Feelings of Guilt

Acts 9 : 1 – 2, Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. -NKJV

2 Corinthians 7 : 2, Open your hearts to us. We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have cheated no one. -NKJV

Before the Lord saved Saul of Tarsus, he persecuted and imprisoned believers who were of the Way. The Way was the name of those who were a part of the early church. It was Saul who held the coats of those who stoned Stephen. His crime: He preached the truth that struck deeply into their hearts and for this, he died.

Saul had done so many horrible things to Christians, and they greatly feared him. He was passionate about his belief in Judaism.  He viewed the spread of Christianity as a threat to his religion; however, all that changed while he was riding to Damascus to arrest believers. However, that all changed while he was riding to Damascus to arrest believers. A light appeared to him, and the Lord spoke to Saul and asked why he was persecuting Him.

We must understand as Christians, whenever someone persecutes us for our faith in Christ, they’re not coming against us, but they’re persecuting the Lord. If we remember this truth, it can prevent us from taking the verbal assaults personally.

After the Lord spoke to Saul and he became a believer of Christ, instead of being the persecutor, he became the persecuted. The Jews turned on Saul after his conversion. The believing Jews were very skeptical and fearful of him, even after he received Christ. It was his past that Paul had to overcome so that he could preach the gospel of Christ.

Even though a person is born again, they can still have a guilt riddled conscience in their new walk of faith. It is at this point that many Christians can struggle with guilt and shame because of their past life in sin.

If you wrestle with guilt because of your past, remember Paul wrote by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit that he had wronged no one. You may ask how he could he write such a statement in the Bible when he had previously terrorized the church.

God saved Saul, and his name was changed to Paul. He is responsible for writing two-thirds of the New Testament. God not only forgave Paul of his sins, but He also revealed truths to Paul so that he could teach us how to be free from our past. If you’re saved, not only are your sins forgiven, but God’s truth has the power to free you from guilt.

One of the best revelations given to Paul by the Lord is in 2 Corinthians 5 : 17. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” – (NKJV) Paul could write that he had wronged no one in truth and with a pure conscience. It’s not by our good works that we are able to earn a clear conscience. It is our faith in the work of Christ on the cross that frees us.

The enemy will use our past mistakes and sins to shame us, after we become born again. We must learn as Paul did. We are new creatures in Christ, and our past is erased by His precious blood.

Pastor Asa Dockery

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