Let us come near to God with a sincere heart and a sure faith, because we have been made free from a guilty conscience (Hebrews 10:22 NCV)
Few things are heavier than feeling like God has something against you, even after you have confessed all you know to confess. For such people, there is this deep down conviction that they have done things that God just doesn’t want to forgive. However, Hebrews tells us that “a sure faith” can make us “free from a guilty conscience.” Sure faith in what?
That the holy Judge of all the earth Who loves justice, has become your merciful Father in Heaven who loves mercy even more (see Isaiah 30:18).
That your Friend and Rescuer Jesus Christ has already suffered the pain of your sin and you no longer honor Him or His sacrifice by suffering for it again (see Isaiah 53:1-12).
That God wants you to enjoy the costly forgiveness He purchased for you, rather than ignoring it, and being too proud to accept it (see Matthew 12:7). Yes, it is humbling to have someone else pay for our sin, and a part of us doesn’t even like the idea, but that is the yoke of grace that Christ invites us to kneel before and accept. It is only pride that keeps us carrying our own yoke of guilt.
In order to be “free from a guilty conscience” we must have “a sure faith” that you could throw the biggest dirt clod of sin you can imagine into the rushing river of Christ’s blood, and it would not muddy it one little bit, but be immediately whisked away by the depth and force of its current, never to be seen again (see Romans 5:20).
Lighten your load today by believing more in God’s forgiveness than your sinfulness.