True Biblical Counseling, Part 4

Last time, we introduced the divergencies between Biblical (Nouthetic) Counseling and Christian Psychology. The first divergent point was from the perspective of Scripture, secondly we need to explore the the differences with their Perspective on God.

Christian Psychologists generally limit God by introducing pagan notions based on man-centric philosophies. You may say to me, Sherrell, these people are kind and caring; they quote scripture and provide an invaluable service to the kingdom of God. Kind? yes they are. Caring? I agree. Quoting Scripture, sure, some out of context, some not. An invaluable service? I disagree. "A little leaven leavens the whole lump", yes? Let me illustrate.

Freud, Skinner, Rogers all had philosophical presuppositions about how to change people; all freely admiting that some people just cannot change. Often psychoanalysis (whether it bears an adjective entitled Christian) leads to years of talking through problems, often leading to even deeper morose issues without bringing any lasting change. Christian Psychology just uses churchified language to ornate their philosophy and integrate it into a spiritual way of life. It attempts to integrate Christ with psychoanalysis. This violates 2 Cor 6:15 which asks "what accord hath Crist with belial?". Have you ever stopped to think, why do their (Fredian, Skinnerian, Rogerian, Christian-integration) methodologies not work? From a purely psychological perspective, the psychologist do not have God's power; rather at the deepest level, man is god and his notions are better than his Creator's; after all man evolved from premoridal soup. They limit God, first because the three schools of thought represented by these men were atheistic and pagan. God, is the only solution for permanent change, through the agency of the Spirit and the Power of His Word. Further, there has to be a willing vessel for service; the Biblical Counselor.

Biblical counselors bring two things to the equation when applied. God's Word, that is "swift and sharper than any two-edged sword", and the wisdom to apply it to the situation at hand. Only a commited Biblical Counselor is uniquely equipped to confront and nouthetically change people; changed by God's Word, through God's Spirit. When each Christian becomes a student of the Word, committed to the spiritual care of people (as we all are to be), then we recognize that God has equipped us with the Divine resources for lasting spiritual change in us and is others. With humble gratitude.