Thursday
Biblical Counseling Goal
The ultimate goal in biblical counseling is for change. The change we are looking for is though is not merely that of replacing bad habits. The specific change we are focused on is that of seeing a Christian counselee begin to put off of non-Christlike habits and put on Christlike characteristics (Ephesians 4:22-24). God has called us as believers to admonish every man with all wisdom (Colossians 1:28-29). There is no secret process for imparting wisdom. We cannot make change come about simply through a creative or systematic homework collection assigned over a period of time to a counselee. To admonish someone with wisdom means we must teach them sound theological truth from the Word of God. It is then God that uses this truth in His miraculous sanctification process within the heart of a genuine believer. The miraculous change is all as a result of God and nothing else. His Word and the work of His Holy Spirit is what will foster eternal change in the heart of a believer (Psalm 19:7-14). Many say that it is our job to help the counselee identify the problem, that somehow we are to help them see the root issue beneath a manifested sin in their life. Unfortunately it is only God through a right understanding of His Word that will enlighten the eyes to see their sin in ugly contrast to the Holiness of the living God. It is God that convicts sin no matter how bluntly we point out that sin. We can simply assist a counselee in understanding right Biblical Theology. In doing so we will help them find hope (Romans 15:4) in the forgiveness, the restoration and the sanctification that God promises, in His Word. In teaching them right theology they will begin to understand and embrace that the true purpose in life is to glorify God in everything past, present and future (Romans 11:36).
Cast out demons, should we?
My simple answer to this question is no. My basis for this answer is the fact that biblical counseling is for believers only, and the Bible clearly teaches that true believers cannot be indwelt by a demon and the Holy Spirit. Once the Holy Spirit has taken up residency in your heart it is permanent and total residency. Our bodies are not built to be a duplex housing both a demon and the Holy Spirit. Colossians 1:13 says, “for He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son.” This is saying that there was a transfer of title and the new owner and only occupant is God.
Now, please note that if they are an unbeliever they could be possessed but they need the gospel and Jesus Christ crucified not an exorcism. If they submit to the gospel, God promises to restore and regenerate their heart. If someone claims to have a demon I would simply begin with prayer and then consult the elders of the church for wisdom on how to proceed.
There isn’t any place in biblical counseling for casting out demons. It doesn’t make sense to cast something to the pit when it will be cast there again (2 Peter 2:4). There is a definite transition in Acts from an apostle-led “signs and wonders” mode to an elders-led “faith and obedience” mode (Acts 1-11). Christ’s interactions with demons were unique and the New Testament always presents the casting out of a demon by Christ as a healing and miracle (Mark 1:22-28). There is a difference between Christ’s mode of warfare (command-control) and the post-apostolic era mode (classic mode).
Biblical methodology excludes casting out demons. The Archangel of God won’t rebuke the devil (Jude 9) and the Bible doesn’t teach Christians to confront and cast out demonic forces. Instead it teaches us to resist the Devil and not to rebuke him (James 4:7; 1 Pet 5:9; Eph 6:13). Progressive sanctification in the face of life’s troubles is at stake, not casting out demons.
Spiritual warfare requires that the counselee take up the spiritual armor; such as the breastplate of righteousness, shield of faith, helmet of salvation and sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:10-20).
Now, please note that if they are an unbeliever they could be possessed but they need the gospel and Jesus Christ crucified not an exorcism. If they submit to the gospel, God promises to restore and regenerate their heart. If someone claims to have a demon I would simply begin with prayer and then consult the elders of the church for wisdom on how to proceed.
There isn’t any place in biblical counseling for casting out demons. It doesn’t make sense to cast something to the pit when it will be cast there again (2 Peter 2:4). There is a definite transition in Acts from an apostle-led “signs and wonders” mode to an elders-led “faith and obedience” mode (Acts 1-11). Christ’s interactions with demons were unique and the New Testament always presents the casting out of a demon by Christ as a healing and miracle (Mark 1:22-28). There is a difference between Christ’s mode of warfare (command-control) and the post-apostolic era mode (classic mode).
