“Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.”
Hebrews 10:22-23 (NIV)
What a beautiful thought, to have our conscience cleansed, by drawing near to God, who is always faithful to His promises. There’s no greater feeling than to be forgiven and to forgive others.
Human beings have a natural awareness of right and wrong, born with an inherited compass that determines our own guilt, which is called our conscience. Yet, guilt and shame are not good long term motivators. Human guilt often produces a tendency to fear and hide from God, as illustrated in the garden scene of Genesis.
God’s love casts out all fear and changes a human heart in a way that motivates them for the long term. Most people don’t realize how much God loves them, but when they do, it’s His love and kindness that draws us in, keeps the faith and forms a relationship with Him for the long term. Scripture tells us that it’s not guilt, but the lovingkindness of God that leads to repentance and transformation. (Romans 2:4)
Christianity is the only religion in the world with a God who suffered for us. He demonstrates His love for us in the passion and sacrifice of Christ. God’s love expressed through action, changes our hearts and brings us closer to Him. Sometimes people don’t think much about God until they are in some sort of pain.
C.S. Lewis said that God whispers to us in our pleasure, but shouts to us in our pain.
If God shouts to us in our pain, He shouts in words of love. He shouts to tell us that we don’t need to beg for His love, because He has loved us from the womb. He also shouts to say that He already paid the greatest price for our salvation, and we don’t need to earn what He gave as a free gift.
He shouts to say He loves us, He knows us and asks that we give Him our whole heart in return.
Some people are blind to this incredible love, mercy and grace that God showers upon us. Once a person realizes how much God has always loved them, it’s life changing. It sounds cliche, but it’s still true that what the world really needs now is love.
I was once blind to God’s love at the age of 19. No one needed to point out my sins, because I had a healthy, working conscience. What I didn’t know was how much God loved me, just as I am.
I thought that God only loves really good people, who never do anything wrong. When I finally came honestly to Him, asking for forgiveness, I not only knew I was forgiven, but received a bombshell of insight in that very moment. I knew from somewhere deep within, for the first time in my life, that God really loved me just as I am. His love changed me and set me in a new direction ever since.
Generation Z has been the generation that is now seeking spiritual renewal and making commitments of faith in Jesus. Sadly, the statistics have always shown that suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death among people between the ages 10-34, but something is starting to change among that generation. There has been a reversal in the trend of disinterest in God to a spiritual renewal of faith among Generation Z.
In this recent trend, Pew research now indicates that Gen Z is more religious than those generations before them. The recent collection of survey data from secular and interdenominational surveys, reveal that Gen Z is in the midst of a spiritual rebound. Their spiritual renewal mostly embraces Christianity, but spans all denominations, making a shift from quantity to quality of faith. By God’s grace, hope is coming to the world through our youth.
What if the very generation that once led the world in suicide deaths, is now becoming a generation of faith filled souls on fire? God has been revealing His love to Gen Z, and that can only be a work of divine grace and compassion. I praise God for this spiritual awakening because they are the future of the world.
Shame and guilt will not change a heart for the long term, only God’s unconditional love can renew a soul and set it on fire for God. His love is a conscience cleansing love, and He is working in one person at a time, drawing souls with the kind of love that brings lasting peace and real purpose in life.
Lord, we pray that you reveal your love to all young people in the world, and send your conscience cleansing love to reign over every nation, for the glory of God. Amen
