Is forgiveness and repentance necessary to heal?

We focus on mental health as a society more than ever, yet reported mental health challenges continue to rise. Researchers studying these conflicting trends have found that genuine symptoms of depression, anxiety and other mental health conditions are indeed increasing, not merely due to greater awareness or reporting. 

So why is this happening? Those attempting to diagnose the problem suggest a range of factors: increased social media use; structural and even architectural changes in society that contribute to isolation and loneliness; housing shortages causing financial stress; declines in family cohesion; a lack of community belonging and “third spaces” that connect people relationally; sleep disruption caused by screens and constant distraction; and a growing cultural climate of vitriol and polarization, where every “other” is seen as an enemy. 

Some even suggest that increased mental health awareness itself may shape self-concepts in self-fulfilling ways. In response, therapy visits and spending are surging, with nearly a quarter of Americans now seeking counseling. Yoga and mindfulness practices are also skyrocketing. The self-help industry continues to expand through books, apps, and podcasts. 

At the same time, long-term trends show increasing use of antidepressants and other psychotropic medications. Not only are we more aware of mental health challenges than ever before, but we are also more medicated, more counseled, more coached, and more engaged in self-help practices than ever before. 

It’s not my place to fully explain or understand this cultural moment. But as a pastor in the community, I can share how the Bible – though countercultural – offers help. For those seeking biblically grounded healing, I invite you to join us in a journey through these biblical principles in a program called re:generation. 

First, we often divide people into categories of “those who struggle” and “those who are fine.” The message of the Bible is different: we are all broken, and we all need healing. Admittedly, this idea is often considered taboo in modern counseling. Beginning with thinkers like Carl Rogers in the 1960s, humanistic psychology has shaped much of today’s framework. It starts with the belief that “evil,” “sin,” or “brokenness” is not inherent in human nature. Instead, people are seen as fundamentally good and whole, needing only to be “actualized.” 

This actualization – growth toward one’s fullest potential – comes through affirmation and self-realization. Shame and guilt are viewed as obstacles in this process, which is why the biblical idea of universal sin is considered harmful. In contrast, the Bible teaches that we are all sinners. We are all broken. We are all guilty. Compared to God’s perfect righteousness, we are corrupt, even hostile to God, His enemies. But God, in His rich mercy, gave Himself for us in Jesus. Through His death, He made a way for our forgiveness. 

This justification becomes our doorway to new life, and we receive it simply by faith, not because we deserve it. From this biblical foundation, we begin to understand that sin fractures every relationship, including our relationship with God. Yet because we have been undeservingly forgiven much by God, we are now able to forgive others much, too. 

We don’t forgive others because they deserve it. We forgive because we have been forgiven far more, and that forgiveness sets us free. Re:generation operates from this understanding of the human condition: every person, regardless of background, lives with patterns of sin, wounds, and brokenness that need to be addressed. And we begin our healing by extending the same forgiveness we receive. 

Second, the Bible teaches that anyone who believes in Christ is made entirely new. Through faith in Jesus, we receive His Spirit and are empowered to walk in His righteousness. We are made holy. We are made whole. We are a new creation, freed from the bondage of sin. Yet in this life, we experience a tension: though we now have the mind of Christ, we still struggle with old patterns of sin. This is where repentance becomes essential.  

We all have relationally destructive patterns we cannot fix ourselves, whether it’s anger, control, pride, or co-dependency. We hide, justify, and minimize our sin. We need something outside ourselves to restore us, turning us away from sin and toward the mind of Christ. This is the heart of re:generation: walking through a biblical pattern of repentance that reorients our hearts and minds toward Jesus. 

Repentance is not merely feeling bad. It is transformation. It’s a change in our thinking. It is the renewal of the heart and mind. It means owning our sin without excuse and turning from it to walk in new patterns of thinking. While we are all victims of others’ sin, we are not only victims. We are also participants in sin, so following Jesus means ongoing repentance. This is not behavior modification. It is transformation into new people in Christ. And the promise at the end is not just freedom from sin, but an entirely new life. 

The old has gone. The new has come. If you want to walk through this biblical path of re:generation, join us for the intro night on Thursday, April 26 at 6:30 p.m. or Sunday, May 3 at 2:30 p.m. Register at http://newsong.co/regeneration or contact me at vernon@newsong.co or 720-613-0505 for more details.