Customer Reviews

What Your Counselor Never Told You: Seven Secrets Revealed-Conquer the Power of Sin in Your Life

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Talk about eye-openers! Dr. Backus claims that most of our problems are the result of (brace yourself, I'm going to use that ghastly word) sin - pride, envy, anger, greed, sloth, lust, gluttony, and all the rest. Believe it or not, he's right. He even includes a "sin test," which I took upon first reading the book in 2001 and again not long ago; it was humbling to be reminded that I still have miles and miles to go.

I have not yet read this entire book, but I did read a chapter excerpted in "Cornerstone Magazine" this month (November, 2000). I have also read several of Backus's other books, such as "The Hidden Rift With God," which was excellent.

The chapter I read was on the sin of sloth. Backus address the psychological, spiritual, and moral dimensions of depression as it relates to the "deadly sin" of sloth. I found it to be balanced, biblical, and historically grounded in that the author refers to spiritual doctors of the church who have addressed matters of sin and righteousness in the Christian life. He also used a case study to illustrate how "telling ourselves the truth" about our situations and God's character leads to spiritual liberation. This is the main theme of Dr. Backus's works over the years.

The book addresses "the seven deadly sins" and how to overcome them in the Christian life. From what I read in the excerpt, and from what I have read before, I'm sure this is a fine book. I plan to get it and read it soon. Maybe I'll give another review then.

Douglas Groothuis

"What Your Counselor Never Told You" is another insightful book by William Backus. After having read his book about "Telling Yourself The Truth", this book went to the heart of what goes on in our lives. Sin. It is our sinful human nature that battles against the truth of God's word and resists it, choosing to believe lies instead. With Christ's strength, we can battle those lies in order to live the way God wants us to. This book convicts and points out sin in great detail. I am so thankful for Jesus, my savior, for without Him I would have no hope.

Backus categorizes sin into the seven deadly sins of envy, lust, gluttony, pride, sloth, anger and greed. In one of the chapters Backus mentions boredom, which seems to be a chronic problem in our society. He writes that "boredom is God's device for sounding an alarm, tyring to make us aware that, "you are serving the wrong God."

This book is convicting, insightful and truthful. It goes right sin, the root of our problems. Definitely a worthwhile read!