What is the cure for guilt?

Welcome again to my blog. I am delighted you have taken the time to visit.  

Our research has shown that Christians generally have better wellbeing and less depression than non-Christians. Why then are Christians known for feeling guilty? Let's discuss some potential cures.

 

The world screams that Christians surely have guilt because of all the restrictions of scripture that must induce this emotion. Guess what? Teleios’ research indicates quite the opposite! We have shown if you know scripture, the great freedom of salvation, and live as a Christian by faith, you won’t feel guilty!

 

In a survey at a large secular state university, Teleios found about 70% of both evangelical and social Christians noted they felt mild guilt while still reporting high levels of wellbeing. Interestingly, those who reported to be both evangelical and born-again (as opposed to just one or the other) had greater wellbeing. Further, those who reported they were evangelical, born-again and adhered to their faith, none had bad wellbeing and similar guilt levels as other groups. 

 

Further, we found in a survey in a well taught evangelical church that those with greater knowledge about the Christian faith and who practiced the faith (fellowship, praise, prayer, outreach and Bible study) noted less guilt than those who did not. 

 

We don't know exactly all the treatments for Christian guilt, but here are a few clues that might help:

·       A good relationship with God, NOT! - Understand what your relationship with God is not. It is not based on being saved by Christ and then adding a works oriented system that gives us access to God only if we feel we deserve it. Teleios research indicates this lingering doubt of God’s acceptance and having to work for His approval is the most common cause of Christian guilt. This is not scriptural.

·       A true Bible based relationship - Realize on what a relationship with God is really based. Scripture describes a secure position before God by faith (Ephesians 2:8-9). Therefore, assure yourself that you have trusted by faith, once for all time, your forgiveness of sins to God to salvation (2 Peter 1:10). This belief in God’s forgiveness allows us to have unrestricted access to God by prayer, without fear of rejection (Hebrews 10:20-23). 

·       Eternally secure - Be confident in your eternal security. As we have recently covered not only does the Bible tell us we are secure (John 10:28-29; 1 Peter 1:4-6; Romans 8:29ff), but we hold positions that cannot be morphologically or legally undone (please see recent blogs). Indeed God causes us to persevere (2 Timothy 1:12).

·       Un-chargeable - No one can bring a charge against us as we are declared just; only Christ can judge (Romans 8:33)!

·       Practice your faith - Studying scripture, teaching it to others, good fellowship, praise to God, and prayer allow us to have the knowledge and the right mindset of our standing before God through Christ. When you first know what you should be knowing, and do what you should be doing, the confident knowledge of our salvation follows (Colossians 1:9-14).

 

Even if you have sinned as a Christian (as we all have), and even if the sin is chronic, the biblical answer is not to feel guilty but to be obedient. We are already forgiven! Otherwise, do what you should be doing and most likely you will not feel guilty.

 

In summary, base your relationship with God on biblical facts, not your emotions. This is a great concept!

 

Thanks for joining me. Visit again next week as we start a series on the Christian life and the wonderful promises of scripture and their benefits to us.

 

William C. Stewart, MD

 

Email – info@teleiosresearch.com

Website – http://teleiosresearch.com

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/TeleiosResearch

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/TeleiosResearch

YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/c/TeleiosVideos

X - https://x.com/TeleiosTweets

TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@teleiostiktok

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/teleiosresearch

 

Disclaimer – This blog and its content are provided only as information and are intended for visitors 18 and older. No content on the website should be taken as advice or recommendation to any personal or institutional situation. The views expressed are those of the author alone and not necessarily either shared or endorsed by Teleios. Both the blog and the contents are subject to change at any time without notice. Although I endeavor to ensure that the blog and the content are current and accurate, it may contain errors. I do not represent that the blog or the content is current, accurate or complete, or appropriate for your specific requirements. I do not accept any liability from any person for the blog, the content or any other information (or the use of such information) I provide. I do not have a seminary degree, but I have trained myself in the scriptures to teach and provide this information. For any specific question, I suggest you contact experts in that field and/or do your own research into the scriptures.

 

Why do you feel guilty?

 

Welcome back to my blog. I'm glad you're here. Today, we discuss an important issue among Christians: guilt. Christians often feel guilt for many reasons:

1. Many Christians focus on their sins and moral shortcomings. This heightened awareness can lead to feelings of guilt when they perceive they have done something wrong.
2. Christians strive to live according to the teachings of Jesus and the Bible. When they fall short of these standards, they may feel guilty as a natural response to their desire to be more Christ-like.
3. The Christian community and its teachings often stress the importance of acknowledging and repenting for sins. This cultural aspect can reinforce feelings of guilt when individuals believe they have not lived up to these expectations.

 

We have considered in prior blogs that the first step to improved biblically based wellbeing is acceptance by faith of Christ’s forgiveness for our misdeeds by his death and resurrection. Then we evaluated the importance of understanding that our salvation is secure!

