Joyce Meyer Says Christians Should Never Feel Guilt for Sinning - by Staff Writer

Excerpted from here. Our comments in bold.
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Now, we have no intention of defending Joyce Meyer, but we shall examine the claim made by "staff writer" in light of what the Bible says. It's but a single sentence of commentary regarding this supposedly egregious explanation made by Ms. Meyer. 

We begin our excerpt at the point in the article where "staff writer" actually turns to address the subject matter.

We shall comment at the end.

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Speaking last December at Christ Fellowship Church, Meyers confuses guilt and condemantion, (sic) ascribing the role of the Holy Spirit to Satan by teaching:

Let me tell you someting else that you never have to do again: after you sin you never have to feel guilty. Yep, you reacted about like the second service did. Can you find one place in the Bible where it tells you to feel guilty? Satan is the Accuser of the Brethren and even after you sin and you’ve repented and you’ve been forgiven, he’ll come back around and try to accuse you.

And it took me a long time, a long time to get over guilt. It was like this vague presence that was with me all the time. Not like right in my face, but this vague feeling something’s wrong with me. Does anybody in here have any idea what I’m feeling, what I’m talking about?

And when I would feel guilty I would say out loud “I feel guilty but I’m not guilty because the word of God says I’m forgiven and the sin and the guilt are removed.” And then I’d still feel guilty and I’d say “I feel guilty but I’m not guilty because the word of God says that my sins have been forgiven and all the guilt has been removed.”

I’m not guilty, I don’t care how you make me feel devil, I am not guilty, I am forgiven. And you know what? When I did it enough times I started to believe it. And see when you believe it- we have a lot of information but what we need is revelation. And I want what’s in your head today to fall down in your spirit. I want you to get it. If you’ve asked God to forgive your sins and you meant it. You are not guilty. I pronounce you not guilty.

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First, let's define some terms. "Guilty" is enochos, means to be bound to or held liable for an offense for which one would face punishment.  That's the word that is used here:

Mt. 5:21 You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, `Do not murder, [Exodus 20:13] and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’

Condemnation is katakrima, which means the exact sentence of condemnation handed down. One such usage is here:

Ro. 8:1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus...

Once again, "staff writer's" criticism: "Meyers confuses guilt and condemantion, (sic) ascribing the role of the Holy Spirit to Satan..." However, in actual fact this has nothing to do with feeling guilty vs. feeling condemnation. Both words have to do with God's judgment and not how we should or should not feel. 

"Staff writer" is actually referring to what the church traditionally calls "conviction," which is the Holy Spirit's work via a person's conscience:

He. 10:22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience...

"Conscience" is suneidésis, a mind conscious of wrong-doing... Because the Holy Spirit makes the mind conscious of sin, people will often feel guilt or condemnation (which we would call regret or sorrow) for their sins and may even try to stop for a time. 

But sorrow must be godly, that is, its result must be repentance:

2Co. 7:10 Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.  

Indeed, that is exactly what Ms. Meyers said: "...and even after you sin and you’ve repented...) She clearly has made repentance a necessary precursor of not feeling guilty.

This means if a person sins and the Holy Spirit causes his conscience to feel godly sorrow, if he then repents he should not feel guilty because he has been cleansed of a guilty conscience.

"Staff writer" doesn't seem to understand the biblical concepts involved, and thus hyperventilates based on biblical ignorance. This is the problem we have with these discernment websites. They so often make a big stink about something they didn't take the time to understand. They are so anxious to blast false teachers that even where there are no infractions, or even just minor ones, they go hysterical.