The Solution: The Gospel of Jesus Christ
The Remedy for our Insanity
"Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and
the way is easy that leads to destruction, and
those who enter by it are many.”
Matt. 7:13
“Gospel from the air”
Creation
Fall
Redemption
Consummation
Redeemer Prophesied…
Isa. 52:13—53:12
Consummation
“The consummation of all things includes the visible,
personal, physical, future and glorious return of
Jesus Christ, the resurrection of the dead and the
translation of those alive in Christ, the judgment of
the just and the unjust, and the fulfillment of Christ’s
kingdom in the New Heavens and the New Earth. In
the consummation, Satan with his hosts and all those
outside Christ are finally separated from the benevolent
presence of God, enduring eternal punishment, but the
righteous, in glorious bodies, shall live and reign with
Him forever, serving Him and giving Him unending
praise and glory. Then shall the eager expectation of
creation be fulfilled and the whole earth shall proclaim
the glory of God who makes all things new.”
The Village Church Statement of Faith
“Reformission”
Three-part disease model taught in
treatment settings and AA
Spiritual
malady
Physical
allergy
“craving”
Mental
obsession
Three-part disease model taught in
treatment settings and AA
Spiritual
Malady
Physical
Allergy
Mental
Obsession
Three-part disease model taught in
treatment settings and AA
Spiritual
malady
Physical
allergy
Mental
obsession
Three-part disease model taught in
treatment settings and AA
Spiritual
malady
Physical
allergy
Mental
obsession
False gospel – promising recovery from the
spiritual malady apart from the redemptive work
of Christ (God’s plan).
Spiritual Malady
Irritable,
restless and
discontent
Spiritual Malady
Irritable,
restless and
discontent
Desire for
Relief
Spiritual Malady
Irritable,
restless and
discontent
Desire for
relief
See others
Spiritual Malady
Irritable,
restless and
discontent
Desire for
Relief
See others
Think/Obsess
Spiritual Malady
Irritable,
restless and
discontent
Desire for
Relief
See others
Think/Obsess
1st drink
Spiritual Malady
Irritable,
restless and
discontent
Desire for
Relief
See others
Think/Obsess
Spree
1st drink
Spiritual Malady
Irritable,
restless and
discontent
Desire for
Relief
See others
Injuries (pain)
Think/Obsess
Spree
1st drink
Spiritual Malady
Irritable,
restless and
discontent
Desire for
Relief
See others
Injuries (pain)
Think/Obsess
Spree
1st drink
DEATH
Spiritual Malady
Irritable,
restless and
discontent
Desire for
Relief
See others
Remorse
“sorrow”
Injuries (pain)
Think/Obsess
Spree
1st drink
DEATH
Spiritual Malady
Irritable,
restless and
discontent
Resolutions
“promises”
Desire for
Relief
See others
Remorse
Injuries (pain)
Think/Obsess
Spree
1st drink
DEATH
Spiritual Malady
Irritable,
restless and
discontent
Resolutions
Desire for
Relief
See others
Remorse
Injuries (pain)
Think/Obsess
Spree
1st drink
DEATH
Insanity Cycle
Spiritual Malady
Irritable,
restless and
discontent
Resolutions
Desire for
Relief
See others
Remorse
Injuries (pain)
Think/Obsess
Spree
1st drink
DEATH
Insanity Cycle
Spiritual Malady
Irritable,
restless and
discontent
Resolutions
Desire for
Relief
See others
Remorse
Injuries (pain)
Think/Obsess
Spree
1st drink
DEATH
“Self-knowledge alone avails us nothing”
Observation apart from revelation leads
to speculation
as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are
unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that
are unseen are eternal.
2 Cor. 4:18
At every point we need God’s revelation for a
correct interpretation.
Insanity Cycle
Spiritual Malady
Rom. 5:12
Desire for
Relief (or for
Pleasure)
Resolutions
Temptation
Remorse
Injuries (pain)
Think/Obsess
Spree
Action
DEATH
Spiritual malady– “spiritual problem”
Therefore, just as sin came into the world through
one man, and death through sin, and so death
spread to all men because all sinned—
Rom 5:12
“Restless, irritable and discontent”
“Sin is the marring of Shalom (peace).”
Mark Driscoll
Insanity Cycle
of Sin
Spiritual Malady
Desire for
Relief (or for
Pleasure)
Resolutions
Temptation
Remorse
Injuries (pain)
Think/Obsess
Spree
Action
DEATH
Insanity Cycle
of Sin
Spiritual Malady
Desire for
Relief
Resolutions
Rom. 8:22
Temptation
Remorse
Injuries (pain)
Think/Obsess
Spree
Action
DEATH
We groan…
For we know that the whole creation has been
groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.
Rom. 8:22
Insanity Cycle
of Sin
Spiritual Malady
Desire for
Relief
Resolutions
Temptation
Remorse
Injuries (pain)
James
1:13-16
Think/Obsess
Spree
Action
DEATH
Dancing shiny things before our
deceitful hearts
Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am being tempted by
God," for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself
tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured
and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has
conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings
forth death.
James 1:13-14
Insanity Cycle
of Sin
Spiritual Malady
Desire for
Relief
Resolutions
Jer.
