Psalms 103: 8 The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.
9 He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger forever.
10 He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.
11 For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.
12 As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
The issues of guilt and forgiveness should be clear in our minds, for when they are understood correctly they do shine great light on God’s mercy towards us. God deals with us primarily in the currency of mercy for after the fall of man, we forfeited any just claim to His blessings.
Thus, He switched over to the mercy format so that all who so desire might find a brand-new start and a new life in Christ, so that the original relationship to God can be restored. Holy angels do not need mercy for they have never done anything wrong. Therefore they are dealt with on a different level.
But humanity needs the currency of mercy, if we are to be redeemed to our previous state before the fall of our first parents. Mercy is necessary, because sin deprived Adam from passing on righteousness to his posterity, and as a result, all children who are born to their Christian parents are born as sinners, not as saints.
We know that they are cute, but they need Christ as much as kids who are born to drug addicts. Thus, all of us, whether we are 3rd or 4th generation Seventh day Adventists or Baptists, will need to be converted through the currency of God’s mercy, for there is no such thing as being born a Christian.
The parents could and should teach by precept and example the principles and laws of God’s kingdom, but as far as being born a Christian, not happening.
Therefore, the Bible teaches us that guilt is a state we are all born into, because we naturally have the seeds of rebellion sown in our hearts genetically in and during conception.
This classification of guilt as a natural state of being is not necessarily a spoiler, because it makes both the kids and parents immediately eligible to receive of God’s mercies. If children are born innocent, then they can be saved on their own merit, and thus will not need Christ to enter heaven. This view cannot be correct. Let’s read:
Psalms 58: 3 The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they are born, speaking lies.
Genesis 25: 21 And Isaac intreated the Lord for his wife, because she was barren: and the Lord was intreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived.
22 And the children struggled together within her; and she said, if it be so, why am I thus? And she went to enquire of the Lord.
23 And the Lord said unto her, two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger.
26 And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold on Esau's heel; and his name was called Jacob: and Isaac was threescore years old when she bore them.
[FW pp 88] Adam sinned, and the children of Adam share his guilt and its consequences.
Thus, God goes to work on the kids from birth, and He sprinkles His grace upon all so that whosoever so desires, may use their freedom of choice when they come to the age of understanding, to choose Jesus. This pertains to all children of righteous parents and all children of persons who do not know Christ.
God has set up the currency of mercy in such a way that there won’t be a monopoly on salvation by the righteous. The rich, the poor, the addict, the harlot, the preacher, the banker, the tradesman, and those who work at every other type of employ, are eligible to be partakers of God’s mercy. Let’s read:
Romans 5:19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.
21 That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.
Romans 11: 32 For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.
Romans 3: 9 What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proven both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin;
10 As it is written, there is none righteous, no, not one.
John 1: 12 But as many as received him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.
13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
John 3: 5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, You must be born again.
However, there are two aspects to guilt that need to be clearly understood, because the Bible addresses both aspects. There is a situation where a person is guilty of doing wrong, but they really do not know. It happens quite frequently, even among Christians, where things are done contrary to it is written, but the persons in question really have not a clue.
In such instances, the light of truth might not have shone radiantly in the person’s mind on the issue in question, and because of this, a violation of God’s law takes place ignorantly. Therefore, the person’s conscience doesn’t bother them.
Guilt is not a feeling, it is a state, and thus a person’s conscience doesn’t necessarily have to bother them in order for them to be guilty. If a person from ole country came to the city and drove through school zones ignorantly, genuinely not knowing, the person is guilty, even though his or her conscience is clear, and the cop can issue a ticket on legal grounds.
Thus, the Bible addresses the aspect of guilt where a person does not know that he/she is in violation, so the consciousness of guilt doesn’t hit home until they come to a knowledge of what they have done. Guilt occurred on legal grounds, and then later on, when the person realizes the wrong committed then they are conscious of guilt, and may feel guilty. Let’s read:
Leviticus 4:27 And if any one of the common people sins through ignorance, while he doeth somewhat against any of the commandments of the Lord concerning things which ought not to be done, and be guilty;
28 Or if his sin, which he hath sinned, come to his knowledge: then he shall bring his offering, a kid of the goats, a female without blemish, for his sin which he hath sinned.