Biblical methodology excludes casting out demons. The Archangel of God won’t rebuke the devil (Jude 9) and the Bible doesn’t teach Christians to confront and cast out demonic forces. Instead it teaches us to resist the Devil and not to rebuke him (James 4:7; 1 Pet 5:9; Eph 6:13). Progressive sanctification in the face of life’s troubles is at stake, not casting out demons.
Spiritual warfare requires that the counselee take up the spiritual armor; such as the breastplate of righteousness, shield of faith, helmet of salvation and sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:10-20).
Fear Homework
Fear Homework assignment:
Write a short paragraph on why David is using so many possessive pronouns. Make a second list of every description David uses for the Lord (i.e. my strength). How many times does David call the Lord his rock? Is the Lord your rock in this way? Describe briefly why not? Describe briefly what in your life is your rock? Make a list of everything in your life that is a relief for you or a place of safety or comfort during troubled times? Pray through these various lists confessing anything and everything in your life to the Lord that has been your false rock or your false hope that you have placed your security in or hope in to the Lord. Confess this as sin, as worship of a false or “other” god. Commit to the Lord to place Him in His rightful, sovereign place in your life. Each evening before you go to sleep review these lists briefly and reread Psalm 18 and pray again confessing again where you have misplaced your trust and hope during the day. The goal of this is the get you to retrain your mind and heart to place your entire hope, security and life in the loving hands of your creator.
Worry Homework
Worry homework assignment:
- Read chapters 1-3 of Jerry Bridges, Trusting God.
- Keep a running journal on who or what you are a slave to in your life. Have you completely submitted to the Lord in every area of your life? With your money? With your debt? Pleasure? Comfort? Commit in prayer to the Lord everyday to begin to die to these controlling factors in your life. Commit to Christ each day to be a faithful slave to Him not to anyone or anything else.
- Meditate during moments of worry on the concept “consider the cost” of being a Christian.
- Read Ephesians 6 and make a list of anything appears to be a command. Make a running “to do” list for yourself from this chapter and try to accomplish as many of them as you can during moments of worry. Keep a journal of your progress and struggles.
Depression Homework
Depression Homework assignment:
- Memorize Psalm 131
- Everyday make a list in the morning of anything that I am involving myself in that is too great for me to handle alone or accomplish within my abilities for that specific day.
- Meditate on verse 2 of Psalm 131 anytime you begin to feel depresses. Question yourself on wether or not you are controlling your emotions or if you are allowing your emotions to control you, your attitude or your speech.
- Keep a running journal on everything you are placing your hope in during the day. This will be critical in reviewing the moments or hours prior to depression setting in to see what things happened right before a depression begins. Where was your hope placed in those preceding moments? What is your hope set on during depression?
- Read Psalm 18 daily. Begin to look for what in your life is your rock. Specifically looking for what you consistently run to when you get depressed? Keep daily notes on these findings.
- Pray that God would help you to stay focused on Him and glorifying Him even during a depression by consistently fulfilling your daily responsibilities in life.
Anger
Anger is an emotion expressed to correct a perceived wrong. While it is part of being made in the image of God and in and of itself anger is not sinful, but I tend to believe that only God can be angry without sinning. I have heard too many people try to justify their anger as being a righteous anger but it is too easy to cross that line of self-righteousness in the process. The world is constantly teaching us that we have rights that should not be violated and it is anger that most often is used to defend these perceived violations of our “rights.” The bible teaches us to be peacemakers with one another. Even in the Matthew 18 discipline process the goal is restoration not simply that of an empowered rebuke. While anger may be a God created emotion, look at the account of Jonah and the Ninevites. Jonah was angry (a God created emotion) however it was within an uncontrolled anger that Jonah’s pride blinded him from being able to see the mercy that God has shown to the Israel nation countless times and it was in the same pride that Jonah refused to see a merciful God extending an opportunity for grace and forgiveness to the Ninevites. At best someone may be frustrated with something and be wrestling with how to react or respond to something but even in that moment before anger becomes full bloom, it is best to practice “even a fool is wise when he keeps his mouth shut.”
