By Practical Christianity Foundation, (PCF)
There is no shortage of literature and teaching on the heart, that is the soul, the seat of our emotions, sentiments, and will, that is the source of our character, demeanor, behavior, preferences, and overall disposition. Simply put, our heart is often used as the designation for the core of who we are. Christian literature and teaching on the same subject are just as plentiful as other non-Christian writings and teachings. there is a considerable amount of Christian publication and teaching on the same subject which thoroughly address the issue of guilt and the believer's heart, strongly suggesting that the heart of a believer should hardly suffer from guilt. Is that true?
While we understand how such conclusions can be reached, we strongly suggest that such inferences from certain biblical precepts do not match concrete Christian experiences and, therefore, hardly bear fruit in the heart of the believer. Such is the disheartening outcome when a teaching is completely divorced from the real life experience of the pilgrim, who faithfully and relentlessly presses on, leaning on the grace and mercy of the Lord until he or she reaches the finishline.
Like any content of an area of study or discipline, Biblical precepts can be subjected to the mental capacity of analysis or retention simply as a matter of abstract and well-articulated set of principles. Such knowledge can be shared with others in the form of teaching or published as a reading material. However, treating Biblical precepts as such is effectively reducing the life-giving Word of the living God to a lifeless collection of statements disconnected from the realities of life.The Bible is the revelation of God's instructions and promises. It is the story of creation, rebellion, judgment, and redemption. In its pages, we find assurances about the sure future we have in Jesus Christ. In its pages, we find the instructions we need for responding to the daily challenges of the life we live on earth as we continue in our journey toward our reward. In its pages, we learn about the true details of our earthly lives and the guiding light to find the way, the truth, and the life. It is the Lamp to our feet and the Light to the path we travel as we go through the concrete experiences of life's journey. The Bible is not just relevant. It is indispensable to the believer because it is the bread of life and the living water that nurtures the New Man.
So, does the Bible, the living Word of God, say anything about guilt and the believer's heart? Yes! The Bible affirms that those who have been redeemed by the precious blood of the Lamb of God are free from the guilt of sin. That is, the redeemed are free from God's judgment upon sin because He has laid upon His Son Jesus Christ the judgment we deserved. However, the bible also tells us that we still suffer from the guilt of sinful conduct—(commission: doing wrong, or omission: failing to do right)—because our heart is still the battleground where the sin-nature continues to undermine the New Man in Christ. Therefore, while we are free from the damning guilt of sin, we continue to deal with a formidable dread of guilt in our heart as the convicting power of the Holy Spirit works out His cleansing in our hearts. That will be the subject of our discussion in the next several articles in our "Let's Take A Look" series of blogs.
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