True Biblical Counseling: Part 3

Last time we examined what it means to Counsel someone Biblically, discovering that this idea is rooted in Scripture and is used in the context of the local church. Next, we need to discover the differences between Biblical Counseling (from a Biblical perspective) and Christian (Psychology) Counseling, that is Christians that counsel using Biblical language while supplementing (or even substituting) their material with secular sources. We learn that Biblical Counseling and Christian Psychology have five divergent points. We will examine these in the these final three or four posts.

Lets examine our first point of difference; that is from the perspective of Scripture. In this idea of the use of the Scriptures in counseling there are stark contrasts, while some would see these as only slight. Many Christian Psychologists acknowledge that the Bible has a role of inspiration in counseling with the main focus is for them to adapt a personalized model secular psychology and attempt to counsel and speak from human knowledge and wisdom. Biblical (Nouthetic) Counselors, on the other hand, use the Scriptures as the source for how to understand people and the problems that they face. Let me explain why the latter is superior to the former. Only God knows the heart of man. Who better understands man than his Creator? Jeremiah tells us that the "heart of man is deceitful and desperately wicked (Jer 17:9)"; Paul says, "There is none righteous"( Rom 3:10). This foundational principle explains that, Freud, Skinner, and Rogers (the authorities on psychological counseling theories) could not have known the heart of man, and could only approximate the emotional part of man. They simply devised clever, albeit intellectual, frameworks of how man's emotions work. Is this an arogant statement? No, these men, although brilliant, were not saved; they were aetheists or agnostics. God's Word on the other hand delivers a clear verdict. The end state of a psychologist (no matter their intentions) using his flawed theories can only lead to flawed analysis. On the other hand, 2 Tim 3:16-17 tells us that the Bible is Inspired and is "profitable for doctrine (what is right), reproof (how to stay right), correction (how to get right), and instruction in righteousness (keeping on the right course). The Bible presupposes man's sinfulness, prescribes an inward change (that is salvation); then promises His Spirit as a Divine Agent to use the Scriptures to guide us. This is astoundingly clear! God's Way delivers change that does not want! Respectfully. Merry Christmas! Sherrell

True Biblical Counseling: Part 2

We learned in the last posting that Biblical Counseling is understood from the meaning behind the use of the term nouthesia; that greek word carries the idea of confrontation, concern and change. According to Jay Adams, the leading scholar on Biblical or Nouthetic Counseling, there are three ideas found in the word nouthesia. They are confrontation, concern, and change. To put it simply, nouthetic counseling consists of lovingly confronting people out of deep concern in order to help them make godly changes in their lives. It is godly change that we need in order to live a life that is pleasing to the Lord Jesus Christ. This is the only life that is adorned with gold, silver and precious stones, not wood hay and stubble.

What do these ideas encompass? The following explainations are provided by the Institute for Nouthetic Studies:

Confrontation means that one Christian personally gives counsel to another from the Scriptures. He does not confront him with his own ideas or the ideas of others, but limits his counsel strictly to that which may be found in the Bible, believing that "All scripture [is] given by inspiration of God, and [is] profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.(2 Timothy 3:16,17)

Concern means that counseling is always done for the benefit of the counselee. His welfare is always in view in Nouthetic counseling. The apostle Paul put it this way: "I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn [you].(1 Corinthians 4:14) There is always a warm, family note to Nouthetic counseling which is done among the saints of God who seek to help one another become more like Christ.

Change means that Nouthetic counseling is done because there is something in another Christian's life that fails to meet the biblical requirements and that, therefore, keeps him from honoring God. All counseling -- Biblical or otherwise-- attempts change. Biblical counselors know what a counselee should become as the result of counseling: he should look more like Christ. He is the Standard. Biblical counseling is done by Christians who are convinced that God is able to make the changes that are necessary as His Word is ministered in the power of the Spirit. The importance of such counseling in churches is underscored by the words of Paul as he described his ministry in Ephesus: "Therefore, be alert, remembering that for three years, night and day, I didn't stop counseling each one of you with tears." (Acts 20:31) The regularity and intense nature of Paul's counsel during his three-year ministry at Ephesus is emphasized by these words. If Paul found it necessary to counsel nouthetically for that entire period, as he said, surely our churches need it, too.

More to follow---In His Service! Sherrell

On True Biblical Counseling: Part 1

We are often torn by the reality of living in a fallen world. We Christians understand that this life on earth is the worst that we will ever experience. God's Word does clarify that the "wise man built his house upon the rock" and the "foolish man built his house upon the sand"; in both cases there are storms; the rains come down and the floods come up. One stands firm and the other falls.... and ...great is the fall of it. You will notice, regardless of the circumstances of whether one is wise or foolish, the storms come. We may as well build that house on the rock! Amen? I want to briefly launch a number of posts dealing with Biblical Counseling, because there can be confusion here, and I want to help clear it up.



True Biblical Counseling is based on a genuine understanding of the Holy Scriptures and thorough grounding in an understanding of man and who he is and how he can change. The Apostle Paul writes: "I myself am convinced about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, and competent to counsel one another." Romans 15:14

The word Counsel here is Noutheteo and is translated "admonish, correct or instruct." We see the context of the term counsel then (here and elsewhere in the New Testament) is in the context of the local Church, that body Paul is addressing. It is a common part of our sanctification and we are to hold each other accountable. This will be the thrust of the next series of posts that I will share....to examine the differences between so-called Christian Counseling and Biblical Counseling. They are different and are based on fundementally different presuppositions. In His Honor! Sherrell