Page 10 - Biblical Counseling I Textbook

Study Section 2: Core Beliefs of Those who Seek to Counsel Biblically

2.1 Connect

Your philosophy of life determines what and how you think and what you do. The Bible says it this
way: “Out of the heart flow the issues of life!” (Prov. 4:23). What you believe to be true normally
determines your actions. For example, if you see two people talking on the other side of the room,
and you believe they are gossiping about you, you might go up to them and give them a piece of
your mind. But perhaps they were talking about something that happened at work. Your actions
were totally misconstrued by what you believed to be true.

The rest of Proverbs 4:23 tells us to “Keep and guard your hear with all vigilance, above everything else that you
guard…” Because what you put into your heart, and what you believe, will certainly shape your nature. So, we
must be careful what things we put into our minds so that we don’t put in false ideas. In the area of counseling,
you must seek to put into your advice only truth and the only thing that is true is God’s Word. A counselor
advice must therefore be Biblical in nature. Let’s see why….

2.2 Objectives

1. The student should be able to describe the core beliefs of one who seeks to counsel Biblically.

2. The student should be able to explain the qualifications necessary to become a biblical counselor.

3. The student should be able to describe what makes a biblical counselor distinct from other counselors.

2.3 Core Beliefs of Those who Seek to Counsel Biblically

The core beliefs of those who seek to counsel Biblically are:
1. All of humanity is fallen and by nature sinful (Rom. 3:10f; Eph. 2:1-3; Jer. 17:9).
The predominating view in the world is that humans are born innocent and are corrupted by the
culture around them. Christians understand people to born into sin and to be by nature those
who sin against God. This does not mean that we believe that people are as bad as they could be
but that every aspect of the human soul is touched by sin and is corrupted. Nor does this mean that
we believe that people are incapable of doing good. Many people do good things and live moral
lives, but they do not worship God and live in humility under the cross, giving glory to God in all
things, and this makes even the good they do detestable to God because it amounts to idolatry.

2. Man is not neutral toward God (Rom. 8:5-8).
Many, even among Christians, take note of moral people and fail to see them as enemies of God.
But the Bible teaches that no one is neutral toward Him. A person either worships God and gives
thanks, or he worships himself and is ungrateful. Even the religious who give lip service to God do so
in self-righteousness if they have not humbly submitted to the power of the cross and their
desperate need of salvation.

3. The Bible provides enough help to solve all non-physical problems (2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:3).

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