Guilt

Guilt is a feeling of worry or unhappiness that you have because you have done something wrong, such as causing harm to another person. Guilt is the state of one who has committed an offense especially consciously. Guilt is also culpability that brings feelings of deserving censure or blame especially for imagined offenses or from a sense of inadequacy. Legally, guilt is having committed a breach of conduct such that it violates the law and involves a penalty.

Biblically, guilt is a major mental attitude sin followed often by guilty conduct. Guilt is also an emotional sin. Guilt is a motivator and as a motivator it leads to no fulfillment. Guilt eliminates grace orientation and causes emphasis on people over emphasis on God.

Perpetuated guilt destroys the benefit of divine discipline. Guilt is preoccupation with self and in the belief of the correctness of one’s behavior. Guilt is self-righteous arrogance and denial. Failure to use God's grace resources and epignosis Bible doctrine in the right lobe of the soul to deal with life’s problems leads to carnality where the sin nature controls the soul. Extended carnality means you are in denial and are building garbage in the soul.

From guilt comes restitution and it can become a way of life. You blame others and deny any wrong doing because take no responsibility for your decisions and their consequences. There is no gratitude and there is a frantic search for happiness in denial, repression and projection. Hosea 8:7.

“For they sow the wind And they reap the whirlwind. The standing grain has no heads; It yields no grain. Should it yield, strangers would swallow it up.” (Hosea 8:7, NASB)

God administers discipline to us to bring us around and to take care of guilt. Prov. 6:16-19.

“There are six things which the LORD hates, Yes, seven which are an abomination to Him: Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, And hands that shed innocent blood, A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that run rapidly to evil, A false witness who utters lies, And one who spreads strife among brothers.” (Proverbs 6:16-19, NASB)

God administers discipline to us to make us think about why we are being punished and to acknowledge or name our knows sins to God the Father using 1 John 1:9. Divine discipline is always intended to get the believer back into fellowship with God. Prov. 22:8; Col. 3:25; Gal. 6:7.

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9, NASB)

“He who sows iniquity will reap vanity, And the rod of his fury will perish.” (Proverbs 22:8, NASB)

“For he who does wrong will receive the consequences of the wrong which he has done, and that without partiality.” (Colossians 3:25, NASB)

“Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.” (Galatians 6:7, NASB)

Guilt is the designation for the violation of a doctrine. It is the fact of being a violator. Guilt feelings are just that, feelings resulting from the old sin nature response to your guilt. The feelings accompanied with conviction are bona fide.

Conviction is the bona fide soul response to a violation. Guilt is the fact of the violation. Pain is the feeling often accompanying conviction. Feeling guilty, sorry, sad, may be the feelings accompanying guilt reaction.

Greek Terms for Guilt

In Romans 3:19, “accountable” is ὑπόδικος (hupodikos) and means to be stripped in deficiency, therefore guilty.

"Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, so that every mouth may be closed and all the world may become accountable to God;" (Romans 3:19, NASB)

In Matthew 26:66 and Mark 14:64, “deserves” is ἔνοχος (enochos) and in 1 Cor. 11:27 and James 2:10, “guilty” means one who is guilty of anything, held in it so he can’t escape worthy punishment.

"what do you think?" They answered, "He deserves death!"" (Matthew 26:66, NASB)

""You have heard the blasphemy; how does it seem to you?" And they all condemned Him to be deserving of death." (Mark 14:64, NASB)

"Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord." (1 Corinthians 11:27, NASB)

"For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all." (James 2:10, NASB)

In Matthew 23:18, “obligated” is ὀφείλω (opheilō) and means to be a debtor, in violation to that which you by necessity must pay.

" "And, 'Whoever swears by the altar, that is nothing, but whoever swears by the offering on it, he is obligated.' " (Matthew 23:18, NASB)

Hebrew terms for guilt

In Genesis 26:10, “guilt” is אשׁם ('âshâm) and is a masculine noun meaning guilt, offense a fault, a violation.

"Abimelech said, "What is this you have done to us? One of the people might easily have lain with your wife, and you would have brought guilt upon us."" (Genesis 26:10, NASB)

In Numbers 35:31, “guilty” is רשׁע (râshâ‛) and means one guilty of a crime and deserving judgment.

"'Moreover, you shall not take ransom for the life of a murderer who is guilty of death, but he shall surely be put to death." (Numbers 35:31, NASB)

In Genesis 42:21 and Ezra 10:19, “guilty” is אשׁם ('âshêm) and is an adjective use of guilty.

"Then they said to one another, "Truly we are guilty concerning our brother, because we saw the distress of his soul when he pleaded with us, yet we would not listen; therefore this distress has come upon us."" (Genesis 42:21, NASB)

"They pledged to put away their wives, and being guilty, they offered a ram of the flock for their offense." (Ezra 10:19, NASB)

In Proverbs 30:10 and Ezekiel 22:4 “guilty” and in Zechariah 11:5 “unpunished” is אשׁם ('âsham), a verb to be guilty, to offend, commit an offence, to do a wrong.

"Do not slander a slave to his master, Or he will curse you and you will be found guilty." (Proverbs 30:10, NASB)

""You have become guilty by the blood which you have shed, and defiled by your idols which you have made. Thus you have brought your day near and have come to your years; therefore I have made you a reproach to the nations and a mocking to all the lands." (Ezekiel 22:4, NASB)

""Those who buy them slay them and go unpunished, and each of those who sell them says, 'Blessed be the LORD, for I have become rich!' And their own shepherds have no pity on them." (Zechariah 11:5, NASB)