Freedom from Guilt

May 9, 2025

Unresolved guilt can be a terrible force of destruction in our lives.  We have all had a guilty conscience at one time or another.  We have all felt that knot in our stomach or faced a restless night because we have done wrong.  These are not pleasant feelings, but generally speaking, the feeling of guilt is necessary.  Our conscience creates guilt within us when we know we have done wrong, and this is a blessing!  Guilt is a signal to us that we need to confess our sin to God, turn from the path we are on, and seek forgiveness.  Thank God for a good conscience that warns us and calls us back to the right path.

But sometimes, people who have long ago been forgiven by God are still living their lives being pressed down with a heavy weight of guilt and shame. If our conscience hasn’t been fully convicted of God’s forgiveness, many serious problems will result.  A Christian who has been forgiven but doesn’t know it or believe it, can struggle with anxiety and depression.  They can struggle with feeling distant from God because they believe He is continually disappointed in them and frowning at them. And so, they stay away from God.  They may stay away from God’s people, or feel very uncomfortable around them, thinking things like, “If these people really knew who I am, they wouldn’t accept me.”  These kinds of feelings are very harmful for spiritual health and growth.

How can we overcome these feelings of unwarranted guilt?  We have to understand the nature of God and learn to trust in His forgiveness.  Listen to these words of David,

“The LORD is compassionate and gracious, Slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness.

 He will not always strive with us, Nor will He keep His anger forever.

 He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.

 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, So great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear Him.

 As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us.” (Psalm 103:8-12 NAS95)

Do you realize the nature of God?  He is compassionate!  He is gracious!  He abounds in love!  He will not stay angry forever.  He does not deal with us according to our sins.  No, He is gracious and forgiving.  Understanding these things about God will help us to trust in His forgiveness.

Do you realize the completeness of His forgiveness?  His love for His children is immeasurable, and as such, the completeness of His forgiveness is immeasurable.  He has removed our sins from us as far as the east is from the west.  When God forgives you, He will never remember your sins against you again!  They are gone forever.

You and I have found complete forgiveness in Jesus Christ.  Let’s not let the sins of our past haunt us and weigh us down anymore.  If God has forgiven them, they are forgiven and forgotten forever!  And when we sin, let us confess our sins, turn back to the light, and trust that the blood of Jesus keeps us continually cleansed in His sight! (1 John 1:9) 

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Posted by Scott Colvin

Learning from the Names of God

September 6, 2013

In a recent reading of Genesis, one of the things that struck me is how we come to know God from the narrative. Names for God are introduced in the context of a story. God’s actions and speeches are a part of a narrative. This is a striking contrast to how we might learn about God in other contexts. The systematic theology will discuss God in abstract definitions. Historically, the catechism will teach about God with the repetition of certain questions and answers. The way that God has chosen to introduce himself is strikingly more personal and more interesting. The sharing of life stories is typically the way we get to know one another. Who doesn’t delight in a story?

Elmer Towns in his book, My Father’s Names, gives an appendix listing 85 names of God in the Old Testament. Primary names are God, Jehovah, and Lord. God (Elohim, El, and Eloah) suggests the mighty creator (Gen. 1:1). Jehovah (or Yahweh) is explained by “I am”—the self-existing one who is faithful to His covenants (see Exodus 3:14-15). Lord or Master (Adonai) reminds us who is in control and to whom do we belong. The remaining names in Town’s list are compound names containing either “God” or “Jehovah” with a further description.

Studying the names of God is one way of getting to know God. Elmer Towns suggests several benefits from such a study. The names of God reveal different attributes of God. We gain insights into God’s character from the names and descriptive titles found in scripture. Secondly, the names suggest the kind of relationships we can have with God. When we hear God called Shepherd and Rock (Genesis 49:24), we are finding out about another’s relationship with God, and it suggests the kind of relationship we too may find. Third, the names of God often reveal that God is the source to meet our needs and solve our problems. As we grasp the meaning of God’s names, we may learn to be dependent upon Him.

Eighty-fives names are beyond what I want to list here, but consider the following list from Genesis.

  • Jehovah, God Most High (Genesis 14:22)
  • My Lord Jehovah (Genesis 15:2)
  • The God who sees (Genesis 16:13)
  • God Almighty (Genesis 17:1, 2) also Mighty One of Jacob (Genesis 49:24)
  • Jehovah-jireh that is Jehovah will provide (Genesis 22:14)
  • The Shepherd, the Rock of Israel (Genesis 49:24)

May our knowledge of God (both intellectual and experiential) grow as we learn from the names of God.

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Posted by Russell Holden