Good guilt vs. bad guilt
Fear is useless: "Do not be afraid; just have faith" (Mk 5:36).
"Where sin abounds, grace abounds all the more" (Rom 5:20).
| Good guilt | Bad guilt |
|---|---|
| Objective | Subjective |
| Cleanses | Shames |
| Sets us free | Motivates bad behavior |
| Intensifies gratitude | Obscures God's goodness |
| Motivates change | Paralyzes |
| Centered on God and neighbor | Self-centered |
| Optimistic: diagnosis and prescription | Despairing: no way out |
| Clarifies what is wrong with us | Condemns us |
| Proportionate to wrongdoing (rational) | Disproportionate--"scruples" (irrational) |
| A gift of the Holy Spirit | A work of the "angel of light" |
| Passes away | Will not depart |
| Accepts consequences | Fears punishment |
The enemy "masquerades as an angel of light" (2 Cor 11:14). The "angel of light" quotes scripture against us to make us feel condemned, worthless, unloved, and no good. Perfectionism inspired by the "angel of light" leads us away from God rather than toward Him.
If we recognize that we are being troubled by "bad guilt," the remedy is to act against (Latin: agere contra) those feelings by making acts of faith, hope, and love.