WHY BIBLICAL COUNSELING?
Man’s Wisdom is NOT Truth
Counseling offered by social science professionals has little or no use for the Bible. The prevailing wisdom is that one should not “impose” biblical doctrines on another person. Instead, the “self” is worshipped. The “self” is to be sought and satisfied and individual experience is the ultimate truth.
But the social sciences cannot claim truth. Today, there are more than 200 different types of psychological treatment methods. While they conflict with one another, they each claim scientific status. How can that be? Psychology Today, in June 2000, reported that 44 million Americans “meet the criteria for mental illness.” The social sciences are not sciences at all, but are man-made philosophies masquerading as sciences. Is this type of “truth” working?
Biblical Counseling Is From God
The Biblical counseling movement is founded on the premise that God, as Creator, understands man’s heart, knows the solutions to man’s brokenness and that His solutions are more effective than any methods devised by man.
The solutions for man’s brokenness and the guidance for living a full, abundant life are found in God’s Word. The biblical counselor is dependent on:
- God’s plan to Sanctify the believer,
- the use of Scripture as the guide,
- reliance on the Holy Spirit for the work of change,
- and devotion to prayer.
These four elements make biblical counseling distinctively different from, and infinitely more effective than, any competing approach devised by man.
God Is Sanctifying You
God has a plan for your life. If you are a believer, He is working right this moment to progressively “sanctify” you; that is, to make you more and more like Christ:
“For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren” (Romans 8:29)
God’s Word is Sufficient
God has given you His Perfect Word to help you live a godly and fulfilling life:
“All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; 17so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
These ideas of teaching, reproofing, correcting and training in righteousness are what a biblical counselor does. It is the true sense of the very meaning of the word “counselor” (one who gives advice in directing the judgment of another).
Scriptures provide a template that defines normal and abnormal behavior. Humans operate at the optimum when they are aligned with God’s principles. Anything outside His order places one in discord with the Holy Spirit and will produce spiritual, functional, and relational consequences.
Biblical counseling is doing what God has commanded Christians to do since His Son came into this world: to look to God’s word for the answers to all of life’s problems.
Biblical counseling uses the power of God to achieve the purposes of God. Scripture is sufficient for the counseling task and is superior to anything the world has to offer.
The Holy Spirit Does The Work
You are not alone. As a believer, the Holy Spirit of God is living in you, enlightening you, encouraging you and changing you:
“For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 1:6)
“… for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:13)
Prayer is Powerful
Your prayers, and the prayers of those around you, can accomplish much:
“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” (Philippians 4:6)
“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.” (James 5:16)
