GUILT

1John 3:21

Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, [then] have we confidence toward God.

I remember after a class on grace many years ago I asked the Reverend who led the teaching "What about sin?"

The new teaching on grace talks of all our sins being taken care of by the one sacrifice, summarily that a believer cannot sin, some go ahead to talk of the sin unto death and the sin not unto death. Others yet, still talk of the condemnation of sin, still based on the sentence on the original sin "the soul that sinneth shall die".

All these have their bases in scriptures.

This morning however we look at the issue of our conscience, our mind. The issue of guilt.

Not linking in any argument, we need to see that the consciousness of sin would cause major issues in the life of the believer:

* becoming unfruitful in preaching the gospel to others;

* asking and not receiving (weak faith);

* not being able to intercede;

* not able to shine the light (be an example);

* thinking we are better than others;

* selecting sins.

We must settle our case with God once and for all. Know Him as He is for ourselves. Yes a Master, King and Lord but more importantly, as our Father!

No priest, pastor or clergy can take His place, no teaching can take the place of the Father in our lives. We must settle our case with Him day after day.

Our conscience must always be clear, so that we may work freely, work profitably and thus minister to others.

1John 3:21
Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, [then] have we confidence toward God.

We must keep our mind free, condemnation is not for us.

Romans 8:1
[There is] therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit

Let us walk in the Spirit, if we are to do this we must settle every pending case in our heart with the Lord and then let it go.

Yes, we must be careful here so that:

1Timothy 1:19
Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck:

1Timothy 4:2
Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;

Titus 1:15
Unto the pure all things [are] pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving [is] nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.

Hebrews 13:18
Pray for us: for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly.

Many a believer, even ministers have gotten used to lies and evil works, they missed this essential quality.  Our growth spiritually does not destroy our good conscience but solidifies it. We cannot be careless, we cannot be too careful.

1 John 3:19
Our actions will show that we belong to the truth, so we will be confident when we stand before God.

No one, no matter their title or spiritual growth has been given a licence to sin. No one!

Jesus said:

Matthew 7:20-23
Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions.
“Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter.
On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’
But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’

Temptations would not cease to come, remember what the bible said about the temptation Jesus faced in the wilderness.
Luke's account recorded that:

Luke 4:13
Now when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from Him until an opportune time.

The battle is still on, so issues would arise, we take nothing for granted. Even if we err, we remember that we have the Heavenly Father as our Father.  We settle it, our minds must be free.

1 John 3:20
Even if we feel guilty, God is greater than our feelings, and he knows everything.

This season I see a clear mind, free from guilt, a clear conscience, that does not continue to do wrong. We will arise and be useful to the Father in all our doings, relationships and work. May we keep a good conscience.

May we dwell in love and thus in the Spirit.

1John 4:21
And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.

1 John 3:24
Those who obey God’s commandments remain in fellowship with him, and he with them. And we know he lives in us because the Spirit he gave us lives in us.

Help us Good Lord.

He calls us blessed.

Love
@the watcher