c I do not believe there is a standard answer for when we should confront sin in
counseling because there are too many variables involved. Some of these variables
include; is the counselee a believer, have you already built a rapport or trust with
the individual, is the sin issue something which is putting the counselee or others
at risk, etc.
c c c c c c c In a perfect world, the counselee would confess to the behavior,
acknowledge it is sinful, repent of their sin, and take an active role in working
towards a solution which will prevent it from reoccurring. Obviously, we have not
lived in a perfect world since Eden, so the above sequence does not occur very
frequently.
c c c c c c Many counselees will come to us with problems which are a direct
result of their sinful behavior, but they do not always want to admit the behavior
is sinful, especially if it is not ‘hurting others’. We see this more often in non-
believers who are not operating off the same moral standard Jesus set for
Christians. For non-believers, this is an outreach opportunity to show them their
greatest need is revealed in their struggle; their problem is just a symptom of the
larger problem of needing God in their life.[1]
c c c c c c c It is much easier to confront sin when working with a believer
because I can use the Bible as the ultimate authority on what is or is not sin.
Depending on the type of client, their problem, and level of spiritual maturity, I may
follow Adams’ nouthetic counseling and take a direct approach of calling for the
counselee to repent and change their life; trusting in God’s truth and the Holy
Spirit to help them change.[2] However, I would probably only use this approach
with a mature client where there is a readily identifiable sin issue. Kollar (1997)
discusses how confronting sin early in the counseling process can create an
impasse, or even worse, a battle of wills.[3] Crabb (1977) is also critical of an
authoritarian correction model which can sometimes produce rebellion or pressured
conformity, but not the spiritual maturity we should want from all believers.[4]
c c c c c c In order to effectively confront sin with the counselee, I will normally
work with them to get them to understand the impact their behavior is having on
others so they themselves identify it as sinful and something they need to change.
For those times when I need to confront sin directly, I will use Jesus as an
example and confront with love, grace, and truth.
c c c c c c c I do not agree with Entwistle’s (2015) statement from Integrative
Approaches, “While it is entirely appropriate for us to attend to individual sinfulness,
doing so is incomplete unless we also focus on our participation in the social and
corporate sins of our social practices and social structures.”[5] I do not want to
belabor the point is this response, but the above statement is so nebulous as to
become almost worthless. I believe it also invites the reader to focus on ‘social
justice’ versus using the Bible as the ultimate authority on sin in our lives.
[1] Dale Johnson, “Counseling Unbelievers, Truth in Love, Counseling Ministry Can
be Missional”, https:// biblicalcounseling.com /resource-library/podcast-episodes/til-224-
counseling-unbelievers/, 2019
[2] David Powlison, The Biblical Counseling Movement: History and Context,
(Greensboro, NC: New Growth Press, 2010, 127
[3] Charles Allen Kollar, Solution-Focused Pastoral Counseling, an Effective Short-Term
Approach for Getting People Back on Track, (Grand Rapids, MI: 1997), 39-40
[4] Larry Crabb, Effective Biblical Counseling: A Model for Helping Caring Christians
Become Capable Counselors, (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1977), 55
[5] Entwistle, David N. Integrative Approaches to Psychology and Christianity: An
Introduction to Worldview Issues, Philosophical Foundations, and Models of
Integration, 3rd ed., Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock Publishers, 2015, 153