With my children I teach them through James chapter 4 and show them where more often than not their anger stemmed from a right desire that became wrongfully a “must have” in the situation. When one of my kids (or me for that matter) would like a situation or conversation to go a certain way for good selfless reasons and it doesn’t, the anger that follows cannot be deemed righteous. It must be looked at as idolatry, something that in the moment we have allowed to progress from a desire to a god. We want something, we don’t get it and so we get angry. Even if what we want is good, the anger is sin.
With my children I teach them through James chapter 4 and show them where more often than not their anger stemmed from a right desire that became wrongfully a “must have” in the situation. When one of my kids (or me for that matter) would like a situation or conversation to go a certain way for good selfless reasons and it doesn’t, the anger that follows cannot be deemed righteous. It must be looked at as idolatry, something that in the moment we have allowed to progress from a desire to a god. We want something, we don’t get it and so we get angry. Even if what we want is good, the anger is sin.
Depression
Depression develops a foothold in someone’s life when typical setbacks in life are not handled in a God honoring way. Depression can be caused by physical as well as medical conditions. When we are conducting our data gathering process we need to be very much aware of any medical conditions of family medical history conditions that may be symptomatic of depression like symptoms. Equally important is that of sleep habits. Many studies have been done by the medical world that have proven that depression as well as hallucinative conditions can be induced by a simple lack of sleep. When someone comes in regarding depression therefore it is critical that medical and physical causes have been ruled out prior to addressing the depressive condition. If it is true depression, where they are down or out, even if an organic cause will have been accompanied by poor decisions, all of this must be dealt with in tandem with the medical professionals. Someone may be on medications from a physician for the depression symptoms but we can easily be dealing with right thinking habits as well as right decision making habits so that the mind of the counselee is being washed in the Word of God throughout the depression. God has said his Word is sufficient and calls us to glorify Him in past, present and future aspects of life (Romans 11:36). Counselees need to take responsibility for their reactive actions to situations and people in the midst of every trial to the glory of God. Our goal is to give them the tools from Scripture as anchors in their life that will provide the lasting hope they need to battle any depth of depression. Many in the biblical counseling world will say that depression starts with not dealing with sin in a biblical or godly way, this is an over generalization and cannot and should not be used as a rule of thumb. Each situation with depression must be dealt with independently and with a thorough investigation prior to simply labeling the depression a result of sin. We are not the judge of the heart. Our role is to encourage, help and rebuke but all must be done in gentleness and love (1 Thes. 5:14).
Change; Ephesians 4:17-25
This passage of Scripture is one of the many critical passages that bring clarity to the biblical pattern and model for change and growth as a Christian. As in this passage, biblical change requires that we labor at putting on Christ like characteristics (the second part of the passage) and that we put off non Christlike characteristics (the first part of the passage). The key to remember in this process is that this is not simply a behavior modification process as the world would have it. We must remember the Gospel in all of it and recognize that the only true and lasting (eternal) change within our counselees life and heart is going to come through the power of the Holy Spirit. Real change is only going to occur through the renewal of the mind as discussed in Titus 2:11-14. It is the grace that appeared that trains us to deny all ungodliness.
There is so much evidence in Scripture that the process of change is not finished at stopping a bad habit. As an example of this a thief is no longer a thief when he stops stealing and is able to work enough to provide for his own needs as well as have the excess necessary to give to those in need around him.
There is so much evidence in Scripture that the process of change is not finished at stopping a bad habit. As an example of this a thief is no longer a thief when he stops stealing and is able to work enough to provide for his own needs as well as have the excess necessary to give to those in need around him.
