The Truth About the Biblical Counseling Movement
WINTER 2014
“For one, they know that people come to counseling with the expectation of gaining knowledge that will lead to change. The brain trust of this movement believes no such thing.”
“The outright deception of the movement is best expressed in Paul David Tripp’s ‘How People Change.’ The title states that people change, but on pages 64 and 65 of the 2006 edition he plainly states that people don’t change. On those pages he calls Christians ‘enemies of God’ and ‘dead in trespasses and sins.’”
Biblical counseling is now widely available in the American church. The three primary organizations that encompass this massive movement are The National Association of Nouthetic Counselors (NANC), The Christian Counseling and Education Foundation (CCEF), and the upstart Biblical Counseling Coalition (BCC). These three are really different divisions of the same movement. CCEF is the think tank, NANC is the training and certification wing, and BCC is the promotional engine. These three organizations represent 90% of what constitutes formal counseling in the present-day church.
The movement operates in upper-middle class zip codes and above with few (if any) exceptions, which is one of the earmarks pointing to the fact that this is one of the biggest scams ever perpetrated on the American church. For one, they know that people come to counseling with the expectation of gaining knowledge that will lead to change. The brain trust of this movement believes no such thing. Like the Christian psychologists they claim to refute, they teach people how to cope with their totally depraved selves. Except in this case, they offer something better: how to experience joy in your totally depraved state. And apparently business is booming; the leadership of these organizations rate with the premier charlatans to ever walk upon the earth.
New Calvinism and the Biblical Counseling Movement
I was recently sent a transcript of an interview with John MacArthur Jr. in which he stated plainly that the present-day New Calvinist movement is a return to authentic Reformed doctrine. He would be absolutely correct about that. Authentic Calvinism hijacked the aggressive discipleship movement of Jay Adams in the early 70’s. Even though many in the present-day biblical counseling movement experienced the Spirit’s power of individual change in that movement, it was infiltrated and hijacked for the purpose of “real and lasting” change. That’s because we are not really changing, we merely experience the joy of “vivification” subjectively while the “lasting” change is the manifestation of Christ’s objective gospel outside of us. The counseling focuses on “mortification” which leads to perpetual rebirths that we “experience.” This was the crux of Luther’s Heidelberg Disputation.
The outright deception of the movement is best expressed in Paul David Tripp’s “How People Change.” The title states that people change, but on pages 64 and 65 of the 2006 edition he plainly states that people don’t change. On those pages he calls Christians “enemies of God” and “dead in trespasses and sins.”
Recently, I attended a funeral of an old friend who was deeply involved in the movement. He was one of the good guys who I think never understood the real crux of the issue. But telling was what was said by the NANC brain trust who spoke at his funeral. You see, my friend never really did anything that pleased God, all of his good works were really “shadows of Christ.” Also, God took him “so that we can see Christ better.” He also deserves “no honor” for anything he did lest it steal any of Christ’s glory. It was even stated that he was a “wicked sinner.”
These statements are clear contradictions to the plain sense of Scripture and the milieu of life. This is a resurgence of Luther’s stoic Gnosticism that strives to completely empty self in order to observe reality outside of us and detach ourselves from it. And again, these movements always abide exclusively among the affluent while producing a league of elitist, cold-hearted, spiritual snobs who are wreaking havoc on the church.
And their counseling is helping no one. They point to their stoic joy in the midst of trials as if Gnosticism is commendable. I have heard pastoral proponents of this movement ridicule those who grieve because their grief “eclipses the glory of Christ.” How dare them value anything on this earth more than Christ! In one particular instance, a pastor was indignant that his terminally ill mother-in-law mourned the fact that she would not be able to see her grandchildren grow up. Hence, she supposedly loved her grandchildren more than Christ. A “mature” Christian would have been rejoicing for the opportunity to leave this despicable life and everyone in it.
But I guess that is “real and lasting change.” Question is, what kind of Change?
paul
Sent to PPT: Poster of Paul Washer Stalkers
Sent by email via victim of Paul Washer’s minions:
“By their fruits you will know them.”
Calvin: The Essence of God the Father Can Only be Known Through Christ
When we listen to our friendly neighborhood Calvinist say that God can only be known through Christ, we assume that he means “knowledge” in regard to knowing God in a salvific way. Not so. What is meant is that we can only see any fact or essence of God through a Christocentric prism. In other words, God and the Holy Spirit are shadows of Christ. This goes hand and hand with Luther’s Heidelberg Confession which posits the idea that all realty is interpreted through Christ. This same assertion can be found in Reformed statements such as the first tenet of New Covenant Theology. “All” reality would include God and the Holy Spirit.
