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What You'll Discover in this Episode:
The Psychologizing of the Faith and the Problem of Sin
In the last episode, we expounded and thought about the fact that Jude is saying how important it is to do battle and stand for the Word of God. Why does he say it's important? He found it necessary because, "...for certain men have crept in unnoticed who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turned the grace of our God in deludness and deny our only Lord God and and our Lord Jesus Christ."
The psychologozing of the faith or the watering down of the truth of the Word of God, especially in the counseling arena but in many other areas, we're finding that to be the case. The reality is our culture have exported this theory. Our culture has become deeply and extensively psychological. Our culture is into psychological theory because it's all about self and the independent self life and self exhaltation - the hierarchy of self-centered needs. It's invading the church. Yes, I can understand why the culture around us love psyschology because self is God when you don't have God.
PART 2: Psychologizing of Faith
Psychological theory does not deal with the problem of sin. In Romans 5:12-17, it briefly discusses the problem of sin. When sin gets psychologized, when the biblical foundation is removed, a major foundation stone gets shifted, realigned and redefined.
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The worship of self has definitely been around since the beginning and is truly a religion. The problem of psychologizing the faith it can’t deal with the problem of sin and death. What we then are left with is a pseudo religious lie that is rooted in humanism and it becomes so easy to accept everything else presented looks like something good even though the worldly remedies do not offer forgiveness and do not offer new life! Also The grace we receive through truly walking with God can grow us and help us understand what gifts we have been given. I notice that there are so many things offered in our lives that it seems normal to accept Man’s problem for sin and Abnormal to accept the Grace of God available to us.
Leslie,
I love the way you say that the ‘self-life is always trying to rise again.’ So true! I am finding that the counselors trained in psychology that I encounter are marinating in the self-life, without even realizing it. The idea of addressing sin seems to be a foreign language and God’s remedy of grace has given way to man’s methods. Lord help us! Thank you for the reminder that we need to deny ourselves daily.
Pastor Jeff,
I understand why you and others are spending so much time on the topic of psychology and how it has crept into the church. Thank you for your efforts in raising up biblical counselors that strive to minister to others with the truths of God’s word – where we find the answers we need. If the church succumbs to counseling with man’s wisdom, our next generation will be lost! I see the absence of grace and addressing sin in the arena of psychology, and how it is effecting not only the counselees – but the counselors! I see the thought processes that have left God out of the equation, as well as the remedies that seek to use man’s wisdom plus “a little bit of God.” I know that God has placed me in this battle, and I am grateful for having found your sound instruction. If we are to contend for the faith, we will need to take a stand here, in the area of ministering to hurting people – biblical counseling. The watering down of the faith is pervasive, but the Lord would have us be ‘strong and courageous’ – without fear. Thank you for your faithfulness!
Always blessed by the podcast and comments by others,I learn so much by reading your thoughts! As I grow in my walk and faith I have a greater desire to defend for the faith in my very own sphere of influence, like the reminder in Jude 3. The Bible warns us of wolves that will creep in, and cause even the elect to stray. Our culture is into psychological theory because we are by nature, and before Christ- selfish. Even in Christ we battle with selfishness. And the self- life i’ve noticed with myself, is always trying to rise again. Which is why God calls us to follow him and carry our cross (Daily.) Im learning also that the worlds ways (humanism) are not Gods ways, his ways are higher and greater. So thankful God left us with the life manual. I like that we can call sin, sin and then find the true remedy. Not just fix the symptoms.. though death and sin reign, God has given us his Son, to redeem us, the world, And deal with the foundational problem of the world which is sin, and thankfully we can lead others to that truth.
So true Leslie, the old self is always trying to rise out of the ashes! Just this morning I was reading in Philippians 2.5 “let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus” but in French it is much more poignant, it literally says “que votre attitude soit identique à celle de Jésus-Christ” or may your attitude be identical to Jesus Christ. I was so touched that that is the calling – not any sort of compromise or comparing myself to anyone else, but having the mind of Christ. SO powerful and it goes along so well with what you said, thank you!
