When we err, a profound sense of guilt often ensues, weighing heavily on our hearts and leaving us feeling deeply troubled. Sometimes, it feels even suffocating. David vividly expressed this discomfort: “O Lord, rebuke me not in Thy wrath: neither chasten me in Thy hot displeasure. For Thine arrows stick fast in me, and Thy hand presseth me sore. There is no soundness in my flesh because of Thine anger; neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sin. For mine iniquities are gone over mine head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me. My wounds stink and are corrupt because of my foolishness. I am troubled; I am bowed down greatly; I go mourning all the day long.” Psalm 38:1–6
Given this powerful depiction of guilt, the pressing question becomes: what is the remedy for such a burdened conscience? How can we liberate ourselves from this overwhelming feeling and be assured that our sins are forgiven?
Threefold Subjects
To begin with, we need to understand where this sense of guilt comes from. Firstly, we feel guilty when the Holy Spirit speaks to our hearts and shows us our sins. “. . . that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.” Romans 3:19. It is the plan of God for us to feel guilty, as without it we cannot come to seek for His salvation. However, this sense of guilt comes together with release from it, as God shows us His mercy and forgiveness.
Then why do we still feel bad? We sometimes feel guilty despite God’s forgiveness. It is because of a lack of faith. Let us think about Judas Iscariot. Even though Jesus looked into Judas with a face full of compassion and forgiveness, Judas could not forgive himself. “Then Judas, which had betrayed Him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. . . .” Matthew 27:3–4. Would Judas have been saved if he had trusted Jesus’ forgiveness and truly repented? Yes, he would. We know this because Peter, who betrayed Jesus through his denials, trusted His forgiveness and was saved. Therefore, if we feel guilty despite His forgiveness, it is because we are not forgiving ourselves.
Lastly, there is Satan, making us feel guilty. He whispers into our ears that our sins are too great, that God cannot forgive us. In the heavenly court, he works so hard to claim our souls as his property on the grounds of our sins. He is called “the accuser of our brethren . . . which accused them before our God day and night.” Revelation 12:10. Unlike the Holy Spirit, who shows us our sins so that we can have hope in Jesus, Satan shows us our sins so that we become discouraged.
Therefore, there are three subjects that make us realize our sins and thus trouble our conscience: God, Man (ourselves), and Satan. How can we answer these three subjects? Amazingly, only one solution is required for us to bring God-ward, man-ward (ourselves), and Satan-ward. It is the blood of Jesus.
God-ward
We tend to think that the blood of Jesus is mostly for us. Well, yes, that is true. However, it is essential to note that the blood is for God first. What does this mean? Of course, God does not need redemption through the blood. God does not need the blood in the same manner as we do. He does not need the blood to be clean, as He is already clean. What I meant is that the blood had to be brought to God first so that God would approve the blood and declare that it is sufficient to forgive all our sins. We can see this truth in the Bible through different examples.
For instance, in the Passover, the Israelites were instructed to put the blood on their door. “And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it.” Exodus 12:7. Now, let us imagine we are living in their time. Let us take a look at a door nearby. Where would you stand to put the blood? Would you stand indoors or outdoors to put the blood? You would have to go out of the house and put the blood on the outside of the door. Why?
It is because God has to see the blood. That was the whole point of putting the blood on the door. “For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt… And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.” Exodus 12:12–13
The blood was to be a sign visible to God passing through the land. So, it would not make sense to put the blood on the side of the door that is visible from the inside. As a result, the blood was invisible to the people who had to stay inside throughout the night. From this, we can conclude that the blood had to be presented to God first.
It was the same on the Day of Atonement also. On this particular day, blood was shed for the sins of the people. Then, it was brought into the Most Holy to be presented to God. “Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the vail, and do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat.” Leviticus 16:15
Now, the only person allowed to enter the Most Holy was the high priest. People had to wait outside, searching their hearts. Therefore, when the blood was brought to God, people could not see it. Again, the blood was presented to God first before the sins were removed from the camp.
Indeed, after Jesus shed His blood and was resurrected from death, the first thing on Jesus’ agenda was to go see His Father to present His blood. “Jesus saith unto her, Touch Me not; for I am not yet ascended to My Father: but go to My brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto My Father, and your Father; and to My God, and your God.” John 20:17
“Jesus refused to receive the homage of His people until He had the assurance that His sacrifice was accepted by the Father. He ascended to the heavenly courts, and from God Himself heard the assurance that His atonement for the sins of men had been ample, that through His blood all might gain eternal life. The Father ratified the covenant made with Christ, that He would receive repentant and obedient men, and would love them even as He loves His Son.” –The Desire of Ages, p. 790
Now, why does the Bible emphasize this truth? Why did the blood have to be accepted by God first? Here, we see a lesson so deep that it reaches the foundation of our faith. Jesus brought His blood to His Father, and He approved it. Thus, God proclaimed that this blood is sufficient for our sins. The total price was paid. No matter how big our sins might be, the blood is enough to free us from guilt. Hence, we can be assured that we are forgiven and do not need to feel guilty anymore. Rather, we are called to rejoice for our freedom.
