Audio Transcript
Somebody lately requested me to enterprise a solution to a query — this query: What’s the commonest query we get on the podcast? And I don’t know the reply precisely. So, it really is only a guess. And my guess, primarily based on my expertise, I’d say, is that this: Our most-often-asked-about query is in regards to the unpardonable sin. And by that, I imply it within the broadest sense of the time period — not solely “What is the unpardonable sin (as outlined in Scripture)?” however “Have I dedicated a sin that’s so ugly, so gross, so heinous, so premeditated, so repeated, so high-handedly evil that God will certainly not be capable to forgive me for it?” That was my reply. That’s, in my greatest guess, the commonest query. It’s definitely one of many dominant themes in APJ over time, as you may see in the APJ e book on pages 337–339.
Will God forgive my very worst sin? That’s the query from an nameless younger lady who listens to the podcast. “Expensive Pastor John, I had an abortion. That’s the one and solely factor I knew I’d by no means, ever do. However I did it. I can not start to element right here the grief and injury it has precipitated me, and I do know I deserve each little bit of it. I really feel as if I’ll at all times be a low-class Christian due to what I’ve executed.
“I used to be a believer after I dedicated this sin. I didn’t do it to keep away from ‘disruption’ in my life, however as a result of I had no confidence that I may supply any high quality of life to a baby on the time. In my twisted thoughts, I felt I used to be doing the kid higher by stopping her or him from having to undergo in a damaged household or a foster dwelling. I perceive that mind-set is absurd. I simply didn’t perceive that on the time. I grew up in a household that was break up earlier than I used to be born, and I feared that my little one would have that type of life. I simply couldn’t deal with the considered this.
“Now I really feel that is one thing I ought to at all times be punished for. I haven’t been again to church within the years since this occurred. I do know I don’t belong. I don’t should go. Does God even need to forgive me for this? Does he need me and nonetheless have the plans for me that he did earlier than, or are these plans gone? I’m disgusted with myself. I simply hope that there’s nonetheless hope for me, which I do know that even wanting that’s egocentric and unwarranted at this level.”
Once I hear this query that’s so stuffed with self-recrimination and doubt and concern and guilt, I would like very a lot to introduce this lady — I want I knew her identify, as I may name her by identify — to what I’ve for a few years known as “gutsy guilt.”
Actual Guilt, Actual Religion
I base that time period “gutsy guilt” on the prophet Micah:
Rejoice not over me, O my enemy;
after I fall, I shall rise;
after I sit in darkness,
the Lord shall be a light-weight to me.
I’ll bear the indignation of the Lord
as a result of I’ve sinned in opposition to him,
till he pleads my trigger
and executes judgment for me.
He’ll carry me out to the sunshine;
I shall look upon his vindication. (Micah 7:8–9)
Micah owns his sin. He owns his guilt and the truth that he’s in darkness. He’s sitting there. It’s underneath the Lord. The Lord is disciplining him. He’s underneath God’s judgment. He is aware of it’s due to his sin. He says, “I sit in darkness. . . . I’ll bear the indignation of the Lord as a result of I’ve sinned.” So, he’s not making any excuses. He’s not pretending that is from the satan. He is aware of that is from the Lord, and it’s terrible.
So, he owns his sin. He owns his guilt. After which he says that he’ll sit on this darkness, underneath the Lord’s displeasure, “till he pleads my trigger and executes judgment for me.” Not in opposition to me — for me. “He’ll carry me out to the sunshine; I shall look upon his vindication.”
That’s wonderful. That is extremely gutsy. I’m underneath the Lord’s darkish judgment, and I nonetheless belief him to be my God and vindicate me. So, “rejoice not over me, O my enemy; after I fall, I shall rise.” That’s the one method I understand how to outlive as a saved sinner. Actual guilt, actual sorrow, actual ache, actual darkness underneath God’s self-discipline, and actual gutsy religion that the very God who’s disciplining me and displeased with me is on my facet and can vindicate me. So, that’s the fundamental reality I’d like to construct into her life.
Seven Responses to Hopelessness
With that as a background, what I’d love to do, and I believe is perhaps useful, is to only take perhaps six or seven of her little statements about herself and make a remark about them.
