Sin and Christian Counseling

Man in the fallen state continues to be the image bearer of God. In Christ man's relationship to sin forever has been changed through God's divine provision and His regenerative power.

The ultimate consequence of man's willful disobedience is the imputation of sin which has caused an estrangement between the creation and the Creator. "When sin shattered a perfect creation, everything changed. .... it's that everything is different from the way God intended it to be, and all of these can be attributed to the consequences of sin. McMinn (2004). The effects of the fall are a part of the fabric of our lives although they are generally unnoticed.

"The fact that man has fallen does not mean that he has ceased to bear God's image" Schaffer (1968). Man in the midst of the fallen state continues to bear the image of God. According to Entwistle; salvation, eternal life and fellowship with God are available to all persons. This is made available in the substitutionary atonement of Christ. God has reconciled people to himself by creating a new creation. Man continues to be incapable of living up to God's moral standards and imputed sin continues to plague humanity. As a new creation, Apostle Paul states in 1Cor. 2:16 "We have the mind of Christ." Although sin continues to have its effects upon mankind how one perceives sin as a new creation is no longer the same. The ability to respond to sin as a new creation is by the grace of God.

An intra-disciplinary integration requires an awareness of spirituality and needs much consideration of professional and personal training McMinn (1996). As a new creation the Christian counselor understands human behavior from a theocentric point of view. This enables in integrating the principles of psychology with the truth of scripture and divine leading to bring healing to the whole man.