Lables
When someone comes in for counseling one of the first things I watch for in the data gathering process is to look for where the world and or psychology has mislabeled things in their world view. A goal of biblical counseling is most definitely focused on Christlikeness, my means to that end is often focusing on reshaping their worldview into one that is theologically sound so that it becomes a right biblical worldview. Christlikeness will follow most often a right biblical worldview. In this process of relabeling their world view we may be working on something as simply as helping them see that the phrase “affair” should be relabeled as “adultery.” Christians should be taught to use language that supports a biblical worldview and in biblical terms. People are full of labels from the world. Labels like alcoholism being a sickness rather than a choice or homosexuality being another race of people “born that way” rather than a choice that is not according to God’s design. Labels are most dangerous because they excuse away responsibility for sin. When the labels in someone's head are reprogramed to reflect a biblical worldview, a new hope is born because it becomes much easier to provide the counselee with hope. If they are no longer labeled a misfit of society but now see themselves as a perfectly created child of God that has simply (sinfully) gone against the intended ways of God, this new found biblical language should give hope to the sinner that if they believe in the promises of God, repent and begin to walk according to God’s ways then they will enjoy the fruits of right living.
Halo Data
“Halo data” is the nonverbal communication that the counselee conveys to the counselor during a counseling session. These visual observations that are seen by the counselor are vital for accurate data-gathering and proper interpretation. This could be as simple as, sweaty palms, gestures, posture, eye movement and just general body language. When the counselor learns to listen not simply to what is being said but how it is being said, tone of voice, posture and the like, they will have a much better opportunity to get to the heart of the issue.
In the case of depression this halo data is critical. Typically the counselee will appear sluggish, tired, lost interest in activities, inability to make decisions and have a general hopelessness about them in the majority if not all aspects of life. This will reveal itself often times in simple things first like a lack of personal hygiene, unkempt hair, crying easily, droopy shoulders, often looking down, sad facial expressions, limited appetite or eating too much, sweaty hands, quietness, unwillingness to talk, seclusion or isolation, arms crossed or hands folded on the lap. In extreme cases you will often find this counselee dabbling in the process of cutting as a means of gaining control in some small way over the pain that they are feeling in life.
In the case of depression this halo data is critical. Typically the counselee will appear sluggish, tired, lost interest in activities, inability to make decisions and have a general hopelessness about them in the majority if not all aspects of life. This will reveal itself often times in simple things first like a lack of personal hygiene, unkempt hair, crying easily, droopy shoulders, often looking down, sad facial expressions, limited appetite or eating too much, sweaty hands, quietness, unwillingness to talk, seclusion or isolation, arms crossed or hands folded on the lap. In extreme cases you will often find this counselee dabbling in the process of cutting as a means of gaining control in some small way over the pain that they are feeling in life.
Eclecticism
Eclecticism is the thought that Christian counselors can take advantage of modern psychologies to enhance their counsel, they can pick and choose different models of truth for their counseling method development. Anytime you consider or begin to integrate non-biblical thinking and practice into biblical thinking you are bringing into question the reality of the doctrine of the sufficiency of Scripture. God has promised us that His ways are higher than our ways (Isaiah 55:8-9) and that the wisdom of God is far superior to the wisdom of man (1 Corinthians 1-4). We need to be constantly reminded of is the fact that the noetic effect of sin upon a man’s brain makes it utterly impossible for him to know what is truth apart from studying the Bible. If that is true than dabbling in the process of integrating psychology into our biblical counseling process is a dangerous thought. The secular psychologies that exist have completely different foundations and premises behind than we do so to combine them with our methodology would be like telling someone that building a house on part rock and part sand would be alright. I can still remember a friends house after the 1994 earthquake that had a red condemned sign on the door which read “ Southwest portion of the house is moving in a southwestern direction.” You could literally stand in a crack in the driveway that was about a foot wide and walk streight through the house that had been torn in two. This is the result of two different foundations (half cut and half fill). This too would be the result of combining psychology foundations with biblical foundations in our counseling.