Thank you Pastor Jeff for this podcast which I found very encouraging. I fully agree with everything you have said in this podcast. Sin is the sickness we all face, but Jesus is the doctor and his remedy is forgiveness. He has paid the price for our forgiveness through His sacrifice on the cross by His own holy blood. Not only this, but Jesus has covered us with His righteousness meaning He has made us right with God. His abundant grace, that is his undeserved favor which has been freely and generously made available for the entire human race for all time. When we are hurt by others or when we hurt people, Jesus has the solution for every human problem in every circumstance. We must be careful from where we obtain guidance and resolution for our problems as solutions must only come from God’s word which contains God’s truth for the restoration of all of creation (2 Tim 3:16). Jesus is the only Wonderful Counselor we have because he is the Truth and is the only one who truly cares for us as we can see through his sacrifice (Is. 9:6). In him “… are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” (Col 2:3). Human philosophy does not have any answer to sin. It cannot change us from the inside and cannot heal our spirit, soul, and body. This is my testimony. He has been transforming me day by day and his abundant grace is always available renew me in every circumstance!
I love how Pastor Jeff started off his podcast reminding us of Jude 3 – as I took the time to read that whole book, I am encouraged by the heart of Jude, that he would remind those who already knew, but was so adamant that they don’t forget! Oh how it is important that we defend the faith, in the sense that we are learners of the scripture and listeners to the Holy Spirit, recognizing false teachers, and lies. Humanism can creep ever so slightly among the people, especially believers, if we are lazy and dependent on the experience of others instead of the Word of God. Unbelievers will act like unbelievers, and the main thing is to bring them to the saving knowledge of Christ. The sin of unbelief is greater than what they believe is their greatest bondage. Once they are believers, we need to lead them to the truth of God’s word, using the verbiage that Christ uses, calling sin, SIN. IF we can’t admit that our bondage is sin, and give it some other excuse or name, then death continues to reign, and we will never be set free. Praising God for His grace and that His Grace is greater still. I love how the difference was explained of the righteousness of God, which is automatic when we are born again. That we are not MADE righteous, but DECLARED righteous. Yet, the grace of God in all its abundance is available. It is an ever flowing fountain that we must drink from. I also love that this grace is more than the grace of forgiveness, but as Pastor Jeff said, “it is a grace that grows, builds, rescues, transforms, matures, is fruitful and useful”. Oh His beautiful grace, can’t be earned but it can be grasped.
I am gaining a whole new understanding of how to hear and listen to those I counsel with more attentive spiritual ears. I am also realizing how much the church is being infiltrated with false doctrine as well as human wisdom and theories. I never recognized this before, but it is ever so clear now. My daughter in law is seeking therapy for her sin, and it was her church that sent her to a therapist (christian therapist?), it seems to be bringing out all the past and having her recognize all her victimization, but I pray that they are pointing her to the word, so that she recognizes that she can not let the sin of others become her sin. There is healing to be made, but that healing can only come and be giving to the Lord who knows the deepest places of her heart and mind. I am curious, do most churches have a “christian” therapist that they refer members of their body too?
I am learning so much, and I am so very thankful for this timely class.
Hi Kristine,
I love the “Oh His beautiful grace can’t be earned but it can be grasped.” This peace that comes from the Lord’s grace is felt so beautifully!
This reminds me of, when people say, “how can you believe in a god you can’t see,” and my husband several times used this example: He says, “close your eyes and hold out your hand, palm up. He’ll run his finger over the palm of their hand and say, okay tell me what just happened. They will say, “you touched the palm of my hand.” My husband says, “how do you know?” They will say, “because I felt it.”
My husband will then tell them about how the Lord is felt when we surrender everything to the Lord: our life, our sins, our thoughts, our intentions, our Will; and allow the Lord to handle everything from there explaining that our life now has a leader who loves us, has taken our sin and disposed of it and chooses not to remember it, that our life is now new and there is no condemnation, and so much more. This beautiful grace that brings such peace.
I don’t know of any church that has a Christian therapist in house, but I do know of one person that does biblical counseling in my area, and she has an office that is independent from any of the churches. I don’t know why she doesn’t have a designated office in any of the church’s, because I thought that our textbook said that having a spot inside of the church was where this was supposed to happen…? When I complete my education at CCU, I will be the second, and our church doesn’t have walls 🙂
Pastor you are so correct that man’s fundamental problem is sin, and it has been since the garden. From that time in the garden, man has also been trying to shift the blame of sin to others; Adam pointed to Eve, and Eve pointed to the serpent; this didn’t work for mankind then, and it certainly doesn’t work for mankind now.
