Against You, You Only Have I Sinned: Step Four

Against You, You Only Have I Sinned: Step Four by Randolph Jason for Gospel News Network

When we begin looking at our lives through the lens of the sins that have been committed our life looks a lot different. Wether we have lived a life in active addiction or not is really not important. If a person has lived for a time engulfed in darkness, well, Step 4 through 9 in book Alcoholics Anonymous could be very beneficial. Of course, the remaining steps, done in order, would be best, but if you wish to take yet another short cut in life, you do you.

The idea of looking deeply into our life is not really very appealing to most people. Most would prefer to simply not be reminded of things past and continue living as though their life looks like a page in a magazine. Well, sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but even the people whose image we are gazing upon in the magazine don’t live that life they are portraying. They, too, for the most part, are a disaster underneath all the lights, camera, action.

When a person writes down, in the presence of God, a detailed history of their past, leaving out nothing, it can be a very, very painful process. Having gond through this process, more than once, more than twice, you, my dear reader, are hearing from the voice of experience. It’s a simple process, but some of it is not easy.

4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.

It’s the “fearless” part that usually drives people away. We like to think ourselves as tough, but when you get right down to it…not so much.

In the video below Step 4 is reviewed in detail. Step 5 and 6 are introduced as these two Steps are part of the process that makes up Step 4.

Psalm 51:4 seems pretty clear about our transgression, inequities and sins…

Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight:
That thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest. ~ Psalm 51:4

Also, we find in the Book of James the foundation, the cornerstone, for Step 5 which is absolutely tied to Step 4. If the two Steps are separated it will no more work than if Jesus had’ve baptized John.

Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. ~ James 5:16 KJB