Differentiators
Harmful errors of secular psychology:
Man is only an advanced animal
Genesis 1:26-27: "Then God said, 'Let Us make mankind in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the livestock and over all the earth, and over every crawling thing that crawls on the earth.' So God created mankind in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them."
Man is basically good
Romans 3:10-18, 23: “'There is no righteous person, not even one; there is no one who understands, there is no one who seeks for God; all have turned aside, together they have become useless; there is no one who does good, there is not even one.' 'Their throat is an open grave, with their tongues they keep deceiving,' 'The venom of asps is under their lips;' 'whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness;' 'their feet are swift to shed blood, destruction and misery are in their paths, and the path of peace they have not known.' 'There is no fear of God before their eyes.' For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,"
Psalm 51:5: "Behold, I was brought forth in wrongdoing, And in sin my mother conceived me."
Man is autonomous—He can solve his problems without God
John 15:5: "I am the vine, you are the branches; the one who remains in Me, and I in him bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing."
1 Corinthians 3:19a: "For the wisdom of this world is foolishness before God.”
2 Timothy 3:2: "For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy,"
Blame shifting (abdicating responsibility)
1 John 1:8-10: "If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us."
James 1:13-15: "Let no one say when he is tempted, 'I am being tempted by God'; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. But each person is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death."
Psalm 32:3-5: "When I kept silent about my sin, my body wasted away Through my groaning all day long. For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; My vitality was drained away as with the fever heat of summer. I acknowledged my sin to You, And my wrongdoing I did not hide; I said, “I will confess my violations to the Lord”; And You forgave the guilt of my sin.”
Relativism (truth and knowledge are subjective and relative to context and perspective of the individual or culture)
2 Timothy 3:16-17: "All Scripture is inspired by God and beneficial for teaching, for rebuke, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the person of God may be fully capable, equipped for every good work."
Colossians 2:3, 8-10: "In Him all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden. See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of mankind, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over every ruler and authority;"
Non-directive counseling (emphasizes the individual’s autonomy and self-direction in counseling; individuals have an innate capacity for personal growth and change; see article below on the noetic effects of sin)
Jeremiah 17:9: "The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; who can understand it?"
Proverbs 14:12: “"There is a way which seems right to a person, but its end is the way of death."
Colossians 1:28: "We proclaim Him, admonishing every person and teaching every person with all wisdom, so that we may present every person complete in Christ."
The thinking that secular psychology can bring about meaningful change
Romans 8:5-8: "For those who are living according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are living according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For the mindset of the flesh is death, but the mindset of the Spirit is life and peace, because the mindset of the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God."
Romans 12:1-2: "Therefore I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect."
2 Corinthians 6:14-18: "Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership do righteousness and lawlessness have, or what fellowship does light have with darkness? Or what harmony does Christ have with Belial, or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? Or what agreement does the temple of God have with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said: "I will dwell among them and walk among them; And I will be their God, and they shall be My people. "Therefore, come out from their midst and be separate,” says the Lord. “And do not touch what is unclean; And I will welcome you. “And I will be a father to you, And you shall be sons and daughters to Me,” Says the Lord Almighty."
Does not address the spiritual problem of sin and required repentance
Luke 11:24-26: "When the unclean spirit goes out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and not finding any, it says, ‘I will return to my house where I came from.’ And when it comes, it finds it swept and put in order. Then it goes and takes along seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they go in and live there; and the last state of that person becomes worse than the first."
James 5:19-20: "My brothers and sisters, if any among you strays from the truth and someone turns him back, let that person know that the one who has turned a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins."
