Answers
By BGEA Admin • November 9, 2023 • Topics: Forgiveness
Q:
I’m a social worker and a Christian. I deal with people who cannot overcome guilt for things they’ve done, and they can’t see how God can forgive them. Why is this?
A:
From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham
The Bible teaches that guilt is inescapable. It says that all have broken God’s laws. Therefore, guilt rests upon the entire human race. Some people may feel it more intensely than others, but the guilt is there whether in the conscious or in the subconscious realm. It must be dealt with before we can become normal, fulfilled personalities. This is why Jesus died. He died on the cross to take our guilt away. He shed His blood to purge our dead conscience. So guilt is not all bad. Without it, there is nothing to drive a person toward self-examination and toward God’s forgiveness.
Everywhere today hearts are empty. Hearts not attuned to God will become catch basins for every device of the devil. Yes, Satan is at work in our world (see Job 1:7). This is what the Bible says. Satan exists and has control over multitudes whose hearts have never been captured by Jesus Christ. The devil has hundreds of agents writing pornographic literature and producing immoral movies to pollute human minds. He has intellectuals in high positions teaching a hedonistic and permissive philosophy. He has recruited even church leaders who are advocating more promiscuity.
The culture has had great success in infiltrating people’s minds. But is there hope? The answer is absolutely. The Bible is filled with testimonies of those who, by God’s grace, were victorious over Satan’s power. John Newton was a slave trader on the west coast of Africa. One day in a storm at sea, he met Jesus Christ and it changed his life forever. He will always be remembered for writing the hymn “Amazing Grace.” No one is beyond the reach of the loving arms of the Savior.
(This column is based on the words and writings of the late Rev. Billy Graham.)
