Author: Lisa Groen
Through my interactions with other Christians over the years I have noticed a deep need. Many times, a person who is dealing with shame may be battling it because it has stemmed from a history of abuse suffered in childhood or later in life. If the abuse was long term or serious, the shame may be deep rooted. This shame can be heavy and even paralyzing for some.
The source for much and even most healing for our emotional needs will come to the Christ follower through the word of God. I have experienced this both personally and seen it in the lives of wounded friends who have received healing over the years. The word of God heals us through the very things it says to us about The Lord, about our faith and what our faith brings us, and about our progress in the faith. We will end up through the perseverance God provides, looking like Jesus in our spirituality. God means for us to be whole, stable, fruitful, and to be filled with Jesus.
If we have repented but still feel guilty, shame indeed can be exclusively an attack from the forces of darkness. The believer just like Jesus was, is equipped by with the word of God to fight against lies the enemy tried to send us and by believing the word of God we fight the good fight of faith.
What hope can we find in the scripture that leads us out of the bondage of shame? We first must look to who Jesus is and see plainly in scripture what he has promised the believer and intends for the believer to possess. We possess traits from the Lord because of our faith in Him that work themselves into our personality, emotions, our motives, and thinking. Embracing who the Lord is through our worship of Him is a normal way of life for the Christ follower. Seeing and looking into His traits brings freedom to us one scripture at a time, and we will look more and more like Jesus.
A great statement that John the Baptist made to his disciples in discussing how Jesus was baptizing more followers than he, is found in John 3:27 “John answered and said, “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given him from heaven.”” If we truly think about this statement, we can know the Lord would not have his people holding onto anything unless it has been given to them from heaven. The statement by John the Baptist was referring to the ministry that a person receives can only come from heaven. But in the broader application of the scripture, I think this would include that a person can receive only what heaven would have us to receive, and this includes food, shelter, clothing, friendships, love, purpose, work, spiritual strength, truth, etc.., but also would mean that it is not within the will of God for his people to receive any thing of any sort from the kingdom of darkness. That would mean it would not be right for us to receive lies, oppression, or faultfinding attitudes, fits of rage, backbiting, or other types of “equipment” from the enemy.
Even if the scripture John 3:27 was meant to have a very narrow context, it is still correct to say that it is not God’s will for his people to carry around a shame-based nature. We know this because of the promise of Romans 8:1 which says “Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”
The very first thing we should ask is “do I know of any sin in my life I need to repent of? “Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin.” James 4:17. The good thing regarding this is that God will give a person the grace to repent of their sins. Sin can and must be dealt with in the life of the Christ follower. God does provide help for us to become free from sin.
Romans 6:18 and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.
Romans 6:20 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness.I
Romans 6:22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life.
Romans 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.
Revelation 1:5 and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood
Hebrews 7:25 Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.
If sin is not the reason that is opening the door to the shame or guilt we may be dealing with, why do we struggle so long with it at times then? If we have repented of all known sin, there may be a spiritual attack of condemnation or accusation from the enemy. A demon of shame or condemnation could be at fault. Our enemy would like to send lies and accusation our way to get us to doubt the truth about the Lord and our Christian identity. The enemy wants us to doubt our faith, he wants us to doubt our relationship with the Lord, and he wants us to doubt the faithfulness of our God.
God’s work in a Christ follower is powerful. Since there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, Romans 8:1 a relevant question to ask is “how does one get into Christ?” This question is about salvation. We must learn about the work of Jesus and what he has called his own people to. To simplify the question of election and predestination, let us assume a person is a seeker of the Lord. Seek, ask, and knock, and it will be opened to you is what the Lord Jesus tells us in Matthew 7:7-11 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or what man is there among you who, when his son asks for a loaf, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he? 11 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!” I believe a person who seeks to be saved will be saved. I believe the Lord is the One who gives a person the inclination to begin with to seek salvation in the first place.
There seems to be a tension in our walk with The Lord to keep fighting the good fight of faith, and to keep our hearts pure before The Lord. We are commanded to abide in Him. He expects us to go about our daily lives doing and being led by Him to take care of our affairs. Right along with the normal every-day work, relationships, housekeeping, care for our belongings, etc.. we are concurrently responding to The Lord. He is looking for those who will worship Him in Spirit and in Truth. This is the place a believer abides in the Lord—in a place of respect for what the Lord has done for us where we take those realities into our minds and hearts which helps us to be in a place of worship of Him as we go about our days.
The second big part of abiding in Him is to be ever mindful of His word, because His word is truth and His word has much to say about the new nature of Christ followers that we received as a gift when we became born again. We are told in Proverbs to listen to the teaching of the Lord to gain wisdom. Here is a small sampling of just 3 verses with a blessing and/or benefit as a result attached to the command to listen:
Proverbs 1:33 “But he who listens to me shall live securely and will be at ease from the dread of evil.”
Proverbs 8:32 “Now therefore, O sons, listen to me, for blessed are they who keep my ways.
Proverbs 8:34 “Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, Waiting at my doorposts.
Jesus said in John 15:7 “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.”