Despite this truth, some of us tend not to forgive ourselves. There is also Satan, who tells us that our sins are too terrible to be forgiven. And that is what suffocates us. However, “What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth.” Romans 8:31–33
Before God provided us with the blood of atonement, He had already seen and approved it. He announced that the blood was sufficient. He justified us. He said we are forgiven. If God has said so, who would dare speak against Him? How could we dare? How could Satan dare? We are forgiven. “But the Lord is in His holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before Him.” “Hold thy peace at the presence of the Lord God: for the day of the Lord is at hand: for the Lord hath prepared a sacrifice, He hath bid his guests.” Habakkuk 2:20; Zephaniah 1:7
Man-ward
Let us discuss in more depth how we sometimes do not forgive ourselves. Even though the Bible shows us that God has forgiven us, we sometimes cannot accept that truth as a reality. This is because we cannot believe we are truly forgiven. This form of a sense of guilt is not aroused by the Holy Spirit. It is due to a lack of faith. The Bible calls it “an evil conscience.”
“Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.” Hebrews 10:22
We should not mistake this evil conscience for the true conscience. The true conscience is given by the Holy Spirit to help us realize our sins and receive forgiveness. However, if we think we are so terrible that God would not forgive us, that is rather the voice of an evil spirit.
Many people with this evil conscience rely on their feelings. They want to feel better by punishing or abusing themselves, or they have to feel better by doing something good to redeem their bad actions. Until then, they do not allow themselves free from guilt. They cannot believe that they are forgiven, even without having to pay for the consequences.
However, Jesus’ blood is already proof that He has paid for everything. If we do not forgive ourselves, we are telling others that His blood is not enough.
“… you are a sinner. You cannot atone for your past sins; you cannot change your heart and make yourself holy. But God promises to do all this for you through Christ. You believe that promise. You confess your sins and give yourself to God. You will to serve Him. Just as surely as you do this, God will fulfill His word to you. If you believe the promise,—believe that you are forgiven and cleansed,—God supplies the fact; you are made whole, just as Christ gave the paralytic power to walk when the man believed that he was healed. It is so if you believe it.
“Do not wait to feel that you are made whole, but say, ‘I believe it; it is so, not because I feel it, but because God has promised.’” –Steps to Christ, p. 51
The paralytic whom Christ healed did not wait until he felt strength in his legs. He believed the word of Jesus and stood up. And when he did so, His word became the reality. It is the same for our sins. Do not put your trust in your feelings. Do not wait until you feel righteous. Do not wait until you feel like being a better person. Trust His promise, and know that you are forgiven. When you do so, it will be a reality.
Does “believe” sound too simple to be the solution? Well, yes, it is simple. Why? Because the blood is sufficient. If Jesus paid it all, why would we need second and third solutions? There is power in the blood. It is enough to forgive all our sins.
Satan-ward
The final subject that we have to deal with is Satan. Even though our sins are forgiven, Satan will not let our past go. In the heavenly court, he brings up how we have committed sins and tries to prove that we should not be forgiven. He does so to keep us as his subjects.
When Jesus came to resurrect Moses from death, Satan tried to claim Moses as his prisoner, pointing out his sin. “For the first time Christ was about to give life to the dead. As the Prince of life and the shining ones approached the grave, Satan was alarmed for his supremacy. With his evil angels he stood to dispute an invasion of the territory that he claimed as his own. He boasted that the servant of God had become his prisoner. He declared that even Moses was not able to keep the law of God; that he had taken to himself the glory due to Jehovah—the very sin which had caused Satan’s banishment from heaven—and by transgression had come under the dominion of Satan. The archtraitor reiterated the original charges that he had made against the divine government, and repeated his complaints of God’s injustice toward him.” –Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 478
He does the same with us. Satan tries to claim our souls as his property. However, Satan knows very well the power of Jesus’ blood. He knows that if we trust Jesus, he has no more ground to claim us. Therefore, he plants an evil conscience in us and tempts us to think we cannot be forgiven because of our sins. In this way, he tries to cut us off from the power in the blood.
However, we should not stand against Satan by ourselves. When we are accused, we tend to defend ourselves. We look into our hearts and try to find something good to prove we are not terrible sinners. However, that is exactly what Satan wants. There is nothing good in ourselves. Therefore, the attempts to overcome the sense of guilt fail, and we fall into discouragement. It leads us to think we are hopeless. Hence, we should not deal with the accuser ourselves. We should leave it to God. We should say, “The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan; even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee.” Zechariah 3:2. In other words, we should not find the answer toward Satan in ourselves but in the blood of Jesus.
Satan points out our sins one by one, telling the angels and people from other planets that we should not be saved. God already knows that we have repented and are saved. However, God does not hide nor overlook. When we enter heaven, God does not want anyone to doubt whether we can be there. As we can see in the story of Job, God wants to prove our right to enter His kingdom while everyone in the universe is observing so that they can sincerely welcome us when we reach there.
“Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them…. Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?… But put forth Thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse Thee to Thy face. And the Lord said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the Lord.” Job 1:6–12
Now, let us turn our eyes to the heavenly court and see how God answers to Satan in regards to our sins. “All who have truly repented of sin, and by faith claimed the blood of Christ as their atoning sacrifice, have had pardon entered against their names in the books of Heaven; as they have become partakers of the righteousness of Christ, and their characters are found to be in harmony with the law of God, their sins will be blotted out, and they themselves will be accounted worthy of eternal life. . . .
