What Is Guilt?

0:00Here's today's in touch devotion. Today's scripture reading is Romans 5 verses 6 through 11. For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will hardly die for a righteous man, though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more than having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more having been reconciled we shall be saved by His life, and not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.

1:01Guilt is something with which we're all familiar, but it's worth taking the time to stop and ask the question, what is guilt? When we see the term in English translations of the Bible, we often tend to apply a cultural interpretation to the passage. That is, we associate the word guilt with feelings of remorse, depression, or rejection over something in our past. Scripturally speaking, however, it is primarily a legal term used to denote responsibility as when a court finds an offender guilty. What does this mean for the believer? We should already know that we've been found guilty. Romans 3.23 says we all have sent. However, Jesus Christ took that guilt upon Himself at the cross, and He paid our debt in full. If the debt has been paid and we've been released from the charge, then we are no longer guilty. We've been declared forgiven. The Lord doesn't want us to hide the joy of our salvation beneath the smothering blanket

2:05of guilt. Rather, we're called to rejoice in the glorious redemption that Christ sacrifice made possible. We can joyfully claim the promise of John 836, so if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed. Go and be free today.