HopeLives365

Here's an eternal truth: God never leads His children otherwise than they would choose to be led if they could see the end from the beginning and discern the glory of the purpose which they are fulfilling as coworkers for Him.

This is Hope Lives 365 with Pastor Mark Finley. Today's message: "For Burdens Christians Need Not Bear." Enjoy, and remember you can always catch up with past messages and stay up-to-date with Hope Lives 365 and Pastor Mark by going to HopeLives365.com. And now, Pastor Mark Finley.

Mark Finley: The story is told of an African farmer driving his horses and wagon down a narrow, winding dirt road through the jungle. Seeing a group of primitive tribesmen carrying heavy burdens upon their heads, he stopped to give them a ride. Quickly they piled into the back of the wagon. After a few moments, he noticed that they still had the heavy loads upon their heads in traditional African style. He looked back and said, "Why don't you put your loads down?" "Oh," the leader said, "You were kind enough to give us a ride. The least we can do is bear our own burdens."

Many Christians are like that. They're bearing their own burdens. They're carrying heavy loads which keep them from having the joy God desires. Let's look at four burdens that Christians need not bear. We find this in Romans, the eighth chapter. Romans chapter eight, and we're going to start there with verse one and read verses one to four. Four things, four burdens that Christians do not bear.

The scripture puts it this way: "There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit."

Notice what scripture says. The first thing that Christians do not need to bear is condemnation. Notice what Romans 8:1 says: "Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." No condemnation for the person who's walking with Jesus. The good news of the gospel is that Christ came to condemn sin, not sinners.

To those who believe and accept the generous provisions of the gospel and who by faith commit themselves to loving obedience, Christ offers justification and freedom. There may be deficiencies in the believer's character, but when the efforts are put forth to this end—when our best efforts are put forth—Jesus accepts our effort as our best service and He makes up for the deficiency with His own divine merit.

Let me be plain. We are saved by grace and grace alone. Ephesians 2:8 says, "For by grace are you saved through faith; it's the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast." But then it says we are created, verse 10, created for good works. So we come to Christ as we are. The Holy Spirit changes us and transforms our lives.

Out of the love that Christ has for us, and because we are saved by grace, we then perform good works. We do good works not in order to be saved, but because we are saved. Apple trees do not produce apples to become apple trees; they produce apples because they are apple trees. Grapevines don't produce grapes to become grapevines, but because they are grapevines. Christians don't do good works in order to become Christians, but because they are Christians.

The scripture says there's no condemnation to those that are in Christ Jesus. What does it mean to be in Christ Jesus? It implies a daily, living union with Christ. The word "condemnation" means judgment against somebody. It's a legal term which means you're accused, you're found guilty, you're condemned. The sentence is passed and the penalty is administered. Why is it that Christians need not bear the continual guilt of a nagging conscience?

In Galatians chapter 3 verse 13, the scripture tells us: "Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written, 'Cursed is everyone who's hung on the tree.'" Christ redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might be to the Gentiles through Jesus Christ, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit. You see, Christ redeems us from the curse of the law so that we can receive the promises of God.

What was the promise that God gave to Abraham? That He would lead them and his children to lead his children and their children into the promised land, that ultimately Israel would be led to the promised land. What was the promise given to Abraham? That the Messiah would come. So through the Abrahamic line, Israel was led to the promised land. Through the Abrahamic line, the Messiah came.

And Jesus Christ was born to deliver us from the guilt and shame and condemnation of sin. You see, the cross is the practical answer to guilt. There are two kinds of guilt which plague Christians. I call them specific guilt and non-specific guilt. Specific guilt is the guilt that we feel because of some specific failure or sin. It is the guilt from a condemning conscience in the past or the present.

In this kind of guilt, if someone said, "Why are you guilty?" you could easily say, "I feel guilty because I stole something. I feel guilty because I got angry or I lied. I feel guilty because I lost my temper." Guilt is tied to some specific act. The answer is found in confession at the cross. In the book of John, 1 John chapter 1 verse 9, it says, "If we confess our sins, Christ is just to forgive us our sins." So specific guilt is dealt with as we confess our sins.

