see that my letter
hurt you, but only for a little while— 9 yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but
because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were
not harmed in any way by us. 10 Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no
regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.. 2 Corinthians 7 : 8-10
Guilt brought repentance and salvation. This is the main purpose of guilt – so that we will repent from our
sins and be saved from eternal condemnation. Imagine if there is no guilt. All of us can do whatever we
want without having the feeling that it is wrong. All of us will end up in hell. Guilt is like your mother
giving a knock on your head when you have done something that you should not have done. You will feel
remorseful and try not to do it again.
Secondly, guilt drives us to seek God to receive his forgiveness. We always turn to God when we have
committed a sin seeking for forgiveness. How do we seek forgiveness from God?
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If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all
unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9
We can read in 1 John 1:9 that when we confess our sins to God, he will forgive us our sins. He will also
purify us from all unrighteousness. We seek forgiveness from God so that we can get rid of our sin and
guilt. That is the very reason Jesus came to this world. Apostle John said in John 1:29, “Behold, the Lamb
of God that takes away the sins of the world. Jesus came to this world to remove our sins and guilt. God
uses our guilt or what Paul calls it as Godly sorrow in the book of 2 Corinthians to lead us to repentance
and salvation.
The same verse, 2 Corinthians 7:10, mentions worldly sorrow brings death. So it is clear that there are
two types of sorrow, Godly sorrow and worldly sorrow. We already know about Godly sorrow. But what
is worldly sorrow. Worldly sorrow is by which the devil keeps human beings’ captive. I am sure you have
encountered people who claim they cannot be saved by God and they have committed unforgivable sin.
For example, a lady who have aborted her child living in guilt. She will feel the guilt until she dies
because the devil has kept her captive. She will never be able to overcome her guilt and might start taking
alcohol or drugs for short relief and eventually commit suicide. This an example of worldly sorrow or
guilt that brings death. The bible says,
And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our
God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down,
who accuses them day and night before our God. Revelation 12:10
The bible calls the devil the accuser who accuses them day and night before God. How can this people
being held captive by the devil in their guilt set free?
Letting go of the guilt.
To be able to let go of our guilt we must understand grace. What is grace? Grace simple means getting
what you do not deserve.
Grace is the free, undeserved goodness and favor of God to mankind. -Mathew Henry
We have done nothing in our life that deserves love of God. However, the bible says:
This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for
our sins. 1 John 4:10
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 5:8
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For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of
God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2 : 8-9
The above bible verses clearly tell us that we have done nothing that deserves the love or forgiveness of
God. We only need to believe that Jesus has died for our sins and we will be saved. This is the meaning of
grace. Jesus Christ has done everything. We can only be set free from sin and guilt by believing in Jesus.
We have been justified with God through the blood of Jesus Christ. All we must do is believe. The
following bible verses may help us to understand better the works of Jesus Christ in justifying us.
Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s
wrath through him! 10 For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the
death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! 11 Not
only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now
received reconciliation. Romans 5: 9-11
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Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ
Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. Romans 8 : 1-2
We have been justified by the blood of Jesus Christ who is the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of
the world. Sometimes it is very difficult for our mind to understand this truth. There are two stories that
may help us to understand the grace of God and justification by blood if Jesus better.
The Matchless Pearl
Author Unknown
David Morse – American missionary to India – became great friends there with the pearl-diver, Rambhau.
Many an evening he spent in Rambhau’s cabin reading to him from the Bible and explaining to him
God’s way of salvation.
Rambhau enjoyed listening to the Word of God, but whenever the missionary tried to get Rambhau to
accept Christ as his Savior – he would shake his head and reply, “Your Christian way to heaven is too
easy for me! I cannot accept it. If ever I should find admittance to heaven in that manner – I would feel
like a pauper there…like a beggar who has been let in out of pity. I may be proud – but I want to deserve,
I want to earn my place in heaven — and so I am going to work for it.”
Nothing the missionary could say seemed to have any effect on Rambhau’s decision, and so quite a few
years slipped by. One evening, however, the missionary heard a knock on his door, and ongoing to open it
he found Rambhau there.
“Come in, dear friend,” said Morse.
“No,” said the pearl-diver. “I want you to come with me to my house, Sahib, for a short time — I have
something to show you. Please do not say ‘No’.”
