Shepherding Shepherds (Pt.8)

(Sterling Shepherds)

8.0. Elevating Elders.

          The last issue that must be addressed with the closing words in this series is the critical deficiencies that exist within the Eldership today. As a Reformed Christian, time has been spent in different Reformed denominations and the one thing that they all have in common is a deficient Eldership.

In one major Reformed denomination, it is not uncommon to find unbelievers and unskilled men holding the office of Elder – something contrary to the Word of God – which leads to poor pastoral care and shepherding. In another denomination, there is great organisation of the Eldership, but little effectiveness in reality. In other words, there is a really good system, but there seems to be little substance to the system. However, what most Reformed denominations seem to have in common is their inability or unwillingness to take seriously the Biblical instructions in regard to Elders and Eldership. By this we specifically refer to the Biblical criteria for elders, their Biblical character, and their charter.

          Some years ago, we found ourselves in hot water for insisting that prospective elders be measured by the Biblical standards. You would not think that such a request would have brought such vehement responses, but it did. On one occasion, we were hit with everything from, “Why don’t you leave?” to the guilt-trip-inducer of “You realise that you are judging God!”

          Now, we are happy to admit that in those days our zeal outweighed our tact and verbal articulation. However, we must also admit that as we have grown a little wiser, understood Scripture better, and continued to raise the same objections, the opposition has not lessened one iota! This is tragic because it is really the fundamental cause of many of our current problems within the Church.[1] Biblically speaking, a people are only as faithful as those who govern them. Thus, if we are truly serious about reform in the Church, we must begin by addressing the deficiencies within the Eldership. This can only take place effectively when the Elders clothe themselves in humility. This is so because the Elders are the ones who have the greatest ability to bring substantial reform, but that reform needs to begin willingly from within their own ranks.

          We have no desire to turn these pages into an exercise in “Elder bashing” or to simply create a catalogue of disasters.  Yet, it is also important that people understand what these deficiencies look like, how they come to the fore, and how they present themselves. Thus, we will try and give a few varied examples:

  1. In one instance, the Elders found themselves in a vacancy. After several months, these Elders announced that they would not be doing any pastoral visitation because it was, in essence, beyond them. To highlight this betrayal of their role, you need to understand that there was something like twenty of them. The problem was not that they were stretched for resources; they were simply stretched for talent, willingness, and a genuine understanding of their role.
  2. A second instance concerns the election of Elders. In this denomination, the church order added a few qualifications to the criteria for eldership, namely age and sex. Consequently, when the voting form was produced, every member of the congregation who met those two criteria was listed. Can you guess the number of candidates? We will give you a hint. They wanted to fill eight positions. No, you are probably not even close. The finished list exceeded eighty names. Yes, 80, just for clarification.
  3. A third instance involves a visiting VIP. In the worship service children, and possibly women, read the Scriptures. This was a new event in this congregation, not witnessed up until this time. Upon viewing this, a concerned citizen who was due to preach, and whose identity will be kept secret to protect the …, wrote to the elders raising this issue, insisting that, according to Scripture and the Confessional standards of the denomination, qualified men alone should read the Scriptures in worship. Their response? The concerned citizen was disinvited to preach 36 hours before worship and upon turning up to worship was confronted with an elder’s wife reading Scripture. The concerned left. The next week another woman got up and read the Scriptures. The association was terminated soon thereafter.

          Of importance, though, is the reaction. It was antagonistic and ungodly. Rather than talk, instruct, counsel, or listen, these Elders responded with vitriol and hostility and then began to parade their error in a manner not heretofore seen. In short, they acted from pride and were simply happy to see a family driven out of worship, rather than act in a Biblically sound manner.[2]

  1. The fourth instance is a general instance. In a certain Reformed heritage, it is commonplace for ruling elders to do a “reading” service if the teaching elder (minister) is absent. This means that the Elder must read from a manuscript prepared by a minister. This practice is raised for two reasons. First, it has the tendency to turn the Reformed view of Eldership into an Episcopalian view. Second, this practice cuts the heart out of the Scriptural instruction which says that an Elder must be a “faithful man, who will be able to teach others”; able “both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict.”[3]
  2. Lastly, we return to the statement above, wherein we were accused of “judging God”. In this discussion, the elder who opposed us was greatly displeased that we had dared to criticise the Elders’ stand. Discussions turned to all sorts of fancy – Who is perfect? So and so did not really stack up, but he turned out to be a good elder! Then, the words etched in our mind for good came to the fore when the standard of an elder’s family was raised. This elder responded with a “come back when you’ve got teenage children!” which seemed both then and now as though he wished that our family would fail just so that our stand would be proven wrong. This conversation only came to a close when we put before him this question – Does the Bible state that a prospective elder must meet certain criteria to be worthy of office? This chap was like a dog with a toffee. His mouth went round and round; lips pursed and danced, then came the affirmation, “Yes!” This man knew enough to know that the Bible did list the criteria for office, yet he fought tooth and nail to defend an indefensible position and an Eldership that had together abandoned the Biblical principles.

          Okay, let’s move on. We have no desire to focus on the people herein represented. Sins offered, sins committed, we pray sins confessed, are all in the past and have all been dealt with by Jesus’ all powerful and cleansing blood. Rather, the intent is to look at the fallout of these “instances” and to make sure that we learn the lessons.

          Ask yourself these questions: Are the eighty men in one congregation all Biblically qualified? On what authority does a Session / Consistory vote to “opt out” of their calling? Why would an elder who knows the Bible’s teaching in regard to an Elder’s qualifications fight that teaching? Why would a Session / Consistory react to a congregant with antagonism and in essence provoke that person publicly, so much so that they cannot worship and eventually leave the congregation? Lastly, why would denominations, knowing God’s instruction to Elders, limit their calling and thereby passively create a divide within the Eldership?

The one common answer to all these questions is: a defective view of Elders and Eldership!  In the current context of our discussion on Biblical Counselling, we then must ask, “What is the outcome of this deficiency? Answer: The sheep suffer!!

Not properly vetting the candidates for Eldership means that the standards are not upheld and that ungodly and unable men are elected to office. When a Consistory / Session votes not to fulfill their calling, then there are no guardians of the flock. When Elders argue against the clear teachings of Scripture in order to hide their errors, it is an act of pride that robs the sheep of protection and blessing. When a Consistory / Session acts in an antagonistic fashion, then they are guilty of driving sheep into the dangers of the wilderness.[4] Lastly, when denominations adopt practices that divide the Eldership in an unBiblical manner, why are we surprised when the bulk of the Eldership are viewed disparagingly as second rate and are, therefore, not esteemed by the sheep? Similarly, why are we surprised when the ‘exalted’ ones end up burnt-out or on stress leave because the “workload is just too much!”

          In all this the sheep suffer. In all this the cause of Christ suffers. In all of this the very Elders and Elderships themselves suffer. Each failing is of great concern because it plays into the hands of those who argue that Eldership needs supplementation by the university trained.[5] These deficiencies help to give rise to the “Christian Counselling” phenomena that is rife at the moment.

As anecdotes alone prove little, let us explain the detriment of these anecdotes by relating them to the commands and instructions given in Scripture—our ultimate and only authority. Regarding Elders and Eldership, Scripture states:[6]

1 Timothy 3:1-7: It is a trustworthy statement: if any man aspires to the office of overseer, it is a fine work he desires to do. 2 An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, 3 not addicted to wine or pugnacious, but gentle, uncontentious, free from the love of money. 4 He must be one who manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity 5 (but if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?); 6 and not a new convert, lest he become conceited and fall into the condemnation incurred by the devil. 7 And he must have a good reputation with those outside the church, so that he may not fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

Titus 1:5-9: For this reason I left you in Crete, that you might set in order what remains, and appoint elders in every city as I directed you, 6 namely, if any man be above reproach, the husband of one wife, having children who believe, not accused of dissipation or rebellion. 7 For the overseer must be above reproach as God’s steward, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not addicted to wine, not pugnacious, not fond of sordid gain, 8 but hospitable, loving what is good, sensible, just, devout, self-controlled, 9 holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, that he may be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict.

1 Timothy 5:17-20: Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching. 18 For the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle the ox while he is threshing,” and “The laborer is worthy of his wages.” 19 Do not receive an accusation against an elder except on the basis of two or three witnesses. 20 Those who continue in sin, rebuke in the presence of all, so that the rest also may be fearful of sinning.

