Sunday, July 5, 2009

Interesting Spin on Forgiveness!

At the Ascent Conference a few weeks ago I heard Doug Weiss (A Nationally recognized Counselor) speak on the topic of forgiveness. He shared something like this:

Would you rather be:
  1. Forgiven and Sick OR
  2. Forgiven and Healed?
I John 1:9 says this: "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."

So, confess to God. An independent and private confession approach and you will indeed be forgiven! Cleansed, but not necessarily healed or accountable to change, but certainly forgiven!

On the other hand, James 5:16 says these powerful words: "Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed."

So, confessing to God in a given. But, confession to others is not always so easy for us. Instead of an independent forgiveness approach, this one is more interdependent within community. But, in doing so, the Bible says that we will not only be forgiven, but we will be forgiven and healed!! ...and accountable for that matter...because they know now!

So, I leave you with that same question again:

Forgiven and sick?

OR

Forgiven and healed?

Your call.

I think that it's super important that we involve (trusted) others in our journey of forgiveness and accountability!

What do you think? Weigh in.

2 comments:

Michelle Lynch said...

It is not experience of life but experience of the Cross that makes one a worthy hearer of confessions. The most experienced psychologist or observer of human nature knows infinitely less of the human heart than the simplest Christian who lives beneath the Cross of Jesus. The greatest psychological insight, ability, and experience cannot grasp this one thing: what sin is. Worldly wisdom knows what distress and weakness and failure are, but it does not know the godlessness of men. And so it also does not know that man is destroyed only by his sin and can be healed only by forgiveness. Only the Christian knows this. In the presence of a psychiatrist I can only be a sick man; in the presence of a Christian brother, I can dare to be a sinner.
... Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906-1945), Life Together [1954], tr. Daniel W. Bloesch & James H. Burtness, Fortress Press, 2004, p. 115

Noah said...

Great quote. Love it. Thanks, Michelle!!