Shame is a consequence of the fall into sin. Where there is no sin, there is no shame. And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed (Gen 2:25). Conversely, where there is shame, there is sin. Then [after eating of the forbidden tree] the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths (Gen 3:7).
Adam and Eve were not blind. But now, in sin, their eyes were opened, aware of their own bodies. It is the ploy of the devil to tempt us to sin and then plunge us into shame and despair by condemning us with our sin. “God tempts no one. We pray in this petition [The Sixth} that God would guard and keep us so that the devil, the world, and our sinful nature may not deceive us or mislead us into false belief, despair, and other great shame and vice. Although we are attacked by these things, we pray that we may finally overcome them and win the victory” (SC III).
Again, shame is a result of sin. It is the emotion of a guilty conscience; one that has been seared by the condemnation of God’s holy Law. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me (Ps 51:3). All day long my disgrace is before me, and shame has covered my face at the sound of the taunter and reviler, at the sight of the enemy and the avenger (Ps 44:15-16). The law is written on our hearts. Thus we rightly feel shame when confronted with our sin. We feel guilty because we are guilty! And we are ashamed.
Of course sinful men can harden their hearts and consciences to the inward preaching of the law. They willfully give themselves up to sin and reveal in it. Though they know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them (Rm 1:32). For many walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things (Phil 3:18-19).
We are called to repentance and taught to pray, And lead us not into temptation. “Great and grievous, indeed, are these dangers and temptations, which every Christian must bear. We bear them even though each one were alone by himself. So every hour that we are in this vile life, we are attacked on all sides [2 Cor 4:8], chased and hunted down. We are moved to cry out and to pray that God would not allow us to become weary and faint and to fall again into sin, shame, and unbelief. For otherwise it is impossible to overcome even the least temptation” (LC III 105).
But God, moved in mercy, covered the shame of Adam and Eve. He made garments of skin for them (Gen 3:21). And He sent His beloved Son to atone for their sin and the sin of the whole and to remove our shame. Jesus, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God (Heb 12:2). Jesus came in the flesh and bone, the skin of sinful man, and endured the suffering and shame our sin brought upon Him. For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God (2 Cor 5:21).
He bore your sin and shame upon the Cross. In Holy Baptism He gave you His forgiveness and righteousness; covered your shame and clothed you with His life. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have been clothed with Christ (Gal 3:26). Put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires (Rm 13:14). For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in Him will not be put to shame” (Rm 10:11).
Little children, abide in Him, so that when He appears we may have confidence and not shrink from Him in shame at His coming (1 Jn 2:28). Adam and Eve shrunk from God in shame. He offered to them repentance, saying, Where are you? He offers the same to you. When your shame and guilt besiege you, and your conscience terrifies you on account of sin, go to Confession. For “because of the great benefit of Absolution, and because it is otherwise useful to the conscience, Confession is retained among us [Lutheran churches]” (AC XXV 13).
Fear not. Christ has borne your shame and guilt, as surely as He has borne your sin and death. Approach your Father in heaven in confidence and trust, as a dear child, draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water (Heb 10:22). Your sin has been removed in Christ. You need not be ashamed. Those who look to Him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed (Ps 34:5).
Yours in Christ,
Pastor Mierow
Wednesday of Trinity 16
Adam and Eve were not blind. But now, in sin, their eyes were opened, aware of their own bodies. It is the ploy of the devil to tempt us to sin and then plunge us into shame and despair by condemning us with our sin. “God tempts no one. We pray in this petition [The Sixth} that God would guard and keep us so that the devil, the world, and our sinful nature may not deceive us or mislead us into false belief, despair, and other great shame and vice. Although we are attacked by these things, we pray that we may finally overcome them and win the victory” (SC III).
Again, shame is a result of sin. It is the emotion of a guilty conscience; one that has been seared by the condemnation of God’s holy Law. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me (Ps 51:3). All day long my disgrace is before me, and shame has covered my face at the sound of the taunter and reviler, at the sight of the enemy and the avenger (Ps 44:15-16). The law is written on our hearts. Thus we rightly feel shame when confronted with our sin. We feel guilty because we are guilty! And we are ashamed.
Of course sinful men can harden their hearts and consciences to the inward preaching of the law. They willfully give themselves up to sin and reveal in it. Though they know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them (Rm 1:32). For many walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things (Phil 3:18-19).
We are called to repentance and taught to pray, And lead us not into temptation. “Great and grievous, indeed, are these dangers and temptations, which every Christian must bear. We bear them even though each one were alone by himself. So every hour that we are in this vile life, we are attacked on all sides [2 Cor 4:8], chased and hunted down. We are moved to cry out and to pray that God would not allow us to become weary and faint and to fall again into sin, shame, and unbelief. For otherwise it is impossible to overcome even the least temptation” (LC III 105).
But God, moved in mercy, covered the shame of Adam and Eve. He made garments of skin for them (Gen 3:21). And He sent His beloved Son to atone for their sin and the sin of the whole and to remove our shame. Jesus, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God (Heb 12:2). Jesus came in the flesh and bone, the skin of sinful man, and endured the suffering and shame our sin brought upon Him. For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God (2 Cor 5:21).
He bore your sin and shame upon the Cross. In Holy Baptism He gave you His forgiveness and righteousness; covered your shame and clothed you with His life. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have been clothed with Christ (Gal 3:26). Put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires (Rm 13:14). For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in Him will not be put to shame” (Rm 10:11).
Little children, abide in Him, so that when He appears we may have confidence and not shrink from Him in shame at His coming (1 Jn 2:28). Adam and Eve shrunk from God in shame. He offered to them repentance, saying, Where are you? He offers the same to you. When your shame and guilt besiege you, and your conscience terrifies you on account of sin, go to Confession. For “because of the great benefit of Absolution, and because it is otherwise useful to the conscience, Confession is retained among us [Lutheran churches]” (AC XXV 13).
Fear not. Christ has borne your shame and guilt, as surely as He has borne your sin and death. Approach your Father in heaven in confidence and trust, as a dear child, draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water (Heb 10:22). Your sin has been removed in Christ. You need not be ashamed. Those who look to Him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed (Ps 34:5).
Yours in Christ,
Pastor Mierow
Wednesday of Trinity 16
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