  • If any man aspires to the office of overseer, it is a fine work he desires” – How many elders are selected and elected on the basis that they genuinely “aspire” to be an elder? How many assent simply because it is their turn and it is expected of them? How many accept the role because they are interested simply in status? How many of the eighty had this aspiration?
  • Above reproach… temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable… not addicted to wine or pugnacious, but gentle, uncontentious, free from the love of money” – My wife tells the story from her youth in which several elders were drunk at a wedding – no censure. How many elders do you know who are truly wise (prudent)? When was the last time an elder invited you home for a meal or showed hospitality simply because he cared? Pugnacious and uncontentious – we know of more than one situation in which an elder failed this test. Havoc was wreaked, yet the one not measuring to the standard was left in office, in some cases while others around resigned because of stress and the unworkable situation. What of the “love of money”? How many elders put their businesses before their calling and duty? How many elders try to “keep up with the Jones’” and therefore find themselves less inclined to put in the necessary time to pastoral care?
  • He must be one who manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity (but if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?); having children who believe, not accused of dissipation or rebellion” – This criterion is crucial, yet how often is it insisted upon? How many are elders with young children? Have they displayed adequate evidence to be qualified for the position of Elder? What of the old adage, too often true, that “the minister’s children are the most misbehaved”? How do we think we will find blessing at the hand of God if we are disobedient to such a fundamental criterion? Equally, if family is such an important marker with regards to eligibility for Eldership, why does the job often strain those families? What then does this say in regard to families having a sense of call and duty?[7]
  • Holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, that he may be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict; able to teach” – In our experience, this would have to be one of the most disobeyed commands when dealing with Eldership. This is also one of the practical failings associated with the divide in the Eldership – when we call one ‘minister’ and the others ‘elder’. One is expected to know at a higher level, the others can be “also-rans” because they have someone to fall back upon. If Elders and the Eldership are to be a true collective, then there needs to be obedience to this command. The Elder must be able to teach sound doctrine and refute error. He must be able to preach and construct a sermon or a series of instructions. This is his job! Why is this so important?—“For there are many rebellious men, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, who must be silenced because they are upsetting whole families, teaching things they should not teach, for the sake of sordid gain”(Titus 1:10-11). Likewise, this divide robs and debilitates. Why do we ring “the minister” when we have a problem? Why do we not call our Elder or any Elder? Subconsciously, and maybe not so subconsciously, we have created a divide within the Eldership, which cuts against the very principal of “the plurality of Elders.” This divide, as noted, has relegated some to the status of “also-rans” and in so doing has robbed them of the ability to have true pastoral input. Such a situation defeats the whole point of having a “plurality of elders” and in essence relegates these men to the position of administrators or “rubber stamp” applicators.
  • Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching.” – Several issues are raised here. First, why is it only the minister who, in our modern world, is paid? Why do we never consider paying Elders in general? If an Elder must make a living from other means, it stands to reason that he must then have limited time to devote to being an Elder. In one denomination, this irony was marveled at—the church rules allowed for an organist to be paid, but never mentioned anything of this sort for the Elders, outside of the minister! Second, does this teaching undermine the point above? No. All Elders stand on an equal footing. Their roles may differ, but when honour is due, it must be given. Note the plural, please – the elders who… are worthy of double. Not just the minister or an Elder who preaches or teaches, but all Elders who do their job well. Now, the word for honour can and often does mean “money” or “price”. Interpretations vary, but the context cannot mean that monetary considerations are excluded, otherwise Paul’s analogy of the ox and labourer are irrelevant. Equally, if the excellent Elder is worthy of double, does this not suggest that they already receive, or, at least, should receive something? Might this also be a reason for Paul’s caution that the Elder be “free from the love of money?”
  • Not a new convert, lest he become conceited” – At this point, we would like to take a different tack. If the Elder is to be able, then he must be one who has grown through instruction into Christ’s likeness. The question often pondered is, “How many Elders are “new converts” even though they have been in the Church for decades?” In other words, how many have been elected to office because they have been in the Church for decades, yet, practically speaking, they are new converts because they have not grown and blossomed?[8]

The closing point, relevant to our whole discussion, comes from James. There we read this instruction: Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praises. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him. Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain; and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the sky poured rain, and the earth produced its fruit.[9]

This text is important for our discussion because it provides a Biblical framework for our understanding of Biblical psychology and, in that context, an understanding of healing and wellbeing.

Let us look at the constituent parts of this text. James first refers to someone who is suffering. The remedy? Turn to God and pray. Next James addresses the cheerful person. His counsel is to sing praises to God. Please note, at this point, the place that God holds. Both prayer and praise are to be unto God. In other words, we must see that life, all life, ups and downs, is directly connected to God. In affliction we turn to the One, and only One, who is able to rectify or change that situation. We turn to the only One who can provide patience, endurance, steadfastness, and victory.[10] Similarly, recognising that this world of sin has many dangers and discouragements, we should sing praises unto God when we are able to be of a cheerful disposition by God’s providential care.[11]

Next James addresses sickness. It is necessary to grasp the fact that the term for sickness means “weakness” and can, therefore, be thought of as any malaise or precursor to sickness. It is used of those who are physically ill as well as those who are spiritually ill. This is important for us in that it divorces this current discussion from some of the more perverted views on “healing” and places the discussion fairly and squarely in the realms of genuine pastoral care.

In advancing our understanding, we need to begin by comparing the cases presented. In the first instance, the “suffering” one encounters the trials and tribulations of life. This “suffering” or “hardship” is a physical reality, but it is one that does not penetrate the person, so to speak. For example, Paul speaks of this “hardship” in the context of his imprisonment.[12] Whilst wronged and confined, Paul was still well, physically and spiritually.

In these cases, James instructs the person to pray. The Christian in such circumstances is called upon to apply his energies to resolving the situation or overcoming the situation through prayer; through his personal prayers.

By comparison, the “sick” one is obviously infirmed in body and soul. His malaise is of a greater degree and has evidently impacted body and soul. This seems to be shown by the fact that he is “to call” or summon the elders to himself. Apparently, he is unable to make his way to them. This interpretation is also backed up by the phrase “and the Lord shall raise him up.”

Here, then, we view an individual who is weighed down and is oppressed to such a degree that they are bedridden or housebound. They are in need of added help.

What is that help? It is prayer! Is this not a marvelous statement? The cure, if you will, in both cases is identical. Prayer. The only difference is in who is and how many are praying. When it comes to the “weak” one, the “big guns” are called in to help in this situation. Now, we are not saying that this individual is not to pray for himself; indeed he should and he must. What we are saying, however, is that the elders add something that is missing. We could speculate, but let us be content to stand on this foundation – the elders are called to prayer.

Before moving on, we must ask the pointed question: Do our elders pray? No, I am not talking about the five second verbiage that is required by constitutions to open and close a meeting; I am talking about serious, earnest, wrestling before the Throne of Grace. Let me ask another pointed question for clarification: How often does your eldership meet specifically for prayer? Indeed, does your eldership ever meet just to pray?

These questions are raised precisely because the text raises them. This whole pericope, verses 13-18, focus on prayer. Prayer is the key to understanding. People get hung up on the “oil” or on the verb “to save” or on the “raise up”, but these are really side issues. “Hardship” sufferer – pray! “Weak one” – pray! Elders – pray! ‘Oh yes, just in case you still don’t grasp the importance of this “prayer” concept,’ says James, ‘consider this dude Elijah. He was pretty big stuff in his day. He prayed and shut the heavens. He prayed and he opened the heavens. So successful was his prayer that the earth brought for its produce.’ James then adds, ‘Well just in case you are tempted to say, “Oh, but he was a mighty prophet!” consider the fact that he was a man, just like us.’

Please read and reread this text to note this point. The whole pericope hinges on prayer. The Christian is to pray. The elders are to pray. Encouragement in this area is drawn from the prophet Elijah. But wait, there is more …! Note even the example of Elijah has a bearing upon the need for prayer. Elijah shut the heavens. Life and vitality dwindled. Hardship comes upon all the people of Israel. Food was scarce. Water was not in abundance. The land withered.[13] Is this not a picture of the “weak” or “sick” one? Vitality is sapped from the bones. Life withers. In essence, death awaits. However, when the prophet prayed, the rains came and the earth produced its fruit in abundance. Similarly, when the elders prayed to their Lord,[14] He heard from heaven and raised up the weak one. The prayer of the righteous brought an abundance of life.

In finishing with this text, we need to make one further statement. Because there are perverted views on healing abounding in the Church today, it is important that we back up our statements with other Scriptures. One in particular springs to mind: “This kind cannot come out by anything but prayer.”[15] In this text, Jesus’ disciple met a challenge. They had tried to “cast out” a demonic force – a feat Jesus completed – but they failed. In giving instruction to His disciples, Jesus noted that “this kind” had to be prayed out, not cast out.

This text, and its parallel in Matthew 17:14ff, are instructive in that there is some correlation with the teaching of James. In Matthew, the disciple failed because of faith.[16] James refers to the “prayer of faith”. In Mark 9:27, Jesus, having rebuked the evil spirit, takes the boy by the hand and “raises him up”. As we have already noted, whilst the elders pray, it is the Lord Who raises up the weak one.

Thus, it seems to this writer that James is doing nothing more than applying His Master’s teaching to real life. James is not urging flights of fancy, but obedience to all that Jesus commanded. James is not dealing with the ethereal and the contents of the “too hard basket”, but with the everyday reality of powerful pastoral care in a fallen world.

To round out these comments even further would be to add unnecessary tedium. However, some words of application are in order.

We have argued that the Church does not need “university trained” experts. On the contrary, the Church needs to return to a Biblical understanding of pastoral care and of those primarily responsible for pastoral care. We need nothing short of godly, obedient, faithful men who will implement the Master’s teaching. We need men who are genuinely called by God, who have a sense of this calling, and who are willing to live up to that calling.

University training may fill the head, but it rarely fills the heart.[17] In short, university does not train men in the knowledge of God, practical godliness, personal holiness, or the art of spiritual warfare. The psychology texts will not mention the Armour of God or the necessity of prayer.[18] They will not mention Satan and his hatred of God’s people; yet, these so called “trained” ones will dare to step into the arena and demand to be heard because they have the goods! Not likely. These have been deceived by the father of lies and if they are allowed to peddle their wares they will but deceive others. Indeed, they have deceived and are currently deceiving many. One of those deceptions is – Elders are passé!

To meet such a challenge, the Church of Christ must reform. She must return to a diligent study of God’s word and be prepared to learn from God. In short, listening to the whole counsel of God, the Church must allow the Head of the Church to do the teaching and instructing on these issues.

First, when Jesus walked this earth, He did not need a psyche degree. Jesus did not insist that His followers go to Ichabod University and gain a degree so that they could serve. No, Jesus gave something far greater. Jesus gave His Word and His Spirit! Thus, when we insist that the Church needs something newer and greater – especially something designed by the world – we are displaying a haughty spirit of the most grievous kind; a spirit that essentially says that God does not know what He is doing.

Think here of the woman at the well. How different would the account of that interaction be if we allow for the moment that Jesus was a psychologist instead of the Saviour? The psychologist would not have upbraided her. That might impact upon self-esteem. The psychologist would not have passed comment on the multiple husbands, for that is really a moral judgement and outside the scope of the discussion. If comment were made in regard to the husbands, it would probably have been to explore the links to a derelict father who gave her such a poor view on men or some such.

You see, Jesus the Saviour stopped her at every turn and confronted her with the reality of God is, Creation, Fall, and Redemption. It was through this paradigm that Jesus was “perceived to be a prophet” and that the door to further discussion was opened. This in turn led this woman to approach the men of the town with the result that many believed.

Would Jesus the psychologist have changed this town in like manner?

Second, Jesus knew that Man’s plight is spiritual and that it is based in warfare. Some years ago, praise be to God, R. C. Sproul Junior was used to open my eyes to this when he focused upon those words in Genesis – I will pit enmity …! These are God’s words. It is our God who issued the war cry and it is this holy war cry that defines human history and human eternity. This whole concept is probably best captured in the title of a book by the late Henry Morris, The Long War Against God. Thus, when the moderns come to the fore with their theories, do you ever ask, “Whose side are you on?” Do we take Scripture seriously and “test the spirits”[19] or do we just take “his word for it”?

