Perspectives

Feeling guilty, who me? Why should I feel guilty? What have I ever done that should cause me to go on a guilt trip? After all I am a Christian and Christians are guilt free. Right! Oh I wish that were true, but it isn’t. I am no different then any one of you folks reading this column. No different at all. I know why I get that guilty feeling; and I’m sure you do likewise. It is so easy to go with the flow and become a rather selfish Christian. But it shouldn’t be that way, there is a better way and we should make it a point to go for the best.

There are reasons for this guilty feeling: I can think of a few without really thinking too hard about it. How about saying things about a person that isn’t true? You mean gossiping? Well, that will do it every time for me. I feel really bad afterwards. Here is another one; not being truthful!! You really mean that? Sure I do. We say that politicians blush when they tell the truth. I am the opposite and so are the good politicians and so are you . . . we blush when we don’t stick with the truth. And that is the truth. But I am thinking about another one, if we deliberately go about sinning after we have received the knowledge of truth; after we have accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour. The Bible teaches us that we are to draw near to God, in other words live and do the things that we learn from Scripture.

Our Scripture lesson for this month: Hebrews 10:22-27 . . . 22) let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. 23) Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24) And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. 25) Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another–and all the more as you see the Day approaching. 26) If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, 27) but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.

There are some conditions given for drawing near to God: Let us never forget the privilege of worshiping God. Going to church, even if the sermon is poor and the worship superficial, the church service still gives us the chance to show the world what side we are on. We must be sincere in our worship, with true hearts, fully trusting that God will hear our prayers, because we have accepted His Son Jesus Christ who made us clean when He died for us on the cross. That means we have total freedom from a sense of guilt, that guilty feeling deep down in our hearts will be gone and that freedom is based on the once-for-all sacrifice of Christ.

One final thought: We should do our very best when it comes to encouraging others. It is so easy to laugh and say all sorts of nasty things about them and their goals, to pour cold water on their enthusiasm. The world is full of discouragers, but you and I have a Christian sense of duty to encourage one another. Is it not true that a word of praise, thanks, or appreciation or cheer has kept many a person on their feet? Let’s do our best so that they will not be tempted to give up their Christian struggle and turn their backs on Christ. None of us who have become part of God’s family makes a practice of sinning. We don’t have too, for Christ, God’s Son, holds us securely and the devil cannot get his hands on us.

Would you pray this prayer with me . . . “Lord Jesus, come into my heart. Forgive my sins. I want my life to change. My thoughts and my attitude need to change. I don’t have peace in my heart. I really want that peace, joy and happiness that I long for. Please let the Holy Spirit help me be the kind of Christian that will bring honour to Your Name.” Amen