Read Romans 5:1-10
Far too often in the Christian world we tend to separate head and heart. We know in our head and in our theological mindset that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. I pray that you can say a hearty ‘Amen’ to that! But does this truth change our lives? Often I think it doesn’t. We tend to live as people who are saved by works even though we believe we are saved by grace. What do I mean? Our prayer life illustrates my point well. We tend to pray expectantly and boldly when we are on top of the Christian game. When things are going well and we haven’t sinned much, we tend to pray bigger prayers. But when we do sin, our prayers shrink and sometimes stop all together. We tend to think that God is more apt to listen to us when we are going strongly than when we are not. That’s a subtle form of works righteousness.
Paul uses a ‘how much more’ argument in Romans 5:9-10. He’s basically saying that if we are justified by the death of Jesus, hence the reference to the blood, then how much more shall we be spared from his wrath!? Remember back to Romans 1:18ff, the wrath of God is being revealed from heaven now and will be revealed when Jesus returns at the final judgment. We are saved
Brothers and sisters in Christ hear this truth very carefully. God will not stop loving us. He will not turn His love away from us. When we do sin or fall backwards God will discipline us and chastise us. These are a form of God’s love. Hebrews 12:5-6 quotes Proverbs 3:11-12 to prove that God disciplines those whom He loves. When we do sin, we should turn back to God, confess that sin, repent of it and move on with worshipping God with our heart, soul, mind and strength. Bad guilt is the kind of guilt that hangs around and causes us to doubt God’s love for us, to condemn ourselves and to move away from God in thought or in action. Bad guilt MUST be jettisoned immediately. Good guilt on the other hand is the kind of guilt that drives us to God in repentance and confession. Good guilt is like a timely visitor who knows the right time to leave!
Perhaps our biggest problem is learning to forgive ourselves. Far too often we have a closet in our heart in which we hide the really gross sins we’ve committed. We push them deeper and deeper into that closet and pretend that all is ok. The remedy is to open the closet doors fully, to pull everything out and to confess it all to God and to ask for His forgiveness. God has already promised in 1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
If we’ve endured bad guilt for years we have to confess our hidden sins to God many many times before we can accept His forgiveness and forgive ourselves. We need to immerse ourselves in God’s love and forgiveness like a healing balm that surrounds our self hate and self doubt. Only God’s love can unite our heart and mind in Christ.
Prayer:
Use the bible passage from today and the reading notes to write down your prayer points before you pray.
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
¥ Pray for the ongoing work of Creation Ministries.
¥ Pray for the ongoing work of Student Life and Uni Impact in NZ.
Witness Moment:
The non Christian world needs to see us confessing to God, seeking His forgiveness and living in that forgiveness. Bad guilt destroys our witness to the world.
1. A young man in the congregation confesses to you that he is an alcoholic because he hates himself. How can you counsel him. What can you do?
2. Someone says to you that she can keep sinning because God will and has already forgiven her. How do you answer this rubbish?
Intro: If you can remember a time when you hated yourself, share what happened and why you felt the way you did.
Discuss how you overcame the self hate.
Read Psalm 139: 13-14
Why is image so important to us today?
What does God think of your image?
If I disagree with God, is that ok or not? Explain.
Pray together God would give you a positive self image and the ability to forgive yourself and to love yourself in a biblical way.
Intro: If you can remember a time when you hated yourself, share what happened and why you felt the way you did.
Discuss how you overcame the self hate.
Read Psalm 139: 13-14
Why is image so important to us today?
What does God think of your image?
If I disagree with God, is that ok or not? Explain.
Pray together God would give you a positive self image and the ability to forgive yourself and to love yourself in a biblical way.
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