Now this may seem a bit too Charismatic or Pentecostal for some, if so, please read John. Why do we test the spirits? “Because many false prophets have gone out into the world!” If we do not put forth the test, how do we know if we are dealing with a false prophet or not?

Third, this brings us directly to the need for qualified and obedient Elders. Another name for Elders is “shepherds”. The term shepherd is really a job description.[20] As such, it tells us that the shepherds should be out to shoot the lions, bears, and wolves that come to attack Christ’s sheep. The shepherds are to feed and care for the sheep. Here, again, we are brought back to the Biblical criteria. To feed the sheep, the shepherds must be able to teach. To bring cure and ward of harm, the Elders must be able to exhort in sound doctrine and be able to refute error. The Elders must, as good shepherds, be able to pick up and carry those sheep that are week and ill so that they are removed from danger and placed in a position in which they can fully recover.

Fourth, to come anywhere near to achieving these outcomes, our Elders must be godly, faithful men who have the right Biblical experience. For example, if war breaks out, we do not rally behind the lowest ranked private who has just arrived in boot camp, do we? No, we look for a man who has years of experience and preferably experience in battle.

Thus, we need to take a long hard look at our practices in regard to electing Elders and we need to ask some tough questions. Here is a little list:

  1. Is term Eldership Biblical? Now, my brothers will be on the defensive, but here is the curve ball. Most who practice term Eldership expect that the teaching elder accepts his call as a permanent obligation. They do not allow him to have a year off after every third year of service. Hmmm! So, do we have a consistent view of the plurality of elders? Equally, such a system puts a strain on the talent pool within a congregation and will lead to men being ‘tapped on the shoulder’ when they are not really qualified. Similarly, this pressure tempts congregations to fiddle with the Biblical criteria.
  2. How serious are we in regard to the Biblical criteria? St Angus of Garvoc used to speak often of “having runs on the board”. In other words, there had to be evidence. Do we look for the evidence that the men for whom we are voting have met the Biblical criteria? How many of the eighty, mentioned above, were Biblically qualified? Did the Session / Consistory responsible for that election make any effort to find out? No, they did not.

Did the elder, mentioned above, who argued over Biblical criteria have God’s perspective or Man’s when he argued so? Obviously, Man’s. The question then becomes, “Why?” The answer seems to be the old catch 22 situation. Elders who were not elected according to Biblical criteria do not know that criteria or understand the importance of that criteria, therefore they fall back upon “their experience” rather than God’s command. Consequently, these men, well-meaning though they be, are either unable to raise the bar or simply do not see the need to raise the bar. In a worst case scenario, it is more than probable that pride plays its part. These men are unwilling to lift the bar because it is a tacit admission that they have not measured up. Either way, the simple reality is that if Elders in Elderships do not see the need for change, and personal change at that, then we will not see the reforms that we so desperately need.

Therefore, it must be asked in all solemnity, “Are we as Christ’s Church willing to take the Biblical criteria for Eldership seriously and demand that our shepherds be measured by and comply with these standards?” This is the only question that really matters.

Yes, you can fire the: “Oh no one’s perfect!” or “He is looking for the ideal or perfect Church!” etc; yet the reality of the situation remains the same – these are God’s standards for God’s officers in God’s Church! This writer did not invent these standards so that he could write an article; they are God’s revealed will for His people.

Consider this a little more. Did God give impossible standards to His Church? Surely God, of all beings, knows only too well that all Adam’s sons of natural progeny are imperfect. Jesus was well aware of the imperfections of His disciples. Yet, the Godhead wrote these standards to imperfect, but sanctified and holy, men for the betterment of His Church and people.

Similarly, we know that there will not be an “ideal” Church this side of glory. However, there is not one passage in Scripture that tells us that because this reality is not attainable now that it should not be our goal or ideal! Unless the Bible I read is faulty, there are no passages that say, “Give up. It is all futile!” The text reads, “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me” not “I cannot do a thing for no one strengthens me.”

Much rather, Scripture says, “Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect”. We are encouraged to “run the race” and to persevere so that “no one takes our crown”, and just like Jesus, we are to be “overcomers”. All this is possible because, “greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.”

Therefore, any and all negative arguments that are used to halt the progress of the Church must be dismissed. This is especially the case when these arguments are used to justify the Church’s noncompliance to Her Biblical obligations. God’s word is clear. Elders are appointed by God to shepherd His blood bought sheep. They are appointed to shoot wolves. They are appointed to clean up fly strike. They are appointed to search out the lost sheep. They are appointed to carry the lame. They are appointed to trim the dags.

This is the calling of the Elder. If, therefore, you are not willing to pick up a gun; deal with the nauseating; burn up some shoe leather; bend you back; or get your hands dirty, then do not put up your hand or the hand of someone equally unwilling when they call for nominations. If you are an Elder and you realise that you are not suitably qualified, you have two choices. First, ask forgiveness of God and then pray earnestly that you will live up to and exceed criteria. Second, resign – but only after you have made your case so that those who remain will not repeat the same mistake.

Brethren, a look around the Church, no matter what denomination, shows that we are in serious trouble. We do not see the blessing of God and the forward progress of the Church. The reason for this is manifold, yet certain trends can be discerned. Chief among these is that the Elders or, if it is more acceptable, the office-bearers have abdicated their responsibilities in regard to being guardians of the sheep. That is to say, the teaching Elders no longer preach the whole counsel of God. Many have become mere ear ticklers.

Let me give a very recent example. Locally a Creation Seminar was run. Approach was made to a minister to see about hosting the event. He commented that while he supported the idea a number in his congregation did not. Therefore, he declined. Question. If he is the preacher and he believes in the literal account of Genesis, then how will the sheep in his care ever be taught this truth if he will not preach on it? If the preacher never preaches on a Biblical topic because of a few dissenters, how will the truth be proclaimed? If Biblical topics are avoided because of a few dissenters, then how long will it be before the Church is bereft of all orthodoxy?

Brethren, the point is simple. If the preachers do not preach the whole counsel of God and call God’s people to belief, we will wither and die. If the Elders will not shepherd God’s sheep to this same standard, then the sheep will be torn by ravenous animals, will fall ill, will fall into snares, will remain lost, and will die of exposure – for there will be none to care, none to aid, none to warn!

We must, therefore, repent and return to the ideal of God’s word and insist that Elders meet the criteria laid down in Scripture.

Lastly, a few words to the non-elders. Whilst this article aims at seeing a radical change in the Eldership through the strict implementation of the Biblical criteria for those to be elected as Elders, those who are not and will never be Elders are not exempt from this challenge. In most systems, it is you who will cast a vote. So, are you voting correctly?

Similarly, like a political election, we may say a few prayers around polling day, but do we continue to pray for our Elders. It is easy to knock when things go awry, but have we been praying? Do you pray for the Elders that have charge over you? Do you name them before God’s throne on a regular basis? Do you regularly pray for the Consistory / Session as a whole? It may be worth remembering how Aaron and Hur held up Moses’ hands so that the battle went in Israel’s favour.

Thus, do not underestimate your role in this reform process. You too need to be acutely aware of the Biblical criteria for Eldership. You need to be willing to ‘stick to your guns’ and ask that only qualified men be put on the voting list. You need to resist popularity contests, family and political cliques, and the pressure to maintain the status quo. If you agree with the thrust of these articles, then begin to pray that these reforms will be realised in your midst and before your eyes.

Conclusion:

This series was sparked by comments in a Reformed publication suggesting that the Elders of the Church needed to be supplemented by the university trained. This led us on a journey to explore worldviews and to explain why, on the basis of worldviews, the Church could not embrace any form of Secularism.

In the end, the conclusion of the matter is that the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ does not need anything new and it most certainly does not need the latest proffering from the World. What is needed is Reform! We must repent of our failings and return to the standards specified in God’s word. We must stop making excuses to condone our sin and we must begin to seek blessing through righteousness. In other words, if there are no suitable candidates in our midst, we do not fiddle with the Biblical requirements; we get down on our knees and ask God to provide someone suitable.

The words of Paul are apt here – there is no authority but from God and those who oppose the ordinance of God will come under judgement![21] These words are not to unbelievers, but are addressed to all. Hence, we must take the warning seriously. Just as Peter was rebuked because he argued contrary to God’s desire,[22] so we too will be rebuked and judged if we stiff-neckedly pursue our own agendas. There is no excuse for disobedience. Faith is the mark of the Christian; disobedience is the mark that faith and belief are missing.

Therefore, let us return to the position of faith and obedience. Let us only put men into Eldership who are worthy according to the Biblical criteria. Let us resist all efforts to supplant God’s Elders and God’s order. Let us wait on God alone and stand in awe as we behold His marvellous benefits and His manifold answers to the prayers of the righteous.

FOOTNOTES:

[1] Whilst these words are specific to Reformed denominations, they also hold an element of truth for all denominations. The simple reality is that the Biblical data has been set aside and most in Church government have been measured by an alternative form. My father had a conversation with a gentleman from outside the Reformed camp who stated that his “denomination was now turning out administrators, not pastors.”

[2] See Jeremiah 44:15-19 for what seems to be an excellent parallel. When these people were confronted by the prophet they stubbornly defended their idolatry rather than repent.

[3] 2 Timothy 2:2 and Titus 1:9.

[4] Jeremiah 23:1.

[5] It must also be said that these malaise make for a weak and feeble Church that does not adequately fulfil her mission in obedience to Jesus.

[6] These are not the only texts that relate to Elders and Eldership, but they are among the most well known and will be used because they speak directly to the issue.

[7] Though there is some debate regarding the translation of 1 Timothy 3:11, it seems, in the context, no small thing that Paul addresses himself to the wives of office-bearers. The “two shall become one” says God, yet how often is Eldership “his thing” and the wife remains detached?

[8] It must be remembered that time does not equal growth. It is hoped that it would, but it is by no means a certainty. Therefore, we must truly investigate to see that genuine growth in Jesus Christ has taken place. We need to become “fruit inspectors”!

[9] James 5:13-18.

[10] Psalm 23; Psalm 145:18; Psalm 46:1-3; Psalm 70:5; Psalm 121.

[11] Romans 12:15.