 

So then, why do Christians feel guilty? This appears to be a common emotion in our society and almost certainly reduces wellbeing. The exact incidence of guilt is unknown in the general population or in the church, but anecdotally this author can attest that guilt is seen in almost all young people, even if they have grown up in the church and consider themselves Christians.

 

Recently Teleios surveyed a group of attendees of a conservative Bible teaching church to determine their levels of guilt and underlying reasons. In total 70% said they felt guilty. Look below at the results! Who knew? Table 1 shows potential reasons for guilt and additional effects for those expressing feeling of guilt. Learn more at https://teleiosresearch.com/the-influence-of-guilt-on-wellbeing/.

To summarize these findings, among 70% of churchgoers in a strong evangelical church who admit to guilt, it appears to occur at three basic different levels:

• Unbelieving Individuals – These respondents have not understood the complete saving grace provided by Christ’s death, accessed by faith alone.
• Spiritually Insecure Individual – These believers have failed to understand that they are secure in their salvation and cannot become unsaved.
• Disturbed Relationship with God – This group appears to be the most common. They understand they are saved and secure but still believe they must work to satisfy God for His acceptance on a day to day basis.

 

Teleios also performed a survey on the University of Georgia campus and found that approximately 70% of evangelical Christians felt guilty although fortunately the level of guilt was mild and did not appear to affect their overall wellbeing. Learn more at https://teleiosresearch.com/religious-social-influences-wellbeing-college-students/.

 

So, what is the cure for guilt?

 

The Bible makes no provision for guilt for a believer. Search the epistles and see if you can find it!

 

The Bible indicates that we have free access to Christ, our great high priest, to help us with every need at any time! We can approach God with courage, unimpeded and unafraid (Hebrews 2:17-18; Hebrews 4:14-16).

 

The Bible tells us that Christ died once for all our wrongdoings. For anyone who does not believe they have been forgiven, there is no alternative provision for their sin (Hebrews 6:4-6; Hebrews 10:12-18).

 

Therefore, the solution to misdeeds for the Christian is to not ask for forgiveness but to acknowledge God’s merciful forgiveness that has already been granted (Colossians 1:14; Ephesians 1:7), recognize His acceptance and our access (Hebrews 10:19-22) and to become obedient, moving forward and maturing in the faith (Galatians 3:1; Galatians 5:7; Romans 6:16-23; Hebrews 5:11-6:1).

 

What a healthy outlook! As a Christian we can know that we are forgiven, sure in our relationship with God through Christ, know we have a wonderful high priest to help us in our time of need, and when we commit a wrong, we are confident of our forgiveness. Guilt is not part of the biblical Christian life!

 

In summary, Christ’s forgiveness is meant to replace feelings of guilt. The core message of Christianity is that Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross offers forgiveness for sins. This grace is a gift that believers can accept, which should alleviate guilt and lead to a sense of peace and freedom.

 

Thanks again for joining me. Please come again next time as we continue vital and interesting topics on the Christian life. 

 

William C. Stewart, MD

 

Email - info@teleiosresearch.com

Website - http://teleiosresearch.com/

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/TeleiosResearch

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/TeleiosResearch

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/TeleiosVideos/

 

Disclaimer - This blog and its content are provided only as information and are intended for visitors 18 and older. No content on the website should be taken as advice or recommendation to any personal or institutional situation. The views expressed are those of the author alone and not necessarily either shared or endorsed by Teleios. Both the blog and the contents are subject to change at any time without notice. Although I endeavor to ensure that the blog and the content are current and accurate, it may contain errors. I do not represent that the blog or the content is current, accurate or complete, or appropriate for your specific requirements. I do not accept any liability from any person for the blog, the content or any other information (or the use of such information) I provide. I do not have a seminary degree, but I have trained myself in the scriptures to teach and provide this information. For any specific question, I suggest you contact experts in that field and or do your own research into the scriptures.

 

 

Dealing with guilt

 Christians feel guilty, seemingly almost routinely. Guilt practically is accepted as a part of the Christian life. Should we feel guilty and if so, why? If not, how do we stop? 

How common is it?

 

Teleios surveys have shown that approximately 70% of evangelical Christians feel some level of guilt. Fortunately, it appears typically mild.

 

Why do Christians feel guilty?

 

Teleios has examined this question among church attendees in an evangelical church on three levels (full report):

·       A person is not a believer (5%) – This was a very small percent, but recognizes that there are people within the church community who really do not understand salvation by grace; and the Holy Spirit is probably convicting them (John 16:8-11). In this case, the guilt is appropriate and perhaps will lead to their salvation.

·       Fear of loss of salvation (28%) – These Christians knew they were saved by grace but feared they could lose their salvation, perhaps by sin or disobedience. However, the scriptures indicate Christ’s sacrifice on the cross is sufficient to cover all sins, past, present, and future. For a Christian, saved by grace alone, all sins are forgiven (Ephesians 1:4-5,13; Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 3:23-26; Romans 6:2-9; Hebrews 6:1-8).