Leviticus 4:22 When a ruler hath sinned, and done somewhat through ignorance against any of the commandments of the Lord his God concerning things which should not be done, and is guilty;
23 Or if his sin, wherein he hath sinned, come to his knowledge; he shall bring his offering, a kid of the goats, a male without blemish.
Leviticus 5: 17 And if a soul sins, and commits any of these things which are forbidden to be done by the commandments of the Lord; though he knows it not yet is he guilty, and shall bear his iniquity.
4 Or if a soul swears, pronouncing with his lips to do evil, or to do good, whatsoever it be that a man shall pronounce with an oath, and it be hid from him; when he knows of it, then he shall be guilty in one of these.
Then, the Bible addresses guilt that arises from the commission of deliberate sin, where a person knows full well what they are doing, and they do it anyway. This type of guilt is much more common than many folks realize, yet, God in His great mercy will forgive, once the prerequisites of confession and turning away are met. Let’s read:
Leviticus 6:2 If a soul sins, and commits a trespass against the Lord, and lies unto his neighbor in that which was delivered him to keep, or in fellowship, or in a thing taken away by violence or has deceived his neighbor;
3 Or have found that which was lost, and lies concerning it, and swears falsely; in any of all these that a man does, sinning therein.
4 Then it shall be, because he hath sinned, and is guilty, that he shall restore that which he took violently away, or the thing which he hath deceitfully gotten, or that which was delivered him to keep, or the lost thing which he found,
5 Or all that about which he hath sworn falsely; he shall even restore it in the principal, and shall add the fifth part more thereto, and give it unto him to whom it appertains, in the day of his trespass offering.
6 And he shall bring his trespass offering unto the Lord, a ram without blemish out of the flock, with thy estimation, for a trespass offering, unto the priest:
7 And the priest shall make an atonement for him before the Lord: and it shall be forgiven him for any thing of all that he hath done in trespassing therein.
This type of guilt springs from presumptuous sin and, should be avoided. However, God who delights in mercy has also made provision for this type of sin and guilt to be wiped away. David’s sin with the wife of Uriah was of the deliberate kind.
David knew what he was doing when he sent for Bathsheba, and therefore, his transgression was all the more serious, for he thought about it, and then made the conscious decision to move forward with what he knew was wrong. Let’s read:
2nd Samuel 11:3 And David sent and enquired after the woman. And one said, Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?
4 And David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in unto him, and he lay with her; for she was purified from her uncleanness: and she returned unto her house.
That’s the reason why later on in his prayers, he asks God to keep him from committing presumptuous sin so that he won’t be guilty of the great transgression, which is the grieving of the Holy Spirit. Let’s read:
Psalms 19: 12 Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults.
13 Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.
14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.
Matthew 12: 31 Wherefore I say unto you, all manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.
Throughout all of the different aspects of guilt and sin, we see God’s tender mercy running through as a golden thread, forgiving all manner of sin, whether it be ignorant or deliberate. But it is not His will that individuals should take advantage of His grace, and continue in sin.
Jesus came to save us from our sins, not in our sins, and thus, the grace and mercy of God is engaged with this sole purpose in mind, to bring us to a state where sin would be uprooted from our hearts. That being said, there are two aspects of forgiveness and guilt that we will hone in on for they can occur quite frequently, and must be addressed.
Here they are: [1] Cases where a person is wronged but he/she does not know that they have been wronged.
[2] How to rebuild trust after trust has been betrayed. Let’s begin with the first issue.
If in David’s case Bathsheba didn’t get pregnant, and David confessed to God and Bathsheba, should he still go to Uriah and confess his sin by informing him of what he does not know?