[12] 2 Timothy 2:9.

[13] 1 Kings 18:2b.

[14] John 16:24.

[15] Mark 9:29.

[16] The words “this kind can only come out by prayer” are considered to be an addition to Matthew.

[17] This is not a head / heart distinction popular in many circles. Rather, it is aimed at highlighting the difference between knowledge and practice; the difference between learning about God and learning God; the difference between academia and practical and personal holiness.

[18] Ephesians 6:10-17.

[19] 1 John 4:1.

[20] Acts 20:28.

[21] A paraphrase of Romans 13:1-2.

[22] Matthew 16:23.

Of Shepherding Shepherds (Pt.6)

(Beware the Poison Well)

6. Oil and Water.

In part five of this series, we showed that there is absolutely no common ground between the Biblical worldview and that of the Humanist. We concluded by pointedly showing that the denial of the Biblical worldview was nothing short of an overt attack upon the Person and Work of Jesus Christ.[1] We therefore labelled the denial of the Biblical worldview, or parts thereof, as either heresy or apostasy. The use of such strong terms was deliberate, for we desire the brethren to truly understand what is at stake in this discussion.

Understand, please, that we are not discussing two equally valid systems for assessing, viewing, and treating Man. We are exposing the war that exists between God’s view and diagnosis of Man and Man’s view and diagnosis of Man. On one side there is God’s view – the view of the Holy, Righteous, Infinite, Eternal, Creator. On the other side is Man’s view – the view of a fallen, corrupt, finite, rebellious, creature. These views are gulfs apart; they are irreconcilable! These views are like oil and water; they simply do not and cannot mix.

Yet, what we find are genuine Christian folk who are passionately committed to the idea that oil and water not only can mix, but should mix. They are convinced that they can find a way to combine oil and water, eliminating all tensions, and thus create a harmonious synthesis between the two. With respect to these folk, this is a fool’s errand. It is, as we saw in Part Five, an attempt to mix light and dark; Christ and Belial; righteousness and lawlessness.

This brings us to a discussion of the supposed Christian counsellor. If psychology and psychiatry[2] are inherently evil, then the pertinent question must be, “What then of the Christian Counsellor?”

Before answering this question, we need to make two points for clarification. First, we need to underscore the fact that every Christian who is able in the Word of God is indeed competent to counsel.[3] Second, when we speak of the ‘Christian counsellor’, we have in mind the professional who is, if you will, competing with the Elders of the Church for business.

Turning our attention to the question at hand, it is our contention that the Christian counsellor, almost universally, will have undergone training in the Secular science of Psychology. To the extent that such a person has imbibed the false Humanistic doctrine and worldview, to that extent they have tried to alter and are in conflict with the Biblical worldview. It is, in essence, that simple.

Now, it must be understood that capacious tomes have been written on this subject, so our little work will hardly scratch the surface. However, we do hope to make ground by focusing upon worldviews, presuppositions, and theologies.

6.1 The Christian Counsellor’s First Thoughts: In trying to understand a person’s position, it is always beneficial to understand his basic presuppositions or worldview elements. This is the same for any discussion involving theology. When we come to this debate on secular counselling techniques and its place in the Church (especially), people are often confused by the use of the generic term “Christian”. Yet, we must ask, “What does the word Christian mean to the author in such discussions?” Our heart would thrill at the thought that in our day this term meant that all Christians shared all Biblical truths and all things in common, but, sadly, this is not the case.

As a result, we need to understand the theological positions of the authors involved in this debate. We need to, if you will, understand their brand of theology or Christianity. Hence, it should come as no surprise and no coincidence that there is a theological divide involved in this present debate. The divide to which we refer is, generally speaking, between the Reformed (anti) and Arminian (pro) camps and it is so because they possess different views of both Scripture and Man.

The Reformed[4] person believes that Man is, through sin, totally depraved (Total Depravity). This term does not mean that Man is as bad as Man can be, but, rather, that every part of his being is impacted and corrupted by sin. Consequently, the unregenerate, unrenewed mind cannot think correctly. This mind has a bias against God and is in no position to accurately process thoughts about God or Man.[5] We would even go so far as to say that the regenerate man must work hard at learning to think aright.[6] Through regeneration and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit the Christian now has the ability to think aright, but this is not necessarily a guarantee that he will think aright.[7] Therefore, the Christian’s thinking, indeed Man’s thinking, must always be measured by God’s revelation (Scripture) as the final standard of correct thought.[8]

The Arminian does not share this position. He holds to a more mild view of sin and generally believes that Man’s reason remains untouched by sin. Hence, you often see the exaltation of reason within his system. In evangelism, this belief displays itself in the providing of information to the lost and in pressing him for a “decision”. In other words, the sinner is urged to exercise his mind and choose to be removed from his current estate of rebellion by rationally deciding to accept the sacrifice of Jesus. In regard to our current discussion, it presents as a willingness to give excessive credibility to the reasoned arguments of the unregenerate, or to Man in general, and to view Man’s sin condition as if it does not impede Man’s ability to realise God’s truth when he finds it.[9]

Therefore, it is of absolute importance, in a debate like this, that the Christian asks himself what any author means when he uses the words “Christian” or “Biblical”. It may sound silly, but many are duped by deceptive terms. The words “Christian” or “Biblical” are emblazoned upon the cover of the latest and greatest, thus many unsuspecting Christians pick up and read the contents; but are those contents truly Christian and Biblical?

Similarly, what is meant when a writer speaks of the “authority of Scripture”? Does he mean an absolute authority or is this a qualified authority? Is it an authority to all men or just Christians? Is Scripture our authority on all to which it speaks (speaking by statute or principle to everything) or only on the topic of salvation? Equally, what is a “committed” Christian? Someone committed to the general concept of Christianity; someone who holds tightly to every tenet revealed in Scripture; or someone who has simply ‘committed’ their life to Jesus?

These questions are by no means irrelevant as we discuss this topic. In the following discussion you will read these terms. Those supporting the use of psychology will assign authority to Scripture. They will speak of “committed” Christians. They will even quote from Scripture. Thus, you need to have a gatekeeper over your heart and mind. First, you need to make yourself aware of what each author means when he uses the terms listed. Second, you need to understand the Scriptures quoted in their context to see if they really say what is being claimed.

6.2 The Presuppositional Slide: When we start at any position other than that which is Biblical, we will, of necessity, miss the mark—the Biblical goal. This is as true for the Christian as it is for the non-believer. Our knowledge is based in revelation, God’s revelation. When we fail to allow God to be the Revelator then we begin to assume that role ourselves. When we take over that role we will begin to paint ourselves, fallen Man, in a much better light than we deserve.

This is seen ultimately in the Humanist position. However, it is also seen in the position of Christians who reject the Reformed or Biblical worldview. The intrusions are often subtle, but they are there and they will be seen by the way in which they inevitably ascribe too much credence to Man’s ability, too little authority to God’s word,[10] and are antagonistic to those who seek to hold to a truly Biblical position. To illustrate these points, we will look to those who, claiming to be Christian,[11] espouse the use of psychology and psychological techniques:

A) Gary Collins[12] – Like most in this category, Gary Collins does have some good things to say. However, the simple reality is that whilst he tries to speak highly of Christianity and the Bible, he can never veil the fact that psychology is his key weapon. Throughout, psychology is constantly and consistently exalted.

When starting out, Collins makes a very apt point:

No counsellor is completely value free or neutral in terms of assumptions. We each bring our own viewpoints into the counselling situation and these influence our judgements and comments whether we recognize this or not.[13]

When Collins makes this point, it leads us to believe that he is aware of the depths and richness of this fundamental and universal principle, and how it will be worked out and expressed by all, especially the unregenerate. Such words fill us with an innate hope that he understands that the “carnal mind is enmity against God” (KJV) and that it therefore has an antagonistic bias against God and His standards. It makes you think that he is helping to guard the principles of Christianity against defilement. Yet, this is not the case. Just a few pages on, we read:

In the following chapters, the writings of social scientists are frequently cited on the assumption that all truth comes from God, including truth about people whom God created. He has revealed this truth through the Bible, God’s written Word to human beings,[14] but he also has permitted us to discover truth through experience and the methods of scientific investigation. Discovered truth[15] must always be consistent with, and tested against, the norm of revealed Biblical truth.[16] But we limit our counselling effectiveness when we pretend that the discoveries of psychology have nothing to contribute to the understanding and solution of problems.[17]

What happened to assumptions? Well, they are very much on display, just not in the way we had hoped. What we see are Collins’ assumptions, namely, that the unregenerate mind can rightly discover and interpret the data around him; that the Bible needs supplementation; and that psychology is right and acceptable.

In fact, the very next paragraph starts with, “Let us accept the fact that psychology can be a great help to the Christian counsellor.[18] Why? Why should we accept this proposition as a fact? Where is the evidence from the Bible – measuring discovered truth against revealed truth – that tells us that psychology is acceptable?[19] There is none. We are simply expected to shelve the revelation of God for the conviction of Gary Collins.

Tragically, what is displayed here is nothing less than the subjugation of the Bible to the tyrannical whims of Man. Having totally misunderstood the role and impact of presuppositions, assumptions, Collin’s, rather than elevating Scripture, has seen Its colours lowered. We may say that rather than protecting the jewel of Scripture, Collin’s unlocked the cabinet, grasped it in his hands and, then, with one careless act, fumbled the jewel, dropping it to the floor, shattering it.[20]

Do you not believe us? Then let us consider the rest of this paragraph, penned by Collins:

How, then, do we wade through the quagmire of techniques, theories, and technical terms to find the insights that are truly helpful?[21] The answer involves our finding a guide—some person or persons who are committed followers of Jesus Christ, familiar with the psychological and counselling literature, trained in counselling and in research methods (so the scientific accuracy of psychologists’ conclusions can be evaluated), and effective as counsellors. It is crucial that the guides be committed to the inspiration and authority of the Bible, both as the standard against which all psychology must be tested and as the written Word of God with which all counselling must agree.[22]

Wow! Do you note the vacillations and contradictions? Do you see the double standards?

