5). Then this is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6). If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: 7). But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship, one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. 8). If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9). If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins from all unrighteousness. 10). If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
-1 John 1:5-9
The way believers deal with guilty feelings has a lot to do with what they understand about guilt. By definition, the word refers to a sense of wrongdoing—an emotional conflict arising from second thoughts about an action or thought. The biblical method for clearing away such feelings is repentance.
However, many believers are plagued by false guilt, which is not actually rooted in sin. This unhealthy feeling can develop in a couple of ways. First, if a church is caught up in legalism, a member may not do enough of what is “required” (such as praying, Bible reading, or witnessing). And second, hearing believers’ criticisms of others can also lead to misplaced feelings of guilt. Without clear discernment, a person may get the sense that he can’t measure up to God’s standards.
Whatever the cause of false shame, it is not the result of sinful behavior. Genuine, biblically based conviction, on the other hand, is an anxiety in the spirit over a definite, willful sin; it is the Holy Spirit’s loving pressure to correct a specific wrong. When we understand this, we can reject Satan’s attempts to distract us with lies. And regardless of the cause, false guilt must be unearthed and removed from the believer’s life.
-IBC
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