Back in 1998 David Wilkerson gave a message entitled “The dangers of the gospel of accommodation”; this message was warning church leaders of changes that were beginning to happen in the church. Words like “Sin”, “Confession”, and “Repentance” began disappearing from pastor’s vocabulary. I was a member at a church when it underwent a pastoral change; at first the new pastor painted a good picture of his vision for the church, wanting to see more and more people reached out to and become Christians. The methods and messages that were implemented however, pushed the fundamental message of the Gospel back into the shadows. The “invitation to Christ” came across more as “come and add Christ to your life” instead of “We are all sinners. Repent and be saved; die to your old self and Christ will forgive you and give you new life”. Many members left at that time, but sadly many embraced the “new message”.
Jesus is the perfect example of how to present the fundamental, unabridged truth of man’s problem, sin, in a way suited to the hearer. He used both confrontation and comfort, which ever the situation required, for He knew the person he was speaking to. We need to follow His example; listen to the person we may be counseling and present The Truth to them as they need to hear it; always with love. We of course are only the vessels for God’s service; so for us to follow Jesus’ example requires us to be filled with both the Word and the Holy Spirit.
I am so sorry to learn that this happened in your previous church. Many would rather please the world than please God. “Sin,” “repentance,” and “confession” are not just words but central to Jesus’ own teaching. If people are not following Jesus, then they aren’t a church and so it is good that you left. Some believe that by speaking what itching ears want to hear they are attracting people to the gospel, but as you wrote, in Paul’s words, we are to “speak the truth in love.”
Hi Rick,
I listened to a lot of David Wilkerson’s messages and I’m not sure if I heard this one. I was wondering, though, when this false doctrine began to creep into the church, and since it was evident that it was happening, why there was no-one who would stand up and rebuke this other than David Wilkerson. (I cry every time I hear one of his sermons) It seems as if these so-called pastors are treating God’s Word as a business instead of His Word being the very essence of life and what we are to live by. I can think of a few today who are doing this and just will not repent, and if they do repent, they go right back to doing what they were doing. They are using salvation and the grace of God as a reason to get away with sinning.
Like that song, “praise him like you just got away with something; why? cause you just got away with something.” Too many people hear this and believe that they can be saved and actively sin, and believe that they are saved. Their heart condition is still a separation from God because their heart wasn’t right when they repented in the first place. They are brought to the Lord under false pretenses, and now the false-shepherd has another follower donating more money. They treat church like a business because of their lack of belief.
It is really sad, how true the statement is that Humanism has crept into the church, by way of the pulpit, worship, growth programs. We have drifted from simply teaching the Word of God. Have we so quickly forgotten that it is God who adds to the church as we see in Acts 2:46-47 “So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added [q]to the church daily those who were being saved.”
The Pyschologizing of the Faith does nothing to rid us of the root of the problems in our lives but it enforces them, it feeds them, it keeps us captive, and enslaved to them. The Problem is Sin. Romans 5:17 Jeff pointed out Death reigns when we are not in Christ. In Christ we receive the gift of righteousness and we have the wonderful privilege of walking in an abundance of Grace!
Where would you rather be? Where Death reigns or Christ reigns? The world would rather not deal with the issue of sin because they enjoy what they are doing and know no better, So when they do run into issues rather than dealing with the issue of sin they seek to find names for their alignment that will help them cope with the issues, they tag them with the names, dysfunctional, victim and so on. But we who are in Christ suffer a life of misery when we return to the pit of sin and attempt to live lives that glorify the flesh. This also is not how Christ wants us to be counseling those who we come in contact, we are not to cover up the wounds with words that will sooth the surface but we are to lead them to the Word of God! Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”
There God’s word will deal with the issue which is sin and lives will be set free, restored, and full of Grace!
