What They Think of Us: The Christian Neurosis

Pierre Solignac  (born 1929, France) is a French psychiatrist who claimed that Christianity uses guilt in order to maintain control of its followers. He spoke of the “Christian Neurosis,” which he said meant that a Christian had to carry around a huge weight of neurotic guilt in order to be properly “humble” before God. It is sad to say that many Christians down through the ages have bought into this anti-Christian, non-Christian attitude. Solignac said that Christians believe in a God of conditional love (if we are “good” enough and “humble enough” He will accept us) who uses law and rules to keep us under control.  “L'éducation chrétienne repose essentiellement sur l'
angoisse et la peur, le manque de confiance en la nature humaine, le mépris du 
corps, ...” (Christian education is based primarily on the anxiety and fear, lack of trust in human nature, contempt of body ...)

No! No! No! No! No!

Our salvation is not based on following rules or being humble doormats or being good enough or knowing some secret doctrine hidden from the world.

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9 (KJV)

“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” Romans 8:1

Do you realize what the Bible says about Christians? It does not say that we become perfect at the moment of our salvation. What it says is that there is no condemnation for us.  “No condemnation” means “found innocent with no penalty imposed.” As John tells us in 1 John 3:14, “We have passed from death to life.”

We have been declared innocent because we are covered by the shed Blood of the Lamb of God. Through the process of sanctification we are becoming like Jesus and when God looks at us He sees the Blood, He sees Jesus. Our guilt has been washed away.

The Apostle Paul understood that Christian innocence could be misunderstood and he adds a coda at Romans 6:1-2 to oppose the heresy of antinomianism. Antinomianism taught that since we are saved and are no longer under the condemnation of the Law we can do whatever we want without any penalty.

“What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?” Romans 6:1-2. (KJV)

What Does It Mean? Jot and Tittle

"For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled." Matthew 5:18

A "jot" is an "iote" (found in early King James Version editions), "iota," "ἰ," the ninth letter of the Greek alphabet and similar to the י
"yodh," the smallest Hebrew letter.  Think of the English apostrophe ('); something considered to be almost insignificant.

A "tittle"is a horn shaped mark used in Hebrew as an accent mark.  The Greek word used is κεραία, a "horn."


Jesus here declared that the Mosaic Law is still in effect and will not pass away, even in its smallest parts, until the fulfillment of time.     If a person kept the entire law, with never a single lapse, they would be saved, but, all have sinned and fallen short.  (Romans 3:23)  "For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all." James 2:10

The Law is in fact a gift from God which points us toward God's grace. "Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin." Romans 3:20.  "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." Ephesians 2:8-9

Feelings of Guilt That Won't Go Away

Christians should not live with a permanent sense of guilt. We are forgiven and God sees Jesus when he looks at us. We are also not yet perfected so we will knowingly or unknowingly continue to commit sins. Transitory feelings of guilt may be the Holy Spirit prodding us to alarm us that we are separating ourselves from God. He is calling us to remind us that though we are saved and will not be lost, we need to return to the working out of our salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12; Hebrews 4:16). We are not saved by the working out but are participating with the Holy Spirit in our growing sanctification.

A permanent sense of guilt is another thing entirely and may have several causes, three of which will be discussed here:
1. We may be consciously or unconsciously holding onto the belief that we must somehow earn our salvation, suspecting or knowing all the while that we are not good or holy enough. NO ONE IS GOOD OR HOLY ENOUGH!
(Ephesians 2:8-9)) At the moment of your salvation, God saw you as holy and He sees you as holy now. He still expects you to allow the Holy Spirit to conform you to santification.

2. Satan is the Accuser (Revelation 12:10), daily making accusations to God against us. A persistent feeling of guilt may be Satan pulling a trick on you, immobilizing you; in football terms, "taking you out of the game." Don't let him. Romans 8:1; John 8:36.

3. The guilt that a Christian is feeling may be caused by the fact that he or she has not confessed their real sin. They may not even realize what their real sin is. Compulsive behaviors such as pathological eating, gambling, attraction to pornography, temper tantrums, etc. may plague Christians who over and over find themselves helplessly returning to the hated behavior. Though they confess their sin and ask God for "strength" they fail. The real sin may be underlying anger or resentment which is so frightening that it is directed into other, less fearsome directions. Rest assured that the Holy Spirit knows the real sin and will reveal it to the believer who truly listens.