Guilt as a Weapon - Bible Baptist Church

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Text: 2 Corinthians 2:10-11

We’re all familiar with guilt-tripping because we’ve done it to other people and we’ve had it done to us. It’s when guilt is used as a weapon. It’s a Satanic device by the accuser of the brethren. Guilt is a necessary part of life so you have to be around it. But when it’s used in the wrong way guilt is incredibly destructive, just like any emotion that is misplaced and perverted. How to know you’re manipulating someone with guilt or being manipulated by guilt.

Recognizing guilt as a weapon

When very general and unresolvable accusations are made. Remember Job’s three friends just generally accusing Job when he’d done nothing wrong. A general accusation with no specific point of resolution is guilt-tripping. Don’t do it to others and if it’s done to you, make the accuser be specific about what you’ve done.
When forgiveness is withheld. There isn’t much you can do about this one when it’s done to you, so don’t do it to others. If you’ve said you’re sorry and meant it, or you’ve tried to extend forgiveness then you’ve done your part.
When a person never acknowledges accomplishments. I caught myself doing this with my oldest son one time and felt terrible about it. I had to apologize for making achievement unattainable. It’s a horrible use of guilt.
When you’re regularly comparing what you do to what they don’t do. Or if it’s being done to you, they’re comparing their work to your failure.
When the past is brought up but has nothing to do with the issue at hand. That’s just using guilt-tripping.
When there is no interest in resolving the matter. An accusation is brought up and left hanging over your head. Or you hang an accusation over someone else’s head without any possible recourse.

Results of weaponized guilt

There is a difference between godly guilt and Satanic guilt. One offers hope, the other is a prison. Remember, you’ll know something about the guilt by what it’s being used for. For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation… but the sorrow of the world worketh death.
The first result is the advantage goes to the accuser to destroy a life. To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ; Lest Satan should get an advantage of us… I think about victim guilt that asks what did I do to cause this?
Second result is unresolvable sorrow. There is no joy, just duties that you can never do enough of. There is no possibility of success. Just disappointment after disappointment. Maybe it’s a mother’s guilt for her son. Maybe it’s a child’s guilt about their parent’s divorce. Maybe it’s survivor guilt after a traumatic event that asks why am I still alive?
Third result in religious or political circumstances to get money. Politicians demonize business to justify more taxes. The Pharisees laid burdens on people then collected offerings from people laden with guilt.

Removing the weapon of guilt

First of all Jesus Christ is the advocate of the guilty. And he is certainly the advocate of the innocent. If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:… he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
Second, walk in the light. Be as open and honest as possible. Keep in mind, people left in the dark think bad things. You want to take the advantage away from the accuser? Walk in the light so an accusation isn’t credible.
Third, deal with specific accusations. Nicodemus defended Jesus one time saying the law doesn’t accuse people of generalities. If the crime isn’t named and proven, there is no crime.
Fourth, set up boundaries to prevent accusations. You have financial boundaries and delegations in a company so accusations will be very hard to make. Maybe it’s social boundaries that you need. Or perhaps it’s geographic boundaries that are needed so that good is not evil spoken of. Remember abstain from all appearance of evil. Don’t give the enemy the weapon to shoot you with.