Now, is guilt good or bad? If I'm not living in harmony with God's will and I'm out of harmony with God's will and I feel guilty because of that, and that guilt drives me to Jesus to confess my sin, guilt is a good thing. But if I've confessed that sin and the devil keeps bringing it to my mind again and again and again, and I feel constantly guilty, guilt can strangle my joy.

Guilt can be like a kick in the stomach that knocks my spiritual breath away. Guilt can be like a prison and it can be like a heavy burden. In a book of counsel written to ministers, I read: "But though Jesus sees the guilt of the past, He speaks pardon, and we should not dishonor Him by doubting His love. The feeling of guiltiness must be laid at the foot of the cross, or it will poison the springs of life. When Satan thrusts his threatenings upon you, turn from them and comfort your soul with the promises of God."

So here in this book written for pastors called *Testimonies to Ministers*, the author writes that the feelings of guiltiness can poison the springs of life. So pastors should be sharing with their congregations that through Jesus and by Jesus and because of Jesus, our sins can be forgiven. We need not let guilt be a burden that crushes out our joy. So there are two kinds of guilt. The first is specific guilt: we've committed a sin and there's guilt because of that.

The second kind of guilt is non-specific. It's a vague sense of unworthiness. It's like a thick fog that surrounds us. It manifests itself in thoughts like these: "Oh, I'm not praying enough," so I feel guilty. "Oh, I'm not studying the Bible enough," so I feel guilty. "Oh, I'm not patient enough," so I feel guilty. "I'm not unselfish enough," so I feel guilty. "I messed up in raising my children." In other words, there's this vague sense of guilt.

It's this nagging guilt that's like a toothache, so painful that you can't think about anything else. Remember, the only one who has ever been perfect was Jesus. He prayed enough. He studied the scriptures enough. He was patient enough. He was unselfish enough. So I accept His "enough." United with Him, it is enough. Committed to Him, it is enough. Loving Him, it is enough.

1 John chapter 3 verse 1 says, "How great is the love the Father has lavished upon us, that we should be called the children of God." And what are we? We are the children of God. When we come to Christ, our guilt is gone. So in Christ, there's no condemnation for the Christian. Lay condemnation at the foot of the cross and accept His forgiveness.

A little girl had broken her grandmother's vase, and her heart was broken too. "Oh, Granny," she cried, "can we ever fix it?" "I think so, dear," her grandmother replied tenderly. "We'll work, we'll take it to the shop in the city where a man does this sort of work. I believe he can help us." The vase was taken to an expert who mended glass and china. A short time later, it was back with the break scarcely detectable.

The little girl said, "Oh Granny, oh Granny," the tiny tot gasped when she saw the restored treasure. "That's just like being a Christian, isn't it? Satan breaks our hearts and lives, but Jesus mends them and we're just as good as new." God takes these sinful, broken lives of ours and through the power of His precious blood, forgives the past and makes us whole. Now, there's one other thing that I really should mention.

Guest (Male): We'll be right back with Pastor Mark Finley. We thank you for listening and hope you're enjoying today's message. Our mission is to attractively present the Christ-centered biblical truths of scripture in a practical, relevant way to people around the world, so that they may experience the abundant life that Christ offers and effectively share with confidence His life-changing truths with others. You can support this ministry and help us reach even more by going to HopeLives365.com/donate. And now, back to Pastor Mark Finley.

Mark Finley: The apostle Paul in the book of Acts says that we have a conscience void of offense toward God and man. One of the reasons we have a guilty conscience is because we have moral guilt. And in that moral guilt, we've broken God's law. The way to deal with moral guilt is to confess our sin and believe God can mend us. But there's also something called psychological guilt.

If you confess your sin and you're still experiencing psychological guilt, there may be another reason. It may be that God wants you to act and repair the fence that you have broken. Now, you're forgiven by God; your moral guilt is gone. But there may be some aught between you and somebody else. I was holding evangelistic meetings in a public auditorium with hundreds of people coming in a large city in America. It was actually a city in New England, one of the New England cities.

