Jesus Bears our Guilt, Fear and Shame

Maybe this is the first time you have heard that Jesus bears our guilt, fear and shame. Or maybe today is a day that you need to be reminded. Read on to discover this truth or to be encouraged by it, and then live restored.

When Jesus died on the cross, he took away the guilt, fear and shame that are consequences of our sin. But we still wrestle with these things today, don’t we? These culturally engrained burdens impact how we think and respond in our relationships with ourselves and others, as well as how we experience connection in our spiritual lives.    

The bloodshed of salvation removing guilt, fear and shame from our lives is a hard thing to wrap our heads around when we still carry the heaviness in our hearts. But the more we exercise the posture of having a servant’s heart, as Jesus demonstrated during his life, death and resurrection, we can feel our earthly troubles melt away and be comforted by the promise of salvation. And through our actions and behaviours, when we reflect the light of Jesus’ character, we can demonstrate the sacrifice of putting our discomfort aside to uplift and serve someone else.  

In the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, we can read accounts of Jesus’ ministry on earth, his crucifixion, and his resurrection. Our lives, too, are living stories that people read, starting with our body language, the attitudes we portray, and the words we share. And through God’s people demonstrating love, others can directly experience the power of what a relationship with Jesus holds.  

The undeserved grace and mercy extended through our Creator sending his Son to die for mankind’s sin is the same grace and mercy we ought to extend to our neighbours. Why? When Jesus encountered sin on earth, he didn’t use shame or guilt or fear to control people into a different behaviour. He chose to cover their shame, guilt and fear, putting the relationship before making judgements and before needing to be proven right. Despite maybe thinking we know what’s right, and feeling inclined to change someone’s mind or their beliefs that conflict with ours, honouring others where they’re at creates a pathway of trust for them to form a relationship with Jesus, through us, which leads to faith in God. When we choose to honour someone where they’re at, people can witness this as Jesus’ character reflecting outward through our actions of putting others before ourselves. 

Jesus dying on the cross is not just something that happened historically. We still live in sin every day, so this message is something we need to be reminded of daily, in addition to showing others daily. As we celebrate Easter, our awareness of what Jesus dying on the cross for our sins means for our lives ought to extend into our interactions with strangers, our friends and family, our neighbours and our communities. You never know the impact your actions might have on someone and how your behaviour might prompt reflection and change in someone else. 

Although the work of Jesus paying for the sins of mankind has been completed, that doesn’t mean our work is finished. Love covers sin and that includes the shame, guilt and fear that come from sin. It is our commitment to use this love to serve one another and to be good stewards of God’s grace. When we serve others and invite them to hear of the good news of Jesus dying for our sins, for our shame, fear and guilt, we are spiritually feeding people and providing shelter in God’s promise of eternal life. When we take the time to open our doors, drop our judgements, and uplift our neighbours through sacrificial love, we can offer people a belonging they’ve never experienced. They are offered a seat at the table of the kingdom of God, where bread is broken, blood has been shed and broken lives are restored.  

From all of us at TWR Canada, we'd like to wish you a Happy Easter and invite you to share the message of salvation with your neighbour today!