Christ defeats the pain of a guilty conscience

Leviticus 18; Psalm 22; Ecclesiastes 1; 1 Timothy 3

The topic headline in my Bible for Leviticus 18 is “Unlawful Sexual Relations” and the list, mostly about incest, covers everything else humanity comes up with. My devotional guide has this to say: “Just because this is the first time that some prohibitions have been articulated in the Bible does not necessarily mean that this is the first time anyone thought of them or condemned the practices in question. Before murder is actually prohibited as such, Cain commits it, is condemned for it, and is punished. The same is true for many actions treated in the Law of Moses. Much of the Law of God is written on the human conscience, so that societies without Scripture erect moral structures which, however different from the values of Scripture, overlap with Scripture in important and revealing ways.”

Having God’s laws written on our conscience no doubt keeps much of the world from total chaos. Without a general sense of right and wrong, anarchy would take over. I shudder thinking about what the world would be like. I also shudder to think about the weight of guilt that is on the lot of us. I know my own sins, both deeds and evil thoughts. I watch the news and see depravity in its headlines. Just hours after Easter celebrations, I’m thinking of the horror of the cross where Jesus bore the sin of the world, all of it, every person’s sin from the beginning to the end of time. I shudder and cannot imagine how awful His pain.

On the cross, Jesus spoke the first few words of Psalm 22. He died before saying all this psalm where David describes His death in vivid prophetic poetry:

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning? . . . . But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by mankind and despised by the people. All who see me mock me; they make mouths at me; they wag their heads; “He trusts in the Lord; let him deliver him; let him rescue him, for he delights in him!” . . . . I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; it is melted within my breast; my strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to my jaws; you lay me in the dust of death. . . . For dogs encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet— I can count all my bones— they stare and gloat over me; they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots . . . . You who fear the Lord, praise him! All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him, and stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel! For he has not despised or abhorred the affliction of the afflicted, and he has not hidden his face from him, but has heard, when he cried to him . . . . All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations shall worship before you . . . . For kingship belongs to the Lord, and he rules over the nations. All the prosperous of the earth eat and worship; before him shall bow all who go down to the dust, even the one who could not keep himself alive. Posterity shall serve him; it shall be told of the Lord to the coming generation; they shall come and proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn, that he has done it. (Psalm 22:1–31, in part)

In the beginning of His horrors, He felt forsaken and as the psalm goes on to describe the rejection of man it also describes the assurance — God has not hidden His face but has heard His cries and turned this horror into the greatest of all victories. He would soon rise from the grave declaring His righteousness and proclaiming salvation for all who put their faith in Him. Jesus shouted, “It is finished” and Jesus wins!

APPLY: And because He defeated all that guilt and shame can do to us, we who believe in Him are also winners. Nothing can change the victory of Jesus over death. Today I’m filled with gratitude and worship for the One who gives me freedom from guilt and shame and life everlasting. Even as I still battle my selfish and sinful self, I have His assurance that one day, that battle will end and I will be with Him forever.