The Foundation of Biblical Counsel
What is the foundation of biblical counseling? Jeff Colon gives us a clear look by showing how the Word of God plays a critical role in helping people overcome problems in their lives. He also discusses what is needed in the life of the counselor if he or she is to be effective in helping lead others in the truth.
Mike: Jeff, as we talk today about the foundation of our counsel, I want to start off by asking, what does it really take to be a counselor in this area?
Jeff: Well Mike, we have the answer in the Scriptures. Paul tells us in Galatians 6: 1-2. I'm going to read it out of the amplified, because it really does give a better description of what Paul is saying. Here he says,
"Brethren, if any person is overtaken in misconduct or sin of any sort, you who are spiritual [who are responsive to and controlled by the Spirit] should set him right and restore and reinstate him, without any sense of superiority and with all gentleness, keeping an attentive eye on yourself, lest you should be tempted also. Bear (endure, carry) one another’s burdens and troublesome moral faults, and in this way fulfill and observe perfectly the law of Christ (the Messiah) and complete what is lacking [in your obedience to it]."
I tell my counselors that you can't take a man where you haven't been yourself spiritually. We believe in training. We all get our degrees in Biblical Counseling. There's a place for training, but simply going to a Bible School and getting an education in learning how to counsel does not qualify you to sit across from a man who's bound in sexual sin and bring him to the Cross and into a new life in Christ. You have to have trodden down that path yourself. You have to know what it's like to be humbled by God and to be broken by God over your own sins. You have to know, in your own life, what it means to submit your will to God and to live your life according to the Word and what God tells us to do in His Word.
Mike: You talk about being spiritual. Can you outline a little more, the specific aspects of what it means to be spiritual and how you carry that into counseling?
Jeff: Sure. Paul talks in Galatians about walking in the Spirit. It's not walking with your head in the clouds - you know, walking in lala land. But, it's a practical, daily walk with God, where you have learned to deny your flesh. You have learned to be obedient to the Word of God and to choose the things of the Spirit such as kindness and gentleness. You are choosing to be long-suffering with people instead of impatient. It's a daily choice of choosing to live out the love of God towards other people and living for God and loving God with our whole heart.
Mike: So, the fruit of the Spirit would be something evident in someone who's qualified to counsel biblically?
Jeff: Absolutely.
Mike: What is it that makes the counseling here at Pure Life Ministries unique, aside from the fact that the counselors are walking in the Spirit, that they are evidencing spiritual maturity in their lives? What's the other difference?
Jeff: Well the big difference, Mike, is that we adhere wholeheartedly to the Scriptures and we believe that the Scriptures are sufficient for every situation and every problem that a person that comes to us is facing. It says in 2 Timothy 3:16-17,
“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 complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
I believe that statement. I believe the scriptures have everything a man needs to be complete in God.
Mike: So, what is it about, I guess we could term it "secular therapies," that are out there? What is it that they're using? They're not using the Word of God, obviously. Is there any help that they're offering people to really deal with their problems?
Jeff: Typically Mike, they might be able to help people understand why they're doing what they're doing. But there's never a concrete way out. There's really no hope. And really, a lot of times they're left with a stigma hanging over their life that they have a disorder or that they're going to be this way the rest of their life and they just have to learn how to cope with it. That's really the best that man can do.
Mike: I guess what we're really talking about here is a process of restoration. Jeff, if you could, talk to us a little bit about that process of restoration and what that looks like.
Jeff: Well the goal in Biblical Counseling is always Christ-likeness. What I mean by that is thinking and acting biblically. And the Scripture I read to you earlier really does lay out what you want to help a man to do in the restoration process. First of all, doctrine will help the man see things from God's perspective. We have to base our problems and what we're dealing with on the Word of God, because the Word of God gives us a way out. God never identifies a problem without giving us a way out. Doctrine helps us to understand who God is and how He sees us. It reveals our relationship with Him, our purpose in life, how the kingdom of God works. And we all need an understanding because without the Word of God, we really don't have an understanding of the things of God. So, it's very important to help a man to start seeing things from God's perspective through His Word. Then you want to reprove them. You want to help them see where they're in error, where they're missing the mark, as it were. And the Word of God is profitable to do that. It points out things in their lives such as the way they're reacting to different situations. I always think of the example of Cain when he failed in his sacrifice. It says his countenance fell. And God explained to him what he needed to do. He corrected and reproved Cain and said, "If you do right, will not your countenance be lifted?" And He even explained what would happen if Cain didn't do it. So, the Word of God helps us to see where we've been in error, but it also corrects us and helps us to know what we can do to correct the problem.
Mike: As you're talking about that, I'm just comparing that in my mind with secular counseling, especially psychotherapy where everything is so gray and so variable. With that method, it's all based on feelings about the problem. And there just isn't any hope in that. There's no clear direction. There's no clear definition of the problem. But in God's Word, it's very clearly defined. And what a joyous hope there is in that. That God doesn't just leave us to figure it out.
Jeff: I can't tell you how many times I've had a guy sitting across the table from me that has spent years going to clinics, going to a psychiatrist or a psychologist and reading books or watching videos, going away for weekend retreats that when he is finally given the simple truths of the Bible and he sees his problem the way God sees it, and sees the way out, it's like a light goes on and all of a sudden there's hope. Now they know, there's a way out.
Mike: Wow, that's got to be encouraging for you as a counselor to see.
Jeff: Oh, it is.
Mike: As a counselor, obviously you deal with men who you know are either slow to come around, or they just have got a hard heart. You just know when you talk to them, it's just going to take longer for this guy. But how often do you deal with a guy that's just very difficult to counsel, and how do you deal with that as a counselor?
Jeff: Well I think a lot of the time, it is difficult. It's never easy confronting somebody's flesh. And people usually don't like their flesh getting confronted or having their wills crossed, but you have to realize that God bears us. He's been long-suffering. When I look at my own life, I can see how long-suffering God has been with me. I can't tell you how many times I rebelled against God, and I was hard-hearted and stubborn and dug my heels in. I have to understand that this guy I'm counseling is just starting out. I have to be willing to roll up my sleeves and enter into their situation with compassion. If you haven't walked that out yourself, you're not going to have compassion, you’re just going to be one of those people that throw out Bible verses and beat them over the head with your Bible. But if you understand how Jesus bore you and got you to where you're at, then you're willing to roll your sleeves up and tough it out with this guy through the hard times. And you understand, it's going to be a process.
