Friday, September 3, 2010

Restoration, not Rehabilitation (March 15, 2009)

As a sort of addendum to my previous post, I want to share a comment from one of my friends. We were discussing work and ministry in the mental health field, and how Christians can approach their work in this field in a distinct manner because of our beliefs. My friend then said, in effect, that "As Christians, our work is not about rehabilitation; it is about restoration."

In working with the down-and-out, the mentally ill, or those with behavioral issues, it is easy to accept one's purpose and goal as "rehabilitation" of those individuals to lead a normal life like the "rest of us." Thus, the patients in this field have characteristics that push them down below the average level of human functioning--below "par"--and as psychologists and nurses and doctors and counselors we are trying to rehabilitate them back to normal.

This ought not to be our goal as Christians. We do not believe that the "average" level of human functioning and "normal" human behavior is good; rather we believe that every single person is maladjusted, sick, erred, and sinful--and it is in this state of being we remain, except by the grace of God. Thus, though people were originally created good, we have chosen evil above God, and so made the "normal" level of human functioning a state of sinfulness.

The implications of this belief reach to our work in the mental health field and far beyond it. As Christians working with these people, we do not want to "rehabilitate" them to the level of normal human functioning; rather, we pray for God's gracious work of restoration in their lives. We hope that God will restore them to a right relationship with Him (and the only place where there is fullness of joy and life!).

And this does not only apply to certain select individuals we might label as "mentally ill" or "maladjusted"--this applies to us all. We are all sinful and in need of God's grace and restorative work in our hearts. The only difference may be found in who is more willing to accept their need for such a work in their lives. Jesus came for sinners, and by God's grace, may we all know ourselves as such, and thus accept His gracious work of restoration in our lives.

One final note: Scripture seems to talk about restoration as a future event still, as indicated in the passage below. I have used the term here to refer to the restoration of a relationship with God, and so I hope that is in agreement with Scripture: It seems that this work of restoration, which Christ accomplished and which seems to begin to take place in our lives now, will finally culminate when He comes again.

Peter, in a speech in Acts, says the following: "Now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance [in crucifying Jesus], as did your leaders. But this is how God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, saying that his Christ would suffer. Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, and that he may send the Christ, who has been appointed for you--even Jesus. He must remain in heaven until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets." (Acts 3:17-21, NIV)

Should we not hope for so much more than simply "rehabilitation," when the state to which that alone would bring us is one of estrangement from God--and thus a state of death? I would rather be restored.

No comments:

Post a Comment