17:9
Remorse
Injuries (pain)
Temptation
Think/Obsess
Spree
Action
DEATH
Insanity Cycle
of Sin
Spiritual Malady
Desire for
Relief
Resolutions
Mark
7:20-23
Remorse
Injuries (pain)
Temptation
Think/Obsess
Spree
Action
DEATH
Insanity Cycle
of Sin
Spiritual Malady
Desire for
Relief
Resolutions
Temptation
Remorse
Injuries (pain)
Think/Obsess
Spree
LIE:
Action
DEATH
Rom.
1:25
The Lie…
… because they exchanged the truth about God for
a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather
than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.
Rom. 1:25
Insanity Cycle
of Sin ADDICTION:
Spiritual Malady
Desire for
Relief
Resolutions
Temptation
Remorse
Injuries (pain)
Think/Obsess
Spree
Action
DEATH
Rom.
1:24,26,28 /
Isa. 5:5
Given over…
Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their
hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies
among themselves,
Rom. 1:24
Given over…
For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable
passions. For their women exchanged natural
relations for those that are contrary to nature
Rom. 1:26
Given over…
And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God,
God gave them up to a debased mind to do what
ought not to be done.
Rom. 1:28
Overrun…
And now I will tell you
what I will do to my vineyard.
I will remove its hedge,
and it shall be devoured;
I will break down its wall,
and it shall be trampled down.
Isa. 5:5
Insanity Cycle
of Sin
Spiritual Malady
Desire for
Relief
Resolutions
Temptation
Remorse
Injuries (pain)
Prov.
16:25 &
14:12
Think/Obsess
Spree
Action
DEATH
Insanity Cycle
of Sin
Spiritual Malady
Desire for
Relief
Resolutions
HOPE
Rom.
8:20-21
Temptation
Remorse
Injuries (pain)
Think/Obsess
Spree
Action
DEATH
For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly,
but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the
creation itself will be set free from its bondage to
corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the
children of God.
Rom. 8:20-21
Insanity Cycle
of Sin
Spiritual Malady
GOD
Desire for
Relief
Resolutions
Temptation
Remorse
Injuries (pain)
Think/Obsess
Spree
Action
DEATH
Our Testimony…
For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness,“
has shone in our hearts to give the light of the
knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus
Christ.
2 Cor. 4:6
Insanity Cycle
of Sin
Spiritual Malady
GOD
Desire for
Relief
Resolutions
Christ
Temptation
Remorse
Injuries (pain)
Think/Obsess
Spree
Action
DEATH
By what means?
Insanity Cycle
of Sin
Spiritual Malady
GOD
John 1:1-14
Desire for
Relief
Resolutions
Christ
Temptation
Remorse
Injuries (pain)
Think/Obsess
Spree
Action
DEATH
For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned
through that one man, much more will those who
receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of
righteousness reign in life through the one man
Jesus Christ.
Rom. 5:17
Insanity Cycle
of Sin
Spiritual Malady
GOD
Desire for
Relief
Resolutions
Christ
Remorse
Temptation
REPENTANCE
2 Cor. 7:10
Injuries (pain)
Think/Obsess
Spree
Action
DEATH
For the sorrow that is according to the will of God
produces a repentance without regret, leading to
salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces
death.
2 Cor. 7:10
Insanity Cycle
of Sin
Spiritual Malady
GOD
Desire for
Relief
Resolutions
Christ
Remorse
Temptation
BROKENESS
Ps. 51:17
Injuries (pain)
Think/Obsess
Spree
Action
DEATH
Insanity Cycle
of Sin
Spiritual Malady
GOD
Desire for
Relief
Resolutions
Christ
Temptation
Spirit
Remorse
Eze. 36:26-27
Injuries (pain)
Think/Obsess
Spree
Action
DEATH
Changing affections…
And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will
put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone
from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I
will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in
my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.
Eze. 36:26-27
Insanity Cycle
of Sin
Spiritual Malady
GOD
Desire for
Relief
Resolutions
Christ
Temptation
Spirit
Remorse
Life and
Peace
Injuries (pain)
Think/Obsess
Spree
Action
DEATH
Traditional Step 2:
We came to believe that a power greater that
ourselves could restore us to sanity.
Acts 17:16-34
Redeeming Truth of Step 2
God lovingly stepped into human history by taking on flesh in the person and
work of Jesus Christ in order to provide hope and a remedy for the insanity of
our sin and a way back into fellowship with Him. He succeeded where we have
failed in living a life that we cannot, taking on our sin, dying a death that we
deserve and through His resurrection conquered sin and death and shame so
that those who believe in Him might live. He promises new life, the forgiveness
of sins and the Holy Spirit to those who repent and trust in Him. We came to
believe that, by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, we can be restored. Not
only do we get a taste of restoration in this life, but upon Christ’s return, we will
see the fullness of all that He has promised.
But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love
with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our
trespasses, made us alive together with Christ--by grace
you have been saved-- and raised us up with him and
seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
so that in the coming ages he might show the
immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in
Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through
faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,
not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Eph. 2:4-9