For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, (2 Timothy 4:3)
Our view of counseling will come as a direct consequence of our view of Scripture. If we believe in the sufficiency of Scripture, what follows is the understanding that the area of counseling is no exception to the principle of seeing every aspect of life under the light of the Word of God. In a time and day when society’s tendency of looking for answers everywhere but in Scripture, has infiltrated the Church, we need to urge one another to go back to the Scriptures, and to find in them the Counsel of God.
What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? (James 4:1)
Whereas the naturalistic world view (or any other view that denies God) argues for an autonomous humanity with a fundamental problem residing primarily outside of itself, the Bible states quite the opposite: humanity is dependent on God, and our main problem is not outside but inside of ourselves. This problem is called Sin. It is noteworthy that Scripture addresses behaviors that are typical in counseling – such as anger, rivalries, jealousy, dissensions, and divisions – as ‘the works of the flesh’ and not as mere external agents. 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. (Galatians 5:19-21a). This difference in the fundamentals poses not only a contrast in the identification of the problem, but in the solution as well. For even if/when the humanistic approach focuses within the person, it will state that you have the ability within yourself to become the solution that you need, whereas Scripture links the solution and its consequences with God through Christ Himself. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. (Galatians 5:22-24)
Now, having said this, the Bible doesn’t deny the reality of Sin around and outside of us (fallen world). This is precisely why the Apostle Paul urges us not to be conformed to this world (Romans 12:1-2). Circumstances are important, and they can influence us for good or for bad, nevertheless we are responsible for our own attitudes and actions before God and before others. There is a core problem within us, and we desperately need a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. These differences not only in approach, but also (specially) in principle, are so radical that we could argue that Biblical Counseling is fundamentally incompatible with most of the humanistic counseling schools and thoughts that permeate our society nowadays. May we as Christians believe what God says about His own Word:
16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, (2 Timothy 3:16)
By: Daniel David Pollorena
Reformed Seminarista 