212: Simplicity That Is In Christ
2 Corinthians 11:3,"But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ."
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212: Simplicity That Is In Christ
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I was listening to your podcast about the sufficiency of Scripture yesterday and am struck by the same thought in this podcast. The simplicity of Christ can make our ability to counsel so much simpler as well. Instead of trying to come up with thoughts and ideas to “fix” the problem presented, we present Christ (as you said the Wonderful Counselor) and offer a solution to a myriad of troubles that will come into the life of the counselee (and ourselves). To me this takes a lot of pressure off that we can often put on ourselves to “have the answers”. I’ve often struggled with this in my life because my job for 30 years has been to figure out problems and solve them and then figure out the new ones before they are problems, etc. This has often led me to try and “figure out” my Christian walk. The trap I fall into in these moments is forgetting the simplicity of Christ and the sufficiency of Scripture. God didn’t call me to figure it out, in fact He made it clear I could not figure it out so He sent Jesus for me, to rescue me. There is a simplicity there for just walking out life to remember that and to stop trying to figure out what I wasn’t meant to. To trust and have faith that He is enough and He will show me how to walk through life and it’s troubles. When we try to figure it out, we often fall into fear and confusion because listening to our flesh is no different than listening directly to our enemy. So it’s a good reminder to keep it simple and stop overcomplicating something that doesn’t have to be complicated. We look at our issues and trials as so complicated, and to us in our own efforts they are, but if we remember that they are not complicated to our Father then we have assurance and can find rest and even see that the “joy of the Lord is our strength”.
Well said; we are not to lose our focus on Christ. Verse 1 John 5:19 says, “We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.” It’s so interesting that Satan has been and still is so deceptive, as we look at how he takes the promise God gave in the rainbow, turns it into a symbol of what is sinful, and connects it to pride. We must stay connected to God through Christ and know His word because the enemy has been twisting it since the beginning of time. God’s word has never-ending knowledge, and it’s obvious as to how we are to live; we must share with those we come in contact with and point to what is true and reject what is false—in all love, comfort, and kindness, living as an example teaching what is true and right showing the freedom from the bondage we get so easily trapped in.
Another factual teaching! Thank you Pastor Jeff.
Speaking from experience, as a child and young man I had been to different psychologist, and went through secular drug counseling and mental health counseling as I was battling with drug addiction over the years, and I never felt complete. Everything always seemed so textbook. It didn’t seem to have substance. It was just a whole bunch of words. Maybe that was just the Lord giving me discernment before I even really knew the Lord. I never felt like they truly understood what I was going through. There’s something about a biblical counselor that knows the Lord. When you truly know the Lord and the Holy Spirit is working through you, as you councel, the Lord gives you insight, feeling, compassion, and understanding of what the person is going through. The Holy Spirit brings clarity to the situation’s not theories or man-made ideas or opinions of what this person should or shouldn’t do. This is what I was up against and it never worked. This is what the world is up against as they seek secular counseling or even Christian counseling with the idea that they are getting Christ filled answers about what they are going through. As integration creeps in people are furthered from the Lord because they feel that they are getting Godly answers, but what they are getting is psychological theories under the covering of a so-called Christian counselor. It’s sad because once someone goes to a “Christian counselor” that integrates, believing that they will get true godly counsel, but they only get psychological theories, this will mislead them from true change. They will never see the change happen that is long-term and everlasting, the true work of God. Where do they go after that? Then they become reluctant to want to trust God because they went to a so-called Christian counselor and still never truly changed. Where does a person go after that? I remember my mom took me to a pastor of this tiny church when I was younger, I had a real bad drug addiction, and he tried to tell me if I cut off my long hair my life would be different. That my long hair was a sin and things like that were keeping me from living a godly life. That’s crazy talk. So yeah, I’ve experienced misleading counsel in many different ways.
I feel there’s another side to Christian counselors that incorporate psychology with their “Godly Counsel” this is pure laziness that you see these days. Rather than truly studying the word and listening to the Holy Spirit to guide you through counseling others it’s easier to dive into what the world says can fix their problems or even just go with your feelings and say this is what “I think” you should do in this situation. I have found through being with BCA that it’s a lot of hard work making sure that my counselees are getting or going to get sound doctrine. That they are going to hear from the Lord and not from me. It’s much easier just to give someone my opinion than it is to do the hard work. I feel that this comes with the laziness of the GenZ. Plus, you have your own ego, pride, and self-esteem that goes along with that. If you’re not giving all glory to God for the changes that are happening in others lives through true biblical teaching, your just going to pop your collar, saying “yeah I did that.”
We need to be filled with the love of God that surpasses knowledge so that we may be filled with the fullness of God. Not the fullness of the world or the fullness of man’s ideas. I think it’s Ephesians 3:19 that speaks of this. “He” is sufficient not us! We need, and the counselees need His Fullness. To be filled with Christ is fulfilling, it’s an awesome feeling isn’t it. Like Jeff said Only He can provide an abundance of life, a wholeness of life, a victorious life, fruitful life. The Lord gives true, transformation, and growth. I love this, because I searched so long for other people to give me the answers through secular counseling, but I’ve only found the truth in the word of God.
