Shame & Salvation
Guilt is not the same as shame. Guilt is not a bad thing it is a motivating feeling.
It should move us towards the savior. Shame is a negative feeling that drives us
away from the savior.
Shame came as a result of the fall
The Story of the Fall - the little phrase he came in the cool of the evening
the
walk with them - our first reaction is shame
Shame vs. Guilt
Guilt points to where we are wrong, shame tells us how valuable we are
Confessions of a youth minister - $2500 ticket mercy
Guilt does not equal shame.
Identity in Christ gives us freedom from shame and no longer guilty
"Oh what a wretched man am I"
Rom. 7:14 - 8:17 the struggle of two natures
When I strive do I strive on my own or do I strive in Christ.
Good morning Covenant Grove. I am Aaron Crumrine and I am the seasoned
youth minister here at Covenant Grove. Some of you may or may not know that I
am also a marriage and family therapist... One of those counseling types Scott
mentioned last week that listen and ask question and some how miraculously
people figure out their own answers and I get paid big bucks for doing nothing...
Ok I I don't really get paid big money for doing nothing... There is a method to the
madness of asking questions and I don't get big bucks... Just a lot of money... Ok
enough with the really bad jokes.
What I really want to talk about is the idea of shame vs guilt. In my work as both
a youth minister and a therapist I have noticed that we in our culture struggle with
these two concepts. We often think of them as the same and it cause us to
wrestle with how we view how God sees us. And in turn how we see our selves.
This is not an easy struggle so before we get into it let's take a moment to pray
that we hear Gods view loud and clear this morning...
All right let's get into this today. Shame and guilt are often confused or thought of
as comparable thoughts. We think of guilt and shame as almost similes. And it
it's some thing we all struggle with. Understanding and keeping the two seperate.
As I have explored the struggle over the years I have come to the conclusion that
the struggle is a part of our fallen nature. I am not the kind of preacher who likes
to stand up here by myself and so I am going to ask you all to help me out a little
bit. I want us to retell the story of the fall. It begins in genesis chap 2 where man
and woman are created and the last verse of charter 2 says, this is one of my
favorite verses, they were in the garden and were naked and felt no shame"...
Must be nice I can't hardly stand in my bathroom naked and feel no shame.... But
then what happens? (Audience response) we often over look in our retelling
Gods first response that he came walking in the garden. Sin created in us a
sense of shame God still came near to be with His creation. Shame drove them
to hide away from God. Though they were guilty God still came to them.
So there is a distinction between shame and guilt. Shame comes as a result of
our fallen nature by what is this guilt feeling? Guilt points to my wrong but does
not attach negative value to me or my identity. Shame on the other hand says
because I did wrong I am some how less valued. I think this is the second lie the
serpent told eve that because we have sinned we are some how less valuable.
Guilt only points out my need to do what is right. Let me give you an example by
way of youth pastor confession when I was first starting out helping with youth at
covenant grove I got my self in to a situation.. $2500 ticket... The beginning of
this chapter Paul is writing about being free from the law. Starting at verse 7 he
wants to explain that though we are free from the law there is a purpose to it. We
aren't free to do what we've we want. Paul was not an anarchist. The law
functions he writes to point out where we are wrong...guilty... Verse 7 says
Well then, am I suggesting that the law of God is sinful? Of course not! In fact, it
was the law that showed me my sin. I would never have known that coveting is
wrong if the law had not said, “You must not covet.” (Romans 7:7 NLT)
almost immediately we see Paul begin to wrestle with this notion of guilt and
shame. The law pointing to what is good and right yet sin bringing death and
shame. By the time he gets to verse 18 we hear him full on.
And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do
what is right, but I can’t. I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do
what is wrong, but I do it anyway. But if I do what I don’t want to do, I am not
really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it. (Romans 7:18-20
NLT)
Finally he calls out Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this
life that is dominated by sin and death? (Romans 7:24 NLT)
The law points to my guilt but as with Paul shame leads to seperation and
despaired. Who will rescue me from this life dominated with sin and shame. Next
verse praise The Lord the answer is Jesus Christ.
But how? How is Jesus the answer to my sin and shame. Let's look back for a
moment at the story in Genesis and what was Gods first response. He came to
walking in the garden. He knew they had sinned before he ever took that stroll.
And who is Jesus... God in the flesh who came to live among us. To walk with us
and talk with us. It is when we look to God and His Son and truly see what they
are doing and saying. That is how we fight of the stigma attached through shame.
Paul in his explanation of how Jesus Christ is the answer says in chapter 8 verse
1 In Jesus Christ there is no condemnation." That means that God is not the
voice of shame in our lives Jesus is not going to tell us we are not worth his
sacrifice.
Paul continues for those of us who do not have Jesus in the flesh to tell us how
Jesus is the answer chapter 8 verse 5 Those who are dominated by the sinful
nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit
think about things that please the Spirit. So letting your sinful nature control your
mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and
peace. (Romans 8:5-6 NLT) letting the spirit control your mind requires
cultivation. The roots that we at Covenant Grove are so intentional about plant
us firmly in the mind set. Fellowship being around others lets us feel the physical
presence of the truth that we are worth some thing... that we are valued.
Scripture says we are the body of Christ, we are His hands and feet. It is in living
our lives walking with one another that we get to reinforce in each other the
sense of value. In discipleship we grow in our knowledge and understanding of
God. We see through the law were we have got it wrong and by following Christ
are changed and transformed. And we are complete in our roots until we are
serving and sharing this message of hope and value with others in the world
around us. We are not only Jesus to those in the church but we are the
representation in a world that is broken and hurting in need of the savior. A savior
who knows we are broken and wants us to know the value he feels for us. I think
shame is one of the pains many in the world are feeling and they need to hear
the value of the savior.
In closing where in your life are you feeling shame and withdrawal from God? Are
you in fellowship with other believers and in the word of God hearing his voice?
Or who do you know that needs to know they are valued and loved by the
Savior?
•Shame is a negative feeling that drives us away from God. Guilt is a motivating
feeling that moves us towards our Savior.
Shame came with the results of the Fall
•Gen. 3:6-13 page #
•Adam and Eve’s first reaction was shame.
•God’s first action was to walk with them.
Guilt and Shame are not the same
•Shame tells us we are not valued
•Guilt points to the Savior - Rom. 7: 7-17 page #
•The Law shows me where I was wrong and my need for a Savior
My Guilt does not equal Shame
•Who will save me from this life dominated by sin and death? Rom. 7: 21-25
•With Jesus Christ there is no condemnation. Rom 8:1
How do we defeat Shame
•Rom 8:5
•Those who are dominated by the sinful nature, think about sinful things…
•Those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the
Spirit…
Shame is a negative feeling that drives us away from Jesus Christ… Guilt is a
motivating feeling that leads us to the Savior.
•Where do you feel devalued or shame and what is God telling you?
•Who do you know that feels shame? How can you share value with them?