To sharpen our focus, let us consider the following analogy. You want, as a young Christian, to delve into counselling as a serious vocation. You approach a wise, committed follower of Jesus Christ. You outline your intentions. His reply, ‘My son, have nothing to do with secular psychology. If this is your God given passion, go to seminary.’ What will be the reply? “Oh, sorry wise one. I just checked the criteria again. Whilst I admit that you are a wise, faithful Christian, indeed the most faithful I have ever known, I note that my guide must also be aware of the current counselling literature and trained in the scientific method. As you do not possess these extra skills, I must assume that you are biased and therefore not able to guide me adequately in these issues. Thank you. Sorry for wasting your time.”

A straw man? No. What we want you to readily see is that Mr. Collins has sown his assumption (presuppositions) into the fabric of his advice. Neatly woven together are the concepts of Biblical authority and the correctness of psychology. Immediately, anyone following this advice is going to look to fulfil both sets of criteria, follow both threads, if you will. Consequently, the advice of the wise Christian, who sees no place for psychology based in the revelation of God’s word, is nullified.

Similarly, what do we make of the two standards? First, we are to be “trained in counselling and in research methods (so the scientific accuracy of psychologists’ conclusions can be evaluated)” and then we are to “be committed to the inspiration and authority of the Bible … as the standard against which all psychology must be tested.” So which is it? Which is the final test—Bible or scientific method? If the Bible shows that psychology is an unwarranted intrusion upon the teachings of God, for what do we need the scientific method? If the scientific method is untrustworthy or open to abuse,[23] precisely because those who employ it are not neutral, being biased against God,[24] then should we not go straight to Scripture?

Then comes the curly question, “What if science and its methodology prove the Bible wrong?”—at least that’s what the Secular scientist might claim, as in the case of Evolution. Who will decide? What triumphs, God’s Book or Man’s microscope? After all, a man cannot have two masters and a man cannot have two authorities. This is a very sound Biblical principle.[25] Therefore, having noted that all men have “assumptions” that will influence them, why does this brother discount the fact that some of those assumptions are going to be the negative assumptions of God is not, Evolution, Enlightenment, and Humanistic Utopianism rather than the Biblical worldview of God is, Creation, Fall, and Redemption? The further question then must be, “How do these people, functioning according to these false assumptions, provide more reliable and superior explanations than those revealed by God?”

Lastly, in proving our point, it must be noted that Collins speaks of three forms of “pastoral” input, namely, Pastoral Care, Pastoral Counselling, and Pastoral Psychotherapy.[26] These are ranked in order of speciality. Thus, “pastoral care” is the broadest and most general category. Notably, in regard to “pastoral counselling” Collins has this to say: “As defined traditionally, pastoral counselling is the work of an ordained pastor.” Similarly, in speaking of the “pastoral psychotherapist”, we are told that this is “the work of a trained specialist” and, as a consequence, it “will rarely be mentioned in this book”.

Now the obvious question is this: “In a book on “Christian counselling”, where the ordained pastor and Christian counsellor are placed squarely in the middle category, who are these chaps that occupy the highest position as the “trained specialists?” If the book on Biblical counselling truly and absolutely espouses God’s revealed truth as the sovereign evaluator of all thought and processes, then why is psychotherapy not covered in the book? Is this a tacit confession to the effect that the Bible does not speak to all areas; or that Man in his wisdom has figured out a few things that God did not or could not; or possibly it is an acknowledgement that God simply forgot to put some things in Scripture?

In brining this discussion on Gary Collins to an end, we will provide one practical example that highlights how psychology triumphs over Scripture. In discussing anger, Collins states:

Anthropological studies have shown that people from different cultures get angry over different issues and express their anger in different ways.… One counsellor who works with angry teenagers concluded that “in nearly every situation, there was at least one parent who was also a very angry person.” By watching others, children and adults both learn when and how to be angry. (Proverbs 22:24-25 is then quoted)[27]

Now, upon reading this, you will be thinking to yourself, ‘that all seems pretty straightforward, so where is the problem?’ Well, the problem is in the fact that Scripture is brought in at the end to justify, or baptise, the Secular research.

To be fair, Collins has made some valid and Biblically correct statements up to this point. He notes that anger is a part of God’s character and, therefore, rightfully a part of Man’s character. He notes that anger is not always sinful, but that it can quickly become such. Thus, the real criticism is that he did not stop when he was standing upon the Word of God. He had to keep going and delve into the Humanist perspective.

Hence, Collins arrives at a point in which he gives us the five main “causes” for anger: Biology[28]; Injustice[29]; Frustration; Threat and Fear; Learning. With the exception of the second category, Injustice, it should be understood that these categories are those that would occasion negative sinful outbursts.  Note, please, the absence of sin and the corrupt heart of Man as the poisonous root from which the anger arises. Yes, all of these can be triggers that tempt us to an outburst of anger, but none of them are really the cause of anger. After all, anger is a reactive emotion

In seeking to expose this issue, we have highlighted the fifth cause, Learning. The point is very simple: Why do we need the Anthropologists and Psychologists to tell us what the Bible has already made plain? If the Bible says that anger is at times wrong (James 1:20) and that this wrong behaviour can be learned (Psalm 37:8; Proverbs 16:32); if Scripture tells us that the right path is self-control (Ephesians 4:31; Galatians 5:23; 2 Peter 1:6); if the Scriptures tell us that humility (Proverbs 15:33; Proverbs 22:4; 1 Peter 5:5) is the greater state of being, why then do we need the Secular sciences?

It seems that, in the mind of these men, the Bible needs to be ratified by some scientific means before it can become truly authoritative. If science is needed to establish the Bible as “Authoritative”, then by logical extension “Science” must be more authoritative! After all, is it not the king who bestows titles?  However, this begs the question, if Man gives the Bible its final authority, cannot Man take that authority away again at any time? Similarly, if Man gives the Bible its authority, then Man really is the final authority and not the Bible.

B) Lawrence J. Crabb[30] – As with Gary Collins, Lawrence Crabb speaks of the Bible as that which is authoritative, yet he is found to opine the validity of psychology: “I do not want anyone to interpret this chapter as a cavalier dismissal of secular psychology. I believe psychology as a thoroughly secular discipline (like dentistry or engineering)[31] has real value. My concern is to identify the basic assumptions about people and their problems implicitly advocated by secular psychology, and in the light of Scripture to see these assumptions as totally inadequate as a reliable, fixed framework for counselling. Only Scripture can provide the needed structure. Psychology’s efforts, while enlightening in many ways, are about as useful to the counsellor in search of an absolute foundation as floating anchors are to a ship in stormy waters.[32]

Here again, we are confronted with the disappointing. If secular psychology is fundamentally flawed at a presuppositional level, having no worthy “absolute foundation”, then why should we accept it as a valid discipline? Why trumpet that which is foundationally flawed?

The impotence of these statements is highlighted when we realise that the paragraph before stated:

Christians sometimes are quick to support anyone who degrades the wisdom of man and asserts the sufficiency of Scripture as a base for all thinking. Dismissing all secular thinking as profitless denies the obvious fact that all true knowledge comes from God.[33]

Are you able to see the confusion? As with Collins, Crabb takes aim at any Christian who denounces secular thinking and in doing so undertakes to exalt the secularists and their mental abilities. However, he then turns on the secularists and tells them that their system has no “absolute foundation”. Hence, the message these men proclaim is that mixture and compromise are the only way forward. One cannot believe Scripture alone or psychology alone. One must believe a combination of the two. Once more, then, we are confronted with the destruction of Scripture by those claiming to uphold the Bible as their only authority.

What do we make of Crabb’s claims? To put it simply, they are unBiblical. Scripture states: “For the wisdom of this world is foolishness before God. For it is written, “He is the one who catches the wise in their craftiness”; and again, “The Lord knows the reasonings of the wise, that they are useless.” So then let no one boast in men.[34]

The Apostle Paul did not think the secularist had any worthwhile contribution to make. The Apostle does not esteem the ruminations of fallen Man as worthy of holding our attention. Paul did not think that a halfway house of compromise was the way forward. In point of fact, Paul’s advice, summed up, is, ‘Turn from the so-called wisdom of Man unto God, the true fount of Wisdom.’ Paul does not, in any way, ridicule the Christian who clings to God’s word as sufficient, but rather takes aim at the secularist who believes he can reason accurately apart from God and His revelation.

In abandoning the Biblical position, Crabb, as with Collins, finds himself always subjecting the Bible to the views of Man or crowing that secular psychology is acceptable because it agrees with Scripture. To show this we will highlight just one instance of Crabb’s confusion:

Ellis calls this the A-B-C Theory of emotion: A (what happens to you) does not control C (how you feel); B (what you say to yourself about A) is in fact directly responsible for C (how you feel). Although the arguments continue unabated, there is plenty of psychological evidence to support this third point I wish to make: how a person thinks has a great deal to do with what a person does and how a person feels. Scripture, the Christian’s final authority,[35] supports the belief that psychologists are right when they emphasize the importance of thinking. (Crabb then quotes Proverbs 23:7 and alludes to Romans 12:2.)[36]

Much could be said concerning this paragraph, but we will zero in on the subordination of Scripture to secular thought. Do you see how Scripture is used to justify the fact that the “psychologists are right” in regard to the theory being posited. No doubt this is a perverted attempt to claim authority for the Bible, but it is a vain attempt that backfires. Why? Simple—the recent claims of psychology are trumpeted as innovative and the ancient truths of the Bible are rallied as a secondary source. It is the Bible that agrees with psychology and not psychology that has simply reformulated the ancient truth revealed in Scripture. As Scripture predates psychology, Crabb could have ditched all the natter regarding psychology and simply said, Thus saith the Lord…! He could have listed Proverbs, Romans, and a host of other texts that prove conclusively, without any reference to psychology, that Man’s thought patterns are vitally important. In point of fact, had he studied some of these other texts, he would have been far more reticent to speak so highly of fallen Man’s rational ability to discover truth apart from God.[37]

This is the idolatry of our age. So enamoured are we with Man and his rational ability that we have once again listened to the great evil – did God really say? – have elevated Man to the place of God – knowing good from evil – and instead of turning to God for wisdom, we now turn to ourselves. Evangelicals no longer lean upon God’s word as their only authority. Now we have research, science, and a host of other disciplines, like psychology, erected as idols in our streets, unto which we bow, supplicating them for direction, prosperity, and life.

The scene is sickening; yet there is worse. Worse? Yes, worse! With our idolatry has come a terminal intolerance of God’s word. When we are made to feed upon God’s word, we are like children made to choke down brussel sprouts.