“The deepest interest manifested among men in the decisions of earthly tribunals but faintly represents the interest evinced in the heavenly courts when the names entered in the book of life come up in review before the Judge of all the earth. The divine Intercessor presents the plea that all who have overcome through faith in His blood be forgiven their transgressions, that they be restored to their Eden home, and crowned as joint-heirs with Himself to the ‘first dominion.’ (Micah 4:8).” –The Great Controversy, p. 483
God opens His book of record and counterargues Satan point by point. He says, “Look, this sin is forgiven by My Son’s blood. That sin is crossed out by the blood.” And there is nothing Satan can insist on anymore.
Therefore, the blood makes us stand against the accuser. How powerful the blood is! The blood of Jesus is sufficient to make the devil silent. “What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? . . . Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth.” Romans 8:31, 33. Let us not forget that there is power in the blood. It is the power that has defeated Satan already, and it will defeat him again.
Do NOT Hesitate to be Free
David once committed a terrible sin. He killed his faithful soldier and took his wife. God’s prophet came and scolded him. His words pierced through David’s heart as a two-edged sword. Listen to his words, imagining the sacred anger toward the great sin of the king:
“Thou art the man. Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul; And I gave thee thy master’s house, and thy master’s wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things. Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the Lord, to do evil in His sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon. Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised Me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife. Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun. For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.” 2 Samuel 12:7–12
After all these long and scary rebukes, David said one sentence with a deep sense of guilt: “I have sinned against the Lord.” It did not take long for the answer to be given. Within the same Bible verse, God responded to him immediately. “And Nathan said unto David, The Lord also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.” 2 Samuel 12:13
Through this story, we can see how God is ready to forgive our sins. When David realized what he had done, he did not wait to confess his sin. And he was forgiven right there. The blood of Jesus is already there for us.
“Beware of procrastination. Do not put off the work of forsaking your sins and seeking purity of heart through Jesus. Here is where thousands upon thousands have erred to their eternal loss. I will not here dwell upon the shortness and uncertainty of life; but there is a terrible danger—a danger not sufficiently understood—in delaying to yield to the pleading voice of God’s Holy Spirit, in choosing to live in sin; for such this delay really is. Sin, however small it may be esteemed, can be indulged in only at the peril of infinite loss. What we do not overcome, will overcome us and work out our destruction.” –Steps to Christ, p.32
Do not wait to be forgiven, my beloved readers. Let us say you found out that you have a deadly disease in your body that needs to be treated right away. If you say, “I will do it tomorrow,” it would be much more difficult to heal. Even with the same treatment, the chance of recovery is much lower because you did it later. After all, you might not be alive by tomorrow if you do not receive the treatment today.
It is the same with sin. Thousands of souls could have been saved if they repented when they heard the message. They are lost just because they postponed it until the next day. Just as Felix who procrastinated his conversion to another day, many say: “And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.” Acts 24:25. This “convenient season” for Felix never came. He had lost the chance to receive the power in the blood.
My dear brothers and sisters, there is profound power in the blood of Christ. It is powerful enough to forgive all our sins, no matter how grave they may be. So, what could possibly keep you from being free from guilt today? Confess your sins and embrace freedom now. God has already accepted the sacrifice. He has declared that the blood of Jesus is sufficient. Then what can prevent you from receiving forgiveness today? Trust in His word. Let the past be a lesson, but do not let it trap you. Go and sin no more. When Satan tempts you and tells you that God does not love you because of your sin, tell him about the blood that Jesus shed for you. Its power will defeat your enemy.
It is my wish and prayer that the power in the blood live in your heart today, so that you can walk your life in joy and peace with God. “And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with Me in paradise.” Luke 23:43
Amen.
When we err, a profound sense of guilt often ensues, weighing heavily on our hearts and leaving us feeling deeply troubled. Sometimes, it feels even suffocating. David vividly expressed this discomfort: “O Lord, rebuke me not in Thy wrath: neither chasten me in Thy hot displeasure. For Thine arrows stick fast in me, and Thy hand presseth me sore. There is no soundness in my flesh because of Thine anger; neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sin. For mine iniquities are gone over mine head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me. My wounds stink and are corrupt because of my foolishness. I am troubled; I am bowed down greatly; I go mourning all the day long.” Psalm 38:1–6
Given this powerful depiction of guilt, the pressing question becomes: what is the remedy for such a burdened conscience? How can we liberate ourselves from this overwhelming feeling and be assured that our sins are forgiven?
Threefold Subjects
To begin with, we need to understand where this sense of guilt comes from. Firstly, we feel guilty when the Holy Spirit speaks to our hearts and shows us our sins. “…that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.” Romans 3:19. It is the plan of God for us to feel guilty, as without it we cannot come to seek for His salvation. However, this sense of guilt comes together with release from it, as God shows us His mercy and forgiveness.
Then why do we still feel bad? We sometimes feel guilty despite God’s forgiveness. It is because of a lack of faith. Let us think about Judas Iscariot. Even though Jesus looked into Judas with a face full of compassion and forgiveness, Judas could not forgive himself. “Then Judas, which had betrayed Him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood….” Matthew 27:3–4. Would Judas have been saved if he had trusted Jesus’ forgiveness and truly repented? Yes, he would. We know this because Peter, who betrayed Jesus through his denials, trusted His forgiveness and was saved. Therefore, if we feel guilty despite His forgiveness, it is because we are not forgiving ourselves.