False guilt
“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.” (Psalm 51:17). Every person whether saved or not has a conscience, and every true believer experiences the conviction of the Holy Spirit. In the same way that physical pain is an indicator of a physical health problem, so also spiritual pain (guilt) is an indicator of a spiritual health problem. The guilt that is sensed is a friend to the believer, it is a godly companion in the conscience that speaks truth and motivates the believer towards change. This true guilt is concerned about the development of the believer’s inner character, communicating God’s care and concern without being deceived by excuses. We can trust that true guilt is acceptable before God and is the key to begin the journey towards growth in Christlikeness.
True biblical guilt arises when man’s conscience rightly condemns him of acting in rebellion against God and His Word. This guilt can exist even if what is done is not necessarily prohibited by the Bible, but did not proceed “from faith” (Romans 14:21-23), for example, when one thinks their action is (or might be) a sin against God and yet they do it anyway. Such rebellion against God makes a person guilty, thus their conscience rightly condemns, which can only be relieved through forgiveness from the Father in Christ.
False guilt however, as defined by the Word of God is a relentless foe, an inner enemy that produces sorrow. However, this sorrow is not godly, but rather superficial and worldly sorrow that ends in death (2 Corinthians 7:10). This false guilt is based on self-condemning feelings even when no wrong has been committed or when one continues to blame themselves for previously confessed and forsaken sin. Such taunting replaying of repented sins comes from the enemy, the accuser who seeks to destroy the Lord’s children.
In order to counsel those who are experiencing feelings of guilt, we must se Scripture as the standard to determine true and false guilt. If the guilt is false, we must ask the counselee to choose to focus on the facts – in that they are fully forgiven in Christ. Using Romans 8:1 as a prayer such counselees can thank God that they no longer are under condemnation but they have freedom in Christ.
God provides only one way to respond to true guilt. This involves a process of recognizing and confessing sin before the Lord as David did in Psalm 32:5 who said "I acknowledged my sin to You, And my iniquity I did not hide; I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD"; And You forgave the guilt of my sin.” As we confess our sin, we are lead to repentance in faith in God’s promises to forgive (Psalm 103:12; Jeremiah 31:34). If a counselee is able to have the perspective of looking at their trial from the right vantage point of being forgiven and reconciled before their loving creator, then hope will begin to grow. It is only from this beginning position that we can help the counselee learn how to cling to God and His promises as their true and living rock. It will be in this place that the cry of a child of God will be heard as seen in Psalm 18.
True biblical guilt arises when man’s conscience rightly condemns him of acting in rebellion against God and His Word. This guilt can exist even if what is done is not necessarily prohibited by the Bible, but did not proceed “from faith” (Romans 14:21-23), for example, when one thinks their action is (or might be) a sin against God and yet they do it anyway. Such rebellion against God makes a person guilty, thus their conscience rightly condemns, which can only be relieved through forgiveness from the Father in Christ.
False guilt however, as defined by the Word of God is a relentless foe, an inner enemy that produces sorrow. However, this sorrow is not godly, but rather superficial and worldly sorrow that ends in death (2 Corinthians 7:10). This false guilt is based on self-condemning feelings even when no wrong has been committed or when one continues to blame themselves for previously confessed and forsaken sin. Such taunting replaying of repented sins comes from the enemy, the accuser who seeks to destroy the Lord’s children.
In order to counsel those who are experiencing feelings of guilt, we must se Scripture as the standard to determine true and false guilt. If the guilt is false, we must ask the counselee to choose to focus on the facts – in that they are fully forgiven in Christ. Using Romans 8:1 as a prayer such counselees can thank God that they no longer are under condemnation but they have freedom in Christ.
