If I’m Forgiven, Why Do I Still Feel Guilty of My Sin?

If I'm forgiven, why do I still feel guilty about my sin. That is one of the questions will be answering on today's addition of core Christianity wider on Bill Meyer along with Pastor Israel Sanchez and this is a radio program where we answer your questions about the Bible and the Christian life every day. You can call us right now with your question.

At 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673 course you can also post your question are Facebook, Instagram or twitter accounts. You can watch a drill live in the studio right now on our YouTube channel and message us.

That way you can always email us your question at questions@corechristianity.com and by the way, Israel, our first question today is actually an email from a young man named Riley he says hi. I'm almost 18.

I don't want to be just another adult who acts like a child.

I want to be a true godly man. So my question is, what advice would you give to a young man who is almost 18 who wants to be a mature man but his friend group still seems content with being children wow will Riley thank you for that question. And my, my mind immediately goes to the pastoral epistles and Apollo's letters to Timothy, Titus, you think about those passages of Scripture glitches encouragement from the apostle Paul to a young man as he matures in particular in in his faith in the grace and the knowledge of Christ in central is the word of God and so I would say it so important for you as you continue to grow and mature as a man as a Christian that you are grounded in the Scriptures, and that's actually something that that the apostle Paul commends Timothy for for having done it really was something that his his mother and grandmother help with in second Timothy chapter 1 talks about that but he says in chapter 3 verse 15 how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus, so that we that wisdom that we need in maturity for manhood. What it comes through the Scriptures only give you another word of expectation from the apostle Paul to Timothy in second Timothy chapter 2 verse 22 so flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the name of the Lord from a pure heart. Have nothing to do with foolish ignorant controversies you know that they will breed quarrels in the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach patiently enduring evil correcting his opponents with gentleness God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth is right there there there things that you need to flee from that is youthful passions of Paul mentions it with.net is running away from those things it so easily trip us up in the in the Christian life. But running towards the things that God wants us to pursue in life, righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.

In other words, really this is something that you don't do on your own by yourself.

And so I think right now starting while you're young, being immersed in the life of the church, the Christian community so that you can do what Paul says here calling together on the name of the Lord with people with whom you're pursuing those things that God calls you to pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace and so brother be rooted in the word let the word of God shape you be be in the Scriptures and make sure that you're in a good and solid church and a note that might sound 50-50 listening core Christianity frequently like were were beating the same drum over and over again but but the reality is, it is so important for all of us as we seek to mature in the Christian life to be rooted in the word of God and so I can encourage more to be someone who takes God's word seriously and who studies it daily.

God bless you I was thing about Riley's question about his friend group. It reminded me of a Proverbs 1320 walk with the wise and become wise. But a companion of fools will suffer harm his watch out for that right that's right yeah beaten bad company corrupts good habits is the possibly possible quotes there in first printing 15 as well and so a lot to me a lot. We could say to Riley, but certainly be rooted in the word is is key. I meant this core Christianity with Pastor Israel Sanchez. Our phone lines are open. If you have a question about the Bible or the Christian life doctrine, theology, and how your faith walk intersects with what's going on. Today's culture we would love to hear from you by the way, were also open to calls. If you consider yourself an atheist or agnostic and have questions about the Christian faith. Israel would love to talk to you as well. Here's the number it's 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673 women go to church every Sunday, but have you ever stopped to consider the purpose of God's church here on earth we actually have a hopeful free resource that will answer that question for you Bill today were excited to share helpful resource on core, Christianity.com.

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I will such a long time, even after I repented out that and I know that feeling of guilt is kind of the selfish desire for me to be able to take care of my own animals taking the Away from Christ. I guess, and then I can't guarantee that I know how to rest in my marriage, wondering if I left wondering what destiny I think as followers of Jesus Christ. We've all been there with you is a struggle as we seek to honor the Lord and and yet daily, and thought, word and deed week we sin against the Lord, and of course we confess their sins and receive his forgiveness. But it's easy. Even after that to still feel guilt may be even a sense of condemnation. Sometimes we can beat ourselves up right to the sort of self-flagellation thing as Christians and part of that as you mention, it can be selfish for the sense of all I need to atone for my sins, and I am just so bad I take it there's no way I can. I can approach God. Now I have to have the user to do penance for a period of time before I really feel like I can go back to God. But, of course, over and over again in the Scriptures reminded of the fact that that the throne of God's grace is open for us, we can boldly approach God in prayer to get the grace the help that we need in our time of need. And it's not because of how faithful we are. The fact that we don't sin. It's because we have a great high priest, a great advocate, Jesus Christ the righteous one is up by I think resting in God's mercy God's forgiveness looks like. First and foremost, fixing our eyes on Christ, his blood is more powerful than our sins. And it's easy when were doing the navelgazing were looking within and were just focused on what I failed again. I've messed up again to do the sort of the self-pity, thing, or that I have to do penance kind of the thing what God wants you to fix your eyes on his son, Jesus, and we only help doing that after we've sinned and some we need we need to fix our eyes on Jesus, and of course there is the genuine conviction of the Holy Spirit that we feel when we do sin and and I think that's meant to to draw us to the Lord to drive us to repentance not to give us a sense of condemnation. We know what the apostle Paul says in the book of Romans. There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Why because we've been justified by faith that we can experience the conviction of the Holy Spirit, especially, especially when we haven't confessed our sins. I think of what the psalmist said David in Psalm 32. Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.

Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.

For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long for day and night your hand was heavy upon me. David said my strength was dried up as the heat of summer. I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover-up my iniquity. I said I will confess my transgressions to the Lord, and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Maybe one encouragement for you sisters meditate on Psalm 32. Meditate on Psalm 38.

Meditate on Psalm 51 all the Psalms have to do with repentance and forgiveness and I think you can identify with the psalmist through feels at times in a way, down by his sins as if the hand of God is heavy upon them, but we know when we confess our sins, first John 19 God is faithful and just to cleanse us and to forgive us from all unrighteousness and and so you have that promise need to fix your eyes on Jesus, as you cling to that promise and rest in your forgiveness. God bless some great words of assurance. Thanks so much for that are drill. This is core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez. If you have a question about the Bible Christian life doctrine or theology, give us a call.

Now at 833-843-2673 let's go to Alton in Bloomfield, Connecticut, Alton, what's your question for pastor. Israel doing green church where God do is to repentance about their empires rather than the kingdom of God. Yeah. So we are seeing a lot of carnage and destruction is a turn on the news and you're right, there should be a lamentation that is being raised, especially on behalf of those who are suffering we think of the many innocent civilians who worked were caught in the crossfire and it is absolutely horrible.

Your question is where are the people who are who are raising the outcry who are saying you know this is bad.

We need to repent. Well will look wheat wheat we always need that at all times inability the people of God calling the world to repent is in Frank reminders for the church that she needs to repent as well is is is you are asking your question, I think of the prophet Jeremiah who grieves over the destruction that's that's taking place in the midst of them is oftentimes referred to Alton as you might know Jeremiah as the weeping prophet because it just sees that the ward the devastation that is experience the apostasy people turning away from the Lord, and he says in places like Jeremiah chapter 9 verse 10, that my head were waters in my eyes.

A fountain of tears that I might weep day and night for the slaying of the daughter of my people, and in a and I think as we witness the death and devastation around us in the world we ought to cry out to the Lord and you're asking a wire more people to the hike I can answer that question but I can say for my part, we've been praying and just asking God to pour out his his mercy and in seeking to support special believers that are there there in any way that we can, so maybe right now than just a good reminder for us to join our hearts together and pray that God would bring peace and as you say repentance as well as of friends, let's let's join our hearts together right now just praying for the situation and once again, and in the Ukraine.

Father, we come before you as the Lord of heaven and earth. You are our heavenly father heavenly in that Lord you are all-powerful. There is nothing that happens apart from your sovereign will. But you're also a good father you care for your people you care for your your people who suffer we think of your your church suffering throughout the world.

We think especially of of believers in Ukraine asking for you to uphold them and to use them.

Lord, to call me to repentance that that in this time and through this this tragedy to the devastation that hearts would be turned to you gracious father we pray for all those who are suffering believers and nonbelievers alike God that you would be merciful that you would bring an end to this conflict that you would bring peace Lord in the world and so we look to you gracious God, asking once again for your help. In Jesus name, amen Alton.

Thank you for your call. Your concern about what person in this world around us.

This is core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez.

Let's go to Danny in Morton, Illinois Danny, what's your question for Israel. You God for you to initiate it and keep on working for the Lord's pray that God will bless you too but anyway out to the thinking about the Trinity. I believe in the Trinity. Of course, but it speaks of Jesus at the writing of the father actually says there is separation there separation from Jesus noted that the real right hand of the father so beside him and the throne busy makes you think that you know God is almost separated there. The spirit of God itself is setting there is that there is right and what it ought. I got confused right there. Yeah. So first we think about the language we see in Scripture Jesus thing ascended at the right hand of the father mutually. This idea of authority and position power. Of course were thinking here of the ascension of Jesus Christ as he is ruling and raining right now. Presently, I don't think it worked were meant to understand this and the sort of literal sins and God is is a spirit of the father doesn't have physical hands, as we have physical hands.

God is a spiritual wheat we talk about or hear about this language of Jesus being seated at the right hand of the father.

It's that this picture of authority. Now we understand in the doctrine of the Trinity and am grateful to hear any that you you embrace the doctrine of the Trinity.

Will we understand that there is one God three persons, father, son and Holy Spirit, one in essence, but undivided we have to make sure that Winston there there there distinct persons. The father is not the person of the son who is not the person of the Holy Spirit leave these three distinct persons equal in power and in glory, one in essence, as I already said in your your question initially reminded me of the text we see it that the beginning of the book of Revelation, the Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave them to show his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw. Blessed is the one who read them is near and to the seven churches that are in Asia. Grace to you and peace from him who was and who who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth or your business picture of the Lord who reigns Jesus there as well and the seven spirits before the throne, almost a picture if you will, of the Trinity, God father son and Holy Spirit, their ruling and raining but but again, the, the, that the image here is one of authority, one of power.