Lastly, there is Satan, making us feel guilty. He whispers into our ears that our sins are too great, that God cannot forgive us. In the heavenly court, he works so hard to claim our souls as his property on the grounds of our sins. He is called “the accuser of our brethren… which accused them before our God day and night.” Revelation 12:10. Unlike the Holy Spirit, who shows us our sins so that we can have hope in Jesus, Satan shows us our sins so that we become discouraged.
Therefore, there are three subjects that make us realize our sins and thus trouble our conscience: God, Man (ourselves), and Satan. How can we answer these three subjects? Amazingly, only one solution is required for us to bring Godward, man-ward (ourselves), and Satan-ward. It is the blood of Jesus.
God-ward
We tend to think that the blood of Jesus is mostly for us. Well, yes, that is true. However, it is essential to note that the blood is for God first. What does this mean? Of course, God does not need redemption through the blood. God does not need the blood in the same manner as we do. He does not need the blood to be clean, as He is already clean. What I meant is that the blood had to be brought to God first so that God would approve the blood and declare that it is sufficient to forgive all our sins. We can see this truth in the Bible through different examples.
For instance, in the Passover, the Israelites were instructed to put the blood on their door. “And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it.” Exodus 12:7. Now, let us imagine we are living in their time. Let us take a look at a door nearby. Where would you stand to put the blood? Would you stand indoors or outdoors to put the blood? You would have to go out of the house and put the blood on the outside of the door. Why?
It is because God has to see the blood. That was the whole point of putting the blood. “For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt… And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.” Exodus 12:12–13
The blood was to be a sign visible to God passing through the land. So, it would not make sense to put blood on the side of the door that is visible from the inside. As a result, the blood was invisible to the people who had to stay inside throughout the night. From this, we can conclude that the blood had to be presented to God first.
It was the same on the Day of Atonement also. On this particular day, blood was shed for the sins of the people. Then, it was brought into the Most Holy to be presented to God. “Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the vail, and do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat.” Leviticus 16:15
Now, the only person allowed to enter the Most Holy was the high priest. People had to wait outside, searching their hearts. Therefore, when the blood was brought to God, people could not see it. Again, the blood was presented to God first before the sins were removed from the camp.
Indeed, after Jesus shed His blood and was resurrected from death, the first thing on Jesus’ agenda was to go see His Father to present His blood. “Jesus saith unto her, Touch Me not; for I am not yet ascended to My Father: but go to My brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto My Father, and your Father; and to My God, and your God.” John 20:17
“Jesus refused to receive the homage of His people until He had the assurance that His sacrifice was accepted by the Father. He ascended to the heavenly courts, and from God Himself heard the assurance that His atonement for the sins of men had been ample, that through His blood all might gain eternal life. The Father ratified the covenant made with Christ, that He would receive repentant and obedient men, and would love them even as He loves His Son.” –The Desire of Ages, p. 790
Now, why does the Bible emphasize this truth? Why did the blood have to be accepted by God first? Here, we see a lesson so deep that it reaches the foundation of our faith. Jesus brought His blood to Father, and He approved it. Thus, God proclaimed that this blood is sufficient for our sins. The total price was paid. No matter how big our sins might be, the blood is enough to free us from guilt. Hence, we can be assured that we are forgiven and do not need to feel guilty anymore. Rather, we are called to rejoice for our freedom.
Despite this truth, some of us tend not to forgive ourselves. There is also Satan, who tells us that our sins are too terrible to be forgiven. And that is what suffocates us. However, “What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth.” Romans 8:31–33
Before God provided us with the blood of atonement, He had already seen and approved it. He announced that the blood was sufficient. He justified us. He said we are forgiven. If God has said so, who would dare speak against Him? How could we dare? How could Satan dare? We are forgiven. “But the Lord is in His holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before Him.” “Hold thy peace at the presence of the Lord God: for the day of the Lord is at hand: for the Lord hath prepared a sacrifice, He hath bid his guests.” Habakkuk 2:20; Zephaniah 1:7
Man-ward
Let us discuss in more depth how we sometimes do not forgive ourselves. Even though the Bible shows us that God has forgiven us, we sometimes cannot accept that truth as a reality. This is because we cannot believe we are truly forgiven. This form of sense of guilt is not aroused by the Holy Spirit. It is due to a lack of faith. The Bible calls it “an evil conscience.”
“Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.” Hebrews 10:22
We should not mistake this evil conscience for the true conscience. The true conscience is given by the Holy Spirit to help us realize our sins and receive forgiveness. However, if we think we are so terrible that God would not forgive us, that is rather the voice of an evil spirit.
Many people with this evil conscience rely on their feelings. They want to feel better by punishing or abusing themselves, or they have to feel better by doing something good to redeem their bad actions. Until then, they do not allow themselves free from guilt. They cannot believe that they are forgiven, even without having to pay for the consequences.
However, Jesus’ blood is already proof that He has paid for everything. If we do not forgive ourselves, we are telling others that His blood is not enough.
“… you are a sinner. You cannot atone for your past sins; you cannot change your heart and make yourself holy. But God promises to do all this for you through Christ. You believe that promise. You confess your sins and give yourself to God. You will to serve Him. Just as surely as you do this, God will fulfill His word to you. If you believe the promise,—believe that you are forgiven and cleansed,—God supplies the fact; you are made whole, just as Christ gave the paralytic power to walk when the man believed that he was healed. It is so if you believe it.
