View of Sin... #1

Wilhoit talks about true formation requiring a deep understanding that the 'sickness of the soul' or sin can not be cured through willpower alone. In other words he suggests that our view of sin has immense implications for our spiritual formation; these views exist at a variety levels. Using two continuum's he helps us to understand our approach to that which takes our sense of fullness.

View of Sin or the sin-sins continuum stretches between an emphasis on primarily observable sins i.e. lists of bad things you have done which he sees as external (sins), to a more internal orientation (sin), in other words, the actual awareness and self repulsion that you are the kind of person who would seek advantage by lying as you are by the actual lie.

View of Yearnings, Wilhoit asks:

"Do we as a people sense our longings as deep thirsts that only God can begin to
satisfy? Or do we think these desires for holiness should have disappeared for
the Christian, or that we can take care of them by our own efforts?"

How these questions are answered places us upon another continuum, ranging from an alignment with the idea that spiritual yearnings persist through to the concept that any inner thirsts are completely dealt with.

When the continuum's are laid over each other the resulting matrix helps in our understanding of how the view our sin and yearnings affects our approach to spiritual formation.

to be contd...