I remember a young man who upon stepping out of the baptistery said, “God has forgiven me. Now I need to forgive myself.” He was right.

Failure to forgive oneself provides Satan with a powerful tool for his destructive purposes. Although God would have us focus upon living the new life He has made possible, Satan can use the burden of past guilt to drag a soul through the mire. Energy and thoughts which should be expended upon gratitude and service can be drawn into an ever descending spiral of self-condemnation.

When scripture tells us to forgive as God has forgiven (Ephesians 4:29), this principle includes forgiving ourselves. Listen to how God liberates His people, “I will remember their sons no more” (Hebrews 8:12). God wants us to know we are free from the burden of sin and to live free of past guilt. We need not mull over or feel the weight of past failures. Christ’s blood is more powerful than our past sins!

Let’s not allow Satan to use something against us which God has taken away and remembers no more.

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Barry Newton

Barry has worked with congregations in Texas, California and Brazil. He and his wife Sofia have two sons. He believes we should love God above all and that to honor this principle will shape daily decisions and silence competing values. Furthermore, we ought to love people in those ways we would like to be treated.

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