“Do not wait to feel that you are made whole, but say, ‘I believe it; it is so, not because I feel it, but because God has promised.’” –Steps to Christ, p. 51
The paralytic whom Christ healed did not wait until he felt strength in his legs. He believed the word of Jesus and stood up. And when he did so, His word became the reality. It is the same for our sins. Do not put your trust in your feelings. Do not wait until you feel righteous. Do not wait until you feel like being a better person. Trust His promise, and know that you are forgiven. When you do so, it will be a reality.
Does “believe” sound too simple to be the solution? Well, yes, it is simple. Why? Because the blood is sufficient. If Jesus paid it all, why would we need second and third solutions? There is power in the blood. It is enough to forgive all our sins.
Satan-ward
The final subject that we have to deal with is Satan. Even though our sins are forgiven, Satan will not let our past go. In the heavenly court, he brings up how we have committed sins and tries to prove that we should not be forgiven. He does so to keep us as his subjects.
When Jesus came to resurrect Moses from death, Satan tried to claim Moses as his prisoner, pointing out his sin. “For the first time Christ was about to give life to the dead. As the Prince of life and the shining ones approached the grave, Satan was alarmed for his supremacy. With his evil angels he stood to dispute an invasion of the territory that he claimed as his own. He boasted that the servant of God had become his prisoner. He declared that even Moses was not able to keep the law of God; that he had taken to himself the glory due to Jehovah—the very sin which had caused Satan’s banishment from heaven—and by transgression had come under the dominion of Satan. The archtraitor reiterated the original charges that he had made against the divine government, and repeated his complaints of God’s injustice toward him.” –Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 478
He does the same with us. Satan tries to claim our souls as his property. However, Satan knows very well the power of Jesus’ blood. He knows that if we trust Jesus, he has no more ground to claim us. Therefore, he plants an evil conscience in us and tempts us to think we cannot be forgiven because of our sins. In this way, he tries to cut us off from the power in the blood.
However, we should not stand against Satan by ourselves. When we are accused, we tend to defend ourselves. We look into our hearts and try to find something good to prove we are not terrible sinners. However, that is exactly what Satan wants. There is nothing good in ourselves. Therefore, the attempts to overcome the sense of guilt fail, and we fall into discouragement. It leads us to think we are hopeless. Hence, we should not deal with the accuser ourselves. We should leave it to God. We should say, “The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan; even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee.” Zechariah 3:2. In other words, we should not find the answer toward Satan in ourselves but in the blood of Jesus.
Satan points out our sins one by one, telling the angels and people from other planets that we should not be saved. God already knows that we have repented and are saved. However, God does not hide nor overlook. When we enter heaven, God does not want anyone to doubt whether we can be there. As we can see in the story of Job, God wants to prove our right to enter His kingdom while everyone in the universe is observing so that they can sincerely welcome us when we reach there.
“Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them…. Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?… But put forth Thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse Thee to Thy face. And the Lord said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the Lord.” Job 1:6–12
Now, let us turn our eyes to the heavenly court and see how God answers to Satan in regards to our sins. “All who have truly repented of sin, and by faith claimed the blood of Christ as their atoning sacrifice, have had pardon entered against their names in the books of Heaven; as they have become partakers of the righteousness of Christ, and their characters are found to be in harmony with the law of God, their sins will be blotted out, and they themselves will be accounted worthy of eternal life….
“The deepest interest manifested among men in the decisions of earthly tribunals but faintly represents the interest evinced in the heavenly courts when the names entered in the book of life come up in review before the Judge of all the earth. The divine Intercessor presents the plea that all who have overcome through faith in His blood be forgiven their transgressions, that they be restored to their Eden home, and crowned as joint-heirs with Himself to the ‘first dominion.’ (Micah 4:8).” –The Great Controversy, p. 483
God opens His book of record and counterargues Satan point by point. He says, “Look, this sin is forgiven by My Son’s blood. That sin is crossed out by the blood.” And there is nothing Satan can insist on anymore.
Therefore, the blood makes us stand against the accuser. How powerful the blood is! The blood of Jesus is sufficient to make the devil silent. “What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?… Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth.” Romans 8:31, 33. Let us not forget that there is power in the blood. It is the power that has defeated Satan already, and it will defeat him again.
Do NOT Hesitate to be Free
David once committed a terrible sin. He killed his faithful soldier and took his wife. God’s prophet came and scolded him. His words pierced through David’s heart as a two-edged sword. Listen to his words, imagining the sacred anger toward the great sin of the king:
“Thou art the man. Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul; And I gave thee thy master’s house, and thy master’s wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things. Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the Lord, to do evil in His sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon. Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised Me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife. Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun. For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.” 2 Samuel 12:7–12
After all these long and scary rebukes, David said one sentence with a deep sense of guilt: “I have sinned against the Lord.” It did not take long for the answer to be given. Within the same Bible verse, God responded to him immediately. “And Nathan said unto David, The Lord also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.” 2 Samuel 12:13
Through this story, we can see how God is ready to forgive our sins. When David realized what he had done, he did not wait to confess his sin. And he was forgiven right there. The blood of Jesus is already there for us.
