Through the death of Jesus Christ, God has provided a means of removing guilt, thus opening the way for believers to know the blessings of a right relationship with him.
The removal of guilt is God's work
Jeremiah 2:22, Jeremiah 50:20; Romans 8:33 “Justify” is a legal term which includes the meaning “to declare not guilty”. See also 2 Samuel 24:10 parallel 1 Chronicles 21:8; Psalm 32:1–5; Isaiah 6:1–6
Although you wash with lye and use an abundance of soap, the stain of your guilt is still before Me,” declares the Lord GOD.
In those days and at that time, declares the LORD, a search will be made for Israel’s guilt, but there will be none, and for Judah’s sins, but they will not be found; for I will forgive the remnant I preserve.
Who will bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies.
The removal of guilt requires confession
Psalm 32:5 See also 2 Samuel 24:10 parallel 1 Chronicles 21:8; Psalm 51:14; Jeremiah 3:12–13; Acts 11:21; Romans 2:4; 2 Timothy 2:25; 1 John 1:8–9
Then I acknowledged my sin to You and did not hide my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,” and You forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah
The removal of guilt by the OT sacrificial system
Guilt removed by the guilt offering
Leviticus 6:6–7 See also Leviticus 19:20–22; Ezra 10:18–19
Then he must bring to the priest his guilt offering to the LORD: an unblemished ram of proper value from the flock. In this way the priest will make atonement for him before the LORD, and he will be forgiven for anything he may have done to incur guilt.”
Guilt removed by the sin offering
Numbers 15:27–28 See also Leviticus 5:5–6; Numbers 6:9–11
Also, if one person sins unintentionally, he is to present a year-old female goat as a sin offering. And the priest shall make atonement before the LORD on behalf of the person who erred by sinning unintentionally; and when atonement has been made for him, he will be forgiven.
Guilt removed by the Day of Atonement
Animal sacrifices are ultimately ineffective in removing guilt
Hebrews 10:1–4 See also Hebrews 9:9
For the law is only a shadow of the good things to come, not the realities themselves. It can never, by the same sacrifices offered year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. If it could, would not the offerings have ceased? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt the guilt of their sins. Instead, those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins, because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
The removal of guilt by Jesus Christ's sacrificial death
Isaiah 53:10–12 This prophecy finds its ultimate fulfilment in the person of Jesus Christ; Hebrews 9:14 See also John 1:29 The point of John's image is that Jesus Christ will be sacrificed, as lambs were, to remove people's guilt; Romans 5:9 The blood of Jesus Christ referred to here is his shed blood, and therefore speaks of his (sacrificial) death; 2 Corinthians 5:21 Human guilt is transferred to Jesus Christ, in order that believers might become righteous before God; Titus 2:14; Hebrews 9:28, Hebrews 10:11–14; 1 John 1:7
Yet it was the LORD’s will to crush Him and to cause Him to suffer; and when His soul is made a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, and the good pleasure of the LORD will prosper in His hand. After the anguish of His soul, He will see the light of life and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant will justify many, and He will bear their iniquities. Therefore I will allot Him a portion with the great, and He will divide the spoils with the strong, because He has poured out His life unto death, and He was numbered with the transgressors. Yet He bore the sin of many and made intercession for the transgressors.
how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself unblemished to God, purify our consciences from works of death, so that we may serve the living God!
The results of guilt being removed
A clean conscience
Peace with God
Isaiah 53:5; Romans 5:1; Colossians 1:19–20
Access into God's presence
Joy
Hope
A desire to worship God
A desire to serve God
Related themes
Dictionary of Bible Themes © 1999 Martin Manser, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Bible Aquifer. Formatted for this site, with Scripture from the Berean Standard Bible.