I was preparing a young man for baptism. He had come to Christ in our meetings. He was rejoicing in the truths of the Bible. As I was preparing him for baptism, he said, "But Pastor, I feel so guilty." I said, "Well, you go into the water. As you go under the water, you have that sense of being cleansed from sin, cleansed from guilt. You come up a new man in Christ, as Romans 6 says. You die to the old, you come up in the new." But he said, "Pastor, there's something wrong." I said, "Well, you want to tell me about it?"

He said, "A number of years ago, when I was a young man, I was part of a gang. Our gang broke into homes in this city. One home we broke into was a physician's home, a doctor's home. We robbed a stereo set and some other electronic equipment." He said, "I could never get that out of my mind. I don't feel comfortable. I've asked God to forgive me, but I still have this nagging guilt. What should I do?" I said, "Look, are you willing to reimburse some of the things you have stolen?" "Oh, yes, Pastor, I'm willing to do that."

I said, "Let me make a call to that—do you know the doctor's name?" "Yes, I do." "Let me make a call to that home. I'll look up the phone number. I won't tell him who I'm calling for, but I'll tell him that you're willing to reimburse." So I called that doctor, and his—it was an older man now—his wife answered the phone, or his daughter rather answered the phone. I said, "This is Pastor Mark Finley. I am calling on behalf of a young man." I didn't give his name, of course.

And I said, "Do you remember an incident that took place in your home a number of years ago?" "Yes, Pastor, we remember that." "Where you were robbed?" "Yes, it really traumatized us. Electronic equipment was taken." "Yes, Pastor." I said, "I know who the young man is. But he's come to Christ. His life has been changed. His life has been totally transformed. And he would like to pay you back for what he took."

There was silence on the other end. The doctor's daughter said, "Could you wait a minute?" She went and talked to the doctor. She came back and said, "You don't know how much this phone call has meant to us. It's given us a sense of peace. Tell that young man he doesn't have to pay one penny back." I went to him and told him, "I've talked to the doctor, his doctor's family, his daughter. You don't have to pay one penny back." And there was like a big burden lifted off this young man's back.

There are times when I do marriage counseling and there is a separation or divorce that cannot be repaired. The husband maybe has really left the family. He comes to Christ. There's no way of going back. Maybe his previous wife has been remarried, but he still feels guilty about some of his actions. I've often counseled him, "Write a short note to your wife. Tell her that you're sorry. Tell her that you regret things that you've done, but you're a new man in Christ now."

There are times that parents write notes to their loved ones—their father, their mother. Times that friends are reconciled. So there are two types of guilt: moral guilt and psychological guilt. If you confess your sin to God, you need to know your sin is forgiven. God does not wait until you write the letter, make the phone call, et cetera. Your sin is forgiven. But if you continue to feel perpetual guilt, it may be necessary as you pray about it to act.

There's no condemnation to those that are in Christ Jesus. Jesus takes that burden off our shoulder. We don't have to carry that burden. But there's something else that we are delivered from. There's another burden that we don't have to carry. First, there's no condemnation. Second, there is no domination. Romans chapter 8 verse 15 and 16.

The scripture puts it this way: "For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry 'Abba, Father.' The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God." So it says here in the scripture, you did not receive the spirit of bondage. So we're no longer in bondage. Sin does not dominate us. Sin remains, but it does not reign.

God does not offer us bondage resulting in slavery, but adoption resulting in sonship. Bondage implies servitude. Bondage implies slavery. Bondage implies sin. But sonship indicates liberty, freedom, and release. A slave has no part in the inheritance. Not life, but death awaits him. But when by faith we are justified and born again of the Holy Spirit, we pass from slavery to sonship. We're no longer dominated, no longer in bondage to the sin that has held us down.

Let me give you an illustration of this. I was holding evangelistic meetings in Moscow. And as we were there in Moscow, I remember on one specific occasion, I was preaching in the Olympic Stadium. In the Olympic Stadium, I was attacked again and again. I think the first 12 meetings—I think we had like 20 meetings there, thereabouts—the first meeting I got up and went to make the announcements for our meetings. We had music, we held the meetings, and then I got up and had my microphone.

As I got up, because we had baptized so many people in the last couple of years in Moscow into Jesus, ladies began bringing me flowers. I'd reach out and take the flowers. Finally, one lady came up the aisle. I should have known the flowers were wilted and all dead. I went to take them and she grabbed the microphone out of my hand and began to yell, "This man's the Antichrist! This man's the Antichrist!"

And her followers jumped up and rushed the stage to attack me. Now, who was this woman? Her name was Mary David Christ, one of the leading cult leaders in the former Soviet Union. "Mary" because she believed she was the mother of the new Christ. "David" because she believed the child she was bearing would be the king and the Christ and rule. She had 22,000 followers. They were called the White Knights.

And they believed that they were the holy angels that were thrown out of heaven, and they believed they came on earth to battle evil. Because I was preaching from the Bible and preaching Jesus, they believed I was evil. And so they attacked us night after night after night. We finally—I had baptized many KGB officers, led them to Christ. Baptized many Russian military officers, led them to Christ. And so they began to ring the stage and protect me so that these crazy people couldn't jump me on the stage anymore.

One night they did get on the stage, and I'll tell you, I had to move pretty quickly before the guards came up and took them away. But anyway, years later I was in Russia preaching because we established there 12 new churches in Moscow. Raised up these churches, planted them, and saw scores of people now worshipping. After one of the services, a young man came up to me and he said, "Pastor, do you remember me?" I said, "No, I don't remember you at all. Thousands of people came to the meeting."

"Well, Pastor, I was in the Olympic Stadium." "You were there?" "Yeah, I was there. And Pastor, I came to Christ there." "You did?" "And now, Pastor, I am also an associate pastor in this church." I said, "That's amazing." Then he kind of, with a smile, said, "It's a good thing you don't remember me." I said, "Why?" He said, "Because I was in the balcony throwing pebbles at you when you were preaching."

Jesus says that in Christ there is no bondage. This man, this young man, was delivered from any kind of bondage that he was in. And we saw hundreds and hundreds—we baptized over 3,000 people into the Lord Jesus, into the truth of His word, and they're rejoicing in Christ in Moscow in the meetings. There's no condemnation in Christ. There's no domination in Christ.

Thirdly, there is no frustration in Christ. In Romans 8:28, I read: "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him and have been called according to His purpose." Now, the King James Version says, "We know that all things work together for good to them that love Him." The Amplified Version says, "We know and are assured that God, being a partner in their labor, all things work together for good and are fitting into His plan."

So God does not tell us that all things are good. I like the way it says, "And we know that in all things God works for good." So in everything we go through in life, God is working for our good. God does not offer us frustration resulting in confusion, but divine guidance resulting in direction. The event, the circumstances, the occasion may not be good, but God turns it into good for those who love Him.

The cross was not good. The cross was ugly. It was an instrument of death and torture. But Jesus turned it into a place of life. What perplexing circumstances are you facing right now? What changes are you experiencing? What trouble are you in? What pain are you experiencing right now? God does not offer frustration but direction. He is working out a plan for your life. Lay all your frustrations at the foot of the cross. Accept by faith His hidden purpose. He is working out His plan for your life.

Guest (Male): You've been listening to Hope Lives 365 with Pastor Mark Finley. We hope you've enjoyed today's message and remind you that you can find more in our many ministry resources at HopeLives365.com. And you can support this ministry by going to HopeLives365.com/donate. And now, a final thought from Pastor Mark.

Mark Finley: When we don't understand with our heads, our hearts can still trust because whatever challenge we go through, whatever difficulty we go through, whatever heartache we go through, God is still there. Four burdens you don't have to bear. Don't bear the burden of condemnation. God wants to forgive you. Don't bear the burden of domination by sin that you seem you can't control.

God wants to deliver you. Trust in His strength. Don't bear the burden of being frustrated because you don't understand everything about life. Come to the point in your life where you believe that God will work good out of the most horrible circumstance in your life. And when you feel separated from Christ and very far away from Him, know that nothing in this world can separate us from Christ and trust His promises.

Let's pray. Father in heaven, deliver us from the condemnation of guilt. Take away the bondage of sin and the domination of evil. Grant to us Your power and strength. Father, when we feel frustrated because we don't understand, come into our lives and help us to trust. And when we feel darkness all around us, O my Father, help us to know that nothing, nothing, nothing can separate us from the love of Christ. In Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

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