“Beware of procrastination. Do not put off the work of forsaking your sins and seeking purity of heart through Jesus. Here is where thousands upon thousands have erred to their eternal loss. I will not here dwell upon the shortness and uncertainty of life; but there is a terrible danger—a danger not sufficiently understood—in delaying to yield to the pleading voice of God’s Holy Spirit, in choosing to live in sin; for such this delay really is. Sin, however small it may be esteemed, can be indulged in only at the peril of infinite loss. What we do not overcome, will overcome us and work out our destruction.” –Steps to Christ, p.32
Do not wait to be forgiven, my beloved readers. Let us say you found out that you have a deadly disease in your body that needs to be treated right away. If you say, “I will do it tomorrow,” it would be much more difficult to heal. Even with the same treatment, the chance of recovery is much lower because you did it later. After all, you might not be alive by tomorrow if you do not receive the treatment today.
It is the same for sin. Thousands of souls could have been saved if they repented when they heard the message. They are lost just because they postponed it until the next day. Just as Felix who procrastinated his conversion to another day, many say: “And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.” Acts 24:25. This “convenient season” for Felix never came. He had lost the chance to receive the power in the blood.
My dear brothers and sisters, there is profound power in the blood of Christ. It is powerful enough to forgive all our sins, no matter how grave they may be. So, what could possibly keep you from being free from guilt today? Confess your sins and embrace freedom now. God has already accepted the sacrifice. He has declared that the blood of Jesus is sufficient. Then what can prevent you from receiving forgiveness today? Trust in His word. Let the past be a lesson, but do not let it trap you. Go and sin no more. When Satan tempts you and tells you that God does not love you because of your sin, tell him about the blood that Jesus shed for you. Its power will defeat our enemy.
It is my wish and prayer that the power in the blood lives in your heart today, so that you can walk your life in joy and peace with God. “And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with Me in paradise.” Luke 23:43.
Amen.
When we err, a profound sense of guilt often ensues, weighing heavily on our hearts and leaving us feeling deeply troubled. Sometimes, it feels even suffocating. David vividly expressed this discomfort: “O Lord, rebuke me not in Thy wrath: neither chasten me in Thy hot displeasure. For Thine arrows stick fast in me, and Thy hand presseth me sore. There is no soundness in my flesh because of Thine anger; neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sin. For mine iniquities are gone over mine head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me. My wounds stink and are corrupt because of my foolishness. I am troubled; I am bowed down greatly; I go mourning all the day long.” Psalm 38:1–6
Given this powerful depiction of guilt, the pressing question becomes: what is the remedy for such a burdened conscience? How can we liberate ourselves from this overwhelming feeling and be assured that our sins are forgiven?
Threefold Subjects
To begin with, we need to understand where this sense of guilt comes from. Firstly, we feel guilty when the Holy Spirit speaks to our hearts and shows us our sins. “…that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.” Romans 3:19. It is the plan of God for us to feel guilty, as without it we cannot come to seek for His salvation. However, this sense of guilt comes together with release from it, as God shows us His mercy and forgiveness.
Then why do we still feel bad? We sometimes feel guilty despite God’s forgiveness. It is because of a lack of faith. Let us think about Judas Iscariot. Even though Jesus looked into Judas with a face full of compassion and forgiveness, Judas could not forgive himself. “Then Judas, which had betrayed Him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood….” Matthew 27:3–4. Would Judas have been saved if he had trusted Jesus’ forgiveness and truly repented? Yes, he would. We know this because Peter, who betrayed Jesus through his denials, trusted His forgiveness and was saved. Therefore, if we feel guilty despite His forgiveness, it is because we are not forgiving ourselves.
Lastly, there is Satan, making us feel guilty. He whispers into our ears that our sins are too great, that God cannot forgive us. In the heavenly court, he works so hard to claim our souls as his property on the grounds of our sins. He is called “the accuser of our brethren… which accused them before our God day and night.” Revelation 12:10. Unlike the Holy Spirit, who shows us our sins so that we can have hope in Jesus, Satan shows us our sins so that we become discouraged.
Therefore, there are three subjects that make us realize our sins and thus trouble our conscience: God, Man (ourselves), and Satan. How can we answer these three subjects? Amazingly, only one solution is required for us to bring Godward, man-ward (ourselves), and Satan-ward. It is the blood of Jesus.
God-ward
We tend to think that the blood of Jesus is mostly for us. Well, yes, that is true. However, it is essential to note that the blood is for God first. What does this mean? Of course, God does not need redemption through the blood. God does not need the blood in the same manner as we do. He does not need the blood to be clean, as He is already clean. What I meant is that the blood had to be brought to God first so that God would approve the blood and declare that it is sufficient to forgive all our sins. We can see this truth in the Bible through different examples.
For instance, in the Passover, the Israelites were instructed to put the blood on their door. “And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it.” Exodus 12:7. Now, let us imagine we are living in their time. Let us take a look at a door nearby. Where would you stand to put the blood? Would you stand indoors or outdoors to put the blood? You would have to go out of the house and put the blood on the outside of the door. Why?
It is because God has to see the blood. That was the whole point of putting the blood. “For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt… And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.” Exodus 12:12–13
The blood was to be a sign visible to God passing through the land. So, it would not make sense to put blood on the side of the door that is visible from the inside. As a result, the blood was invisible to the people who had to stay inside throughout the night. From this, we can conclude that the blood had to be presented to God first.