1. “I really feel that is one thing I ought to at all times be punished for.” Effectively, sure it’s. Abortion — and each different sin — is one thing we must always at all times be punished for. And there’s a universe of distinction between “needs to be punished for” and “shall be punished for.” Gutsy gospel guilt says, “I’m responsible. I needs to be punished now and endlessly.” That’s the very which means of sin and justice. And gutsy gospel guilt says, “However I cannot be punished. I cannot be punished as a result of Jesus bore my punishment for me, and I’ve forsaken all my self-reliance, and I throw myself wholly on his mercy.”
“If you would like forgiveness since you need God, that’s not egocentric. That’s what you have been made for.”
I consider Galatians 3:13: “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the regulation by changing into a curse for us.” After which right here’s Isaiah 53:5: “He was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the [punishment] that introduced us peace, and along with his wounds we’re healed.” So sure, you need to at all times be punished in your abortion. Personal that guilt, after which be gutsy and embrace the gospel that Christ bore our sins on his physique on the cross. And now in him, God is for me, not in opposition to me. I needs to be punished, and I gained’t be punished. That’s my response to that first remark.
2. “I do know I don’t belong at church. I don’t should go.” If the one individuals who belong at church are those that should be with God’s folks in his presence, worshiping and rising in him, no person would belong to church. No person would go to church. When Paul described the members of the church in Corinth, he listed their sins like this:
Neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor males who apply homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the grasping, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the dominion of God. And such have been a few of you. However you have been washed, you have been sanctified, you have been justified within the identify of the Lord Jesus. (1 Corinthians 6:9–11)
The one individuals who belong in church are sinners who’re washed and justified by religion. So no, you don’t should go to church. That’s why you need to go, as a result of church is the one establishment within the universe designed for individuals who don’t should be there. That’s the which means. That’s the which means of gospel church buildings.
3. “I’m disgusted with myself.” Effectively, that’s tremendous. To look again on abortion and never be disgusted could be an indication of illness. To see it with disgust is an indication of well being. Until there may be gutsy disgust, you’ll collapse. Gutsy gospel disgust just isn’t paralyzed. It provides up on self and walks into the ability of grace. All of us are disgusting — and we must always not run from it however via it, into God’s grace.
4. “I simply hope that there’s nonetheless hope for me.” Good, as a result of there is hope for you. Paul says that every little thing within the Scriptures is written in order that sinners may need hope (Romans 15:4). Hope is the one factor you may at all times make sure pleases the Lord. I really like Psalm 147:11: “The Lord takes pleasure in those that concern him, in those that hope in his steadfast love.” He loves folks, he delights in folks, who flip away from themselves — and hoping within the energy of the horse or the legs of a person — and hope in him.
5. “Hoping that there’s hope is egocentric.” Effectively, it might be egocentric in case you simply wished to make use of God to get a relieved conscience. However if you would like forgiveness since you need God, that’s not egocentric. That’s what you have been made for. And it honors God, not you. It honors God. God is glorified while you need to be glad in God.
6. “Hoping that there’s hope is unwarranted.” No, that’s false. That’s simply false. Hope just isn’t unwarranted. It’s infinitely warranted, not by your goodness, however by the blood of Jesus. When you stand earlier than God and hope to get into his presence with pleasure endlessly, and he says, “What warrant can you’ve got for hoping that I’d obtain you?” the reply is that this: “The blood and righteousness of your Son. My Savior is my solely warrant.” That’s true. There is no such thing as a warrant for hope in us. There may be infinite warrant within the blood of Jesus. So, that’s a false assertion that your hope is unwarranted. It isn’t unwarranted.
7. Right here’s the final assertion: “Does God need me and have good plans for me?” And the reply is within the final chapter of the Bible, as if God wished it to be the very last thing ringing in our ears. The final chapter of the Bible, Revelation 22:17, says, “The Spirit and the Bride say, ‘Come.’ And let the one who hears say, ‘Come.’ And let the one who’s thirsty come; let the one who needs take the water of life with out worth.” So, in case you’re thirsty for God, he invitations you. He desires you. And while you come to him, he has plans for you. Your life is not going to be wasted in case you come to him. “I do know the plans I’ve for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and never for evil, to present you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11).