Josiah, I agree with you that on the fact that one would rather not deal with sin because they enjoy what they are doing. I have also seen that there are those who try so hard in their own efforts instead of accepting the work of the cross, and run back to the very thing Christ freed them from because it is what they have always known, it is what’s comfortable even if its not what is best. It saddens me. I have also seen many give excuse to their sin because of a victim mentality, they live in the victimization of sin that was made against them and therefore they “can’t help what they do”. I do believe like you said, they find those things that will help them cope with the sin or things that will help them ignore their sin (even for a little while) so they don’t have to confess and repent of it and can just keep moving forward. Again, they are trying to work things out according to their own human understanding and efforts, which will always leave them empty, broken still, and headed toward death. Makes my heart hurt–but it is also a good reminder to constantly ask the Lord to search my own heart – and not lean on my own understanding or empty efforts.
Pastor Jeff, this was so good and so timely I want to listen again and take more notes! This so simply describes the place we are in right now and the battle that we are fighting. SIN! Simple yet no one wants to call sin, sin anymore. It is either victimization or dysfunctionalism under the disquise of humanism. I have come along side many and the ones that transform are the ones that stop pointing fingers at their childhood, parents, abuse, hardships,etc… and look at the real problem and that is themselves and sin! Why people resist this is beyond me? The minute I was able to see my problem was sin was the minute the cross finally made sense. The remedy is beautiful, gentle, loving and transforming! When I discovered I didn’t have to achieve righteousness that it was a gift that I needed to believe and receive there was such freedom! I love what you said at the end. A correct diagnosis equals a correct remedy! Thank you for the simple yet profound words to enter into society and our culture to combat the deception! And as Jude says contend for the faith! My words were falling short. This has so empowered me to be able to contend for the faith! Great podcast! Feeling so blessed to be here!
Thank you for this episode Pastor Jeff. It was a good reminder that grace is not only given at the point of conversion (forgiveness), but the Lord provides an abundance of grace for us to live a victorious Christian life (sanctification). So often we can forget this truth in our own lives. Also, another good reminder on this episode was that we are made right with God, not by our own works, but by His work (the gift of righteousness). As servants/workers of Jesus we can easily get caught up in thinking that we’re earning points with God for our service to Him. We need to guard against that. We’re all just beggars trying to show other beggars where to find bread. The bread of life!
Laz it is amazing that we can receive the grace of God’s forgiveness at the point of conversion, but then seek out the rules and regulations we are suppose to live by, and focus on them so much so that we neglect the relationship we were saved to have with God. It is the very relationship with God that brings about our alignment with Him (sanctification); His ways become our ways, and we strive to obey Him out of our love for Him; a love that grows as we see more and more what He has given up for us.
I’m going to post here, and on the JC website because it says to comment here, but there is a comment on the website.
FOR OUR DISCUSSION:
Psychology is an occult which has been brought into the church under the guise of “understanding human behavior.” This brings to mind, my experience with college professors; here are two of many.
A Professor at UNR: Philosophical Criticisms of Psychological Research
This professor talked about The Mismeasure of Man, but at every turn he praised and criticized his idea of mismeasurement, which is faith; mixing Catholicism with Christianity while praising the Ohms of Buddhism; the students listened, laughed along, commented occasionally in agreement; but I sat in the very back of the auditorium becoming more perturbed as classes progressed. I finally spoke up against his remark about Jesus being married to the prostitute Mary, and each time he tried to interrupt I spoke louder and a little faster about the catholic church teaching this doctrine, why they believed that Mary was a prostitute due to the high frequency of the women of the town Magdalena being prostitutes and Mary being from that town, and that nowhere in the Bible does it say that Jesus was married. And when he said, “I’m not wrong about what I said but if I’m wrong, someone is going to hell – HaHaHa – and the class also laughed.” I abruptly replied, “Yes! about Hell you’re right, and it will not be me!” Although I did all of the reading and work required of the class, I became so disgusted with the professor that I refused to take his final exam, but I got a “A-” in his class; probably because he didn’t want me to return. I don’t think that he thought anyone would stand up against a professor who held their grades/future in his hands as he explained, but at that point, he needed rebuked, and his teacher’s aid should have warned him about her experience with coming to our outreach ministry to volunteer once, and that we teach the Gospel.
