The gospel and its remedy for depression and anxiety

[Cifrado]

My pastor at Northbrook Baptist church preached this sermon on depression last week in response to our troubled congregation. His remedy? The pursuit of pleasure by means of crucifixion. I found it most refreshing to hear this particular exposition of the gospel. Me thinks it may benefit some of you as well. Enjoy.

How does the gospel speak to someone dealing with anxiety and depression?
How do I minister to someone dealing with these?

 

[Peairtach]

Well it first of all depends on whether the person with depression/anxiety is a believer or not.

Then there is the Q of what is the cause of the depression/anxiety if it can be identified. Is it exogenous or does it appear to be endogenous?

If the person is a believer is the depression, in their minds at least, related to their spiritual lives and leading to a lack of assurance of faith?

Or is it really something else - e.g. debt or recent bereavement - that is causing the depression and impinging on or overshadowing their spirituality.

Complex subject. There are lots of resources out there, including standard works by e.g. Martyn Lloyd-Jones.

E.g. Christians - even Reformed ones - can suffer from lack of assurance leading to spiritual (and maybe even clinical depression?), because they sometimes have not been taught clearly, or have not learned, that they are no longer under the law as a covenant of works, but only as a rule and pattern of life.