Article: Common Grace and Psychology by Bryan Carlson
The doctrine of common grace acknowledges God's graciousness and kindness towards all people, regardless of their faith or actions. This doctrine recognizes that God has given humanity the ability to understand certain aspects of the world, including aspects of human nature and behavior, through reason and observation. This understanding, which is often referred to as "general revelation," is seen as being common to all people, both Believers and non-believers. “Common grace does not result in salvation but expresses the many experiences of living in a world that God created and cares for and living as a human being made in the image of God” (Faith notes 91). Common grace is “the grace of God by which he gives people innumerable blessings that are not part of salvation” (Grudem 657). “The fruits of common grace are meaningful and significant: God’s wrath has yet to be completely poured out (2 Peter 3:9); time still remains for opportunities to repent; sin is restrained (Romans 13:1-4 compared to Revelation where restraints are loosened); preservation of some sense of truth, morality, and religion (Acts 17:22, Romans 2:15); performance of good and civil righteousness (Luke 6:33); natural blessings (1 Timothy 4:10; Matthew 5:44-45)” (Faith notes, 92). “General Revelation is specific to revelation about God – His creation, history, etc. Common Grace pertains to all other things related to life – ability to raise crops, discover medicines, understand physics, principles of flight, mechanics, etc” (Roy 5). “For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust” (Matthew 5:45).
In the context of secular psychology, the doctrine of common grace means that non-Christian psychologists can still have valuable insights and understanding into the human condition, despite their lack of a Christian worldview. This understanding is limited by the fact that it is not rooted in a complete and accurate understanding of God, His nature, and His purposes for humanity. As a result, non-Christian psychologists have a limited and incomplete understanding of the true nature of the human condition, including its origin, its causes, and its ultimate resolution. Even the most insightful non-Christian psychologists are limited in their ability to understand the full truth about the human condition, because they lack the perspective of special revelation provided by the Bible. While they may be able to understand certain aspects of human behavior and experience, they cannot fully grasp the spiritual and supernatural aspects of the human condition. The noetic effect impairs an unbeliever’s ability to discern truth. All science must be interpreted and is viewed through the lens of the person’s worldview. Evolution is a case in point—Romans 1:21-22. Psalm 82:5 says, “They have neither knowledge nor understanding; they walk about in darkness.” Ultimately, the Bible, as the source of special revelation, provides the most comprehensive and authoritative understanding of the human condition and its ultimate resolution in Jesus Christ.
Faith Biblical Counseling, ACBC Exam Track 5, 91-92.
Don Roy, IBCD, ACBC Theology Exam Study Guide, 9.
Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology, 657-665.
Article: The Noetic Effects of Sin and Psychology by Bryan Carlson
The doctrine of the noetic effects of sin refers to the impact that sin has on the human mind and its ability to understand truth. Merriam-Webster defines noetic as “of, relating to, or based on the intellect; a branch of philosophy concerned with the study of mind as well as intellect” (Merriam-Webster.com). This was one of the effects of the fall and is one piece of the total depravity pie. According to this doctrine, sin has a profound and negative effect on the human mind, clouding our judgment and causing us to view the world and ourselves in a distorted and inaccurate way. “The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; Who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9-10). As a result of this noetic effect, people are unable to understand the truth about God, themselves, and the world in the way that God intended. “There is no righteous person, not even one; there is no one who understands, there is no one who seeks out God (Romans 3:10). This leads to “hearts that are darkened, hearts that are veiled, minds that are blinded, and people who are ensnared by the Devil” (Faith notes 94). Romans 1:20-21 says “they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish heart were darkened.” 2 Corinthians 4:4 tell us that “the god of this world has blinded the minds of unbelievers.” Man needs to repent, leading us to the knowledge of the truth (2 Timothy 2:24-26).
In the context of secular psychology, the noetic effects of sin can limit the ability of secular psychologists, and the counselees themselves, to understand true information about the human condition. “Every part of our being is affected by sin – our intellects, our emotions and desires, our hearts (the center of our desires and decision-making processes), our goals and motives, and even our physical bodies” (Grudem 497). Without an accurate understanding of the nature of sin and its effects, secular psychologists may misinterpret or misunderstand certain aspects of human behavior and experience. For example, they will likely attribute certain negative behaviors and experiences to purely psychological or social factors, without recognizing the spiritual or supernatural components that are often at play. “This is not surprising because their hearts veiled and darkened; their minds are blinded, and they are ensnared by the Devil” (Faith notes 94). “Their mind and their conscience are defiled. They profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny Him, being detestable and disobedient and worthless for any good deed” (Titus 1:15-16).