Another professor who taught Abnormal Psychology left a bitter taste in my mouth when I had to speak about what constitutes abnormal in psychology. This class taught about the diagnosis rather than what it is, Sin; and how to treat the symptoms of sin through medications, rather than addressing the symptoms that are manifested because of their sin. I believe that sin causes a stirring in the person’s spirit, that when it effects the soul that is obviously against God, and this stirring without repentance is what causes the building up of the agitation (compiled), into a manifestation of what would be diagnosed as some type of abnormality. Instead of calling it sin, they call it a psychological disorder and treat it with an anti-depressant or an anti-anxiety pill that brings a feeling of euphoria, or a numbing of the sin, rather than repentance which is the ultimate cure.
I was beginning to realize after listening to several podcasts about the psychologizing of the faith, that I was being saturated in occult beliefs and practices; this is extremely fearful to me, what could have happened in my life had I not known about Jesus. I come from a family that never attended church, were very abusive, and never spoke of Jesus. But, Jesus revealed himself to me when I was alone playing in a tree at the age of 4. If I would not have learned that God is real because of Him audibly speaking to me, and had such an awareness of the love that Jesus had for me, I would have been first, fully indoctrinated in psychology and may have rejected the Word of God, just as I see these professors and “educated” people are indoctrinated in the world. I now call God’s revelation of Himself to me – an intervention.
The more we talk about psychologizing faith, the angrier I become about what is happening to this world, and the more I want to fight back against all of what they were trying to indoctrinate me with – and I paid them to do it! (I want a refund! No seriously, I do.) Although I see the darkness around me, I can now see how darkness has fully saturated this world, and where the Saints truly are being a beacon of light, and the darkness is trying to snuff out this Godly Light.
A week before Biden was confirmed I was in the middle of prayer and had a vision of inauguration day. I was taken up out of the world into space and looked at the world and saw the entire world shaded with darkness except for the United States. Then the light of the U.S. went out and the whole world became dark. I said, “what does this mean Lord?” I immediately knew that on inauguration day that the Christian light in the United States going forth and giving the Gospel to the world, was going to be overtaken with darkness, and our spreading of the Gospel was going to be either illegal, or similar to climbing an uphill battle. Only the Lord can conquer this type of evil; which says to me that the hour of Christ’s return is 12:59:57.
Today my light just became a little brighter, and my fight will become a little more intensified. I feel an urgency to do something more than what I’m doing for the Lord, and I need the Lord to tell me what to do.
Love your heart Kristi! Fear not, nothing you’ve been taught wrongly will be wasted! The wheat and the tares are growing together and both will reach full maturity. It is that very maturity which reveals the nature of each–tares do not produce any grain that brings life, only seed for more tares! We were warned of wolves dressed as sheep and that we would know them by their fruit. Because of your experience with the wolves you will love and protect the sheep in your little flock more than you would’ve otherwise. Abide, sit at His feet and you will bring forth fruit in all you do–you can rest in that. Hebrews 4
Love to not be alone! And praise God, that those who walk close with HIM and honor the WORD as absolute truth sufficient and without error can have community and unity! The truth is all powerful for those who walk in it. Our light can dispel the darkness. While our time here may be short I think our light is getting brighter and brighter. And the insidious yet subtle deception of psychologizing faith is a battle worth fighting and glad to not be alone and on the battlefield with all of you!!
I will be praying that God would take the anger away and give you compassion as you have been given great insight in this area, where so many are being ripped off from the Father of Lies. You understand exactly where they are being ripped off and you can confront the issue head on, leading them away from a life of bondage to self and into the life of freedom in Christ.
You are able to understand their arguments in humanism and self exaltation and show them the errors in their thinking by bringing in the Light of the Gospel and showing them that Christ exaltation is where true freedom reigns.
God is not yet done with us! and though there are dark days ahead for man on this earth, He has placed us who walk in the Light to shine forth bright in this world and to make disciples!
I pray for us all that we would die to self and live for Christ more and more in these days!
Spot on..life lived for self is bondage, and true freedom is found in living for God, reminder of Mathew 10:30 He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.