C) Derek Tidball – We reference Tidball as an example of how we no longer want to stomach that which is purely Biblical. Says he:

Jay Adams has, without a doubt, made an enormous contribution to the revival of a biblical pastoral theology. He has restored the confidence of many in their role as pastors, as distinct from being psychologists with a religious hue. He has restored, too, the confidence of many in the Bible as a sufficient and relevant textbook to deal with man’s problems. He has restored confidence in the power of the Holy Spirit to bring about changes in people’s lives. He has uncovered man’s basic problem as being that of sin for which he is responsible, rather than being a problem which lies in his environment or heredity. He has put feelings in their right context, which is quite an accomplishment in a culture which has been termed by Christopher Lasch ‘the culture of narcissism’. And he has swept through much of the unnecessary and pretentious paraphernalia of the medical perspective which has laden counselling down. He has not been afraid to point out when he thought that the emperor had no clothes. What is more, he has shown a concern to relate his counselling to his doctrine and to place it firmly within the Church.[38]

How did Jay Adams do all this? Is he an Oracle? Does he have an IQ above that of any other man? No, Jay Adams is a man who read his Bible and saw what God revealed therein. Jay Adams simply took God at His word, then took God’s word and applied God’s word. In short, Jay Adams simply believed God and expected that God’s word would do that which He said it would do. The result of this faithful application of God’s word to the pastoral and counselling arena produced the results outlined.[39]

Now, the curious among you are saying, “Hang on Murray. This was meant to be about choking on God’s word. I do not see choking, but rather lauding.” Yes, you have observed correctly. At this point, Tidball is playing excellently. His stroke play is unmatched. However, he is now on the final green. One simple put to take the trophy. Oh no, there is sweat on the brow. The palms are greasy and tingling. He cannot grip the putter properly. Oh no, can you feel the choke coming?

Tidball continues:

In spite of this there remain a number of major weaknesses in his approach which so blemish it as to render it seriously defective as an evangelical pastoral theology.

Duck! If you thought spiting coffee was bad, you do not want to be here for the brussel sprouts!!!!

Please grasp this. A man who by God’s grace turned people to Scripture; who was the instrument by which men stood up as pastors, realising that they could have confidence in the authority, breadth, depth, and sufficiency of Scripture; who was used to turn pastors from psychological lackeys into true Biblical counsellors; who helped Christians to see, understand, and rely upon the power of the Holy Spirit; who, applying Scripture, penetrated the false philosophies of the day – this one, such a man as this, has a “seriously defective” pastoral theology that is, in essence, useless to the Church!

My friends, this is choking par excellence. Worse, it is the full-blown repudiation of Scripture.

Which secular psychologist is going to esteem Scripture? Which secular psychologist is going to give Christian pastors a fundamental confidence in the Bible? Which secular psychologist is going to cut through the false philosophies of our day? Which secular psychologist is going to triumph the wonder and power of the Holy Spirit? The answer is, none of them! Neither are the Christians who have enslaved themselves to the false belief system of secular psychology.

Why, then, does Tidball make such harsh comments against Adams and take such a strong position? Precisely because he is a slave! Says he:

The pastor, then, must not forsake his distinctive role. He is a minister of God’s grace, not a purveyor of psychological acceptance. This is not to deny a genuine role for good psychotherapy or to pretend that a pastor has nothing to learn from the psychologist regarding his counselling technique.[40]

In these words from Tidball, we witness the great vacillation. He first builds up the pastor and distances him from psychology only to then tell him to go to the psychologists and learn their techniques. The problem here is that when you go to the psychologist, you are not just learning his techniques; you are learning his presuppositions upon which those techniques are based. Think of driving as an example. An individual wishes to earn more money for his family, so he decides to become a truck driver. In order to practice his skills and to learn a driving technique, he goes to the local racetrack and takes lessons in a formula one race car. What would be the outcome? One very ordinary truck driver! The technique he learned was based upon the vehicle involved – race car – and therefore upon certain presuppositions relevant to that vehicle. Thus, he was taught how to drive – technique – a fast, light, low, short vehicle with a sequential gearbox[41] when he was heading out to drive a slow, heavy, high, long vehicle with a crash box![42]

Consequently, in giving the advice that he does, Tidball automatically robs Christians of all the advantages that he outlined in regard to Jay Adams methodology. The reason for this, as we have just explained, is that Tidball is teaching a technique that is not relevant to the particular vehicle he is driving.

Conclusion:

In looking at these three men, all of whom are pro psychology, we can see similar themes running through their works. Whilst they all try to uphold the authority of Scripture, they ultimately fail, not only in this regard, but also in regard to the doctrine of the Sufficiency of Scripture. All of these men, in one way or another, conclude that the best way forward is to have a mixture of Scripture and psychology. The problem with this is that Scripture always loses out to Secular psychology.

Collins tells us that Scripture is Man’s final authority, but then we must also have access to counselling techniques and the scientific method. Collins tells us that if we ignore psychology then we “limit our counselling effectiveness”. This is tantamount to saying that if we base our counselling only on Scripture then we have a “seriously defective” approach. Sound familiar?

Crabb tells us that the Scripture is the Christian’s final authority, but then adds that a dismissal of man’s wisdom as profitless is, in our words, incorrect and foolish. The real sting comes when you examine the context of his comment and note that he is in fact denigrating those Christians who believe in the sole sufficiency of Scripture. His point is simple, you must not believe in the sufficiency of Scripture if that means dismissing the wisdom of men – fallen men, unregenerate men. Lastly, we remember Tidball’s slaying of Adams. Why was Adams executed? Because he would not yield the sufficiency of Scripture to the secular discipline of psychology. Tidball’s denunciation of Adam’s position as “seriously defective” is based on little more than Adams’ refusal to accept that secular psychology is a legitimate for the Christian.

Ultimately, every one of these men has betrayed Scripture. Despite all their pleas for balance; all the rhetoric concerning the authority and sufficiency of Scripture, they all end up making the same point – Scripture is not sufficient for a complete pastoral theology or as the basis for genuine and effective counselling. Scripture alone is deficient. Scripture must be added to by these learned men of psychology. This is why we see Scripture being dragged in by the scruff of the neck to show the correctness of the psychologists and anthropologists. Yet the reality is that the psychologists and anthropologists are simply affirming what Scripture has always taught.

Returning to our opening illustration of oil and water, we are confronted with the inherent problem. Whenever we attempt to mix two incompatible elements, only two options are available: a) we must remain in a constant flux, a state of perpetual agitation, so that the elements stay seemingly combined; or b) the minute agitation ceases, the elements begin to separate. When separation takes place, one element will naturally be subdued by the other.

What we have witnessed in the three men surveyed is a failed attempt to mix oil and water, darkness and light, psychology and Scripture. As soon as they stopped their agitation, the oil floated to the top, burying and suppressing the living water of Scripture.

One can think of no better conclusion than to quote Scripture, in this case the Apostle Paul: let God be found true, though every man be found a liar![43]

Shepherding Shepherds Part 7

FOOTNOTES:

[1] Obviously, many other areas are also attacked. However, as Jesus is the pinnacle of God’s revelation and work, then any attack upon Jesus must automatically have consequence for all that He represents.

[2] Some Christians, like Jay Adams (Jay E. Adams, Competent to Counsel, Ministry Resources Library, 1970; p 12; n 3), take aim at psychiatry and not psychology. Adams gives his reasons for this. However, elsewhere he calls psychiatry “the illegitimate child of psychology” (p 1). To this author, the illegitimate child is the product of an unlawful union. In this the child should not be blamed for its parentage; the parents should. In short, it was the illegitimate nature of secular psychology that opened the door for psychiatry and any subsequent abuses.

[3] “Preeminently, a nouthetic counsellor must be conversant in the Scriptures.” Adams Competent, p 61. Whilst Adams and this work focus upon the pastoral aspect of counselling, there is a recognition that true counselling can be given by anyone who knows the Scriptures. We see this type of counselling in Scripture passages like Matthew 18:15-17; James 5:19-20; Proverbs 15:5. However, as the Text of Matthew 18 shows, there comes a time when the counsel of brethren must give way to the counsel of authority – tell it to the Church! This is right, as we have argued earlier in this series, and reflects the fact that, ultimately, true counselling belongs to those authoritatively commissioned men that Jesus has placed in leadership within His Church.

[4] As you will have gathered, this current series of articles assert the truth of the Reformed position over that of the Arminian and are therefore designed to guard against the creep of Arminian thought into Reformed circles. In fact, it is this very design that gave rise to this series. The catalyst, as you will remember, came from an article published from within a Reformed denomination, which hinted at the fact that the Church needed trained counsellors to help the Elders. Upon reading this, we were reminded of a minister in another Reformed denomination who proudly washed his hands of pastoral counselling in favour of sending these people to a “Christian counsellor down the road”. All this made the alarm bells ring, for it showed categorically that Reformed people are digressing from their professed presuppositions and are no longer content with the Sovereignty and Authority of God and His Word.

[5] Romans 8:7-8.

[6] Romans 12:1-3.

[7] We believe this to be so precisely because the Reformed doctrine of Total Depravity does not exempt any aspect of Man’s being (Jesus excepted) from the fall. Therefore, Man’s reason is tainted, corrupted. We need to learn to think again, just as we need to learn to love, worship, and obey again – living up to God’s revealed standards of these things. Learning to think God’s thoughts after Him is as much a part of sanctification as learning to deny the flesh. That is exactly why Paul insists that we be transformed by the renewing of our minds. After all, what is Paul’s point if our minds are not in need of renewing because they have not been severely affected by the fall? C.f 2 Corinthians 10:5.

[8] The Reformed insistence on Total Depravity is balanced by our view of Scripture as absolutely necessary to reveal truth. Because man is blinded by sin, he must have the Light of God’s Word. On the other hand, the Arminian view of Partial Depravity, giving credence to Man’s mental abilities, lessens Man’s dependence of Scripture.

[9] As you will see in the following critique, much is made of this fact by those in favour of psychology. The constant refrain is that Man can see and willingly embrace God’s truth when he discovers it by use of the scientific method. Our contention, discussed in more detail at that point, is twofold. First, that statement seems to run contrary to the Biblical data—Man suppressing the truth of God in unrighteousness (Romans 1:18). Second, and in line with the Biblical data, we see the scientific method used to attack God’s truth and to justify Man’s rebellion—evolution and homosexuality being two current examples.

