Human aspects of guilt

Human awareness of guilt

Psalm 51:3–5 NIV

For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight; so you are right in your verdict and justified when you judge. Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.

See also 1 Jn 3:19–20; Heb 9:9; Jn 8:3–11; Ge 42:21; Ps 32:1–4

Human beings are held responsible for their guilt

Leviticus 5:17 NIV

“If anyone sins and does what is forbidden in any of the Lord’s commands, even though they do not know it, they are guilty and will be held responsible.

See also Re 20:12; Ho 10:1–2; 2 Co 5:10; Ro 14:12; Is 24:5–6; Eze 18:19–20; Ho 13:16; Mt 12:35–36

Guilt defiles human life

Isaiah 59:1–3 NIV

Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear. For your hands are stained with blood, your fingers with guilt. Your lips have spoken falsely, and your tongue mutters wicked things.

See also Je 2:22; Heb 10:22; Ps 51:1–7

Human experience of guilt

Feelings of guilt in general

Hebrews 10:1–2 NIV

The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. Otherwise, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins.

See also 1 Jn 3:19–20; Heb 10:22; 2 Co 7:10; 2 Sa 24:10

Guilt produces feelings of anguish and despair

Matthew 27:3–5 NIV

When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders. “I have sinned,” he said, “for I have betrayed innocent blood.” “What is that to us?” they replied. “That’s your responsibility.” So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself.

See also Ps 40:11–12; La 1:20; Pr 28:17; Ezr 10:1; Ezr 9:1–7

Guilt produces feelings of shame and disgrace

Ezra 9:6 NIV

and prayed: “I am too ashamed and disgraced, my God, to lift up my face to you, because our sins are higher than our heads and our guilt has reached to the heavens.

See also Je 23:38–40

Guilt produces feelings of fear and terror

Isaiah 6:1–7 NIV

In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.” At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke. “Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.” Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. With it he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.”

See also Is 33:14; Ge 3:8–10

Guilt produces feelings of unworthiness

Luke 15:21 NIV

“The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

See also 1 Co 15:9; Lk 5:8; Ezr 9:13–15; Ps 51:11 The fear of being cast out of God’s presence is the result of the psalmist’s sense of guilt