Hi Josiah,
I can see where and why anger should be dispelled; however, I believe my anger is more of a righteous anger. Even Jesus was angry in the Temple and toppled tables because they turned his house into a storehouse. Universities originally began as Christian colleges and Bible’s were once allowed in the classrooms and used as a teaching instrument. Any unrighteous anger that I have is more toward myself, but righteous anger is more about people allowing their temple to throw out God and allow darkness to fill them. The ideologies that they are pushing began a long time ago and they measure it by the pendulum swing (era) to the left which is in favor of tolerance and progressivism or not in favor of, which is the pendulum to the right; their idea and agenda is of the pendulum swing to the left as far as they can get it. I have seen this pendulum swing so far to the left in the universities with professors pushing this agenda, and not it feels to be solidified with this new administration.
My desire is to fight back in prayer, and to be outspoken even more than I am now with our ministry and broadcasting videos. My spirit is groaning to the Lord to know what His desire is to make a greater impact, and how to do it.
Hi kristi, I’ll definitely be praying for you, that God gives you clear direction everyday with how to redeem your time and be a beacon of light! It is true..as the world gets inevitably darker, it is only for the light to shine even brighter!!
Thank You Leslie! I welcome prayer <3
“Psychological theory doesn’t deal with sin.”
Moving through this podcast I kept thinking how quickly and energetically a dying patient is treated in the Emergency Department. Teams of professionals circle the patient, diagnose the threat, treat the threat and re-treat the threat until the patient lives.
Jesus came to make the dead come alive, Sin is the symptom of this death and as Christians we often get sin-focused when we need to be holistic in our diagnosis. When we diagnose at our patients (our counselees) we have Jesus’ eyes and can see past the symptoms to the death which is causing those symptoms. Are our counselees truly “in Christ?” Is the resurrection life of Christ flowing through their veins? The more I counsel, the more I start here. This is more often their diagnosis than not. In fact, they may have “gone forward” but it was an act not born of faith and the truth of the gospel is little understood if they are asked to describe it.
For those who do have the life of Christ and are born-again, counseling takes on the flavor of reminding them what their spirit knows. Their eyes fill with light and hope and they nod in remembrance. They may even teach and remind you in a spirit to spirit exchange of the Living Bread!
Yes, Jesus came to deal with sin but holistically: He came to make the dead, alive. I’ll close with this: assume your counselee is dealing with the symptoms of death until signs of life prove otherwise. Take their spiritual pulse. Take their spiritual blood pressure and look for signs of spiritual breath, first. Then you will know how to proceed with treatment.
Often it is like being in an emergency room – people are so hurting that they don’t even know where the pain is coming from. But they know that something is wrong and there is a reason they chose to come to us rather than to a psychologist. They know that there is life in Christ. It is so important to keep focused on what the true issues are, and lead into grace-filled living.
“…Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Col 1:27b Becky, I agree that the unsaved may come to a Christian rather than a psychologist because they do know there is something fundamentally wrong within them, especially if they have any convictions that there is indeed a God. When they choose you as the Christian to go to however, it very well may be because they are drawn to Christ within you; they see you are real and not hypocritical; hope is literally seen in you. When we seek and receive counselling from God ourselves, we can then come along side those who need counsel and offer the same hope we received from God; a hope founded on truth, not fantasy.
” Are our counselees truly ‘IN CHRIST’?” I love that you said this. I love the way you explain those who are. A great way to assess! And going to use the question you ask, “is the resurrection life of Christ flowing through their veins?” Are you walking forward by acting as if Christ and HIS resurrection power is in you or do you believe that this power now lives within you and out of this belief can be reminded and encouraged of the transforming and freeing power that you have been given? Excellent!!!
I really Like that illustration of Christ flowing through our veins, our problem many times is that we seek relief and do not consider that the Christ who lives in us went through many trials and did not take us as soon as he saved us. The belief that God has a plan in our life and a will that will get done starts with being born again!
Carolyn, I love the visual you give here to give me greater understanding of where to start when I am counseling. To check their spiritual pulse, and see if “Christ is flowing through their veins” is such a good reminder. No matter what has brought someone into our presence for counsel, the sin of being separated from Christ, is greater than anything else. That is the bleeding heart that all else pales in comparison to. If they are not in Christ they are in Adam. And one leads to death while the other leads to life. IT is so beautiful how you compared it to a dying patient being treated in the ER. Thank you for this.
