b In Appendix 2, Powlison (2010) lists six crucial issues in contemporary biblical counseling.
The one which I believe to be the most urgent is the relationship between human
responsibility and human suffering needs a great deal of clarification. b Powlison (2010)
says it challenges counselors to rethink the vision of the counselee and the counselee’s
situation. b How do we see and understand the people whom we counsel? b What kind of
attention do we pay to the kind of world the counselee inhabits? b How important are the
counselee’s past and present circumstances? b As counselors, we have a role to play in
communicating God’s truth, and we must take this role seriously. b The truth is Jesus
commands us to make disciples of all the nations, teaching them to observe all things
(Matthew 28:19, NKJV). b As counselors, our responsibility is to pursue God and his wisdom
with all our hearts. b How we react to human suffering is a result of our relationship with
God. b Our human responsibility is to admit our failures, confess our sins, and our need for
God. b The bible says, “Keep a close watch on how you live and on your teaching. b Stay true
to what is right for the sake of your salvation and the salvation of those who hear you” (1
Timothy 4:16, NLT). b When we began to understand the truth of who God is and gain a
better understanding of ourselves as well as others, we become equipped to be effective in
counseling those we are called to help. b We can better help counselees in understanding
their role of being accountable for the choices they make and responsible for their
relationship with God (Baker, 2010).
b b b b b b b b b b Not devaluing the other five crucial issues because they are of some importance
to the views of biblical counseling. b But I do believe they all relate to our responsibility to
God and ourselves in understanding and learning the truth. b A true personal relationship
with Christ dictates how we react to circumstances in our lives.
b b b b b b b b b b About appendix 4 Care of Souls, Powlison (2010) secular psychologists can’t help
the godlessness of their view of the psyche and relationships (p. 278). b A secular person
cannot understand the relationship between God and man, they are therefore blind to the
truth of God’s love and his saving grace. b These assumptions are misguided and only
address the behavior of man from a secular view. b True change comes from a personal
relationship with Christ. If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old thing has
passed away; behold, all things have become new (2 Corinthians 5:17). b We are not
reformed, rehabilitated, or reeducated; we are re-created living in vital union with Christ.
References
Baker, J. (2013). PACO 507: Issue in contemporary Christian counseling. Week four, lecture
seven: Theology and spirituality in counseling. Liberty University. https://learn.liberty.edu
Links to an external site..
New King James Bible. (1997). Thomas Nelson, Inc. (Original work published 1979)
Powlison, D. (2010). The biblical counseling movement: History and context. New Growth
