Has there ever been a more important topic than guilt and shame?

Sometimes our conference considers a topic that is critical but that you might not necessarily find in your own life. Our “Psychiatric Disorders” conference spoke to that kind of topic. This year we are back to a topic that is common to every person in every culture. Guilt and shame can be found everywhere—absolutely everywhere.

Guilt is the one we hear of more often. It seems straightforward: you violate God’s law, you feel guilty, you are guilty, you turn to Christ for forgiveness, and you enjoy his forgiveness. That sounds easy. If there is anything clear in Scripture, it is that we can know forgiveness of sins through Jesus Christ. The problem is this: we can still feel guilty, and guilt strangles spiritual growth. There is so much guilt that we can identify in our lives, and there is more that lurks under anger, depression, fear and so many other human struggles. Try to imagine a life that doesn’t get stuck at guilt—a life instead that is filled with joy. Guilt is an important reminder that should send you to Jesus and, then, when you get to Jesus, you find joy.

Shame receives less attention than guilt. You will not hear shame identified in many sermons, and we don’t talk about it much.  And yet shame is mentioned in Scripture close to ten times more than guilt. Since Scripture is so concerned about this problem, we can be sure that it is more common than we know. And there is a reason why it is more common. Guilt is a consequence of our own sin; shame can be a result of our own sin, but it can also be a result of being sinned against by other people. If you have ever felt dirty, unacceptable, exposed or worthless, you are discovering just a few of the words that accompany shame. Too often, those who experience shame are looking for something to confess, but the problem is not what they have done. It is what has been done to them.

In this year’s conference we plan to identify these problems, and place special emphasis on shame. Then we will hear words from Scripture that speak poignantly to these struggles. That will leave us hopeful and wanting more. Then, before we leave, we want those gospel words to be so powerful and relevant that we can offer them to family, friends and neighbors.

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ccef.org/blog/feed on 1 April 2012