The Remedy for Idolatry (and all other sin)

Psychologist Carl Jung is not what anyone would call a biblical counselor; however, he comes close with his thoughts about sin. He says . . .

As soon as man was capable of conceiving the idea of sin he had recourse to psychic concealment, or to put it in analytical language, repressions arose . . . We conceal it even from ourselves. It then splits off from consciousness as an independent complex to lead a separate existence in the unconscious where it can neither be corrected nor interfered with by the conscious mind. It is only with the help of confession that I am able to throw myself into the arms of humanity, freed at last from the burden of moral exile. The goal of treatment by catharsis is full confession — no mere intellectual acknowledgment of the facts, but their confirmation by the heart and the actual release of the suppressed emotions.

Jung is right; the only remedy for sin and guilt is confession, but he left God out of it. The Bible would add repentance or turning from sin to God because sin is rebellion against Him. Confession alone brings forgiveness and cleansing, putting us into the arms of God and freeing us from sin’s burden . . .  

This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. (1 John 1:5–10)

If the sin involves others, such as stealing, insulting people, or hurting them in some way, then the confession must also be made to those involved. When I offend others, I need to be reconciled to them even before I seek God’s forgiveness.

You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire. So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. (Matthew 5:21–24)

There is a right way and a wrong way to do this. The right way is a specific confession that has no other motivation than to make things right with God. He says, “Only acknowledge your guilt, that you rebelled against the Lord your God and scattered your favors among foreigners under every green tree, and that you have not obeyed my voice,” declares the Lord. (Jeremiah 3:13)

King Saul offers an example of the wrong way. He disobeyed God and when the prophet Samuel caught him, he was stripped of his position as king. Saul was sorry, not so much that he sinned against God but that he lost his position of king and the privilege of leadership. He came to Samuel with his excuses, “I have sinned, for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord and your words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice. Now therefore, please pardon my sin and return with me that I may bow before the Lord.” (1 Samuel 15:24–25)

The human heart is an idol-making factory (John Calvin) and in the process of making idols, I will certainly break the first commandment to love God, and even the second, to love others. God knows that the heart can churn out these idols easily and rapidly. The remedy has to be greater than the sin, and for those who believe in Jesus Christ it is greater, but also simple and powerful. Because Jesus died for my sin and secured my pardon, then each time an idol rolls off the assembly line and my heart is filled with horror at what my mind has produced, I can come to Him in contrite confession, knowing that if I confess my sins, He is faithful and just to forgive me my sins and to cleanse me from all unrighteousness. There is no other remedy.

No anger

Oh my Lord, You have often heard me tell the story of the little girl in junior church who, when I said all were sinners, said in wide-eyed assertiveness, “But I’ve never murdered anyone.”

Tonight You rebuke me with that memory and with these words.

You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire. So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. (Matthew 5:21–24)

Instantly I think of so many times I became annoyed or irritated at someone, even today, only today. I am that little girl who did not think that murder begins with a seed. You are clear on this. That seed has no place in the garden of my heart.

You have the privilege of righteous indignation. Rarely is this true in humans and even then, it is never pure. “Poor me” or “outraged me” always enters human anger, my anger. Only You can be angry and totally without sin. I can scarcely imagine such purity.

I am ashamed. I get angry when misunderstood, or ignored, when strangers cut in front of me, when someone is thoughtless, countless reasons, all of them small. Do You do that? Never! You are unmoved by my foolishness because Your great heart is not thinking of Yourself. You are only concerned that I am pure of heart, like You are pure.

I read the above verses from Matthew as part of daily reading through the New Testament. Then my devotional reading said this:

Now the hand of the LORD was upon me in the evening . . . (Ezekiel 33:22)

Who has not experienced the unexpected weight of an unapproving hand? Your hand on me is like a vice this hour. I cannot move, can barely squirm. Rebuke is not a pleasant part of being Your child. Yet I know You are not like me in Your anger. It is all for my sake, not because You are offended but because You want me totally free of all selfishness, utterly free of the bondage of sin.

I read Spurgeon’s thoughts and again know the logic of faith. The Holy Spirit speaks with level and balanced tone, reminding me that You love me. This weighty hand is for my good. I paraphrase a section of the reading and also sense a joy, even as I confess my selfishness.

In me, virtue so often languishes, but my selfishness rages. My faith becomes rattled when I become vexed. I realize how instantly cold my heart can become. And these are good reasons why Your healing hand should be heavy upon me. Your hand has often cooled the heat of my painful sorrows, even steadied the tumult in my frightened heart. Your creative right hand shaped the world and also recreates my mind and priorities. Your hand is never tired; You sustain me when I falter. Your hand encircles all Your people; and You love me along with them. Your hand subdues kings and evil spirits, even Satan. It also can tame my sinful heart and overflow it with mercy, mercy enough to change my irritations to grace. I need it and say with Spurgeon, why should I not feel that hand touching me this evening? 

Photo credit