The Challenge: Forgiving Ourselves

[Bro. Bill]

1 John 3:20

Have you ever heard someone say, “I know God has forgiven me, but I’ll never be able to forgive myself”? While such self-condemnation can spring from several sources, it is, in any case, an enemy the Lord has already defeated. Romans 8:1 tells us, “Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” This encouraging statement covers all condemnation, including self-recrimination. How, then, should we deal with those condemning voices?

First of all, we need to distinguish between remorse and guilt. We are right to feel sorrow and remorse for past deeds, but to carry guilt for them is not necessary. The Bible assures us that if we confess our sins, God is faithful to forgive us (1 John 1:9). Any lingering feelings of guilt after this are enemies trying to rob us of our freedom in Christ.

Sometimes these feelings of guilt stem from the mistaken notion that we still must pay for our sins, so we unconsciously embrace perpetual remorse as a way to make restitution for past wrongs. Such a practice suggests the faulty idea that Jesus’ precious blood wasn’t sufficient to cover all of the sins from our past, present, and future. Once we finally realize that He has stamped “paid in full” on our account, then we must never dare to side with those who would have us believe otherwise.

Since our heavenly Father has given us His Word, we can reject all accusing voices and rest on His promise: “For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things” (1 John 3:20 NKJV).
Have A Blessed Day!
Dr. Stanly

[Lowe]

Thanks for the reminder.

[alien77721]

Amen! Grateful for you, brother!

[Bro. Bill]

Amen! Grateful for you, brother!

Be blessed

[Str8 arrow]

Amen, thanks

[El Coyote]

Thanks

[LWolken]

Deuteronomy 18:18-19 I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. (19) And whoever will not listen to my words that he shall speak in my name, I myself will require it of him.

John 12:47-48 If anyone hears my words(commandments) and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. (48) The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day.(49) For I have not spoken on my own authority, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment--what to say and what to speak. (50) And I know that his commandment is eternal life. What I say, therefore, I say as the Father has told me."

Exodus 23:20-21 "Behold, I send an angel before you to guard you on the way and to bring you to the place that I have prepared. (21) Pay careful attention to him and obey his voice; do not rebel against him, for he will not pardon your transgression, for my name is in him.

[B]John 5:14 Afterward Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, "See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse may happen to you."

Hebrews 6:4-6 For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, (5) and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, (6) and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt.

Hebrews 10:26 For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,

1 John 3:4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

Romans 7:7 What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, "You shall not covet."

Hosea 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you from being a priest to me. And since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.

John 7:49 But this crowd that does not know the law is accursed."

Romans 2:13 For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God's sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous.

Matthew 19:16-17 Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, "Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?" (17) "Why do you ask me about what is good?" Jesus replied. "There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments."

1 John 2:4 Whoever says "I know him" but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth(Jesus) is not in him,

1 John 2:6 Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.

Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Jesus Christ = Law/Torah, the way of life!

Romans 7:14 For we know that the law is spiritual, ......

John 6:63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words(commandments/laws) that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.

John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 5:46-47 For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote(The Laws) of me. (47) But if you do not believe his(Laws) writings, how will you believe my words?"

1 John 2:23 No one who denies the Son(Torah/Law) has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son(Torah/Law) has the Father also.

Matthew 10:32 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.

Confess = Covenant with your mouth!(Strongs G3670)

Exodus 19:8 And all the people answered together, and said, All that the LORD hath spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the LORD.

1 John 2:24 Let what you heard from the beginning(the commandments/laws) abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you too will abide in the Son and in the Father.

1 John 2:12-13 I am writing to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven for his name's sake. (13) I am writing to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one(sin). I write to you, children, because you know the Father.

Revelation 22:14 Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city.

1 Corinthians 15:34 Awake to righteousness, and do not sin; for some do not have the knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame.

Psalms 119:172 My tongue shall speak of Your word, For all Your commandments are righteousness.

Romans 13:11-12 And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. (12) The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness(sin/lawlessness), and let us put on the armor of light.

Psalms 119:105 Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.

Proverbs 6:23 For the commandment is a lamp, And the law a light; Reproofs of instruction are the way of life,

1 John 1:6-7 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness(sin), we lie and do not practice the truth. (7) But if we walk in the light(law) as He is in the light(law), we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

[NibletGillispie]

Thank you Bro Bill for your posts

[jetlag887]

Thanks for that!

[Bro. Bill]

Up

[LWolken]

Proverbs 3:11-12 My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, Nor detest His correction; (12) For whom the LORD loves He corrects, Just as a father the son in whom he delights.

Hebrews 12:6-8 For whom the LORD loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives." (7) If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? (8) But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons.