CHRISTIANS HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF EXPERIENCING AMAZING FREEDOM FROM GUILT AND REGRET. THEY SLEEP WELL. THEY SMILE. THEY ARE AT PEACE.

HAVE HOPE – HAVE CHRISTIAN PRIVILEGE

People say there is no freedom in a religion that restricts your behaviors, yet in their “freedom,” they have become slaves to guilt, regret and the consequences of their actions. They’ve hurt people with their selfishness and they know it’s wrong. They don’t sleep. They don’t have peace. They don’t have hope. There is a heaviness on their lives. But you can have hope.

I was in the Mountain Phase of Ranger School when I prayed. I didn’t know God, but I knew I was at the end of my strength and God was the only place I could think to turn. Sitting in the mess hall I bowed my head. Amazingly, my strength was instantly renewed, but I wasn’t saved yet. I still had years of personal desires to pursue and a marriage to wreck before I realized that no matter how good I thought I was; how smart, how capable, how wise, I was wicked in my heart. Finally, I turned to Jesus, and God forgave me.

Over 30 years have passed since I accepted Jesus as my savior; since I accepted his forgiveness. My life has played out in incredible ways. Not perfect, not without significant challenges and not particularly financially blessed, but I’m celebrating 31 years of marriage this year, three grown kids, one grandbaby and with hope for the future… eternity.

God’s forgiveness is the start. That comes from accepting Jesus as your Lord and savior. Obedience to God’s word follows and creates a life free from guilt and regret. Not magic, but guidance from God you can trust so you stop doing the dumb things you were doing that created your problems in the first place. Live life in freedom. With hope.

For the ‘intellectuals’ out there, know that the evidence from science, history and philosophy leave no doubt as to the trustworthiness of Scripture and the Christian faith. If you are seeking truth and not an agenda, I dare you to take an objective look. I have. The secular arguments for the origin of the Universe, the origin of life, the evolution of life, the empty tomb and corruption of Scripture have failed miserably. You can be an intellectual and a Christian. Frankly, you can’t be a truth-seeking intellectual without being a Christian.

Christians Have So Many Privileges. It Just Isn’t Fair

Christians don’t have advantages because of anything they’ve done, but because of what Jesus has done. The advantages are real and free. They are a free gift from a merciful God. You can’t be good enough on your own. You can’t earn these advantages, but you can accept these advantages by recognizing you are sinful in your own nature and in need of a merciful God’s forgiveness. That forgiveness and all of the advantages come through accepting the sacrifice Jesus made on your behalf.

Christian Privilege: Christians get to use the Eternal Security Precheck line

No crowds and you don’t have to take off your shoes or belt. You are cleared to pass in Jesus’ name. Or you can choose to carry your own luggage through security hoping the scanner won’t pick up on your guilt, regret, unpaid debts and fear.

Christian Privilege: Christians are Not-Guilty

It seems so unfair that a child of God, the judge, gets preferential treatment until you realize that everyone has the ability to enter into His family and be treated with compassion and not judgement. The challenge many people have is that they would have to give up the belief that they have everything under control; that they know everything and make all of the correct decisions. They’d have to accept that they really are a sinful person, selfish and rationalizing. You can choose to stay on the judgement side of God or on the family side of God.

Christian Privilege: Christian Debt is Gone, Not Hidden

You can’t erase the consequences of your bad behaviors. None of us can, but with God in the name of Jesus, the debt that comes from our sinful behaviors can be forgiven. Being saved doesn’t heal hurts you’ve caused, but it does mean that you know how to react in the proper manner through repentance, seeking forgiveness and in service. It means you are commanded not to repeat harmful behaviors and therefore stack up guilt. Christians have the privilege of knowing the debt they have to God because of their sin is gone, not just filed away for a later day. Non-Christians can improve their behaviors, serve others and be nice. They can seek to heal wounds they’ve caused, but their sin of pride in their own godliness sets them apart from true godliness. Their sin is held in record until the day they have to answer for themselves.

Christian Privilege: Christians Get to Use the VIP Entrance

The narrow gate is not crowded. In spite of the free ticket to enter the narrow gate, most will not accept it. They’d rather buck against the evidence and demand sovereignty over their own lives. Jesus says, “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. For the gate is narrow and the way is constricted that leads to life, and there are few who find it.” – Matthew 7:13-14

Christian Privilege: Christians Don’t Rationalize, They are Redeemed

Christians have accepted that they need God. Not a god – the God. Not a god that tells them their habits and character are fine just the way they are, but the God who is the standard for truth and justice. The God that has the best in mind for those who follow His commands. Christians have sought forgiveness from God because they know they are sinful and broken and without a hope for eternity. Christians don’t need to rationalize away their bad behaviors as ‘not sinful’ because they know they are. Christians are redeemed through the blood Jesus shed on the cross. That redemption is for all of their sins. They start the new journey in Jesus Forgiven, Healed, Used for Good and with a New Purpose. The movie of their life changes.

Christian Privilege: God Deletes the Sins of Christians

Everything changed at the cross of Jesus when He paid the debt for our sins. Our new life started at Jesus’ resurrection. That’s where Christian Privilege started. Not for Americans… America didn’t exist. It started for everyone who made the choice to believe in Jesus and accept the free gift of salvation through faith. When God looks at a Christian He sees Jesus – Perfect – Sinless. What a privilege it is to be able to mess up but know that you have another chance to do better. To learn to seek God mor fully and align your actions with God’s commands and the Holy Spirit’s guidance.

Christian Privilege: A Free Home

I think we can agree that our earthly bodies will pass away. This is a temporary residence. What is your real estate plan for eternity? Christians have the privilege of having a place in heaven prepared by Jesus. And it’s free. Jesus said, “And, if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” -John 14:3. Even here on earth, while we each have to fend for ourselves, Christians have the assurance of eternity with Jesus, while non-Christians have fear and uncertainty no matter how nice their home is. There are many who are certain about their final destination, but they believe falsely because they have not subjected their beliefs to any evidential tests such as why is there something instead of nothing, how did the Universe come about in such order, and how did life arise and how did it become so well designed. There are many more subjects that should be subjected to study and satisfaction, including the claims of your religion. If you are thinking Christianity is a hollow, “because the Bible tells me so,” religion, you haven’t taken even the first baby steps of pursuing truth or putting your worldview at risk of being disproven. Christianity stands up to the most intense scientific, historic and philosophical scrutiny possible. Ok. That’s a bit off the subject of Heavenly dwellings, but take the challenge to purse truth and you’ll end up getting a room too.

Christian Privilege: Everything Included Package

Christians will have everything they need provided for them in eternity. It’s like having an all expense paid vacation to the most exotic and beautiful place on earth – in the Universe. They know that now. They work to follow Biblical teaching of peace and faith. They work on not worrying about the stresses of this world knowing they have a better home and body to come. Christians make mistakes, but their identity is not in their mistakes, it is in Jesus. We are told to cast our worries onto Jesus and when we make a mistake, we are told to repent and turn from our ways. If we are carrying guilt, God says there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Make things right, but don’t walk around guilty and depressed. No need to plan your wardrobe for eternity. Everything will be provided.

Christian Privilege: Peace that Transcends All Understanding

If you are being attacked, the event is really personal to you. The fear, the injuries and the recovery are things you will experience. What if the attack against you is not something anyone can rescue you from? It’s not like you are being mugged in an alley and a brave passerby comes to your rescue. The attacks you are experiencing are part of your normal, everyday life. You are anxious about tomorrow, about the bills, about relationships, about status, about health, about the world. You have guilt, regrets and consequences you carry around every day because of things you’ve done in the past. No one sees those, but your stress shows in other ways. There is someone who can help you, but what if as they are rushing down the alley to help, you reject them. “Go away!” you scream. “You are weak and scrawny and I don’t believe you can help.” And yet, that person, could erase your spiritual torment and set you on a path to peace. That’s what Jesus does for Christians. We are promised that as a result of our prayer to God, with thanksgiving, we will experience a peace that transcends all understanding in Christ Jesus. A couple of things are going on. 1. Christians will help you understand Christ and be rescued from the attack, 2. Christians have peace through Jesus because our home is not in this world. We trust that despite hard times, our rest is in Him for eternity. Don’t stay in the alley.

Christian Privilege: There is No Condemnation for Those Who are in Christ Jesus

Can Jesus really help my life here on earth or is He just an eternal hope that I have to believe in? Many proclaim freedom is the ability to live in any way they want – do anything that they want. They have freedom of choice in all things and there is no reason for them not to try to maximize their pleasure here on earth; “after all, that’s all we really have.” The side effect of that liberal freedom is guilt, shame, regret, consequences (physical and mental), fear, anxiety and whole lot more. Each person’s violation of their own God-given conscience convinces them that they are not a good person. They then carry the nastiness of their self-condemnation with them everywhere, without ceasing and without a place to set it aside, except for some escape like alcohol or drugs… including depression meds. But if that freedom leads to bondage, what is true freedom. Christians are free in Christ. Because we are forgiven and because we have a prescription for living according to a true moral standard we can flush the self-condemnation, deal with any consequences our previous actions, and avoid behaving in a way that adds to our baggage of regret. True freedom and true contentment on earth comes from recognizing our sinfulness, letting Jesus forgive us, and living according to His word and not the lusts of our flesh.