A girl is sexually abused as a small child. As a toddler, she is sexually aroused and at first understands nothing about sin.
Her family is Christian, and the man convinces her that this sweet experience is real love.
Only later does she learn that this is taboo and forbidden.
As a teenager in the church, she learns about sexual sin. She is no longer sexually active with the man in the family, but she has strong sexual urges and satisfies herself.
Then the church tells her that masturbation is a sin because it is supposedly unclean.
She feels overwhelmed by shame and guilt because she feels responsible for her forbidden sexual experience with the man she loved.
She then tries to suppress her sexual urges. When her desire becomes almost irresistible, she satisfies herself and then thinks she is a dirty, condemned sinner, and she is terrified of ending up in hell.
Is this girl or young woman really guilty in God's eyes, or is it about false guilt, guilt in her own eyes or in the eyes of the ministers in the church?
Where do I find a teaching in the Bible that little children are responsible for such sin? I do not find it.
Where do I find a teaching in the Bible that masturbation is wrong in all circumstances? The subject is not mentioned in any biblical text.
Why should I discuss such a controversial topic? I want to save lives. There are victims in such situations who become prostitutes or commit suicide.
The victims of such abuse are not only girls but also boys.
If guilt has been imposed on you with teachings that are not in the Bible, you no longer need to bear that guilt.
When Jesus hung stark naked on the cross, he bore your guilt but also your shame. He not only bore the guilt for your own sins, but also the guilt of the people who abused you and the guilt of the people who put false guilt on you.
If this post is relevant to you personally, please don't let false guilt ruin you anymore.
Masturbation is unfortunately often entangled with porn addiction and dirty fantasies, but maybe often not. Please don't misunderstand me. I am not advocating porn or pornographic thoughts.
Some find masturbation to be a kind of safety valve that can also help resist strong temptation.
Hold fast to God's word. Ask Jesus for help. He totally understands you, just as you are.
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, Rom 5:1 NIV
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, Rom 8:1 NIV
Sunday, October 6, 2024
Freedom from False Guilt
Thursday, August 29, 2024
God Transforms your Past
“Do not be afraid; you will not be put to shame. Do not fear disgrace; you will not be humiliated. You will forget the shame of your youth and remember no more the reproach of your widowhood. Is 54:4 NIV
God remembers everything in your life, the good, the bad and the ugly.
But doesn't the Bible say that God forgets your sins when he forgives you?
God chooses not to consider your forgiven sin as sin. But God keeps a record of everything in your history for a different purpose.
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Ro 8:28 NIV
God keeps a record of your whole life to heal the wounds in your soul.
Better yet, God uses the wrong and traumatic experiences in your life to bless you and others.
When Moses died, Joshua took over the leadership of Israel.
Before the Israelites miraculously crossed the Jordan, Joshua sent spies to Jericho.
They narrowly escaped capture when they fled to a brothel. The prostitute Rahab protected them because she believed in the God of Israel.
When the city of Jericho fell, Rahab's house was preserved and she was welcomed in Israel as a convert to the true God.
She became the grandmother of King David's grandfather.
Rahab is one of only four women listed in Jesus' family tree in the Gospel of Matthew.
Jesus said to the self-righteous Jewish religious leaders:
... “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. Mt 21:31 NIV
How many prostitutes have been encouraged by the story of Rahab to respond to God's love?
God uses the records of our past lives to bless us and others.
I once heard a very interesting preacher. He told the story of a church made up mostly of converted former prostitutes. They were wonderful street evangelists.
As prostitutes, they had pursued men with shameless boldness. God used that same shameless boldness to make them marvellous evangelists.
God forgets the sinfulness of your sin, but He uses your sinful past to bring about amazing miracles.
Thursday, September 3, 2015
GOD TRANSFORMS YOUR SHAME INTO BLESSING
"Fear not, for you will not be put to shame; And do not feel humiliated, for you will not be disgraced; But you will forget the shame of your youth, Isaiah 54:4 (NASB)
God remembers everything in your life, the good, the bad and the ugly.But doesn’t the Bible say that God forgets your sins when He forgives?
God decides not to remember your sin as sin. But God keeps a record of everything in your past and in your history for another purpose.And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28 (NIV)
God keeps a record of your entire life for the purpose of healing the wounds in your soul.
- Better than that, God uses the wrong things that have happened in your life to bless you and others.
When Moses died, Joshua took over the leadership of Israel.
Before the Israelites miraculously crossed the Jordan River, Joshua sent spies into Jericho.
- They narrowly escaped capture when they took refuge in a brothel. The prostitute Rahab protected them because she believed in the God of Israel.
- When the city of Jericho fell, Rahab’s house was preserved and she was welcomed into Israel as a convert to the true God.
- She became the grandmother of the grandfather of King David.
- Rahab is one of only four women listed in the family tree of Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew.
Jesus said to the self righteous Jewish religious leaders:
... Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. Matthew 21:31 (NIV)
How many prostitutes have been encouraged to respond to the love of God by the story of Rahab?
- God uses the record of our past lives to bless us and bless others.
I once heard a very interesting missionary preacher. He told a story of a church made up mostly of converted ex prostitutes. They were wonderful street evangelists.
- As prostitutes they had hunted for men with shameless boldness. God used this same shameless boldness to make them wonderful evangelists.
God forgets the sinfulness of your sin but He uses your sinful past to do wonderful things.
A quite different example is the Apostle Paul.
Paul’s sinful past was not adultery or witchcraft but self righteous religious pride.- Paul’s religious ambition drove him to be an outstanding biblical scholar but there was not humility of love in his heart. His religion led him to persecute and murder followers of Jesus.
- Paul became an enemy of Jesus and an enemy of the God he thought he served. Then came the day when everything changed.
Acts 9:3-6 (NIV)
As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him.
He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?"
- "Who are you, Lord?" Saul asked. "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting," he replied. "Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do."
God never forgot Paul’s sin. It is recorded in the Bible, the Word of God.- Paul also remembered his sin.