The old man has to live with the young man’s deeds.
I think if younger Christians would really think about this wisdom it would prevent a lot of bad judgment. I heard this expression years ago. And I know the older I get the more wisdom I see in this modern day proverb.
Many faithful Christians struggle with their past. Guilt. The definition of guilt is an emotion that occurs when a person realizes they have compromised a moral standard.
Do you struggle with guilt? Could that guilt be a tool from GOD used to convict, correct or conform you because you are astray? Paul in 2 Cor 7:10 says that “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret.” Yes this godly sorrow is a good use of guilt.
This regret, godly sorrow, or guilt is not what I am referring to today. Rather I am referring to guilt or regret for wrongs we have done in our lives that have been dealt with scripturally. Meaning one has repented and sought forgiveness and still has trouble living with the past.
GOD forgives. Let us state that emphatically. When we repent and seek His forgiveness, it comes. We have elsewhere in our blogging explored how the scriptures portray forgiveness. That is a thrilling study. Just know within the proper actions on man’s part, GOD forgives.
Man forgives. Sometimes this is difficult to do but GOD would not command us to do something we are incapable of doing. Ephesians 4:32 instructs us to forgive one another even as GOD in Christ forgave you. Interesting the Greek word for forgave here is charizomai whose root word is charis. Charis is our word grace. Grace is GOD giving us what we need but do not deserve (forgiveness). And we likewise should be forgiving to one another. Remembering to extend what is needed not what is deserved. Forgiveness is grace in action. Man forgives.
GOD forgives and man forgives but there is a third component to consider. Self. We frequently struggle to forgive self. Often the last one to forgive is self. And sometimes it never happens.
Psalm 51 is a Psalm of David’s penitence. Note the various terms in the Psalm that refer to forgiveness: Blot out, wash me, cleanse me, purge me, make me, and restore me. And then in verse 14 he says “deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed.”
Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed. Not only was David guilty of adultery with Bathsheba but he had her husband Uriah killed in the process (2 Samuel 11). David had bloodshed on his hands as well. But GOD delivered him from that guilt. This is not to say David was able to forget the incident. He was simply able to live with it and later was referred to as a man after GOD’S own heart (Acts 13:22).
Verses 16-17 of Psalm 51 notes it is not sacrifices and burnt offerings that appease the LORD but rather a broken, contrite heart. This is the attitude that is necessary for us to be able to deal with our past failures.
To overcome guilt one must adopt the attitude of the apostle Paul in Phil 3:13 where he says to forget those things which are behind. Difficult to do? Yes, but with GOD’S help it can be done!
Let us remember as Paul penned those words to the Philippians, he was in prison. He had much time to reflect on his life. What do you suppose he thought about as he looked back on his past? Do you think he ever thought about the episode we read about in Acts 7? The entire chapter 7 details Stephen preaching the truth. And the result according to verse 54 was the people were cut to the heart. And the people carried Stephen out of the city and stoned him. While they stoned Stephen we are told they laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul. Saul later became known as Paul. Paul was either directly or indirectly participating in the execution. Do you think Paul remembered that episode? How could he forget?! How could he forget Stephen’s dying statement of “LORD, do not charge them with this sin.”
But yet here is Paul later in life able to say “forgetting those things which are past.” Now we are all guilty of sins in the past. We all have episodes of life we wish we could do over. But I doubt anyone reading this has participated in the killing of someone simply because they were preaching Jesus. Or having someone murdered just to have their wife.
If Paul and David can do it I can try. With GOD’S help I will overcome regrets I have of the past; failures I have experienced and would like to do over. Deliver me from the guilt.
And may I still remember that the old man will have to live with the younger man’s deeds.