Furthermore, the noetic effects of sin will also limit the ability of secular psychologists to develop a truly holistic and comprehensive understanding of the human condition. Without an accurate understanding of the role that sin plays in shaping human behavior and experience, they are unable to provide a complete and accurate diagnosis of the root causes of human problems and are limited in their ability to offer truly effective solutions.
Ultimately, a complete and accurate understanding of the human condition requires a Biblical and Christian worldview, which recognizes the role that sin plays in shaping human behavior and experience. Ephesians 4:17-19 warns us “to no longer walk just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their minds, being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them.”
Faith Biblical Counseling, ACBC Exam Track 5, 94.
Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology (Zondervan, 1994), 657-665.
Article: The Dichotomist View of Mankind by Bryan Carlson
“Dichotomy refers to man being made up of two parts—a material part and an immaterial part” (Faith notes 102).
The dichotomist view of mankind is a doctrine that views humanity as consisting of two distinct parts: the body and the soul—or spirit—used interchangeably (John 12:27, 13:21; Hebrews 12:23; 1 Peter 3:19; Revelation 6:9, 20:4). “Scripture does not seem to support a distinction between soul and spirit. There does not seem to be a satisfactory answer to the questions…’What can the spirit do that the soul cannot do? What can the soul do that the spirit cannot do’” (Grudem, Systematic Theology, 477, notes p. 103). “Then the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being” (Genesis 2:7). “Although there were two steps to the act of creating, the result was a single, unitary living person. To be sure, the particles of earth provided the material, while God’s breath effected life. Material and immaterial combined to produce a single entity” (Ryrie 103). The body is the physical aspect of humanity and is subject to corruption, decay, and death. The soul or spirit, on the other hand, is the non-physical aspect of humanity and is immortal and incorruptible. 1 Corinthians 4:16 encourages us to “not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.”
With regard to biblical counseling, the dichotomist view of mankind has several implications for understanding the inner and outer man:
First, it is important to understand and address both physical and spiritual needs. Since human beings consist of both a physical and a spiritual component, biblical counseling must address both aspects of a person's being. This means that counseling should not focus primarily on behavioral changes but address underlying heart issues that may be contributing to the problem. Matthew 10:28 says, "And do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” There are serious consequences to not addressing the heart with my counselee.
Second, we must focus with our counselees on the value of cultivating the inner man—their spiritual nature. In 2 Corinthians 4:16, Paul writes, "though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day." Biblical counseling should encourage people to focus on developing their spiritual life through prayer, studying the Bible, and participating in fellowship with other Believers. When a person's inner man is strengthened, they are better able to withstand the challenges of life.
Third, the dichotomist view of mankind highlights the need for ultimate restoration, which involves the complete healing of both the physical and spiritual aspects of a person's being. This restoration will be fully realized in the future when Christ returns and believers are given new, glorified bodies (1 Corinthians 15:42-44). Until that time, biblical counseling should encourage people to seek both physical and spiritual healing, with the understanding that ultimate restoration is only possible through faith in Christ.
Fourth, it provides a framework for understanding the nature of the human condition and the root causes of many psychological and emotional struggles. For example, recognizing that the soul is the inner man and that it is immortal and incorruptible can help individuals understand that their ultimate hope and peace lies in their relationship with God, rather than in temporal or external factors. 1 Thessalonians 5:23 says, "may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ."
Fifth, it provides a framework for addressing spiritual issues in counseling. Recognizing that the soul or spirit is the non-physical aspect of humanity can help individuals understand the importance of spiritual growth, encouraging us to work to address issues such as sin, guilt, and shame. Romans 8:10, “But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness.”
The heart is desperately wicked (Jeremiah 17:9) and must be redeemed. This can and should be resolved biblically. The counselee does not need to see a pastor for the spirit and a psychologist for the soul. "For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12-16).
Faith Biblical Counseling, ACBC Exam Track 5, 102.
Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology, 477.
Charles Ryrie, Basic Theology, 223.
Resources
“Psychology and Christianity: Five Views” by Eric Johnson and Stanton L. Jones
“Counseling and Christianity: Five Approaches” by Stephen Greggo and Timothy Sisemore