·       Fear of God’s displeasure (41%) – The greatest percent knew they were saved and secure yet somehow felt some sin, or lack of good works, would cause God to reject them, producing their guilt. This idea is also unbiblical in that we have direct access to God through the ripped veil based on Christ’s sacrifice (Hebrews 10:19-22).

 

What are the triggers for guilt?

 

What causes guilt in a true believer? We do not know precisely, but here are some suggestions:

·       Lack of knowledge of God’s word – This is key! If we don’t know God’s word then we are left defenseless in determining if we hear or read something that suggests we are sinning. So not knowing, the nagging doubt if we are wrong, leads to guilt.

·       Not meeting others’ expectations – Family, friends and churches may have expectations for us, that even may be dressed up in Christian jargon, that can produce guilt if we do not meet them. This issue relates directly to the first point in that if you do not know the Bible then you cannot determine if their expectations are correct.

·       Self-expectations – Again, this is related to the first point that we may place burdens on ourselves which we fail to meet but may not be biblical.

·       Wrong corrective response to sin – Even if we know that we are in sin, we may not respond to that sin in a biblical way. Our response may be based on social Christian tradition or expectations, such as priestly or work-based absolution, re-dedication or re-baptism, self-abasement or pleading for forgiveness from God. These efforts may reduce immediate guilt but are not biblical and would not solve most likely a long-term guilt problem (please see just below, and the last blog, over handling sin).

·       Continued sin - Obviously if we are in a sin and choose willingly to continue it, this may result in feeling guilty

 

What is the appropriate biblical attitude regarding guilt?

·       Realize guilt is not required – For a true believer who is saved by grace alone the answer is simple: ‘Don’t.’ Why is this? Let’s take it to the source, the Bible.

• The Bible does not teach guilt for the believer. The New Testament epistles, the part of the biblical text that provides Christians with guidance, does not teach believers to feel guilty for acts of sin or any other reason.
• Christians are forgiven by Christ’s gracious sacrifice, received by faith; His offering was fully sufficient to cover all our sins. It is given to us as a free gift. Guilt is not part of the package (Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 3:23-26).

·       God wants our obedience – This is the New Testament response to sin, to obey and mature into the worthy servant that God wants us to be. In this way we can accomplish good things, such as spreading the gospel and serving others, without being self-focused, tied up in knots over insecurity of salvation, questioning our relationship with God, and burdened by our guilt (Romans 6:12; 6:16; 12:1; Hebrews 5:11-6:3).

 

What is the solution for guilt?

 

·       Make sure you are a believer – Assure that you recognize your glorious salvation is based completely on the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross by faith alone and not mixed with works. Further,  as time passes from when you first believed, you will see evidence of biblically based changes in your life (2 Peter 1:10). Please see our chapter on salvation for further detail. There is nothing that you can do to help God save or keep you. He does it all!

·       Realize you are secure – God provides protections, both legal and morphologic, by declaring us righteous, adopted, sealed by the Spirit until Christ’s coming, and changed irreversibly into a new person. (Ephesians 1:4-5, Ephesians 1:13; Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 3:23-26; Romans 6:2-9; Hebrews 6:1-8).

·       Realize you are forgiven – Certainly, in our relationship with God it makes sense to recognize our day-to-day sin with regret. However, we must realize with God that those sins graciously are forgiven already by Christ’s sacrifice (Romans 3:24-25: Ephesians 1:7).

·       Access – We have bold access to God! Our only limitation is ourselves by sin that would keep us from approaching God or hindering our prayers (Hebrews 4:14-16; Hebrews 10:19-22).

·       Realize the truth about guilt – The Bible does not tell believers to feel guilty but to obey and have joy and peace. Therefore, get up, obey the word, life by faith, live guilt free! A good motto for the Christian life: ‘Live by facts (i.e., the Bible) and not emotions!’ Believe scripture, and do not rely on emotions that you or others place on yourself. God is great and gives us such wonderful biblical wisdom to enrich our lives.

 

We have a gracious God who has provided for us forgiveness through Jesus Christ death and resurrection and access through faith. We should not be burdened by guilt but to obey and strive to be holy as God is holy (1 Peter 1:16).

 

William C. Stewart, MD

 

For questions or to view more of our research…

Email                info@teleiosresearch.com

Website            http://teleiosresearch.com/

Facebook          https://www.facebook.com/TeleiosResearch

Instagram         https://www.instagram.com/TeleiosResearch

Youtube           https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCh6wIbPgxeP0YvypwAn5-9Q

 

Disclaimer - This blog is provided for your use and enjoyment on an ‘as is’ and ‘as available’ basis. Both the blog and the contents are subject to change at any time without notice. Although I endeavor to ensure that the blog and the content are current and accurate, it may contain errors. I do not represent that the blog or the content is current, accurate or complete, or appropriate for your specific requirements. I do not accept any liability from any person for the blog, the content or any other information (or the use of such information) I provide. I do not have a seminary degree, but I have trained myself in the scriptures to teach and provide this information. For any specific question, I suggest you contact experts in that field and or do your own research into the scriptures.