“Of course I’ll come,” replied the missionary. As they neared his house, Rambhau said: “In a week’s time
I start working for my place in heaven; I am leaving for Delhi — and I am going there on my knees.”
“Man, you are crazy! It’s nine hundred miles to Delhi, and the skin will break on your knees, and you will
have blood-poisoning or leprosy before you get to Bombay.”
“No, I must get to Delhi,” affirmed Rambhau, “and the immortals will reward me for it! The suffering
will be sweet – for it will purchase heaven for me!”
“Rambhau, my friend – you can’t. How can I bear you to do it – when Jesus Christ has suffered and died
to purchase heaven for you!”
But the old man could not be moved. “You are my dearest friend on earth, Sahib Morse. Through all these
years you have stood by me in sickness, in want – you have been sometimes my only friend. But even
you cannot turn me from my desire to purchase eternal bliss…I must go to Delhi!”
Inside the hut, Morse was seated in the very chair Rambhau had specially built for him – where on so
many occasions he had read to him the Bible.
Rambhau left the room to return soon with a small but heavy English strongbox. “I have had this box for
years,” said he, “and I keep only one thing in it. Now I will tell you about it, Sahib Morse. I once had a
son…”
“A son! Why, Rambhau, you have never before said a word about him!”
“No, Sahib, I couldn’t.” Even as he spoke the diver’s eyes were moistened.
“Now I must tell you, for soon I will leave, and who knows whether I shall ever return? My son was a
diver too. He was the best pearl diver on the coasts of India. He had the swiftest dive, the keenest eye, the
strongest arm, the longest breath of any man who ever sought for pearls.
What joy he brought to me! Most pearls, as you know, have some defect or blemish only the expert can
discern, but my boy always dreamed of finding the ‘perfect’ pearl – one beyond all that was ever found.
One day he found it! But even when he saw it – he had been underwater too long… That pearl cost him
his life, for he died soon after.”
The old pearl diver bowed his head. For a moment his whole body shook, but there was no sound. “All
these years,” he continued, “I have kept this pearl – but now I am going, not to return, and to you, my best
friend – I am giving my pearl.”
The old man worked the combination on the strongbox and drew from it a carefully wrapped package.
Gently opening the cotton, he picked up a mammoth pearl and placed it in the hand of the missionary.
It was one of the largest pearls ever found off the coast of India, and glowed with a luster and brilliance
never seen in cultured pearls. It would have brought a fabulous sum in any market.
For a moment the missionary was speechless and gazed with awe. “Rambhau! What a pearl!”
Matchless pearl “That pearl, Sahib, is perfect,” replied the Indian quietly. The missionary looked up
quickly with a new thought: Was not this the very opportunity and occasion he had prayed for – to make
Rambhau understand the value of Christ’s sacrifice? So he said, designedly, “Rambhau, this is a
wonderful pearl, an amazing pearl. Let me buy it. I would give you ten thousand dollars for it.”
“Sahib! What do you mean?”
Well, I will give you fifteen thousand dollars for it, or if it takes more – I will work for it.”
“Sahib,” said Rambhau, stiffening his whole body, “this pearl is beyond price. No man in all the world
has money enough to pay what this pearl is worth to me. On the market, a million dollars could not buy it.
I will not sell it to you. You may only have it as a gift.”
“No, Rambhau, I cannot accept that. As much as I want the pearl, I cannot accept it that way. Perhaps I
am proud, but that is too easy. I must pay for it, or work for it…”
The old pearl-diver was stunned. “You don’t understand at all, Sahib. Don’t you see? My only son gave
his life to get this pearl, and I wouldn’t sell it for any money. Its worth is in the life-blood of my son. I
cannot sell this – but I can give it to you. Just accept it in token of the love I bear you.”
The missionary was choked, and for a moment could not speak. Then he gripped the hand of the old man.
“Rambhau,” he said in a low voice, “don’t you see? My words are just what you have been saying to God
all the time.”
The diver looked long and searchingly at the missionary, and slowly, slowly he began to understand.
“God is offering you salvation as a free gift,” said the missionary. “It is so great and priceless that no man
on earth can buy it. Millions of dollars are too little. No man on earth could earn it. His life would be
millions of years too short. No man is good enough to deserve it. It cost God the life-blood of His only
Son to make the entrance for you into heaven. In a million years, in a hundred pilgrimages, you could not
earn that entrance. All you can do is to accept it as a token of God’s love for you – a sinner.
