Competent to Counsel - Ch 7

Summary

Uncofessed sin festers like a sickness and brings great distress to the sinner. Confessing the sin "will bring merciful pardon and relief."(Adams, p. 105) The Psalms cover this in great detail.(Psalm 32, Psalm 38:3, Psalm 51) In the book of James, James directs the elders to pray for the sick person and annoint him with oil, and for the sick person to confess his sins to those whom he has wronged and to God, so that he would be made well. The word used for oil here comes from the word aleipho, which was a medicinal ointment. So James was instructing the sick to confess their sin, take the proper medicine, and pray.

Sickness is not always caused by sin, but it can be. (1 Corinthians 11:29-30) "Thus Paul, like James, taught that God in the ordering and disciplining of his church frequently uses sickness as a rod of chastisement."(Adams, p. 109) If there doesn't appear to be an organic cause of depression, depression caused by guilt should be assumed.(Adams, p.126)

When a person confesses sinning against you, don't be quick to minimize and say, "Oh, think nothing of it," "sin should never be minimized."(Adams, p .112) Some people may need help "in breaking old patterns and establishing new biblical ones."(Adams, p.113)


Personal reflection

God is so quick to forgive. Confess all to Him and repent and all will be forgiven. People are different, they are often quick to be angry and quick to condemn. Not so with God. He puts His arms around us and draws us close when we confess and repent.

Scripture

Psalm 32:1,2 Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven. Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord does not charge iniquity.

Psalm 32:5 Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD "— and you forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah

Proverbs 28:13 He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper: but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.

1 Corinthians 11:29-30 29For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself. 30That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep.

James 5:13-16 13Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. 14Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. 16Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

Adams, J.E. (1970). Competent to Counsel. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan.