1. We confess we were powerless over sin, the desire to commit sin in our flesh, and unable to resist sin, even having this knowledge.
18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing.
(Romans 7:18-19 ESV)5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
and in sin did my mother conceive me.
(Psalm 51:5 ESV)5 The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
(Genesis 6:5 ESV)
2. We confess God has compelled / caused us to believe in His Power, Purpose and Goodness; as demonstrated in Christ, the only Power sufficient to restore us unto Himself.
37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.
(John 6:37 ESV)44 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.
(John 6:44 ESV)45 It is written in the Prophets, “And they will all be taught by God.” Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me
(John 6:45 ESV)65 And he said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.”
(John 6:65 ESV)28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
(Romans 8:28 ESV)
3. We understand our lives consist in what we will and do under the guidance of Gods Purpose and surrender Daily to His will over our own.
23 And he said to all, If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.
(Luke 9:23 ESV)24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
(Matthew 16:24-25 ESV)14 yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. 15 Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.”
(James 4:14-15 ESV)
In the real sense of truth we can not limit ourselves to 12 steps, though in such steps we can share the gospel in a manner consistent with the teachings of Scripture, so long as we understand it’s God first, and then His living Word, both in Christ and the Holy Writ which are the foundation of such steps.
The Steps themselves are a means and an introduction to the process of living as we are taught in the whole of Scripture.
For this reason the formula of “12 steps” is a contrivance only, a form used elsewhere as a contrivance of the truth, and as such they are a lie. For this reason the 12 steps, as they exist in the secular and deity neutral forms, are indeed another Gospel. It is exactly because they contain elements of the TRUTH, while denuding the TRUTH that they are an anathema.
This is not to say, God cannot use even the slightest bit of truth to accomplish His will and purpose; we confess indeed He does! However, God in His revelation never deals in half truths, and the teaching of His disciples is an opus of confession providing a distinct picture of the ongoing manifestation of truth, this teaching is a clear indication of those truly seeking after God, and the delineation of those only playing with the ideas of truth and god (sic).
As we seek to contribute to the Church a view useful in confronting the sins besetting all sinners, let us pray God’s will be done; lest we be found seeking against His will to accomplish something which He has not extended His hand as a measure of blessing, and we as fools stumble in pride to accomplish a fools errand. Even so, God’s will be served, and we be found in His complete control as we surrender to Him. A-men
Blessings!