“Rambhau, of course I will accept the pearl in deep humility, praying God that I may be worthy of your
love. Rambhau, won’t you accept God’s great gift of heaven, too, in deep humility, knowing it cost Him
the death of His Son to offer it to you?”
Great tears were now rolling down the cheeks of the old man. The veil was beginning to lift. “Sahib, I see
it now. I have believed in the doctrine of Jesus for the last two years, but I could not believe that His
salvation was free. Now I understand. Some things are too priceless to be bought or earned. Sahib, I will
accept His salvation!”
Paid In Full
Author Unknown
After living a “decent” life my time on earth came to an end. The first thing I remember is sitting on a bench
in the waiting room of what I thought to be a courthouse. The doors opened and I was instructed to come
in and have a seat by the defense table.
As I looked around I saw the “prosecutor,” he was a villainous looking gent who snarled, as he stared at
me. He definitely was the most evil person I have ever seen. I sat down and looked to my left and there sat
my lawyer, a kind and gentle looking man whose appearance seemed very familiar to me. The corner door
flew open and there appeared the judge in full flowing robes. He commanded an awesome presence as he
moved across the room, and I couldn’t take my eyes off him. As he took his seat behind the bench, he said
“Let us begin.”
The prosecutor rose and said “My name is Satan, and I am here to show you why this man belongs in hell.”
He proceeded to tell of lies that I told, things that I stole and in the past when I cheated others. Satan told
of other horrible perversions that were once in my life, and the more he spoke the further down in my seat
I sank. I was so embarrassed that I couldn’t look at anyone, even my own lawyer, as the Devil told of sins
that even I had completely forgotten about.
As upset as I was at Satan for telling all these things about me, I was equally upset at my representative
who sat there silently not offering any form of defense at all. I know I had been guilty of those things, but
I had done some good in my life — couldn’t that at least equal out part of the harm I’ve done. Satan finished
with a fury and said “This man belongs in hell. he is guilty of all that I have charged and there is not a
person who can prove otherwise. Justice will finally be served this day.”
When it was his turn, my lawyer first asked if he might approach the bench. The judge allowed this over
the strong objection of Satan and beckoned him to come forward. As he got up and started walking I was
able to see him now in his full splendor and majesty. Now I realized why he seemed so familiar. It was
Jesus representing me; my Lord and my Savior. He stopped at the bench and softly said to the judge, “Hi
Dad,” and then He turned to address the court.
“Satan was correct in saying that this man had sinned. I won’t deny any of these allegations. And yes the
wages of sins is death and this man deserves to be punished”. Jesus took a deep breath and turned to His
Father with outstretched arms and proclaimed, “However, I died on the cross so that this person might have
eternal life, and he has accepted Me as his Savior, so he is mine.”My Lord continued with “His name is
written in the book of life and no one can snatch him from Me. Satan still does not understand yet, this man
is not to be given justice, but rather mercy.”
As Jesus sat down, He quietly paused, looked at his Father and replied, “There is nothing else that needs
to be done, I’ve done it all.”
The Judge lifted His mighty hand and slammed the gavel down, and the following words bellowed from
His lips — “This man is free — the penalty for him has already been paid in full, case dismissed.”
As my Lord led me away I could hear Satan ranting and raving, “I won’t give up, I’ll win the next one.” I
asked Jesus as He gave me my instructions where to go next, “Have you ever lost a case?”
Christ lovingly smiled and said, “Everyone that has come to me and asked Me to represent them has
received the same verdict as you, Paid in Full.”
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What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He
who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him,
graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It
is God who justifies. 34 Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more
than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35 Who
shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or
nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written:
“For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”[j]
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No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am
convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[k] neither the present nor the
future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to
separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8: 31-39
We are left with the choice to live in guilt for the rest of our life or to believe in Jesus who has already
pain in full for our salvation. The most important things is that our Godly sorrow leads to repentance and
salvation. We should not live-in sin anymore because we have been saved by the precious blood of Jesus
Christ. There is no one who could separate us from the love of Jesus Christ not even our own guilt.
Patrick Raj