Why Would God’s Spirit Cause People to Loathe Themselves and Be Ashamed?
Nov 25, 2024
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The podcast dives into the paradox of feeling shame despite receiving God's Spirit, questioning Ezekiel's contrasting messages. It explores how awareness of sin can grow as one draws closer to God, linking maturity with the realization of personal shortcomings. The discussions reveal how holiness can transform self-perception, discussing figures like Jesus and Isaiah. Ultimately, it emphasizes that understanding sin can deepen love for God while challenging misconceptions about grace and shame in the Christian faith.
Acknowledging personal sinfulness after receiving God's Spirit leads to genuine repentance and a deeper appreciation of God's grace.
An increased awareness of one's sinful nature often accompanies a closer relationship with God, revealing profound transformation and love for Jesus.
Deep dives
Understanding Sin and Shame in the New Covenant
The discussion revolves around Ezekiel's prophetic writings, highlighting a transitional aspect of sin awareness among God's people after receiving His Spirit. The passage states that upon the indwelling of the Spirit, individuals will experience shame and loathing for their past sins, which may seem contradictory to the joy and hope expected from a relationship with God. This tension is clarified by emphasizing that recognizing one's sinfulness is part of the transformation process—awareness of wrongdoing leads to genuine repentance and an appreciation of God's grace. Ultimately, this new covenant promises complete forgiveness and the gift of the Holy Spirit, which compels believers to acknowledge their failings while simultaneously embracing the hope that comes from God's mercy.
The Growth of Awareness Among Believers
The conversation touches on the idea that as individuals grow in their faith, they often become more aware of their sinful nature. This awareness does not only emerge from seeing one's past mistakes, but also from an increased understanding of God's holiness, which in turn highlights personal shortcomings. Reflections on the Apostle Paul's life illustrate this concept, as he evolves from considering himself an apostle to identifying as the greatest of sinners later in his ministry. This progression indicates that the closer one walks with God, the clearer the mirror of the law becomes, revealing deeper levels of sin and inconsistency in one's life.
The Impact of Awareness on Relationship with God
The podcast emphasizes that the awareness of sin ideally fuels a deeper love and appreciation for Jesus, rather than despair or hatred toward God. The contrasting responses to sin—one rooted in shame that drives individuals away and another that cultivates love and gratitude—are largely determined by one's understanding of the gospel. Through narratives such as that of John Newton, who acknowledged his past as a slave trader yet came to deeply love Christ, it's illustrated that facing one's sin can lead to profound transformation and commitment to God. Ultimately, recognizing sin without the grace of God can feel overwhelming, but a proper perspective on the gospel allows believers to find joy, assurance, and a desire to grow closer to God despite their failures.
Questions about why Ezekiel 36:31–32 would say, contrary to Ezekiel 39:25–26, that putting God’s Spirit into people will cause them to loathe themselves and be ashamed and whether or not it’s biblical to say that the closer you are to God, the more sinful you feel.
Why would Ezekiel 36:31–32 say that after God puts his Spirit in his people, they will loathe themselves and be ashamed for their sins when his Spirit is supposed to give us hope and joy in Christ as children of God, and doesn’t this contradict 39:25–26?
Is it biblical to say that the closer you are to God, the more sinful you feel?
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