When we listen to the words of God and we abide in the word of God, we let it be what we listen to and hear, and it inspires our faith. We can then ask for whatever we wish (as long as it is within his will) and it will be done for us. God’s will for us includes to think the thoughts the Lord thinks about us as forgiven and redeemed. This would include having our hearts made sure with confidence of being rooted and grounded in him. Isaiah 45:17 says of Israel representing all of God’s people: “But Israel shall be saved in the Lord with an everlasting salvation: ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end.” We can then ask in faith to have untrue condemning beliefs about ourselves removed (if we have repented) that may be there not from the result of our sins, but from the attacks of the devil. When we get forgiven by God, we get washed by God, and the guilt and shame he removes from us. A big reason to seek God for this if you do struggle with condemnation, is that condemnation is not part of our God-given Christlike identity we received at salvation. The Lord does not mean for us to carry condemnation because Christ bore our sin and shame. Some believers may struggle a lot less with it and some may struggle a lot more with it than the average Christian.
The Lord has designed the identity and nature of His followers to be one that does not get its definition from or partner with shame. Lets look at the following scriptures which mention shame or reproach to understand what we have been delivered from in Christ:
We are to abide in Him so that we will not be put to shame at His coming:
1 John 2:28 Now, little children, abide in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming.
We renounce hidden sins:
2 Corinthians 4:2 but we have renounced the things hidden because of shame, not walking in craftiness or adulterating the word of God, but by the manifestation of truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.
We presently have hope the Lord will be exalted in our bodies with the mindset to not be put to shame:
Philippians 1:20 according to my earnest expectation and hope, that I will not be put to shame in anything, but that with all boldness, Christ will even now, as always, be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.
We are to be sensible, pure in doctrine, dignified, and sound in speech so as not to be put to shame:
Titus 2:1,6-8 But as for you, speak the things which are fitting for sound doctrine. 6 Likewise urge the young men to be sensible; 7 in all things show yourself to be an example of good deeds, with purity in doctrine, dignified, 8 sound in speech which is beyond reproach, so that the opponent will be put to shame, having nothing bad to say about us.
We are to keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which we are slandered those who revile our good behavior will be put to shame:
1 Peter 3:16 and keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame.
Proverbs says that sin causes a reproach.
Proverbs 14:34 Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.
If a person’s sin was deep, or they fell out of fellowship with God, they may sense a need to get back into fellowship with the Lord and to believe in his atonement through faith in Christ. Then God’s grace is applied and the person in need is moved by God out of a state of condemnation and into a state of righteousness.
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
But, if we walk in the light (in Jesus) we will can get free from sin and not stumble (sin):
John 11:9 Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, (sin) because he sees the light of this world.
1 John 1:7 but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.
How do we keep walking in the light? Keep going to Jesus and abide in his light.
What happens in the born again life is that the believer is brought from darkness to light, from the state he was in before being born again–spiritual death to spiritual life in Christ. Those who have trusted in the Lord Jesus for salvation are positionally no longer in a state of condemnation. The believer is positionally in a state of righteousness. This free gift of righteousness and state of being righteous is not earned nor maintained by the good works of the believer. God has changed the believer’s heart to love God and love his righteousness. The unbeliever however is in a state of condemnation already. God is the keeper of his people, and keeps them in a state of righteousness. The presence of the Holy Spirit is given to the beliver and abides in him and if the believer sins, he will likely have a sense that he has sinned and be moved by God to seek forgiveness, and cleansing, and to turn from that sin.
However, when the believer has sinned, he does not slip into positional condemnation. Positionally, the believer although he has sinned is still positionally righteous by faith in Christ. At that time the Holy Spirit prompts the believer to repent of their sin and seek cleansing. To contrast the unbeliever is positionally in a state of condemnation.
When the Lord may be working to bring about the salvation of the unbeliever they might either sense their need for God or might not sense their need. God might allow the unbeliver the awareness of their state of condemnation and along with that, God might grant them faith in the Savior. God is at work to draw people to himself.
If a believer is experiencing a sense of guilt, and they have already repented of their sin, it might be that they are experiencing some level of spiritual warfare. In that case, the believer can simply ask God to remove the feeling of condemnation because they are in a state of positional righteousness.
In the Bible we see the Lord has provided the believer the spiritual disciplines to strengthen them in the faith. We must remember that the Lord said “My yoke is easy and my burden is light”. To keep condemnation out of our minds might need some healthy Spirit led work. This is a work of God’s grace when he strengthens the believer. With the help of the Spirit we are told to renew our minds by meditation on the word of God. We do our part and God will do His part in renewing our mind so then we are able to be more set free from old carnal mindsets. Definitely, through the process of God at work in the heart and mind of the Christian, leading them in sanctification, they will become free from mindsets or thoughts that are of a condemning kind.
Our part in renewing our mind:
Romans 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
Ephesians 4:23 and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind,
More details are written about renewing the mind in Ephesians 4:19-22:
19 and they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness. 20 But you did not learn Christ in this way, 21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus, 22 that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, 23 and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind…
God’s part in renewing our mind:
Colossians 3:10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.
The Lord has set the renewal in motion!
Titus 3:5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,
Again, the renewal he has set in motion is done by the Holy Spirit.
Condemnation is part of the old man that we were delivered from in Christ. Laying aside the old man and its thinking is simply what we have to do. We must be aware that many of our battles are won through the help of the Holy Spirit, and through believing God’s word. The main point I am sticking to is that through a born again relationship, our following the Lord by faith, repentance, and forgiveness, we close the door on positional condemnation. We receive righteousness from God through faith in Christ, and this is what God’s forgiveness supplies us with in a positional sense. Now, because of what the Holy Spirit does in renewing our minds we make progress in our security and intimacy with God and stand firm in faith against the lies and fiery darts shot at us from our enemy the devil.
Keep growing in the Word! LG
groenintheword.blog 