Is Mental Illness Just Sin in Disguise?

This episode of the Out of the Question podcast explores the cultural shift in explaining destructive behavior through the lens of psychology and psychiatry rather than Scripture. Andrea Schwartz and Pastor Charles Roberts begin by recounting disturbing local incidents labeled as “mental health crises” by authorities and the media. They question why society defaults to diagnoses and pharmaceuticals instead of confronting sin, responsibility, and spiritual realities, noting that modern psychology begins with humanistic assumptions rather than the truths found in Genesis. This, they argue, leads to superficial solutions that ignore the moral and spiritual dimensions of human problems.

The discussion contrasts biblical categories of sin, illness, and demonic influence with the modern psychiatric framework. Scripture, they point out, distinguishes between physical ailments, spiritual oppression, and demonic possession, each with different attributes and remedies. Yet modern culture collapses these distinctions into psychiatric diagnoses, often excusing sinful behavior. The hosts emphasize that without grounding knowledge in God’s Word, people suppress the truth and seek explanations in chemical imbalances or psychological theories, leaving personal responsibility and obedience to God unaddressed.

Finally, they stress that sanctification, community, and obedience to Scripture are the true remedies for what society calls “mental illness.” While acknowledging that some conditions have physical causes, they insist that most human problems are spiritual at their root. The conversation warns against easy believism and reliance on professionals at the expense of biblical counsel and accountability. Instead, Christians are called to bear one another’s burdens, discern spiritual realities, and apply God’s law faithfully. The episode closes with recommended resources, urging believers to equip themselves to help others through a biblical worldview rather than outsourcing care to secular systems.