One of being over all things and and why that's important to me in the midst of the days in which reliving.

We see this term of just praying about that, the situation in Ukraine, knowing that Jesus is seated at the right hand of the father that he has all authority and power and they sent us out of the world to make disciples I think is so key, so important, so Danny thank you for for your question and I appreciate you calling anything for being a regular listener to core Christianity. We do appreciate you. Let's go to Laura and St. peters, Missouri Laura what your question for pastor. Israel will my call.

I look into a lot of hair thing after time after I think I say something like the Lord gave me a word, or the Lord.

To me this morning and I really like that. We clearly we get God's word. We are in that part of your heart and are told that it came I don't know thank the Lord spoke to me and what are your thoughts on that.

Yeah, thank you for that for that question and a lot of people I think when they say that they don't mean I heard an audible voice from heaven with a what they mean is I just have this really strong feeling that God is leading me in in this direction or not that direction. In it, so insofar as it's a case of the edit we should just avoid the language of God spoke to me and said this that or the other. I think that that's a pretty bold statement.

I think it's much better to to say well you know why I have this sensor.

I feel as though the Lord maybe is is guiding your leading in this direction. I think that that's that's okay but you're totally right. When we say or when pastor say God told me to do this it raises all sorts of questions and and and all sorts of I think issues pertain to our understanding of the doctrine of Scripture, inerrancy, inspiration of Scripture as well. The only time I I feel like I want to ever confidently say God spoke and said to me acts it's when I'm reading Scripture, opening Scripture and I think we can boldly say Laura with with the disciples in with the writers. The New Testament thus saith the Lord were opening up the word of God, and that's what we always want to direct people's focus and attention is to the Scriptures and God will use the Scriptures to guide us to lead us. He'll use you know providential circumstances, you know, even I think feelings at times of nothing wrong with with feeling. I just think it's it's not that the best thing or even the most accurate. You know thing to do to say one week when we want to communicate that week we have the sense of God is leading us in a certain direction to single God spoke and said such and such. To me the issue and I'm sure you seen this as well. Laura is that people will will say that and and really can can lead to some situations in life of the church that are manipulative, even abusive that's that's pricing.

This really abused is where an individual will will try to coerce another person may be a church leader try to course another person to do something or to believe something on the base of the fact that you know God told me this got to meet your supposed to marry me, or God told me you're supposed to be a member of my church and and and serve in this way. While that's that's really manipulative that's abusive behavior, and so that that's where it can get really scary, but I think most of the time that people talk like this. They're just trying to communicate what I really feel like Nino God wants me to take this job will say that way don't say God told me to take this job that's that's not helpfully like that which is that God said is when were opening up the word of God where he is spoken so clearly.

So Laura, thank you for your question. God bless some great counsel. Thanks for the drill. This core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez, just a reminder we have that wonderful resource on the church. The purpose of the church. According to the Bible eight things everyone should know about the church. It's a free download.

You can find that by going to core Christianity.com/offers and look for eight things everyone should know about church wears a question from Robert in Tennessee, Israel. He says will someone go to heaven who has been in the church. Their whole life but doesn't believe in the Holy Spirit.

I think you for that question Robert him and if somebody rejects the Holy Spirit denies the Holy Spirit and Mina. Maybe they they believe that the father is God, that Jesus is God, but they don't believe that the Holy Spirit is God actually in the history of the church.

There have been heresies that have that have taught this fine at Terry and is not not trinitarianism but Bino Terrien is a belief in the father and the sun as God as Lord but not the Holy Spirit, Athanasius, the church father ancient church father addressed this heresy in particular know is if summary rejects the Holy Spirit. God I have the holy Trinity Meetup to reject the spirit. Would it be and in essence also be to reject the, the, the, the father and the son because that the three persons of the holy Trinity are united one in essence undivided to the said earlier on the broadcasts of this. This is a grievous error heresy that that we would have to say you have a person who rejects who God is, in terms of his is his nature as being as he revealed himself cannot be saved. Cannot go to heaven out someone was just confused about these things. Maybe they're just coming into an understanding of the gospel he heard Jesus preach, they embraced him for the forgiveness of sins, but they don't really understand fully the doctrine of the Trinity arena say that person isn't saved but no were saved by Christ himself through his work for us in the gospel, not our perfect understanding of how salvation works.

I think of that seen in acts chapter 19 verses one and two. It happened that while Apollo's was at Corinth, Paul pass through the inland country and came to Ephesus.

He found some disciples and he said to them, did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed. And they said no we have not even heard there is a Holy Spirit may send a what then were you baptized.

They said that John's baptism and and Paul goes on to to baptize them properly that in the name of the father and of the son of and of the Holy Spirit and they receive the Holy Spirit and so Holy Spirit is central to the Christian faith into our understanding of who God is and what is done in each of our lives.

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