God provides only one way to respond to true guilt. This involves a process of recognizing and confessing sin before the Lord as David did in Psalm 32:5 who said "I acknowledged my sin to You, And my iniquity I did not hide; I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD"; And You forgave the guilt of my sin.” As we confess our sin, we are lead to repentance in faith in God’s promises to forgive (Psalm 103:12; Jeremiah 31:34). If a counselee is able to have the perspective of looking at their trial from the right vantage point of being forgiven and reconciled before their loving creator, then hope will begin to grow. It is only from this beginning position that we can help the counselee learn how to cling to God and His promises as their true and living rock. It will be in this place that the cry of a child of God will be heard as seen in Psalm 18.
Homework
James 1:22 calls believers to be doers of the Word and not merely hearers. Homework is useful for this purpose and for many others as outlined below. Basically people in todays world tend to want to simply take a pill to fix their problems, they do not want to go through the work necessary to replace the years of bad habits they have anchored into their lives. If they are not willing to do some simple homework assignments to actively put on the Word of God and spend some physical time working Gods word into the recesses of their blackened heart than there is good reason to believe that they do not really want to change.
People can very easily become professional sermon listeners and never take steps to apply what they have heard for years into their lives. Homework translates what is discussed in a counseling session into action during the rest of the week. Homework focuses on planning specific strategies that are relevant and appropriate for each counselee that will help them to actually implement the biblical directive to the point where it becomes a reality in their life. Homework puts the responsibility for change where it belongs, between the counselee and the Holy Spirit.
Homework in this way teaches the counselee a dependence upon God not on the counselor. It teaches them how to work through an issue by applying biblical truth to their heart, to renew their mind and how to handle that in the future. Good homework also brings out problems and patterns more quickly. This occurs because the counselee is being dealt with spiritually by God whenever they are actively studying or meditating on His Word. Rather than a one hour counseling session a week, there may be multiple hours a week being applied directly to the matter at hand.
The mechanics of homework must be specific in instruction, in requirements and in consequences. Structure with some flexibility enables counselees to look at the milestones they have reached throughout counseling bringing hope and spurring motivation. Regular and concrete assigned homework each week enables the process of change and motivation of the counselee to be gauged by the results, which can be reviewed in depth in the following session. In addition, clear and concrete assignments must be assigned especially for confused and emotionally distraught counselees as they may forget any vague or general directions given in counseling.
People can very easily become professional sermon listeners and never take steps to apply what they have heard for years into their lives. Homework translates what is discussed in a counseling session into action during the rest of the week. Homework focuses on planning specific strategies that are relevant and appropriate for each counselee that will help them to actually implement the biblical directive to the point where it becomes a reality in their life. Homework puts the responsibility for change where it belongs, between the counselee and the Holy Spirit.
Homework in this way teaches the counselee a dependence upon God not on the counselor. It teaches them how to work through an issue by applying biblical truth to their heart, to renew their mind and how to handle that in the future. Good homework also brings out problems and patterns more quickly. This occurs because the counselee is being dealt with spiritually by God whenever they are actively studying or meditating on His Word. Rather than a one hour counseling session a week, there may be multiple hours a week being applied directly to the matter at hand.
The mechanics of homework must be specific in instruction, in requirements and in consequences. Structure with some flexibility enables counselees to look at the milestones they have reached throughout counseling bringing hope and spurring motivation. Regular and concrete assigned homework each week enables the process of change and motivation of the counselee to be gauged by the results, which can be reviewed in depth in the following session. In addition, clear and concrete assignments must be assigned especially for confused and emotionally distraught counselees as they may forget any vague or general directions given in counseling.