Wow, some very good points. Thanks for sharing your experience and the insights it has given you. What I find sad about what you wrote, is that the issue with Christian counseling is also a church issue. You can’t even be assured anymore that just because you are in a church that you will get truth. Too many have let this same humanistic mindset infiltrate the pulpit and lead people astray to “follow how they feel” as opposed to following God or the truth of Scripture. Too many, in an effort to distance themselves from super hardline preaching and beliefs that perhaps verged on being Pharisee level religion, went the other way where anything goes and purity and holiness are just words with little meaning. People find little help or hope because there is nothing to get to the root of their problem which we know is sin. Though I am also excited to see that a push back towards the Word is becoming more common in the Church. We are inundated with what is wrong around us and that can be overwhelming, which is another reason to focus on the simplicity of Jesus. To do as Philippians says in 4:8 “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things”. We overcome the negative around us, the worldliness, with the sufficiency of Scripture and the simplicity of Christ. This is how we are, as you posted concerning Ephesians, filled with His all surpassing love that fills us with His fullness. Just thinking about the fact that we can be filled with His fullness is amazing to consider.
I appreciate this teaching on the simplicity of Christ and bringing more clarity to this topic. Another definition of simplicity that helped me grasp a fuller understanding is freedom of deceit or guile. Isn’t that the very nature of the enemy…deceit and guile? There’s complexity and complication within his agenda. He’ll do anything to lure us away from the truth of the redemptive plan of the cross. Whereas in Christ there’s freedom. There’s truth. There’s life! Jesus is enough! The message of Christ is simple and meant to understand. I love Psalm 19 and how it tells us how powerful His Word is and what it is able to do. His word is pure, simple and brings clarity. Psalm 19:7b ‘the testimony of Lord is sure making wise the simple’ and v. 8b says ‘the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.’ We have all that we need in Christ and in His all sufficient Word. I agree that the origin of psychological theories is rooted in the enemy. I also believe it’s God’s heart that we are very discerning about what we listen to and adhere to. His heart is that we stay close to His Word and draw from its all sufficiency. There is so much deception in the world and to discern what’s counterfeit we must know the truth. This applies to the world of counseling. I agree there are some well intentioned people, some even Christians, who either fully counsel from these theories or integrate them in their counsel. They are not necessarily demonic in their approach or even in their beliefs, but maybe are ignorant of what is available in Christ. If only they would abandon those methodologies and cling to Christ and the truth of His message so that they could live in the simplicity of Christ.
I love this reminder about the simplicity of Christ. His Word is not complicated (unless you are studying Ezekiel or Revelation, lol) but as far as how to live and please God, he makes it known in a way that even a child can understand. Psychology has a lot of complicated explanations & speculations about our lives but we can stand on God’s Word alone for help. We can never plumb the depths of His riches. He is powerful and His Word is substantial and sufficient. We do not need to rely on doctrines of men. I thoroughly believe this but sometimes I struggle inside with fear when I am counseling someone. I point women to Him and His Word and trust that it will bring them life and hope but am often concerned as to whether they are truly trusting it as their daily bread. It’s like knowing something is so good and handing it out but being uncertain if they believe it too and wondering if they want something more or different? But He is enough!! He is all I have to give. Colossians 3
What else could I give? John 6:68 ❤️
I appreciate your candidness regarding whether our counselees are trusting God’s Word to answer their problems and wonder if whether they are feeding upon it as their daily bread. I’m reminded that His Word never goes forth without purpose, it won’t return void, and it will accomplish what the Lord intends. He’s so good and faithful that way.
This is definitely something I think that people struggle with. Can they really trust the Word of God. I think part of our job is to show them that they can. If we believe it and live it, then others will follow our example. However, there will always be those who make the choice not to trust in the Word or the simplicity of Christ. People equate complicated with good for some reason. The more complicated the process the more it has to work right? They more effort I have to put in, I should see results. It’s completely opposite of the Scriptures which tells us not to trust in our own understanding. I used Philippians 4:8 above and the last part of your message reminded me of 4:9 “What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.” We can do everything to point people to Scripture and the true help they will find there, but we can’t make them practice what they have learned. I think that’s what make ministry in general hard at times. You know you’ve passed on truth, but don’t always know if the people you helped continue to practice that truth. Continue searching the Scripture. But this is where we have to trust in the simplicity of Christ for ourselves. You know you passed on the truth of His Word, then you have to leave it in His hands as to whether those you gave it to, choose to do what Philippians 4:9 says and practice it. Pray for them, encourage them to keep going after it where you can, but ultimately since He is the Wonderful Counselor, it’s between Him and them. This last part will be hard for me too. I get invested, I want to know my help is helping, but if we aren’t careful then it becomes about whether or not we are helping. Which can’t point back to us instead of up to Him. We have to stay confident that as we trust in Him, then others we disciple will as well. Though some will go through a different process than us or are in a different part of the process than us and it may take them longer to come into that place of trust.