I fully agree that we first need to discern whether someone has put their faith in Jesus and given themselves to Him or not before determining how best to proceed. As Bob Hoekstra wrote, the means for counseling are God’s word, prayer, and the Holy Spirit to lead believers into repentance and greater dependence on the Lord. For unbelievers, the good news of the Kingdom is that Jesus is alive and is right here, right now for them.
I love how utterly simple yet powerful God’s way is! His means of word prayer and being Led by The Holy Spirit are the life God intends for us here and now! I pray to have a heart like yours in that your left a message of hope about Jesus and used the circumstance to Glorify the Lord! We need to pray for discernment and always present the Gospel I believe He is the remedy for everything!
Hi Carolyn,
What an excellent depiction of the importance of using discernment!
I spent a lot of my younger life living “in the world” and had to learn everything the hard way; so, when I surrendered my life to Jesus and began to study the word, I understood so so much. After years of being in ministry I have discernment that was gifted by the Lord; as a matter of fact I believe that the Lord spared my life while living in the world, just so that I would know the things that I deal with through our parishioners on a weekly basis. The Lord allows me to just, know, the truth behind what someone is telling me and I am able to relate a Bible story to their situation. It is incredible how God equips us.
One thing that you mentioned, about how a dying person is moved quickly through the Emergency Room, that caused me to think a little more about counseling to specific ailments. I am aware that tribulation comes from sin, per our textbook, but how about specific illnesses? High Blood pressure is a worry condition; diabetes is a gluttonous issue; depression is cured through worship; cancer – I don’t know. I wonder if there is a list of ailments that someone may have written out of experience. Do you know of anything like this?
I don’t know of one ..and probably if there was one someone without the gift of discernment would cause harm using that list. Jesus’ discernment of the woman at the well gives us guidance on how to apply what we see to bring wholeness through truth. Follow and abide in Him and you will bear much fruit 🙂
I found this podcast to be so relevant in our lives and society. For so long, sin has been left unchecked and left to spread like wildfire. Whatever the sin is, bringing your life back to a self-centered one is going to be destructive and harm those around you. When I became a Christian, being rebuked was a normal part of the Christian life. If you were in sin, someone would take you aside and tell you, and you were glad for it. Your feelings might have been hurt, but you were thankful that the person loved you enough to say something. I am not sure that this is true in America today, I may be wrong though.
I also found it to be so true that not everyone lives in abundance of grace. I find that the more we admit that we need grace, leaning into it, even clinging to it for dear life, the more we can impart it to others. However, when we are trying to skate by, getting away with as much as possible, and try to slip into heaven, we don’t understand grace because we don’t appreciate it for what it truly is.
This was a profound study, thank you.
I so agree Becky! The religion of “niceness” is now equated with Christianity. Somehow Jesus has been relegated to this super nice guy who accepted everyone’s lifestyle and didn’t say, “Go and sin no more.”
Another common misstep is the idea that “loving on someone” is equivalent to tolerating, or giving a pass to, all that they say they believe and all that they say that they do because of these beliefs. Again, Jesus said, “You do err, not knowing the Scriptures or the power of God.”
Agape is often not “nice.” Agape is perfect love. Niceness is more about fear of man than being loving.
Carolyn,
Your reference to the ‘religion of niceness’ hit me right between the eyes! The fear of man is a strong temptation in the spiritual battle of biblical counseling. We don’t want to be ‘that guy’ that is seen as headstrong or unwaivering – but this is what Jesus would have when it’s God’s word that is on the line. I know that the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome, but we must speak truth well and contend for the faith!
You point out correctly that we have gotten away from confronting the sin head on in our lives as well as in the lives of those around us, I believe we have allowed the fear of man to render us weak in this area, we have allowed self to be bigger than the Spirit!
Just as the Word of God showed us in Colossians 3:16 when it says for us to admonish one another, we saw it can also mean confront one another. This is what we need to get back to so that the Church as a whole will be walking in the abundance of Grace having Christ reigning and not Death.