Lets view the the differences between Biblical Counseling and Christian Psychology from another perspective: The Perspective of Human Nature and Motivation. Many Christian psychologists accept a theory proposed by Abraham Maslow which suggests that individuals have certain psychological needs such as safety, esteem, and belonging. All remember Maslow as the social scientist who experimented with stimulus reaction in dogs; starve them enough and they would react when you provided them a stimulus; meat. While this is a purely mechanistic action, Maslow deduced and interesected the same sort of stimuli towards the needs of humans. Here, we shall not undervalue Maslow's contribution to science and sociology, but we should question the ends to which modern man has attributed to them.
Many Christian psychologists believe that if man's felt needs are satisfied, they are happier, more adjusted. This at first glance seems innocent and altruistic; but beneath the surface is sinister because it clouds the real issues of life. Man's felt needs are not the primary issue; alignment of one's life in accordance to God's Word is what leads one to peace with God. Modernistic church movements cater to individual's felt needs; this is destructive. We see them peddling the Gospel espousing that it will solve all their problems, make them happy, give them a reason to live, etc. Have you not heard this in churches today? This is Satan trading the Gospel for a lie. Christ died for our sins and requires repentance. The Gospel is the solution for our spiritual sin problem and is not the panacea for every emotional ill. This is a sinister lie of Satan.
Biblical counselors submit that if born-again Christians desire God, they will experience joyfulness, satisfaction, and purpose. Romans 15:13 says: Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost. You see this? The God of Hope will fill us with peace and joy. God is called the God of peace in scripture often (Rm 16:20; 2 Cor 13:11; Phil 4:9;)
This is tatmount to life. God is Peace. He is our peace. Blessings
Friday, February 20, 2009
Thursday, January 29, 2009
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.
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.
Monday, December 22, 2008
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
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
Saturday, December 13, 2008
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
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
Thursday, December 11, 2008
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
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
Thursday, October 23, 2008
On Ministering with Our Spiritual Gifts
My spouse and son were recently involved in a severe auto crash. By God's grace they were spared, but did suffer broken bones. My wife has been hospitalized for the better part of twelve days as of this writing. This casted me in a temporary role of single parent and has granted me a rich appreciation for my wife's daily tasks of getting the children ready, taking care of the home, nursing sick kids, and pressing homework, etc. Frankly, I have led close to a thousand soldiers in the military, have commanded billions of dollars in budgets, but being a single parent has been the most difficult task to date, and I have a deeper understanding and compassion for widows and the fatherless. God's Word is repleat with verses of His strong Love for these oft-forgotten children.
I have drawn deep encouragement from God's people during these days. Our precious church has rallied around us with prayers, meals, compassion and help with shuttling kids and offers for cleaning and other chores. Frankly I am overwhelmed with God's Grace and His people's generosity and love during these trials.
Do you belong to a local Body of Christ? Paul exhorts in Hebrews 10:25: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some [is]; but exhorting [one another]: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching". Here we are pressed to come together in the local body of Christ, that is the church. It is not only fitting and proper, but a command. We cannot be spectators in the body of Christ; we must be participators. God endows us with spiritual gifts for the ministry. 1 Corinthians 14:12 says, "Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual [gifts], seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church". You see this? We are called to ministers to those in our local church, to edify and build each other up. When we abandone church attendance for the sake of television or radio ministers we neglect the use of our spiritual gifts and are in disobedience of God's Word.
I have drawn deep encouragement from God's people during these days. Our precious church has rallied around us with prayers, meals, compassion and help with shuttling kids and offers for cleaning and other chores. Frankly I am overwhelmed with God's Grace and His people's generosity and love during these trials.
Do you belong to a local Body of Christ? Paul exhorts in Hebrews 10:25: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some [is]; but exhorting [one another]: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching". Here we are pressed to come together in the local body of Christ, that is the church. It is not only fitting and proper, but a command. We cannot be spectators in the body of Christ; we must be participators. God endows us with spiritual gifts for the ministry. 1 Corinthians 14:12 says, "Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual [gifts], seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church". You see this? We are called to ministers to those in our local church, to edify and build each other up. When we abandone church attendance for the sake of television or radio ministers we neglect the use of our spiritual gifts and are in disobedience of God's Word.
ON THE NEWNESS OF LIFE
A. R. Bernard said, If you don’t have a vision for the future, then your future is threatened to be a repeat of the past.
There is a maxim that advises that it is lunacy to expect a different outcome when we continue the same behavior. In Alabama speak that is, “if you keep doin’ what you’re always a doin’, you’ll keep a gettin’ what you always get’.” While this may be amusing, it rings true for many Christians. We live a life that is incongruous with the portrait that is resoundingly clear in Scripture then we fail to understand how we are not appreciating the blessings of God. We cannot understand why we are depressed or unfulfilled. Comparing ourselves to the unsaved around us, our lives are not really contrasted. Something is wrong, and we know it.
Yes, we are sinners for it says so in Romans 3:23. Yes our hearts are deceitful and desperately wicked according to Jeremiah 17:9, but if we are saved it is different. How? Because according to God’s Word we are changed: “If any man be in Christ he is a new creation, old things have passed away, behold all things are become new.” II Corinthians 5:17. Why does God provide us with normative truth in the Bible? Why does He provide us a path for righteous living? Why does He provide us the Holy Spirit? Why, because He expects us to live a victorious life. He expects us to move towards progressive sanctification to maturity.
Let me unpack this. In Romans 6:4 it says: “Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life”. You see this? At salvation we are freed from death and sin and its power, and by so are enabled to walk in righteousness. Paul goes on to say in 6:18, “Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness”. Are you saved? Yes, then live righteously by the power of our Lord Jesus Christ. Humbly, Sherrell
There is a maxim that advises that it is lunacy to expect a different outcome when we continue the same behavior. In Alabama speak that is, “if you keep doin’ what you’re always a doin’, you’ll keep a gettin’ what you always get’.” While this may be amusing, it rings true for many Christians. We live a life that is incongruous with the portrait that is resoundingly clear in Scripture then we fail to understand how we are not appreciating the blessings of God. We cannot understand why we are depressed or unfulfilled. Comparing ourselves to the unsaved around us, our lives are not really contrasted. Something is wrong, and we know it.
Yes, we are sinners for it says so in Romans 3:23. Yes our hearts are deceitful and desperately wicked according to Jeremiah 17:9, but if we are saved it is different. How? Because according to God’s Word we are changed: “If any man be in Christ he is a new creation, old things have passed away, behold all things are become new.” II Corinthians 5:17. Why does God provide us with normative truth in the Bible? Why does He provide us a path for righteous living? Why does He provide us the Holy Spirit? Why, because He expects us to live a victorious life. He expects us to move towards progressive sanctification to maturity.
Let me unpack this. In Romans 6:4 it says: “Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life”. You see this? At salvation we are freed from death and sin and its power, and by so are enabled to walk in righteousness. Paul goes on to say in 6:18, “Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness”. Are you saved? Yes, then live righteously by the power of our Lord Jesus Christ. Humbly, Sherrell
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
About Me
- The Master's Teacher
- Burke, Virginia, United States
- A humble plebe of God's Word dedicated to the Lord God of Heaven and His Son Jesus Christ; to bring Him honor and glory that He deserves!
