Shame is hard to deal with. As believers, we know our sins have been forgiven; however, we can still feel shame over past sins. Moreover, we can also feel shame over sins we are currently struggling with. At the moment of salvation, we are given forgiveness for all of our past, present, and future sins. Many of us tend to forget the truth that Jesus has forgiven us for all our failures. Remember, the Lord did not die on the cross to save us from just a few sins.
Rather, He died and was resurrected for us to be forgiven, given a new life, and allowed to spend eternity with Him. We do not need to downplay this nor do we need to see it as “no big deal.” The truth is that Jesus died for us to have life and to have it to the fullest (John 10:10). Within this abundant life, God does not want us to feel shame over sins that have already been forgiven.
When you feel shame coming into your heart, remember that all of your sins are covered by Jesus. There is not a single sin that has not been forgiven in your life. While it is important that we do our best to not sin, it is inevitable. Our sinful nature will not be eradicated until we pass away or the rapture happens and we are transformed into our glorified bodies. Until this, we will continue to sin because we have a sinful nature.
Many people believe the false notion that we stop sinning at the moment of salvation. This is not true. Despite this view being held by many, we need to reject this kind of thinking and recognize that we will all continue to sin because we are all still fallen human beings living in a fallen world. The Holy Spirit helps us fight against the sinful flesh; however, there will be times when we still sin. We all fall short of the glory of God, and it is unreasonable to believe that we will not struggle with sin for the rest of our lives (Romans 3:23).
Think about what weighs you down with shame. Maybe it is lying, cheating, stealing, hurting someone, or disobeying God. All of these things have the power to fill our hearts with unhealthy guilt. While shame can be helpful to lead us to repentance, we don't need to dwell on these feelings and let shame rule our lives. If you have already asked the Lord for forgiveness, your sins are forgiven. The Bible tells us, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
As the Apostle John tells us in this passage, our sins are forgiven when we ask God, and He purifies us from all unrighteousness. With this in mind, there is no reason to feel shame. Shame will only inhibit our ability to do things for the Lord. Try your best to follow the Holy Spirit rather than the sinful flesh; however, when you sin—and you will—turn to the Lord in repentance.
He will forgive you. God is not like people in our lives. Many people will not forgive us when we apologize and try to make things right, but God does not work like this. Rather, God forgives you as soon as you ask for forgiveness. At the moment of salvation, as well as every time you ask God for forgiveness, He will forgive you. The Lord will never run out of mercy, kindness, and forgiveness for you. Never be afraid to turn to God for forgiveness and then accept it.
Satan wants to keep us stuck in our sin, and he also wants us to be ineffective for Christ. The devil knows he can do this by causing us to feel shame over things that have already been forgiven. When we look at the Bible, we see Satan always trying to mess things up for humans—even Jesus. There is no redemption for the devil. He has chosen his path and there is no coming back from this way of life.
Despite what some think, Satan is alive and well and enjoys terrorizing believers and unbelievers alike. For Christians, he wants to make us ineffective for the Lord. He knows a great way to do this is to instill shame in our hearts. Shame will cause us to run from God and hide just as Adam and Eve hid from God because of their shame. In the same way, Satan wants to impair our relationship with God and cause us to be drowned out by our shame, guilt, and past regrets.
We do not need to give him this pleasure. Instead, we need to put on the full armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18). By putting on the full armor of God, you can take your stand against the devil and his schemes. As believers, we are aware of his tactics. Whenever shame creeps into your heart over a sin that has already been forgiven, remind yourself that the sin has been forgiven and God does not hold it against you. Remind yourself of this truth and give the devil no opportunity to cause you trouble.
You belong to the Lord. This means you are forever kept safe by the Lord’s mighty hand. Go to Him in prayer when you are feeling shame and ask the Lord to remove this feeling. You can also ask the Lord to help you take your stand against the devil and his schemes. Ask the Lord to equip you with His power, grace, and love. Our fight is not against flesh and blood, but rather against the spiritual forces of darkness that are at work in the world, including Satan and his demons (Ephesians 6:12).
Remember, forgiveness of all sins—past, present, and future—does not mean we have a license to sin. Rather, we should see God’s forgiveness as a gift to us. We do not need to treat it haphazardly or commit every sin because we will be “forgiven” for it. This is not true repentance. This isn't treating a gift with the care it deserves. The Lord knows your heart and recognizes when your decision to sin is rooted in willful rebellion.
You will always struggle with sin on this side of heaven, but you will not actively want to do sinful things. Receiving forgiveness from God is not a license to sin but a sign of mercy and grace. There will still be consequences for your sin, regardless of being saved or not. As believers, we try our best not to sin, but when we mess up, we can turn to the Lord and be forgiven. But fair warning: if we are freely committing sins left and right and go to God just to get a “clean slate,” then we need to seriously question if we know Jesus at all.
If you are truly a believer, you will not want to do things that go against God. Instead, you will try your best to follow God, obey Him, and bring glory to His Name. If you have used God’s forgiveness as a license to sin in the past, ask Him for forgiveness and truly change your ways. Repentance includes turning away from your sin and seeing sin as God sees it—horrible, corrupt, and evil. Once you do this, you can truly move forward and grow in your relationship with God.
Shame can lead someone to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior, responding to the guilt of their sins by receiving God's grace. This is a good thing; however, if shame causes you to be ineffective for Jesus, it is a bad thing. If you are already a Christian and are feeling guilty and ashamed over your sins, give them over to God, once and for all. Ask for His forgiveness, accept His forgiveness, and move forward.
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