I have to admit as an amateur blogger (is there any other kind really?), I enjoy writing.  I’ve posted well over a hundred posts between this blog and a mirror type blog hosted by Blogger.  But the one post that I believe is continuing to help people and actually make an impact in their life the most is one that is really no credit to anything I’ve even written.  I had no idea that linking to a message about the guilt from sexual sin would be the most “clicked?” link I’ve ever posted.  On a DAILY basis, multiple people stumble on that post and follow the link to Desiring God (Piper treasure trove) and I would assume read and listen to the sermon he preached at the Passion ‘07 Conference.  This tells me a few things.  One, Piper touched on a nerve with that message.  I believe that in practically every way his sermon was spot on.  It was timely, timeless, and relevant.  Two, it was powerful.  Guilt from sexual sin is strong and overpowering.  God’s Word is more so.  Third (these are really all related), people are looking for the answer to their guilt from sin.  The answer is Jesus, without apologies.  It’s not try harder.  It’s not do better.  It’s not be stronger.  It’s just Jesus.  I imagine this is not even in the top 4 million posts on a sermon of this type.  But the simple fact that I can link to a message, that the world can find, and that people follow that link and find healing for their sin is overwhelming.  No one ever comments on the post and I do not expect them to.  But I find a great deal of joy in logging on and seeing that, for another day, people are being affected not by me but by a message from another servant of God.  If you’ve not listened to the message why not give it a go today?

From time to time I will link to posts from other blogs, news stories, sermons from people that I respect and learn much from, etc.  This sermon was delivered by John Piper at the Passion ‘07 Conference and is all about what to do about guilt from sexual sin.  It is POWERFUL and blunt and needed by men and women alike.  It will resonate with you.  The whole sermon is worth it simply for the final 10 minutes where Dr. Piper walks through Micah 7:8-9.  It will bring tears to your eyes.  If I could have an ounce of his passion and zeal!  Here’s the link to the page the sermon is on, along with a manuscript of the message.  I will not summarize the message for you.  You simply need to listen.

Whoa, not me. Not literally anyway. It’s the title of a song written and released by the 90’s rock band Nirvana. Their lead singer reportedly would answer “How are you doing” questions with this line. Kurt Cobain went on to commit suicide in 1994 by shooting himself in the head with a shotgun. It’s a tragic end to a strangely troubled life. Whether in a sarcastic tone or not, anyone who would answer “How are you?” with “I hate myself and want to die” is a troubled man. Plagued with strange demons (not necessarily literally).

Yet in a strange way it is not altogether uncommon to experience self-hatred. The enemy uses that to his advantage, including those who follow Jesus. Ask yourself a question. Have you ever had feelings of self-hatred when you sin? Even as a child of God? Feelings of such strong guilt that you feel like you’re beyond the love of the Father? So much so that when you look in the mirror you’re so disgusted with what you see that you’re not sure you want to see yourself again. (Ol’ Faithful Internet Monk explains this phenomenon well here. Read it and prepare to have your mind read to you).

The enemy would say to you “Run and hide from God. You’re so very dirty and God wants nothing to do with you.” Not unlike Silar from the TV show Heroes in last nights episode. He induces so much guilt on the part of the Mya character (actually quite a bore of a storyline), that he has her believe she wanted to kill her brother’s wife and that he hates her for doing so (an act she had NO control over at the time).

The Gospel says to us rather than “Run and hide, you’re far too dirty for God,” “Run TO God, you’ve already been forgiven in Jesus Christ. Nothing you can do will cause God to love you more or less.” We struggle mightily with this. It’s easier to allow self-hate to cloud and consume you than it is to rest in God’s forgiveness of you in Jesus. When we betray God, which happens on a regular basis, our flesh lets us know and believe that we now sit in infinite guilt. It’s hard to explain the difference between guilt and conviction in a saint of God. Conviction is the Holy Spirit’s way of getting us to repent. When we once repent and turn, any guilt is induced by the enemy and not by God.

So when you sin, child of God, don’t run away from God. Don’t hide your face in shame. Take the conviction as an opportunity for repentance and restoration. Take the guilt then, and throw it away. Claim the precious promise of God that “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” You may have to tell yourself that again and again. But please don’t answer God’s conviction with “I hate myself and want to die.” Answer it by repenting and then resting in forgiveness.

Is the time of greatest urgency…
Is the time of greatest danger…
Is the time I need Him most…
Is the time I want Him least…
Is the time I don’t want discipline…
Is the time I feel I deserve it…
Is the time I am most desperate…
Is the time He is so willing…
Is the time He is still waiting…
Is the time His blood was shed for…
Is the time I am still His child…
Is the time I became alive for…
Is the time that I should go to Him.

There are times in every believers life when we sin a particularly “sinful sin.” These are the types of sins that make it difficult for us to even go to God with confession and repentance. We think to ourselves, “That sin is too bad for even God to deal with.” When we think thoughts like that and act on them by listening to ourselves we are exactly where the enemy would like us to be. The whispers in your ear that accuse you of guilt are not the whispers of God. The ones telling you “That’s too bad to go to God over” are not the thoughts of God. The New Covenant we are part of in Jesus Christ tells us that our standing before God is now and always based solely on the blood of Jesus. That it is Christ’s sacrificial death for us that allows us to stand before God as sinners and be looked on as saints. Anytime we fall prey to the lie that we can’t go to God with one sin or another we’ve let the enemy gain a foothold and said the New Covenant isn’t enough for us. That there’s something we need to add. We have nothing to add. God knows that. Do you? When you feel especially guilty, that is exactly the right time to go before God and repent and confess. You have nothing else to give. Before you confess and repent you feel conviction from the Holy Spirit. Afterwards, you feel guilt and that guilt is not from God. It’s from the enemy. Listen to conviction. Shun post-confession guilt.