These questions all have a single answer: GUILT.  Classic psychology has taught for years that the root of virtually all mental (and most physical) problems is guilt.  There are lots of ways to think about guilt, but most of them boil down to not feeling o.k. about ourselves, not measuring up to the standard expected of us, not being good enough.

     Incredibly, the one factor that has the only real and lasting antidote to the guilt problem is the one group that has led in stimulating the most guilt: the Church!  But, I suspect that is true bcause we Christians have not yet fully understood the basic trusth about God's forgveness.  At least I surely didn't, even for many yEars as a pastor and "professional communicator of the Gospel.  Even as "forgiven Christians" we still never really expect to be set free from the vicious sin-guilt-condemnation cycle that we all experience.  Somehow, we can't really shake the deep-set feeling that "God is still mad at us".  Most Christians I know believe in one or more of the following common guilt myths:

• "God sometimes punishes His people"
• "God gets angry at us when we sin."
• "God holds us accountable for each of our sins."
• "A healthy sense of guilt keeps me from sinning."
• "God loves us more when we are good than when we sin."
• "We may be forgiven, but we still have to pay for our sin."
• "I can get over this sinning by trying harder or dedicating myself more to  Christ."
• "God won't forgive me until I repent."
• "I'm invitably destined to always sin, every day, as long as I'm human."
• "If anyone really thought he was guilt-free, it would be a license to sin."

    Are there any of these statements that seem right to you?  They are all blatantly false according to God's word.

I John 1:7 teaches that "...the blood of Jesus (not our repentance, not "trying harder", not religious fervor) cleanses us from All sin."  Not "some of it", but all sin; past, present, and future.  The condition there is "if we walk in the light" (meaning, if we come into Jesus by confession (vs. 9) of our sin: getting saved).  Coming under the covering of His grace through salvation changes everything!!  Once that happens to us, He sets us free from the law of sin and death. (Rom. 8:2)  That means literally FREE!  Either He means exactly what He says -- and can do it, and will do it in YOUR case -- or He is a liar.  (Which He most certainly is NOT!) I grieve at seeing so many Christians still struggling under the weight of sin from which Christ died to set them free.  Somehow satan has fooled them into believing that God is mad at them, or that what they do (or don't do) is still the criteria for God's acceptance.  When JESUS died for you on the cross (not what you do for Him) is the basis for Christ accepting you.  He accepts you!  He loves you unconditionally!  Your sin doesn't change His love.  His love changes your sin.  Now it can never be master over you again.  He is.  But look carefully at the reason sin can't push you around any more. (See Romans 6:14) Is it because you have His strong law that keeps you from sinning?  No way! Just the opposite.  It's because you have been released from the law and now are under a system of grace.  We DON'T get what we deserve (punishment and Hell), because HE took that punishment on the cross.  Now what you get isn't justice, but His unconditional, eternal acceptance.  Once you really know and understand that, you never EVER have to feel guilty again.  You are free to function in His love, relaxed, whole, and emotionally healthy.  Christianity isn't what you do for God.  It's what He's done for you.  Psychologically, that sets you free.

Bruce K. Fowler, Ph.D.

# 1, 2, 3, 12, 22, 25 are true

The rest are false