It was the same on the Day of Atonement also. On this particular day, blood was shed for the sins of the people. Then, it was brought into the Most Holy to be presented to God. “Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the vail, and do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat.” Leviticus 16:15
Now, the only person allowed to enter the Most Holy was the high priest. People had to wait outside, searching their hearts. Therefore, when the blood was brought to God, people could not see it. Again, the blood was presented to God first before the sins were removed from the camp.
Indeed, after Jesus shed His blood and was resurrected from death, the first thing on Jesus’ agenda was to go see His Father to present His blood. “Jesus saith unto her, Touch Me not; for I am not yet ascended to My Father: but go to My brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto My Father, and your Father; and to My God, and your God.” John 20:17
“Jesus refused to receive the homage of His people until He had the assurance that His sacrifice was accepted by the Father. He ascended to the heavenly courts, and from God Himself heard the assurance that His atonement for the sins of men had been ample, that through His blood all might gain eternal life. The Father ratified the covenant made with Christ, that He would receive repentant and obedient men, and would love them even as He loves His Son.” –The Desire of Ages, p. 790
Now, why does the Bible emphasize this truth? Why did the blood have to be accepted by God first? Here, we see a lesson so deep that it reaches the foundation of our faith. Jesus brought His blood to Father, and He approved it. Thus, God proclaimed that this blood is sufficient for our sins. The total price was paid. No matter how big our sins might be, the blood is enough to free us from guilt. Hence, we can be assured that we are forgiven and do not need to feel guilty anymore. Rather, we are called to rejoice for our freedom.
Despite this truth, some of us tend not to forgive ourselves. There is also Satan, who tells us that our sins are too terrible to be forgiven. And that is what suffocates us. However, “What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth.” Romans 8:31–33
Before God provided us with the blood of atonement, He had already seen and approved it. He announced that the blood was sufficient. He justified us. He said we are forgiven. If God has said so, who would dare speak against Him? How could we dare? How could Satan dare? We are forgiven. “But the Lord is in His holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before Him.” “Hold thy peace at the presence of the Lord God: for the day of the Lord is at hand: for the Lord hath prepared a sacrifice, He hath bid his guests.” Habakkuk 2:20; Zephaniah 1:7
Man-ward
Let us discuss in more depth how we sometimes do not forgive ourselves. Even though the Bible shows us that God has forgiven us, we sometimes cannot accept that truth as a reality. This is because we cannot believe we are truly forgiven. This form of sense of guilt is not aroused by the Holy Spirit. It is due to a lack of faith. The Bible calls it “an evil conscience.”
“Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.” Hebrews 10:22
We should not mistake this evil conscience for the true conscience. The true conscience is given by the Holy Spirit to help us realize our sins and receive forgiveness. However, if we think we are so terrible that God would not forgive us, that is rather the voice of an evil spirit.
Many people with this evil conscience rely on their feelings. They want to feel better by punishing or abusing themselves, or they have to feel better by doing something good to redeem their bad actions. Until then, they do not allow themselves free from guilt. They cannot believe that they are forgiven, even without having to pay for the consequences.
However, Jesus’ blood is already proof that He has paid for everything. If we do not forgive ourselves, we are telling others that His blood is not enough.
“… you are a sinner. You cannot atone for your past sins; you cannot change your heart and make yourself holy. But God promises to do all this for you through Christ. You believe that promise. You confess your sins and give yourself to God. You will to serve Him. Just as surely as you do this, God will fulfill His word to you. If you believe the promise,—believe that you are forgiven and cleansed,—God supplies the fact; you are made whole, just as Christ gave the paralytic power to walk when the man believed that he was healed. It is so if you believe it.
“Do not wait to feel that you are made whole, but say, ‘I believe it; it is so, not because I feel it, but because God has promised.’” –Steps to Christ, p. 51
The paralytic whom Christ healed did not wait until he felt strength in his legs. He believed the word of Jesus and stood up. And when he did so, His word became the reality. It is the same for our sins. Do not put your trust in your feelings. Do not wait until you feel righteous. Do not wait until you feel like being a better person. Trust His promise, and know that you are forgiven. When you do so, it will be a reality.
Does “believe” sound too simple to be the solution? Well, yes, it is simple. Why? Because the blood is sufficient. If Jesus paid it all, why would we need second and third solutions? There is power in the blood. It is enough to forgive all our sins.
Satan-ward
The final subject that we have to deal with is Satan. Even though our sins are forgiven, Satan will not let our past go. In the heavenly court, he brings up how we have committed sins and tries to prove that we should not be forgiven. He does so to keep us as his subjects.
When Jesus came to resurrect Moses from death, Satan tried to claim Moses as his prisoner, pointing out his sin. “For the first time Christ was about to give life to the dead. As the Prince of life and the shining ones approached the grave, Satan was alarmed for his supremacy. With his evil angels he stood to dispute an invasion of the territory that he claimed as his own. He boasted that the servant of God had become his prisoner. He declared that even Moses was not able to keep the law of God; that he had taken to himself the glory due to Jehovah—the very sin which had caused Satan’s banishment from heaven—and by transgression had come under the dominion of Satan. The archtraitor reiterated the original charges that he had made against the divine government, and repeated his complaints of God’s injustice toward him.” –Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 478
He does the same with us. Satan tries to claim our souls as his property. However, Satan knows very well the power of Jesus’ blood. He knows that if we trust Jesus, he has no more ground to claim us. Therefore, he plants an evil conscience in us and tempts us to think we cannot be forgiven because of our sins. In this way, he tries to cut us off from the power in the blood.
