Guilt, Meet Grace

“The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ‘If anyone commits a breach of faith and sins unintentionally in any of the holy things of the Lord, he shall bring to the Lord as his compensation, a ram without blemish out of the flock, valued in silver shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, for a guilt offering.  He shall also make restitution for what he has done amiss in the holy thing and shall add a fifth to it and give it to the priest. And the priest shall make atonement for him with the ram of the guilt offering, and he shall be forgiven.

‘If anyone sins, doing any of the things that by the Lord’s commandments ought not to be done, though he did not know it, then realizes his guilt, he shall bear his iniquity.  He shall bring to the priest a ram without blemish out of the flock, or its equivalent, for a guilt offering, and the priest shall make atonement for him for the mistake that he made unintentionally, and he shall be forgiven. It is a guilt offering; he has indeed incurred guilt before the Lord.’” Leviticus 5:14-19

Sin is sin, an affront against God whether it is realized, obvious, or not. Being unaware does not negate the fact that it requires an accounting and restitution before the holy God. So in mercy, from the beginning, the Lord implemented a way of atonement, a blood sacrifice whose covering would restore communion between sinner and Savior, penalty paid in full. Every unblemished lamb in the Old Testament was a preview of the sinless Christ who would give His lifeblood once for all for the sin of man at Calvary. (Genesis 3:21)

One of the glorious gifts for God’s children this side of the cross is the indwelling Spirit who convinces us of our erring attitudes and ways. Once we are aware and convicted, and acknowledge our guilt, He introduces us to grace. And once we meet grace, we are forgiven and the joyful romance begins.

Do we truly know the Lord Jesus as our sin-bearer, the One who has made atonement for all our sin? If so, what undealt-with guilt do we carry, thus hindering spiritual progress and fruitfulness? If we take time to ask the Lord to unveil our eyes so we recognize personal sin, pet practices we’ve justified or excused too long, He will answer. Our life matters to Him so much that life was required in its place to pay our debt and win our salvation, and Jesus’s perfect, efficient, and effective blood cleanses us from all unrighteousness. (Romans 3:23; 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 John 1:9)

Wallowing in guilt when the Lord Jesus has cleansed us from it means we do not fully understand the grace of God. Grace is freely offered and applied. There is no more sacrifice needed, no punishment by God nor penance or restitution to God required. If tempted to hold on to regret because of painful consequences, bring it to the cross, and take God at His word that It is finished. (John 19:30)

“My sin oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
my sin, not in part, but the whole,
is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more;
praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!” ~Horatio Gates Spafford (1873)

Lord, may I praise you forever for Your grace.