Guilt. This word has become the scourge of man. Very few avoid it, most of the world’s population suffer from it.
It comes to us because of things said or left unsaid. Things done or not done. From lying, cheating, stealing, the list could go on forever. But, there is one basic reason for guilt, and it is called sin. Sin causes us to do the things listed above.
The Bible tells us that:
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
Also
As it is written: ‘There is no one righteous, not even one.
So, no matter how you look at it, we are all in the same boat.
When Jesus died on the cross, everyone on planet earth was forgiven their sins. But, this forgiveness is not applied to us until we accept Jesus as our Lord and Saviour.
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
There are no degrees of sin. Sin is the breaking of God’s Law. Scripture tell us that:
James 2:10 & 11
For whoever keeps the entire law, yet fails in one point, is guilty of breaking it all.
For He who said, Do not commit adultery, also said, Do not murder. So if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you are a lawbreaker.
So, no matter which commandment you break the penalty is the same, death. Hence, no one sin is greater than another. Therefore God can forgive us for any sin we commit, no matter how serious.
Some more texts to help you:
Let the wicked one abandon his way and the sinful one his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, so He may have compassion on him, and to our God, for He will freely forgive.
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.
He will again have compassion on us;
He will vanquish our iniquities.
You will cast all our sins
into the depths of the sea.
There is only one sin in the Bible for which God cannot forgive us:
Because of this, I tell you, people will be forgiven every sin and blasphemy, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.
Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him. But whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the one to come.
God’s Holy Spirit is always present on the earth to convict men of their sins, and to turn them to God for forgiveness. But, many ignore the Spirit’s pleading with them by constantly committing the sins the Spirit is telling them in their conscience they should not be committing.
Each time someone resists the Spirit speaking to their conscience, they become that little bit harder in their heart. Until eventually they put themselves beyond the reach of God’s help by their rejection of Him. This is wilful sinning.
Another problem area is putting off cleaning up your act until later. The longer you leave it the harder it is to stop.
If we genuinely ask God for forgiveness He has promised to grant it to us.
There is no sin you can commit that God hasn’t already forgiven! Don’t forget, people have been sinning for thousands of years; its all been done before.
I tell you, in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over 99 righteous people who don’t need repentance.