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Commentary on "Guilt""

RICHARD PEIFER

 

Day 7: Friday, January 28, 2011 - Further Study

 

Overview

“‘If you have given offense to your friend or neighbor, you are to acknowledge your wrong, and it is his duty freely to forgive you. Then you are to seek the forgiveness of God, because the brother you have wounded is the property of God, and in injuring him you have sinned against his Creator.’—Ellen G. White, The Faith I Live By, p. 128.” (Teacher’s Quarterly, Page 64)

 

Problems

If it my neighbor’s “duty” to forgive me, then it must be God’s “duty” as well. This is not faith to live by. It is arrogant presumption.

The feeling of guilt is the direct result of being truly guilty before a holy God. But God knew this long before any of us ever experienced this deathly emotion.

This is why Jesus came, and lived, and died, and rose again. He defeated sin and death once, for all. And then, wonder of all wonders, He offers His victory and His life to you and me. He doesn’t demand our first-born to be offered on the super-heated arms of Molech. He doesn’t require penance. He doesn’t demand anything. He merely asks if we want to move from death to life.

Here is the wonder of grace.

I am born in Adam, spiritually dead and under condemnation. I have absolutely nothing to offer, nothing to recommend myself to a completely holy and just God. But I can feel guilt, and, oh, I feel guilt, abject, implacable guilt.

And then Jesus says, “I died for you. I removed all your sin, past, present and future, from before me. It is as if your sin never existed in the first place. But you and I know this isn’t enough. Even if sin is gone, you’re still spiritually dead. So, I resurrected for you, and I offer you My life. If you will accept My double-gift, you will be mine forever. You didn’t earn it, and no one and nothing can take it away from you, because it is My gift. Allow Me to enter your life and I will renew your mind and conform you to My image. Oh, and one more thing, if you accept this gift you need never feel guilt again. I became sin for you so that you could become righteous in Me. So, what do you think? Is this a reasonable offer? Would you rather remain where you are, or become My co-heir?”

There is nothing Freudian about this transaction. It is the very statement of fact from God Himself. It is victorious, wondrous, awesome. What can I do but fall on my face before Him crying, “Holy, holy, holy is my Lord God Almighty!”

 

 

Copyright 2011 BibleStudiesForAdventists.com. All rights reserved. Revised January 18, 2011. This website is published by Life Assurance Ministries, Glendale, Arizona, USA, the publisher of Proclamation! Magazine. Contact email: BibleStudiesForAdventists@gmail.com.

The Sabbath School Bible Study Guide and the corresponding E.G. White Notes are published by Pacific Press Publishing Association, which is owned and operated by the Seventh-day Adventist church. The current quarter's editions are pictured above.

 

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