And what about Uriah’s wife, Bathsheba, if she did not get pregnant, should she keep the matter quiet in an attempt to save her marriage, or should she risk Uriah blowing a fuse, by telling him what he did not know?
Some people, even among Christians, don’t take the issue of cheating well. In some cases, the one who was cheated on may forgive, but in other cases, the wronged one might trip a fuse, and who knows, in an age where so many spouses are armed to the tooth, you never know what tripping a fuse might lead to.
There are, and there have been instances where the husband or wife cheated, and they apparently got off scotch free, meaning, that the other was none the wiser. A married woman has a one-night stance on a business trip she went on.
Afterward her conscience bothers her for some time as she grapples with her conscious guilt. She longs to confess to her husband, but she does not know how he will take it, since, like Uriah, he is a soldier in the army on active duty, and who knows, he might just trip a fuse.
She confesses to God, she never gets pregnant, and after that single rendezvous she never ever falls into the sin again. The woman makes a genuine change for the better. Years go by, the husband never finds out, they go on to have a decent family, with several kids, and they remain married for fifty years.
But there is that one lone skeleton in her closet that has never been disclosed to her husband, and she is contemplating whether or not she should spill the beans and tell him about what he does not know. If she does, it could potentially cause a rupture in the marriage and the family, and could possibly alienate the children.
Should she let sleeping dogs lie? She doesn’t know how he will react, even though they attend church regularly. This situation has occurred more often than some spouses think, and it raises another basic question about forgiveness, especially within the context of married persons.
Are there things the wife or the husband are better off not knowing, or, in situations where skeletons are in your closet, should persons open a potential can of worms, by confessing to the one who doesn’t know that they were wronged?
The Bible strongly encourages husbands and wives to be honest and straightforward with each other, and wherever possible and sensible, confessing to one another is in order. But persons must be careful and wise in doing so. Let’s read:
[ 1LTMS, MS 1 1855, par 5] The wife should have no secrets to keep from her husband, and let others know, and the husband should have no secrets to keep from his wife to relate to others.
Confessing infidelity to one’s spouse doesn’t always come with the guarantee that everything would go smoothly. In David’s case, he trembled for his life, for if he were to confess his sin to Uriah, the soldier could legally put David to death, and he could also take out Bathsheba in the process. Let’s read:
Leviticus 20: 10 And the man that commits adultery with another man's wife, even he that committeth adultery with his neighbor's wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.
[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 718] None could foresee what would be the result should the crime become known. The law of God pronounced the adulterer guilty of death, and the proud-spirited soldier, so shamefully wronged, might avenge himself by taking the life of the king or by exciting the nation to revolt.
Take a good look at God’s response to David, after he admits to doing wrong, for when we declare God is merciful, we must understand and know what we are speaking of. The Lord immediately gives David the assurance that he would not die, on account of his sin. Let’s read:
2nd Samuel 12:13 And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord. And Nathan said unto David, The Lord also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.
However, the issue we grappled with pertaining to a spouse or an individual not knowing that they have been wronged, must be addressed. The letter of the law clearly states that we should confess our faults one to another.
That is true, and cannot be controverted, but there are certain instances where discretion, and praying to God would have to guide individuals, so as to manage prudently, a potentially volatile situation.
John 8:3 And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst,
4 They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.
5 Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?
6 This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.
7 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.
8 And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.
9 And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.
10 When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?
11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.
The Pharisees were obviously bent on violence, and if they mention stoning, it might not be wise for the woman to go and confess on a horizontal level, for who knows, that might be the last time she is seen alive. In other words, if her husband was a butcher by trade she should consult with God before making a confession of infidelity.
In such a volatile situation, where human life could be in danger it’s best to let Jesus lead and direct lest in trying to fulfill the letter of the law, the one who fesses up, messes up in the process. If God directs in a specific situation, that confession be made to Him alone, because of the potential for life threatening danger, then, so be it.
There is no record in the Bible where the woman in the narrative was required to confess to anyone but God alone. And, if she walked in the precepts of life, as Jesus cautioned her, no mention of her sin was to be made to her, and that’s the end of the story.