Hence, all realty, including the other members of the Trinity, are shadows of Him. In fact, at a funeral just yesterday, I heard a Reformed pastor speak of the Holy Spirit’s work within us as “shadows of Christ.” John MacArthur Jr. stated in the Forward to “Uneclipsing the Son” by Rick Holland that a focus on “anything” or “anyone” other than Christ hinders the sanctification of the flock. Graeme Goldsworthy contributed to an article entitled “The False Gospel of the New Birth” that warns against any emphasis on the Spirits work within us as opposed to the works of Christ. I have also added the following to make the point from the Calvin Institutes. Paragraphs are added.
2.6.4. By familiarising the Jews with these prophecies, God intended to teach them, that in seeking for deliverance, they should turn their eyes directly towards Christ. And though they had sadly degenerated, they never entirely lost the knowledge of this general principle, that God, by the hand of Christ, would be the deliverer of the Church, as he had promised to David; and that in this way only the free covenant by which God had adopted his chosen people would be fulfilled. Hence it was, that on our Saviour’s entry into Jerusalem, shortly before his death, the children shouted, “Hosannah to the son of David,” (Mt. 21:9).
For there seems to have been a hymn known to all, and in general use, in which they sung that the only remaining pledge which they had of the divine mercy was the promised advent of a Redeemer. For this reason, Christ tells his disciples to believe in him, in order that they might have a distinct and complete belief in God, “Ye believe in God, believe also in me,” (John 14:1). For although, properly speaking, faith rises from Christ to the Father, he intimates, that even when it leans on God, it gradually vanishes away, unless he himself interpose to give it solid strength. The majesty of God is too high to be scaled up to by mortals, who creep like worms on the earth.
Therefore, the common saying that God is the object of faith (Lactantius, lib. 4 c. 16), requires to be received with some modification. When Christ is called the image of the invisible God (Col. 1:15), the expression is not used without cause, but is designed to remind us that we can have no knowledge of our salvation, until we behold God in Christ. For although the Jewish scribes had by their false glosses darkened what the Prophets had taught concerning the Redeemer, yet Christ assumed it to be a fact, received, as it were, with public consent, that there was no other remedy in desperate circumstances, no other mode of delivering the Church than the manifestation of the Mediator.
It is true, that the fact adverted to by Paul was not so generally known as it ought to have been—viz. that Christ is the end of the Law (Rom. 10:4), though this is both true, and clearly appears both from the Law and the Prophets. I am not now, however, treating of faith, as we shall elsewhere have a fitter place (Book 3 Chap. 2), but what I wish to impress upon my readers in this way is, that the first step in piety is, to acknowledge that God is a Father, to defend, govern, and cherish us, until he brings us to the eternal inheritance of his kingdom; that hence it is plain, as we lately observed, there is no having knowledge of God without Christ, and that, consequently, from the beginning of the world Christ was held forth to all the elect as the object of their faith and confidence. In this sense, Irenæus says, that the Father, who is boundless in himself, is bounded in the Son, because he has accommodated himself to our capacity, lest our minds should be swallowed up by the immensity of his glory (Irenaeus, lib. 4 cap. 8).
Fanatics, not attending to this, distort a useful sentiment into an impious dream,185 as if Christ had only a share of the Godhead, as a part taken from a whole; whereas the meaning merely is, that God is comprehended in Christ alone. The saying of John was always true, “whosoever denieth the Son, the same has not the Father,” (1 John 2:23). For though in old time there were many who boasted that they worshipped the Supreme Deity, the Maker of heaven and earth, yet as they had no Mediator, it was impossible for them truly to enjoy the mercy of God, so as to feel persuaded that he was their Father. Not holding the head, that is, Christ, their knowledge of God was evanescent; and hence they at length fell away to gross and foul superstitions betraying their ignorance, just as the Turks in the present day, who, though proclaiming, with full throat, that the Creator of heaven and earth is their God, yet by their rejection of Christ, substitute an idol in his place.
Pedestrian Christian Weighs In on More New Calvinist Vomit
In the following article, Alex Guggenheim documents the shameless pandering to liberal race politics by the New Calvinists and why they do it. Also telling is his documentation of Al Mohler’s continuing struggle with speaking truth.
But let me throw in my two-cents worth before you read Alex’s astute observations: New Calvinism is Socialism dressed up in Bible verses. The historical process is always the same: religions founded on The Republic playbook always support totalitarian parties, and then once they help them obtain control, they bid for their piece of the pie; ie., “We can offer you control over this much of the population on a silver platter—we just need a little help with enforcing “truth.’” And if it happens, they might even let Julie Anne Smith pick out the color of her guillotine. I presume pink would be her preference.
This is how it always happens, and is behind the huge ecumenical movement of New Calvinism. People express surprise that a lot of these guys vote for liberal politics. It doesn’t surprise me in the least, but without further comment, here is Alex’s post:
More on Forgiveness: Loving Our Enemies Reopens the Door for Repentance and Reconciliation While God’s Justice Looms
“And the blank check approach doesn’t reconcile the whole counsel of God… Eventually, the forgiven enemies feasting together skip the food fight and draw swords in a battle of unresolved conflict. The debate over the color of the carpet is just an excuse.”
