This article is about the potent subject of guilt. Although guilt is usually perceived to have only a negative impact on a person’s life, in this article we will look at the way guilt can become a dangerous deception in the Christian life, particularly if misunderstood and misapplied. Jesus, in His ministry of reconciliation, came to free us from the burden of guilt, and we will see how the guilty conscience can be manipulated and exploited to keep us from the fullness of that freedom. We will examine the distinction between biblical and unbiblical guilt and the steps we can take to ensure that our conscience remains clear and free as it was intended.
The Reality of Guilt
Guilt has always been a part of the human experience. Theologian Paul Tillich said it well, “[Man] is the being who hides himself, who runs away, and yet cannot rid himself of the sense of guilt.” This haunting and universal sense of guilt echoes from Eden when our first parents experienced separation from a perfect relationship with their Creator. Since then, guilt has been one of the most constant realities of the human condition. However, guilt and feelings of condemnation assumed a special place in the New Testament message when Jesus of Nazareth announced that He had come to take away the sins of the world.
Guilt and condemnation may sometimes be used interchangeably in our thinking, but they represent somewhat different states. Condemnation is the direct judgment of God against sin, while guilt is the negative feeling that results from the presence of sin or the fear of judgment. Although linked, we will see that they can play different roles in our relationship with God.
Guilt can be a very healthy emotion when it appropriately leads us to confess our sin and seek forgiveness. Indeed, Paul warned, “If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and a fury of fire that will consume the enemies of God” (Heb. 10:26, 27, NIV). In this case, the anticipated feeling of guilt (and condemnation) keeps us aware of the reality of sin and its dangers, helping us to maintain a rightful fear of continuing in sin. In the Christian life, however, the righteous consciousness ought to be one of having been forgiven and made righteous through Christ. Our conscience should primarily reflect faith in the completed work of Christ on the cross that has blotted out our guilt.
Unbiblical Guilt and the Great Deception
In the Christian life, the “great deception” we refer to in the title centers around the misapplication of guilt. When guilt becomes manipulated to perpetuate unbiblical concepts of sin management, the results can be disastrous and hinder a Christian’s walk with God. Consider the following scenarios.
If forgiveness has not fully sunk in, a person may struggle with a pervasive sense of guilt, even when no particular sin or wrongdoing is being considered. This can result from a misunderstanding of the concept of “daily repentance” or the idea that a Christian must constantly be in a state of confession to “keep their salvation.” The Bible, however, assures us, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9, NIV). Salvation is not a state of perpetual repentance, but an experience of once-for-all forgiveness received through faith in Christ. This does not mean a Christian can sin without consequence; if a transgression is committed, repentance and confession are in order. But living in a perpetual state of guilt over a salvation that has no need of continual “maintenance” is a deception, one that can keep a person in bondage instead of celebrating their freedom in Christ.
Some believers may be plagued with a sense of guilt over mundane habits or characteristics they perceive as flaws or sins. The struggle is often escalated when these characteristics become the focus of a relentless inner voice, coupled with a failure to distinguish between sin and personal quirks. For example, being introverted may cause a person to feel guilty, worrying that they are not serving God effectively. Concerns about imperfections, such as anxiety, temperament, or communication styles, can lead to misplaced feelings of shame, keeping the individual from a meaningful participation in Christian community. This misapplication of guilt turns the great gift of self-acceptance into a curse, binding believers in a web of regret and self-punishment.
The memory of past sin can also produce misdirected guilt. As the old adage goes, “The enemy of my yesterdays is my todays’ keeper.” Although acknowledgement and repentance for past sins are certainly in order, it is essential not to remain bound to the past, holding yourself hostage to what has been forgiven and laid to rest in Christ. In short, we must “forget what lies behind and strain forward to what lies ahead, pressing on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:13–14, ESV). If this vital principle is not applied, a person can become entangled in a vicious cycle of dwelling on past sins and making a punishing “deal” with themselves.
Yet another form of the great deception is the misuse of guilt for self-promotion or manipulation. In counseling, we often encounter those who use a façade of outward piety to cover their inner turmoil. These individuals may use their apparent conscientiousness as a way to draw attention or create a safe distance between themselves and others. They may push the “guilt button” in others with unsubtle pleas for sympathy or as a defense mechanism, painting themselves as the “innocent party” in the face of perceived transgressions by others. The use of guilt as a tool of manipulation is a travesty of its biblical intent and an open door to relational damage and misery.
Steps to Overcoming the Great Deception in Guilt
For many believers, the way out of this great deception is to be proactive in the right management of guilt. The following steps help in that endeavor:
Remember your baptism and the gospel truth, accepting the idea that your sins have been forgiven and laid to rest in Christ.
Challenge every suspicion of guilt by comparing it against the plain teaching of Scripture, noticing whether an alleged sin fits the biblical category of transgression.
Differentiate between personal idiosyncrasies and sinful behavior. The Bible never calls temperament or introversion sins.
Seek professional help or wise counsel to deal with persistent feelings of unjustified guilt.
Take Paul’s advice to “stop judging yourself or despising yourself” (1 Cor. 8:9, NLT), and replace erroneous convictions of guilt with the truth of God’s Word.
Focus on the positive callings and attributes God has placed within you rather than your supposed shortcomings.
Whenever the manipulation of guilt is suspected, communicate openly with the person in question, seeking to cut off the opportunity for abusive relationships.
Learn to fully experience and appreciate the peace of God (Phil. 4:7, ESV), which is the opposite of a pervasive, unearned sense of guilt.
Daily remind yourself of your redemption through the sacrifice of Christ and celebrate the freedom from guilt that only He provides.
Conclusion
The great deception in guilt is a common plague within the Church. It masks itself under the guise of godliness, masquerading as piety but, in reality, keeping many from the fullness of Christ’s atoning work. With careful self-examination, awareness of biblical truth, and the help of the Holy Spirit, we can expose these pernicious lies, experience freedom from the false burdens of guilt, and flourish as the children of God, unbound and beloved.