When there is a genuine change of heart in the one who has sinned, when sincere confession of sin has taken place, God is not in the business of exposing him or her unnecessarily, if the repentant one’s life could be in danger.
On the contrary, God is in the business of covering the repentant person with His blood, and with His righteousness, and when He does, He has the last word. Let’s read:
Ezekiel 33: 15 If the wicked restores the pledge, give again what he had robbed, walk in the statutes of life, without committing iniquity; he shall surely live, he shall not die.
16 None of his sins that he hath committed shall be mentioned unto him: he hath done that which is lawful and right; he shall surely live.
James 5:19 Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him;
20 Let him know, that he which converts the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.
Psalms 103: 11 For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.
12 As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
This leads us to our second and final point: [2] How to rebuild trust after trust has been betrayed.
When one has been wronged and the offender has been forgiven, the natural thing to do will be to look over your shoulder every time the person is around. Sin does come with consequences and therefore the one who sinned against another must be prepared, and willing to deal with the natural fallout, by God’s grace.
Folks who have sinned against another and cheaters who have violated the trust and confidence of their spouses should not expect that as soon as they are forgiven, that normal relations would be restored. In reality, it can be very difficult to trust the person as before.
Developing trust and unquestioning confidence will require time, and well directed efforts on the part of the one who is forgiven. God’s grace will be applied as needed and requested so that it could be clearly seen that the one in question is a changed person.
However, in the process of restoring trust there may be extra scrutiny, for the wounded person must be given time to verify that repentance is genuine. But if a real change of heart has taken place, people will come to know over a period of time, that there has been a great change since you were born, of God.
So, there must be some give and take on the part of the forgiven, and the forgiver. As time goes by, the forgiver should relax their scrutiny if they are prone to do so, for there is no need to check cell-phones in the dead of night and smell clothing like Isaac, if you see that God is indeed working on the forgiven one.
In fact, at some point in time, God instructs that the full restoration of trust be made because confidence breeds more confidence, and trust will breed more trust. When God forgives, He gives us a place in His kingdom where folks are given many opportunities to practice truth.
At some point in time, after being forgiven by God, the apostle Paul must be trusted, without the saints having to look over their shoulders. Yes, it is true that he previously hunted down Christians, and yes, he caused much fear and panic in the early church.
But if God has forgiven him, and now he is speaking in tongues, preaching the gospel of Christ, returning his tithes and offerings and doing missionary work each and every day, the saints back then are not to follow Paul around with a camera, and cellphone to doublecheck everything he does, or does not do.
At some point in time, as the evidence of conversion is made manifest, persons must let go, and let God, for if trust will only be based on verification, we will not be doing better than Ronald Reagan who once said, to the Kremlin, Доверяй, но проверяй, trust but verify. Let’s read:
Acts 9:10 And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord.
11 And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and enquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prays,
12 And hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight.
13 Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem.
14 And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name.
15 But the Lord said unto him, go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel.
20 And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God.
21 But all that heard him were amazed, and said; Is not this he that destroyed them which called on this name in Jerusalem, and came hither for that intent, that he might bring them bound unto the chief priests?
26 And when Saul was come to Jerusalem, he tried to join himself to the disciples: but they were all afraid of him, and believed not that he was a disciple.
27 But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus.
When dealing with issues of guilt and forgiveness, God does not focus on the guilt part but rather on the restoration, by which persons could be trusted once more and given a place among kings or angels.
It is because of this why He bids us follow His lead, so that wherever forgiveness becomes warranted, we will focus on the restoration, instead of dwelling on the wrongs that were done to us. As we face a new year, let us try by the grace of God to bury the hatchet, and forgive one another, as God does, for it is His will that we would follow Him by precept and example.
We therefore end with a passage of scripture that will enable us to do so, if we try, and as we do, let us never forget that, were it not for The Lord’s grace, and mercy none would be alive today. Let’s read:
Ephesians 4:31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice.
32 And be you kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.
God Bless!