I have upset a lot of people for what I am writing about forgiveness, and particularly here and here. But at the very least, my detractors have to admit that blank check forgiveness is the emphasis and not the obvious importance of repentance that paves the way for it as strongly emphasized by Christ. Though I might leave some room for blank check forgiveness in sanctification, it should be a rare instance, but my detractors make it the norm.
Come now, let’s be honest with ourselves, compare the practice of Matthew 18 with the incessant calls from the pulpit for blank check forgiveness. Rather than conceding that there has been an unbiblical emphasis in the American church for years, my whole construct is disregarded out of hand and I am labeled “bitter” lest anyone would have to engage in the hard task of reevaluation. For the most part, blank check forgiveness is a tool for lazy pastors who don’t want the hard work of laying the building blocks of repentance. Making it easier for people to forgive is hard work.
And the blank check approach doesn’t reconcile the whole counsel of God:
Revelation 6:9 – When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne. 10 They cried out with a loud voice, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?”
Houston, we have a problem. Furthermore, consider King David’s deathbed instructions to his son Solomon:
1Kings 2:5 – “Moreover, you also know what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, how he dealt with the two commanders of the armies of Israel, Abner the son of Ner, and Amasa the son of Jether, whom he killed, avenging in time of peace for blood that had been shed in war, and putting the blood of war[c] on the belt around his waist and on the sandals on his feet. 6 Act therefore according to your wisdom, but do not let his gray head go down to Sheol in peace. 7 But deal loyally with the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be among those who eat at your table, for with such loyalty they met me when I fled from Absalom your brother. 8 And there is also with you Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjaminite from Bahurim, who cursed me with a grievous curse on the day when I went to Mahanaim. But when he came down to meet me at the Jordan, I swore to him by the Lord, saying, ‘I will not put you to death with the sword.’ 9 Now therefore do not hold him guiltless, for you are a wise man. You will know what you ought to do to him, and you shall bring his gray head down with blood to Sheol.”
Robert Alter described David’s last will and testament as that worthy of a dying Mafia capio, and in fact, this biblical account was copied by Francis Coppola for use in The Godfather (King David: The Real Life of the Man Who Ruled Israel; Jonathan Kirsch, p. 277).
Moreover, as mentioned before in the other arguments, the Bible commands us to love our enemies; but in contrast, blank check forgiveness presumes that we are not unreconciled to anyone. Hence, we don’t have any enemies to love, and that is most unfortunate because it circumvents future opportunity for true reconciliation. Blank check forgiveness enables us to pretend that there is nothing to be reconciled. This simply does not work in the real world of anthropology. Blank check forgiveness is easily responsible for 90% of church splits that we see because the pseudo-forgiveness chickens finally come home to roost.
Let me explain: in Exodus, we read the following:
Exodus 23:4 – “If you meet your enemy’s ox or his donkey going astray, you shall bring it back to him. 5 If you see the donkey of one who hates you lying down under its burden, you shall refrain from leaving him with it; you shall rescue it with him.
Returning your enemy’s lost ox or donkey, which were vital for economic survival in that day and something that most could ill afford to replace, clearly showed ones character to the enemy and lent opportunity for reconciliation. If we do not allow none-repentance to create enemies, the possibility for true reconciliation is circumvented. Is it any wonder that there is so much strife in the church? While assuming that blank check forgiveness creates unity in the church—it in fact does the opposite. Eventually, the forgiven enemies feasting together skip the food fight and draw swords in a bloody battle of unresolved conflict. The debate over the color of the carpet is just an excuse.
As far as overcoming evil with good, and blessing our enemies (ROM 12), this is curative, and I have experienced it firsthand. But in the past, I have misinterpreted my likable feelings towards my enemies in that circumstance as “forgiveness.” I suppose that loving our enemies can also lead to a silent repentance in which they stop persecuting you (that was the case in my particular circumstance), but I never extended forgiveness for what they had done to me. In this reality, judgment by God for the unreconciled offence looms. Always:
1Thessalonians 4:6 – that no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you. 7 For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness. 8 Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.
James 5:4 – Behold, the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, are crying out against you, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. 5 You have lived on the earth in luxury and in self-indulgence. You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. 6 You have condemned and murdered the righteous person. He does not resist you.
7 Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. 8 You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. 9 Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door.
You can say that you have given carte blanche forgiveness till the cows come home, but in reality, you are placing the offender in a position where he/she may be judged by God because the assumption is that the same forgiveness that was wrought for justification is also wrought in sanctification: ie., “forgiving the same way we were forgiven.”
Churchy soundbites and Christian bumper stickers will not give life. Only truth sanctifies.
paul
4 comments