The Future of Biblical Counseling, Part 5

The Future of Biblical Counseling
Dreaming a Dozen Dreams

Part 5: Dream Number Four
Biblical Counseling Will Be Positive

Welcome to a multi-part Blog on The Future of Biblical Counseling. We need clarity on the issue of what makes biblical counseling biblical. I invite you to join the conversation.

Dream Number Four: Biblical Counseling Will Be Positive

God calls us to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15). This is not only our calling when we are counseling, but also when we are assessing counseling “models” that differ from our own.

Corinthian Counselors: 1 Corinthian 1:10-17—Anti-Everything and Everyone

The modern history of biblical counseling has all too often become enmeshed with negativity, biting criticism, territory-protecting, camp-building, and “againstness.” Biblical counseling has often defined itself by being anti-this or anti-that. That’s not biblical counseling; that’s “Corinthian counseling” (1 Corinthians 1:10-17), a carnal caricature of the truth.

Corinthian counselors ultimately are not of Christ so much as they are of “Paul, or Cephas, or Apollos” (1 Corinthians 1:11-12). When they meet someone “not in their camp,” their knee-jerk reaction is one of attack.

Berean Counselor: Acts 17:11; 2 Timothy 2:15-16—Critical Mind Minus Critical Spirit

In the future, biblical counseling will be known as “Berean counseling” (Acts 17:11). Biblical counselors will have a critical mind minus the critical spirit. They will seek to focus positively on correctly understanding the Word (2 Timothy 2:15), on searching the Scriptures to evaluate human theory with discernment, and on graciously interacting with those with whom they disagree, while emphasizing the affirmative attitude that all Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for training in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16).

Berean counselors ultimately realize that Christ is not divided (1 Corinthians 1:13). They understand that the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome (2 Timothy 2:24-26). When they sense someone disagrees not with them, but with the teaching of the Scriptures, they will humbly and gently speak the truth in love. Berean counselors are concerned about rightly dividing the Word of God, not wrongly dividing the Body of Christ.