Sufficiency of Scripture
Rolland McCune said that “The Bible simply does not tell man everything there is to know about God. In fact, the Bible does not tell man everything his finite mind could know or would like to know about God. Rather, God in His infinite wisdom revealed and recorded in the Bible what it pleased Him to preserve…”[1] However, God did intend for us to be dependent upon Him and more specifically He created in us a need for His instruction. From Adam needing God’s instruction for life, to you and I, God caused His instruction to be passed down from generation to generation in a written format that today is called the Bible and it is the Living Word of God. As we have discussed, we would not be able to be reconciled to our Creator without this written Word of God because we would not understand the acquittal process to cleanse us of open and hidden faults or presumptuous sins (Psalm 19:12) (Psalm 19:13).
It is because of the sufficiency of Scripture that I can confidently stand alongside David and declare, “Then I will be blameless, And I shall be acquitted of great transgression”. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my rock and my Redeemer” (Psalm 19:13-14).
In Deuteronomy 31:9 God had Moses write down the law and then Moses presented the law to the priests and instructed them to read them aloud to the people that they might learn to fear the Lord by learning and putting into practice the things in God’s law. Later on in Deuteronomy 32:46-47 Moses says to them:
"he said to them, “Take to your heart all the words with which I am warning you today, which you shall command your sons to observe carefully, even all the words of this law. 47“For it is not an idle word for you; indeed it is your life. And by this word you will prolong your days in the land, which you are about to cross the Jordan to possess.”"
From this passage we notice a couple of things. God’s instruction has often been in written format. His instructions were intended to be taught, learned and immediately applied to one’s life so that it will be well with you. According to the Old Testament, the written Word of God (the law) is intended to be sufficient to show you how to live well with both your neighbor and with your Creator.
The New Testament also makes a similar claim. 2 Timothy 3:16 says that “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness”. A closer study of this word “inspired” reveals that it is defined as “divinely breathed given by inspiration of God”[2] What we are reading here in this New Testament passage is a clear claim that the Bible is indeed the very words that God intended for us to have and that learning and applying the Word of God is beneficial to every aspect of life as we pursue to become more like Christ by the power of the Word and the Holy Spirit.
[1]McCune, Rolland (2009). A Systematic Theology of Biblical Christianity, (93). Allen Park, MI: Detroit Baptist Theological Seminary
[2]Strong, J. (1997, c1996). The new Strong's dictionary of Hebrew and Greek words (H8674). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson.
It is because of the sufficiency of Scripture that I can confidently stand alongside David and declare, “Then I will be blameless, And I shall be acquitted of great transgression”. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my rock and my Redeemer” (Psalm 19:13-14).
In Deuteronomy 31:9 God had Moses write down the law and then Moses presented the law to the priests and instructed them to read them aloud to the people that they might learn to fear the Lord by learning and putting into practice the things in God’s law. Later on in Deuteronomy 32:46-47 Moses says to them:
"he said to them, “Take to your heart all the words with which I am warning you today, which you shall command your sons to observe carefully, even all the words of this law. 47“For it is not an idle word for you; indeed it is your life. And by this word you will prolong your days in the land, which you are about to cross the Jordan to possess.”"
From this passage we notice a couple of things. God’s instruction has often been in written format. His instructions were intended to be taught, learned and immediately applied to one’s life so that it will be well with you. According to the Old Testament, the written Word of God (the law) is intended to be sufficient to show you how to live well with both your neighbor and with your Creator.
The New Testament also makes a similar claim. 2 Timothy 3:16 says that “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness”. A closer study of this word “inspired” reveals that it is defined as “divinely breathed given by inspiration of God”[2] What we are reading here in this New Testament passage is a clear claim that the Bible is indeed the very words that God intended for us to have and that learning and applying the Word of God is beneficial to every aspect of life as we pursue to become more like Christ by the power of the Word and the Holy Spirit.
[1]McCune, Rolland (2009). A Systematic Theology of Biblical Christianity, (93). Allen Park, MI: Detroit Baptist Theological Seminary
[2]Strong, J. (1997, c1996). The new Strong's dictionary of Hebrew and Greek words (H8674). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson.
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