Warrior Jesus 2: Jesus Defeats Guilt & Shame

In a nutshell: We all know we’ve got problems. The real problem is how to solve our problems. The world teaches that our problem is outside of us and the solution is inside us – if we can only get our personal psychology ok we will be ok. But the gospel teaches that the problem is inside us and the solution is outside us – that our problem is guilt and shame, and that we can’t fix this ourselves. Only Jesus can fix it. Jesus defeats all enemies. Jesus defeats guilt and shame.

1. In the beginning…
Genesis 2:5-9; 15-25
The story of creation presents a perfect, harmonious world. The man and woman were surrounded by beauty (there was no enemy of ugliness); they were given purposeful work to do (no enemy of meaninglessness); they were in harmony with the plants and animals (no ecological enemy); they were in perfect relationship with one another (no relational enemy); and in perfect relationship with God (no spiritual enemy).

This perfection, harmony and innocence was symbolised by their unashamed nakedness. They were completely confident and satisfied: in themselves, their environment, their relationships, and in God.

2. The fall…
Genesis 3:1-13
By disobeying Yahweh, Adam and Eve made a journey from innocence and confidence to guilt and shame. They became objectively guilty and subjectively ashamed.

Their story tells the story of how we all ended up as we are…

3. Everyone now experiences guilt and shame
Romans 3:23 makes things very clear: You are guilty!

This is why so many people carry a sense of debt – the overdraft you can never clear; the guilt about things you have done in the past. Guilt can become very powerful and controlling, with no easy way out, especially if the person sinned against is dead, or long gone. Guilt fractures relationships. It leads to self-loathing; addictions; substance abuse.

We need forgiveness but don’t know how to get it.

As well as feeling guilty we feel ashamed. Many cultures are ‘shame cultures’ where there is not so much a sense of sin needing to be forgiven but to be cleansed of shame. This is very typical in many Mediterranean and Muslim cultures, where the most severe punishment that can befall anyone is to be disowned by one’s family, and where family honor must be defended at any cost.

Carrying shame is like carrying leprosy – it alienates you from other people. Shame can be the result of things we do, or because of things other people do to us (this is particularly the case with those who have been sexually abused).

We need cleansing but don’t know how to get it.

4. How can we get free?
To try and rid ourselves of guilt and shame we invent coping mechanisms: Religion, moralism, markers of social status, or a complete hardening of conscience.

None of these is effective.

A more common approach in our society is to claim that guilt is a social construct and shame is simply low self-esteem: The problem is outside you; the solution is inside you. Other people have messed you up! Its not your fault, so get your personal psychology right and you will banish feelings of guilt and shame.

This little video illustrates the problem well...



It looks like the problem is external - it looks like its someone else's fault the escalator has broken down. And the solution looks like it is internal - all they need to do is walk. But actually the problem is an internal one - they are stuck on the escalator and have no sense of how to get off. They need someone - a savior - who can take them by the hand and lead them off it.

We are guilty and do feel ashamed! We are stuck on the escalator blaming other people and blind to our own sin. Our problem is internal, and we are lost unless there is an external solution. We can’t just blame other people for our problems and try to make ourselves feel better – we need a savior! We are right about feeling guilty – we don’t even live up to our own standards, let alone God’s! We should be ashamed!

5. How Jesus defeats guilt and shame
How does Jesus defeat our Guilt?
Answer: a Gospel of forgiveness [Hebrews 2:17]

Jesus lived the life I should have lived and he died the death I should have died. His sacrificial death on my behalf was accepted by God and by faith in Jesus, I can receive his rightness as a gift.

Every other religion will have you working your way out of guilt, but Jesus gives us forgiveness for free. Jesus and his resurrection is the Gospel you need to deal with your guilt.

How does Jesus defeat our Shame?
Answer: a Gospel of relationship [Hebrews 12:2]

Jesus did not just bear our guilt, he bore our shame. On the day of Atonement [see Leviticus 16] two goats were selected to carry the sin of Israel. One of these goats was killed – this demonstrated the seriousness of sin and how it can only be dealt with by death. But the second goat was chased outside of the camp into the wilderness. This demonstrated how sin breaks relationship between man and God and that this separation has to be removed by separating our sin from us.

Jesus is not just your death goat. He is your scapegoat. Jesus has carried away our relational separation. He is the one on whom all your shame was laid. He was executed in the most shameful way possible, hanging naked on the cross. But he did this because of the joy of relationship with us it made possible.

Jesus’ resurrection showed the power of shame was temporary: Now there is nothing but glory and honor to come for those who put their faith in him. Jesus and his resurrection is the Gospel you need to take away your shame.

6. Apply the gospel to every situation
We mustn’t apply worldly solutions to gospel problems. Only Jesus can defeat the enemies of guilt and shame. Only by turning to him can they be taken away from you.

This turning to Jesus doesn’t only happen at the moment of our salvation. Throughout our lives we need to keep turning to him. We need to keep turning to the cross and to the tomb.
Guilt and shame are only answered by the cross and the resurrection. We can manage their symptoms through therapy and behaviour management, but only Jesus can root them out.

For example, when I talk to Christians who are having marriage problems there is always either a sin issue (which creates guilt) or a shame issue. Sin issues happen when he doesn’t lead and she doesn’t submit. They happen when he doesn’t love his wife sacrificially and when she doesn’t respect her husband. Learning one another’s love languages, how to improve communication, etc. can help manage the symptoms, but the only real solution is repentance and forgiveness.

On the other hand, shame issues are usually a consequence of abuse. E.g., the wife was sexually abused and now finds it difficult to be physically open with her husband, or the husband was emotionally abused and now finds it hard to support his wife emotionally. The only real solution to this is to know that Jesus bears the shame away.

Our enemies have to be destroyed or they will destroy us. Jesus does this. Jesus defeats all enemies. Jesus defeats guilt and shame.


Application Questions
• Do you know that guilt and shame have been defeated in your life?
• Are there things you need to repent of?
• Are there things you need to allow Jesus to carry away from you?
• How do you see the reality of guilt and shame being worked out in your neighbours lives? What can you do to help them find freedom in Christ?