[10] It is very much worth noting that there is generally a subtle absence in the following quotations in regard to the authority of Scripture. You will read that Scripture is the “Christian’s” final authority, but you will not read the overt statement that the Bible is “Man’s” final authority. In other words, the Bible is everyone’s final authority, whether a person or institution chooses to recognise this fact or not. One of the reasons that Secularism has grown is because of this reductionist view of Scripture. Too many have been allowed to say, in essence, “I am not a Christian, so those Biblical standards do not apply to me!” The real tragedy here is that the Church has simply accepted this as true and begun to reiterate the error.

[11] This is not a denial that they are indeed Christians.

[12] Gary R. Collins, Christian Counselling: A Comprehensive Guide (Milton Keynes: Word Publishing, 1988).

[13] Collins, 17. (Italics added.) The only problem here seems to be that Collins limits this concept to counselling. If he is right in making this a ‘general’ statement, and he is, then the quotation must also include and be relevant to the scientist. Looking through a microscope does not reveal truth; it reveals a fact that must then be interpreted. The scientist’s personal position in understanding will then influence that interpretation – Is he an evolutionist, a believer in Intelligent Design, or is he a Creationist? If he is a Christian, is he a Romanist, Deist, Arminian, or Reformed? Does he subscribe to Theism or is he a Christian humanist?

[14] Credit where credit is due—at least Collins’ acknowledges that the Bible governs Man and not just Christians. However, our joy is short lived and fleeting!

[15] Note here, please, the fault in logic and understanding. Truth is not discovered, it is revealed. Experience can never be the final arbiter of truth in a fallen world, neither can science. We must have revelation. Experience and science, as previously noted, simply give us facts. It is only revelation that gives us righteousness; the rightness of those facts.

[16] Collins’ rightly acknowledges that God’s word governs human beings. He states that all must be measured against Scripture. Our question is: “What of those who do not believe Scripture and refuse to submit their scientific findings to God’s revelation?” Again, there seems to be the simple proposition that anyone—God’s Word to human beings—can read and rightly interpret the Bible. Then there is the subtle inference that, having worked out their schema and measured it by the scientific method, they will submit it to the Bible for final critique and judgement. Returning to our question: Will the unregenerate mind submit his schema to Scripture’s judgement?  Keep in mind, please, when answering the question, that some deliberately develop schema in direct opposition to Scripture precisely because they wish to be free of Scripture’s demands (Psalm 2:1-3).

[17] Collins, 22. Emphasis added.

[18] Ibid, 23.

[19] Please also note that emotion and experience are to be regarded more highly than revelation. If God has revealed His truth in the Bible and that is the touchstone to which we must return, what then is the point of emotion or experience? Must a truth be experienced before it actually becomes truth? Does implementing the many possible realities of a principle only then validate the principle? The answer is no. One does not need to steal to confirm the validity of, “Thou shalt not steal”. The whole point of revelation is so that you have a reliable guide. Think here of your GPS navigator. You programme your GPS so that you will be taken to your destination. When the voice says, “Turn left in 500 meters”, you immediately turn right or you turn up every other street. This will, in your experience, validate the directions given. This is most definitely emotional and experiential. Yet, so is driving 500 meters and turning left. Following the commandment is also experiential validation. The point is that we do not need to disobey the command in order to know that the command was indeed correct. We can obey the command and still know, absolutely, that it is correct.

[20] The true application of presuppositional thought would realise that the dead heart cannot think life. In Biblical terms, the carnal mind is hostility against God. Thus, the unregenerate will not think high and lofty thoughts for the glory of God. His thoughts will in fact lead away from God and to the exaltation of self (Jeremiah 17:9). How then are these thoughts meant to teach us to live God’s life by God’s law in God’s world? Collin’s had the right idea at the start—an idea that should have kept him on track. However, not truly understanding the application of his statement, he has minimised it to simply apply to some vague personal choices.

[21] “Truly helpful” is now the criterion; not Biblical, Scriptural, God-honouring.

[22] Ibid, 23

[23] Understand well that Mr. Collins is admitting this when he states that you need to be trained so that you can tell when someone is trying to pull the wool over your eyes. This is his criterion, not ours. It is his admission that both the results of “scientific method” and “all psychology” are in need of verification. Think this through please. Do you need to place such caveats on a person when you tell him to read the Bible?

[24] James 4:4; 1 John 2:15 (Remember that the “World”, in Scripture, often, as here, refers not to a terrestrial ball, but to a pattern of thought that is opposed to God and His Law ); Proverbs 15:9; Proverbs 11:20; Psalm 14:1-3.

[25] Matthew 6:24.

[26] Collins, 16 – 17.

[27] Collins, 125.

[28] The only exception is the category of biology. In his book, Collins gives the example of a boy who had sudden and seemingly random outbursts of anger, after which he was extremely apologetic. In the end, it was found that the problem was related to eating bananas. There was something in the banana that was interacting with his brain’s chemistry to produce a negative result. (p 124) In a fallen world, we must be open to such possibilities. However, living in a fallen world, it also becomes easy for true sin to be excused by the application of a psychological label. For example, as a young man one rarely heard of ADD/ADHD. Once this “syndrome” was labelled, the labelling machines were put into overdrive to the point where all sorts of discipline issues were excused by this label. Psychologist will contend that ADD/ADHD is not a discipline issue. We would simply point to the fact that since discipline has been frowned upon and nearly outlawed, cases of ADD/ADHD have become prominent and seem to be increasing. (https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/digital-pandemic/201308/why-the-increase-in-adhd; http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/adhd/data.html) We also contend that there are other factors to be considered. However, our main contention is that Secular psychology seeks to excuse that which the Bible calls sin and to cover it with a fancy label. Christians must beware of this practice.

In other words, we must maintain that sin is the root cause of all our problems – we did not have faulty brain chemistry in Eden – regardless of the question of personal sin. By maintaining this focus on Man’s genuine problem, we are far more likely to help men in their time of need. Christian psychologists are apt to comment that “persevere and pray” are not legitimate strategies. Here, we would simply say that neither is, “Stop eating bananas!”

[29] Injustice is the only example of a situation in which anger can be positive and not sinful. Generally this would be categorised as “righteous indignation”.

[30] Lawrence J. Crabb, Basic Principles of Biblical Counselling (London: Marshall Pickering,1985; reprint 1989)

[31] At the start of this article, we spoke about worldviews and what people mean by their words. Here is an example. Crabb calls dentistry and engineering “secular disciplines”. More will be said on these comparisons later in this series, for now, please note the strong emphasis upon the bifurcation of the world into the Secular and Sacred. Whilst the term “secular” generally refers to that which has no reference to God or religions that believe in a ‘god’, we do need to ask whether or not disciplines like those mentioned are truly secular. In other words, are these disciplines founded upon the basic tenet, God is not!—for that is the true definition of secularism. Equally, the old Sacred / Secular division is not a Biblical one. Scripture speaks of the basic tenets of the worldview as that which carries the day, not of the enterprise itself. In other words, two men can undertake the same discipline with the same passion; one to righteousness, the other to unrighteousness.

[32] Crabb, 29-30. Emphasis added.

[33] Crabb, 29.

[34] 1 Corinthians 3:19-21. C.f 1 Corinthians 1:20ff.

[35] Once more, we draw your attention to comments made at the start of this article. Remember how we asked people to strive to understand what authors meant when they use words. This statement is one more example. See how Scripture is limited to being the Christian’s final authority, when in fact Scripture is Man’s final authority. This is not just a poor choice of words. It reveals the authors central belief. Sadly this concept – Scripture is for Christians only – is gaining currency. Some years ago, at a Bible study, a visitor made this exact point, and vehemently so, stating that the Bible did not speak to unbelievers. “Danger! Danger! Will Robinson!” The outworking of this theory is that the Christian must take the secular data and see if it accords with Scripture, if it does not, the Christian must abandon it. So far, so good. What of the secularist? Is he free to simply espouse his theory ungoverned and unrestrained? According to this theory, the answer is, yes. Biblically, however, the answer is, No! The point of Scripture is that we measure all thoughts against God’s revelation. If the thought espoused is something contrary to Scripture the Christian does not abandon it on purely pragmatic grounds. No, he rejects it because it is a falsehood, a lie, a blasphemy. As such, all men are called upon to reject such untruths and to cease and desist from spreading them (Proverbs 12:22).

[36] Crabb, 85.

[37] For your consideration: James 1:27; James 4:4; 1 John 2:15-17; 2 Corinthians 10:5; Jeremiah 17:9-10; Genesis 6:5; Psalm 10:3; Psalm 94:8-11; Proverbs 12:5, 15, 26;  Isaiah 55:7; Mark 7:21-23.

[38] Tidball, pp 238-239.

[39] This article is not to be understood as endorsing everything that Jay Adams has espoused. Rather, it is an illustration of how a man who built a methodology upon Scripture is systematically attacked by those who, in reality, deny the sufficiency of Scripture. Adams should be commended for taking a stand on and in Scripture and for demonstrating its sufficiency for counselling and pastoral work. In fact, his denigration should trigger alarm bells.

[40] Tidball, p.268. Emphasis added.

[41] A sequential box is usually a paddle or stick shift that moves in two directions, forward and back. The driver cannot choose a particular gear (for example he cannot move from first to third in one shift), he must move through the gears in sequence– 1,2,3,4,5. Moving the paddle makes the shift in the gears take place, thus taking pressure of the driver to coordinate the change accurately.

[42] A crash box is so named because it does not have a synchromesh system to help match gear speeds. Thus, the driver must match road speed and engine revs or be confronted with much grinding. A crash box requires skill and coordination.

[43] Romans 3:4

Of Shepherding Shepherds (Pt. 4)

(Rebuilding Esteem and Belief in Eldership: God’s Authority)

5. God’s Authority:

The next relevant aspect in regard to the Office of Eldership is that these men, being instituted by God, act with God’s authority. This point is critical, yet it is overlooked and often despised today.

To drive this home, let me ask this related question, “What makes preaching powerful?” The moderns will tend to answer this question by focusing on personalities, oratory, word skills, and dynamism. The orthodox and Reformed Christian will answer, “Authority!”

