The gospel provides freedom from guilt and shame and the fear judgment.
When Adam and Eve sinned, they immediately realized for the very first time that they were naked. Many have theorized that perhaps they had been covered previously with God’s glory, which hid their nakedness, but that is conjecture. It is more likely that sin changed them on the inside, introducing a brand new experience into their souls – guilt, shame, and fear. Sin opened their eyes to their new condition, which made them afraid of God and provoked them to hide. (Genesis 3:7-10) All people, whose consciences still work and who have not been thoroughly deceived, are aware of their guilt and shame before God, to one degree or another, which produces in us a fear of judgment.
We know we are guilty before God and dread facing him.
People try to get around guilt and shame by denying their existence. Many insist that laws and social mores are man-made constructs, which can be dispensed with and need not control our lives. Why should sex be limited to one person who is our lawful spouse? Who said that drunkenness and drug abuse is wrong? We should be free to do as we please, right? Who said that homosexuality and transgenderism is wrong? The thinking is that if we can eliminate the commandment, we can eliminate the guilt and shame, but this is wrong thinking.
The Bible says that God is the one who gets to define what sin is, and it is impossible to avoid the consequences of sin.
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23 (NLT) Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. Galatians 6:7 (NASB95)
However, there is such a thing as false guilt and false shame. When children are abused by adults, many times they are told that it was their fault that it happened. They are shamed into silence. They are told that bad things will happen if they reveal the abuse. Fear motivates them to keep it all to themselves with devastating results. Many adults carry a sense of guilt and shame into adulthood as a result of having been abused as a child, something over which they had no control. Lies are planted in the hearts of abuse victims, which hold them captive until God’s truth sets us free.
But there is also a real guilt and shame that no amount of deception and manipulation can erase.
This is because God is real and is our judge who will hold us all accountable to him and his laws. It is because sin is real, whether we believe it or not. Truth will always prevail over deception in the end. When we at last stand before Christ’s judgment seat, every lie will be swept away, and we will stand stark and exposed before the One who sees and knows all. (Hebrews 4:13) If we have not found the only way of escape, we will receive the death sentence that our sin has earned.
The gospel reveals that God has provided a way out for us by freeing us from real guilt and shame and fear of judgment.
The gospel is free to those who believe and receive it, but came at great cost to God. When Jesus submitted himself to die on the cross, the Bible says that all our guilt and shame came upon him.
For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:21 (ESV)
Because Jesus absorbed God’s wrath against sin, we can experience freedom from God’s judgment against sin.
This means that we can experience the following benefits.
- Forgiveness – God will release us from the debt our sin incurred against God’s justice.
- Justification – God will acquit us, declaring us to be not guilty in the courtroom of heaven, just as if we had never sinned. Instead Jesus’ perfect right standing with God will be given to us as a free gift. This is much greater than mere forgiveness, as you can see.
- Redemption – Through Christ’s death and resurrection, we are released from all that previously held us captive, which includes shame.
- Reconciliation – Not only are we forgiven and acquitted; God welcomes us into his circle of intimate friends.
- Sonship – Not only are we God’s friends, he makes us sons and daughters, who have full rights, privileges, and authority in Christ.
Far from being under the thumb of guilt and shame, those who believe the gospel and pledge their allegiance to Christ are elevated to the highest honor and blessings.
When that day finally arrives when all shall stand before Christ’s judgment seat, we have been assured by the Judge himself that we will not be condemned.
I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life. John 5:24 (NLT)
Paul restated this glorious truth in his letter to the church in Rome.
So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. Romans 8:1 (NLT)
In another letter he said it a slightly different way.
For God chose to save us through our Lord Jesus Christ, not to pour out his anger on us. 10 Christ died for us so that, whether we are dead or alive when he returns, we can live with him forever. 11 So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing. 1 Thessalonians 5:9-11 (NLT)
The apostle John wrote about this freedom from the fear of judgment, too.
We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. 17 And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world. 18 Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love. 1 John 4:16-18 (NLT)
The more revelation we receive of God’s love for us, the greater our experience of deliverance from guilt, shame, and fear, and the more our appreciation grows for the One who died to make all of this possible.
We will be motivated to serve him from the heart with a desire to bring him joy and glory. Who would not choose to serve such a God?
