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