Why does the preacher preach? He is commissioned to that task. What makes the preacher’s voice or words any more relevant, convincing, or convicting? The answer is power through authority! To be specific, it is Jesus’ authority. The preacher is commissioned of God, thus, when he speaks, he speaks with the very voice of Christ. This it is that rouses dead hearts and brings rebellious hearts to heel. This it is that pierces seared consciences and makes them responsive. This it is that makes the Christian yield to sound counsel.[1]

Please understand, it is authority and authority alone that marks the preacher as different. Nothing else! He has no special quality in and of himself. His words are powerful because the Holy Spirit works through him so that his voice is Christ’s voice and his words Christ’s words.

In the same way, the commissioned elder rightly wields God’s authority. That which sets his administration apart – his rule, counsel, deliberations, intercession, and judgements – is not his qualities as a person[2], as such, but the fact that he speaks and acts not only with the authority of God, but as God Himself.[3] This means that the elder must be humble in his use of this power, but it equally means that we who sit under the elder must be humble so as to submit to God’s authority administered through the elder. The relevance of this for pastoral care is almost unfathomable, however, fathom we must.

  1. The Word of Authority: This is to say, as we have suggested, that the elder speaking as elder is speaking authoritatively in the name and as an ambassador of God. This means that his counsel immediately stands above the counsel of others. It is not to say that it is necessarily different in kind, rather it is different in degree. Where one may readily dismiss a brother with a hasty, “That’s your opinion!” one cannot do so with the elder.
  2. The Action of Authority: The above aspect is made all the more pertinent when we look at the concept of discipline. In Matthew 18 we note that the issue begins among the brothers. It then extends to the brethren as witnesses. At this point, we observer the difference in degree. The brethren may have sound counsel, but it goes unheeded. However, when the issue is escalated to the Church, to the elders, the ballgame, as they say, changes. Now the Word is spoken with Christ’s voice and authority. It is backed by the possibility of severe punishment and eternal consequence, all of which are sanctioned by Christ Jesus. Here, the counsel changes from a positive suggestion to an ought!
  3. The Need of Authority: This then leads to the crux of the matter. Man is spiritually dead. Man can only be brought to life by the Divine command issued by the commissioned man. Illustrative of this is the text in which Ezekiel commands the dry bones to live.[4] Equally, as God’s children, we can still, in varying degrees, fall into sin and become hardened to the things of God.[5] In such circumstances, we too need the voice of authority to command us to awaken and repent. So it is that often the difference is not in the quality of the counsel given, but in the authority with which it is given; not kind, but degree. Importantly, it must be understood that we need the authoritative voice.[6] Sound counsel is not enough. Sound counsel given authoritatively is what is most necessary.[7]

Let us take these points and transfer them to the real world. Bill Bloggs, Christian and local member of the Church, goes to a Christian counsellor. Let us grant that the counsellor is indeed sound. He counsels Bill to leave his sin. Session after session he pleads with his brother to forsake this sin and be reconciled to Christ. Bill refuses. What next? The counsellor has no ability to sanction Bill. The counsellor does not possess the keys of the Kingdom. The counsellor has no juridical power. The counsellor cannot cast him out of the Church for his rebellion. In point of fact, the counsellor cannot even truly implement the process of Matthew 18.

Moreover, depending on how the counsellor operates, he could not take the matter to the Church, even if he desired to do so, because he would be in breach of privacy laws enacted by the State. In some cases, there would even be other factors in play that protect Bill’s indiscretion from finding its way to the Church.

In another scenario, Bill’s rebellion and unrepentant heart may lead to depression. As the counsellor has no other means at his disposal, he is left to simply medicate the symptoms. Bill is left in his rebellion and the consequences of that rebellion are simply masked by the application of medicines.

Therefore, we need to grasp the serious reality that when we step out from under God’s order and authority, we step into impotency. The so-called ‘Christian counsellor’ may counsel, but in the end he is impotent. The counsellor only has as much authority or power to realise change as the so-called patient will give him or the State allows. Thus, it is the sinner who effectively sits in the pilot’s seat and guides his craft to the destiny of his choosing. He hides behind State protections and only allows inputs to the craft’s control column that will not alter his desired course. The counsellor, Christian or otherwise, is ineffectual in these circumstances.

Now, as we have noted, some will find this difficult, but that does not alter the truth of the matter. If we look around us, we will already see that counsellors, Christian and otherwise, are being constrained by the secular laws under which they operate. This has clearly come to the fore in regard to those who counsel homosexuals. In some instances, and increasingly so, those whose counsel to homosexuals is “forsake the practice” are being shut down or muzzled. The State has defined the air corridor – effectively conjoining itself to the rebellious sinner/pilot – and in so doing does not allow inputs to the control column that would see the craft deviate from its course—even though it is evidently heading for a mountain. Thus, the counsellor bound to obey the State must bow to his master’s will; even the so-called Christian counsellor.[8]

Equally, we must address the sinner and state boldly that they too, in seeking out the uncommissioned are placing themselves in a position of impotency. They are walking away from the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth[9] in which they can actually find help, power, strength, forgiveness, and reconciliation.

Brother Posthuma rightly noted that some seek out the counsellor for anonymity.[10] This is understandable, but only to a minute degree; for we must ask as to the point of anonymity, if it also means impotency. Could it be that the anonymity sought is a guise in which one can soothe the troubled conscience without seeking a real remedy to the problem? Why would a person suffering from an ailment and supposedly seeking a cure, turn away from a medical centre simply because they were known at that clinic? Why seek out the backyard quack for the sake of anonymity when such action could prolong your suffering or lead to greater harm?[11] In point of fact, being known may lead to better, swifter, and more compassionate treatment.

The only genuine reason for anonymity is the fear of shame. After all, you only seek out a medical doctor anonymously if you have a medical condition or are in need of medical assistance because you are fairly certain that the condition arose out of a spurious circumstance.  Similarly, you only seek out a counsellor anonymously when your spiritual circumstances are a result of spurious activities. Consequently, the whole counselling phenomena has, at its root, a faulty and unBiblical premise.

The reality is very simple. In turning from God’s order, we turn from God’s power and authority. As such, we turn to the impotent and embrace that which can never truly bring us the genuine help we need.

More coffee on the newspaper? If so, we are not sure why. Let us be frank. In Psychiatry, it is well known that many of the problems are medicated, not healed. People are forced to exist in a drug induced state in order to function, and that term is used very loosely. Medication is used because there is a fundamental inability to deal with the core issues. This is the impotency of which we speak. There is no God-empowered command that causes the dead to live and the rebellious to heel. There is no worldview that rises above. No hope on the horizon that can be given – particularly from the secular standpoint.

Therefore, it is absolutely necessary that we grasp the importance of the fact that the elder operates under God’s commission and with His authority. The elder operates within the Biblical worldview and thus gives God’s answers to the troubles of this world. These attributes are not known to the secular counsellor, even the Christian counsellor, for at some point, they seek to introduce another worldview that conflicts with the Biblical worldview.

As an example, you would not go to a witchdoctor for advice, would you? Yet, the secular science of psychology comes from the same poisonous root. So why do we give it credence simply because it comes from a university? What makes this theory or view of Man more acceptable than the one outlined by God in His Word?

Friends, it is here that we come to the pointy end of the stick, for the essence of our contention, as we have noted, comes down to a clash of worldviews and to these two questions:

a) Will we faithfully accept what God says about Man and His creation as it is revealed in Scripture or will we seek out another worldview, another wisdom that is more acceptable to us in our circumstance?

b)  Which man will we choose to counsel us—the man who stands with God’s authority and administers wisdom according to the Biblical worldview or will we seek out the man of compromise who seeks to supplant God’s wisdom with the wisdom of fallen Man; baptised though it may be?

Footnotes:

[1] It must also be remembered that in the Biblical covenantal paradigm, counselling and preaching can also legitimately harden a person in their rebellion so that God’s judgement is proved just (Psalm 51:4; See also Exodus 9:16 and Romans 9:17 as a practical example). God’s word is, as it always has been, both life and death. It is to one the aroma of life; to another the stench of death (2 Corinthians 2:15-16). It is for this reason that much of the modern Church Growth theory should be despised and rejected. The truth does not in every case bring life. Sometimes it brings death. The only sure, categorical, and absolute statement that we can make in regard to God’s Word proclaimed is this: So shall My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it (Isaiah 55:11).

[2] This is not to say that personal qualities are not important; they are! Biblically, the office of elder is only open to those who have certain, proven character traits. The point here is that we do not elect a good man, but a righteous man. We do not elect a smart man, but a wise man. We do not elect the popular man, but the godly man. We do not elect the rich man, but the spiritually wealthy man. We do so, on God’s command, so that, once in office, these traits are subject to and magnified by the power of God’s Spirit. Such a man becomes a powerful instrument in God’s hands because he is blessable; he is a worthy instrument through which God will work. As such he stands in God’s stead and should not be trifled with.

[3] Some may doubt this. If so, please turn to Exodus 16:2&8. There you will see that Israel grumbled against Aaron and Moses and in so doing they grumbled against the Lord.

[4] See Ezekiel 37:1ff.

[5] Hebrews 3:8-11.

[6] Is it not for this very reason that we are urged to attend upon the preaching of the Word in constancy. We are in absolute need of hearing God’s word – Christ’s voice – proclaimed with His full authority.

[7] It may be an oversimplification, but it is worth remembering that Man is a subordinate being to God. Thus God was right to give the Ten Commandments and not the Ten Suggestions or the Ten Helpful Pointers.

[8] It is worth noting the power of secularism at this point. Many pastoral care positions that are now advertised require that the applicant be eligible for enrolment in a Psychological Association or some such. This requirement alone generally rules out the Biblical counsellor and therefore puts the pressure on this group to undertake further studies so as to be “approved”. In essence, these situations effectually force a compromise. It also sees the field heavily stacked in favour of Humanism.

[9] 1 Timothy 3:15.

[10] Volume 61, No 7; 8 Feb 2014. Pages 166.

[11] A pertinent example, here, is that of abortion. At every step along the way it was argued that legalising abortion would do away with the need for backyard practitioners who were causing pain and death. Yet, legalising abortion did not resolve this problem. The very same argument was once again paraded in the recent discussion over the abortion drug RU86.