12-Step Biblical Teaching

1. We admit we were powerless over the effects of our sin and that our lives have become unmanageable.

• Romans 7:18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not.
• Romans 7:19 For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want.
  
• Matthew 9:36 Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd.
  

2. Came to believe that a relationship with Jesus Christ could restore us to sanity.

• Philippians 2:13 for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.
  
• John 3:36 "He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him."
  
• John 14:6 Jesus *said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.
  
• Romans 10:13 for "WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED."
  

3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God.

• Romans 12:1 Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.
• Galatians 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.
  

4. I am to make a fearless and moral inventory of my life

• Lamentations 3:40 Let us examine and probe our ways, And let us return to the LORD.
  
• 1John 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us.
  
• Leviticus 19:11 'You shall not steal, nor deal falsely, nor lie to one another.
  
• Ezekiel 36:31 "Then you will remember your evil ways and your deeds that were not good, and you will loathe yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities and your abominations.
  

• James 5:16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.
  
• 1John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
  
• Psalms 32:3 When I kept silent about my sin, my body wasted away Through my groaning all day long.
• Psalms 32:5 I acknowledged my sin to You, And my iniquity I did not hide; I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD"; And You forgave the guilt of my sin.
  

• Galatians 1:3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ,
• Galatians 1:4 who gave Himself for our sins so that He might rescue us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father
• Titus 2:14 who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.
  
• Ephesians 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;
• Ephesians 2:9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast
  

7. Humbly asked Jesus Christ to remove our sins.

• 1John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness
  
• Romans 10:9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved
• Romans 10:10 for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation
  
• Psalms 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
  

8. Made a list of all the people I have sinned against and harmed and became willing to make amends to all of them.

• Luke 6:31 "Treat others the same way you want them to treat you.
  
• Luke 19:8 Zaccheus stopped and said to the Lord, "Behold, Lord, half of my possessions I will give to the poor, and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will give back four times as much.
  

9. Make direct amends to such people wherever possible except when to do so would injure them or others.

• Ezekiel 33:15 if a wicked man restores a pledge, pays back what he has taken by robbery, walks by the statutes which ensure life without committing iniquity, he shall surely live; he shall not die.
  
• Romans 13:7 Render to all what is due them: tax to whom tax is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor.
• Romans 13:8 Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law
  
• Matthew 5:23 "Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you
• Matthew 5:24 leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering.
  

10. Continued to take personal inventory, and when we were wrong, promptly admitted it.

• 1Corinthians 10:12 Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall.
  
• Romans 12:3 For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith.
• Philippians 2:3 Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves;

11. Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God, praying only for the knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.

• Proverbs 4:20 My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings.
• Proverbs 4:21 Do not let them depart from your sight; Keep them in the midst of your heart.
• Proverbs 4:22 For they are life to those who find them And health to all their body.
  
• Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
  
• Matthew 7:7 "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
• Matthew 7:8 "For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.
  
• 1Thessalonians 5:16 Rejoice always;
• 1Thessalonians 5:17 pray without ceasing
• 1Thessalonians 5:18 in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
  

12. Having had a spiritual awakening as a result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to others, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.

• Galatians 6:1 Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted
  
• 1Peter 4:7 The end of all things is near; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer.
• 1Peter 4:8 Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins
  
• James 5:20 let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.
  
• Hebrews 3:13 But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called "Today," so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin

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