However, we should not stand against Satan by ourselves. When we are accused, we tend to defend ourselves. We look into our hearts and try to find something good to prove we are not terrible sinners. However, that is exactly what Satan wants. There is nothing good in ourselves. Therefore, the attempts to overcome the sense of guilt fail, and we fall into discouragement. It leads us to think we are hopeless. Hence, we should not deal with the accuser ourselves. We should leave it to God. We should say, “The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan; even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee.” Zechariah 3:2. In other words, we should not find the answer toward Satan in ourselves but in the blood of Jesus.
Satan points out our sins one by one, telling the angels and people from other planets that we should not be saved. God already knows that we have repented and are saved. However, God does not hide nor overlook. When we enter heaven, God does not want anyone to doubt whether we can be there. As we can see in the story of Job, God wants to prove our right to enter His kingdom while everyone in the universe is observing so that they can sincerely welcome us when we reach there.
“Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them…. Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?… But put forth Thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse Thee to Thy face. And the Lord said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the Lord.” Job 1:6–12
Now, let us turn our eyes to the heavenly court and see how God answers to Satan in regards to our sins. “All who have truly repented of sin, and by faith claimed the blood of Christ as their atoning sacrifice, have had pardon entered against their names in the books of Heaven; as they have become partakers of the righteousness of Christ, and their characters are found to be in harmony with the law of God, their sins will be blotted out, and they themselves will be accounted worthy of eternal life….
“The deepest interest manifested among men in the decisions of earthly tribunals but faintly represents the interest evinced in the heavenly courts when the names entered in the book of life come up in review before the Judge of all the earth. The divine Intercessor presents the plea that all who have overcome through faith in His blood be forgiven their transgressions, that they be restored to their Eden home, and crowned as joint-heirs with Himself to the ‘first dominion.’ (Micah 4:8).” –The Great Controversy, p. 483
God opens His book of record and counterargues Satan point by point. He says, “Look, this sin is forgiven by My Son’s blood. That sin is crossed out by the blood.” And there is nothing Satan can insist on anymore.
Therefore, the blood makes us stand against the accuser. How powerful the blood is! The blood of Jesus is sufficient to make the devil silent. “What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?… Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth.” Romans 8:31, 33. Let us not forget that there is power in the blood. It is the power that has defeated Satan already, and it will defeat him again.
Do NOT Hesitate to be Free
David once committed a terrible sin. He killed his faithful soldier and took his wife. God’s prophet came and scolded him. His words pierced through David’s heart as a two-edged sword. Listen to his words, imagining the sacred anger toward the great sin of the king:
“Thou art the man. Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul; And I gave thee thy master’s house, and thy master’s wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things. Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the Lord, to do evil in His sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon. Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised Me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife. Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun. For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.” 2 Samuel 12:7–12
After all these long and scary rebukes, David said one sentence with a deep sense of guilt: “I have sinned against the Lord.” It did not take long for the answer to be given. Within the same Bible verse, God responded to him immediately. “And Nathan said unto David, The Lord also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.” 2 Samuel 12:13
Through this story, we can see how God is ready to forgive our sins. When David realized what he had done, he did not wait to confess his sin. And he was forgiven right there. The blood of Jesus is already there for us.
“Beware of procrastination. Do not put off the work of forsaking your sins and seeking purity of heart through Jesus. Here is where thousands upon thousands have erred to their eternal loss. I will not here dwell upon the shortness and uncertainty of life; but there is a terrible danger—a danger not sufficiently understood—in delaying to yield to the pleading voice of God’s Holy Spirit, in choosing to live in sin; for such this delay really is. Sin, however small it may be esteemed, can be indulged in only at the peril of infinite loss. What we do not overcome, will overcome us and work out our destruction.” –Steps to Christ, p.32
Do not wait to be forgiven, my beloved readers. Let us say you found out that you have a deadly disease in your body that needs to be treated right away. If you say, “I will do it tomorrow,” it would be much more difficult to heal. Even with the same treatment, the chance of recovery is much lower because you did it later. After all, you might not be alive by tomorrow if you do not receive the treatment today.
It is the same for sin. Thousands of souls could have been saved if they repented when they heard the message. They are lost just because they postponed it until the next day. Just as Felix who procrastinated his conversion to another day, many say: “And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.” Acts 24:25. This “convenient season” for Felix never came. He had lost the chance to receive the power in the blood.
My dear brothers and sisters, there is profound power in the blood of Christ. It is powerful enough to forgive all our sins, no matter how grave they may be. So, what could possibly keep you from being free from guilt today? Confess your sins and embrace freedom now. God has already accepted the sacrifice. He has declared that the blood of Jesus is sufficient. Then what can prevent you from receiving forgiveness today? Trust in His word. Let the past be a lesson, but do not let it trap you. Go and sin no more. When Satan tempts you and tells you that God does not love you because of your sin, tell him about the blood that Jesus shed for you. Its power will defeat our enemy.
It is my wish and prayer that the power in the blood lives in your heart today, so that you can walk your life in joy and peace with God. “And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with Me in paradise.” Luke 23:43.
Amen.
By Makoto Matsumoto