| There is no shortage of advice-givers in
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| | that truth be applied without having more
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| today's society. Actually, it seems no
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| | than a Sunday school knowledge and
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| matter where you turn, you hear someone
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| | understanding of God's word? How can the
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| giving advice or counsel on one issue or
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| | counselor provide the lamp and light if
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| another. Frequently it's hard to try and
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| | he doesn't know its whereabouts? Richly
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| avoid those wanting to give advice. To
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| | implies he should not only possess the
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| prove my point, simply express to others
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| | word, but it should have a significant
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| a dilemma you have, and watch folks
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| | place in the counselor's life. The
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| stumble over themselves to give their
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| | counselor should be engaged in frequent
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| opinion. Some counsel you hear is good,
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| | reading, hearing, and meditation on the
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| little is from a biblical worldview, and
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| | word.
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| much counsel is simply bad and ungodly.
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| | Next, the counselor should possess
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| With that in mind, who are capable to
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| | wisdom. James Strong defines wisdom as
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| provide counsel or give advice? Are
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| | "devout and proper prudence in relations
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| Christians competent to counsel people
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| | with men including the skill and
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| with problems? What actually constitutes
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| | discretion in imparting Christian truth."
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| competency? What are the qualifications
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| | The counselor must learn how to discover
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| for a counselor?
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| | the facts about the problems to which he
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| Biblical counselors frequently quote
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| | must find biblical solutions. Psalm
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| Romans 15:14 to support the position that
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| | 111:10 states where one should start in
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| Christians possess adequate ability
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| | obtaining wisdom, "The fear of the LORD
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| (competency) to counsel: "I myself am
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| | is the beginning of wisdom; all who
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| convinced, my brothers, that you
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| | follow his precepts have good
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| yourselves are full of goodness, complete
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| | understanding."
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| in knowledge and competent to instruct
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| | Finally, the counselor should speak with
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| one another." Colossians 3:16 is
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| | boldness. He should reprove, advise, and
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| considered the comparable verse to Romans
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| | exhort without dread or fear. 2 Timothy
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| 15:14, "Let the word of Christ dwell in
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| | 4:2, "Preach the Word; be prepared in
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| you richly as you teach and admonish one
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| | season and out of season; correct, rebuke
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| another with all wisdom,...." Continuing
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| | and encourage--with great patience and
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| in Romans, Paul makes the case for
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| | careful instruction."
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| boldness: Romans 15:15, "I have written
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| | Having stated the biblical prerequisites
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| you quite boldly on some points, as if to
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| | for what constitutes a competent
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| remind you of them again, because of the
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| | counselor, what then constitutes an
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| grace God gave me." Each of these verses
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| | incompetent counselor? One might assume
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| contains the necessary characteristics or
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| | it would be just the antithesis of what I
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| prerequisites required of a competent
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| | just stated. However, since all
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| counselor. Counselors are to be, "full of
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| | Christians possess the key competent
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| goodness," "complete in knowledge," the
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| | attributes in some degree (albeit many in
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| word of Christ should dwell in them
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| | extremely small amounts), there is more
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| richly, they should be full of wisdom,
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| | to what constitutes incompetency. The
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| and they should speak boldly.
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| | strength of biblical counseling begins
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| First, counselors should be full of
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| | with its presuppositions. In other
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| goodness. This is not goodness that is
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| | words, it accepts on faith that God
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| natural within us, but is from the Spirit
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| | exists and the Bible is true, and
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| of God whose fruit is goodness, Galatians
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| | understands the implications of adhering
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| 5:22. Being full of goodness denotes an
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| | to it.
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| abundance of grace consisting of
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| | What are some of the key presuppositions
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| benevolence, humaneness, and an
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| | in biblical counseling? To start,
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| understanding to fellow Christians in the
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| | counseling issues are theological issues
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| spirit of Galatians 6:1, "Brothers, if
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| | because our life is lived before God.
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| someone is caught in a sin, you who are
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| | That is the exact opposite of
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| spiritual should restore him gently."
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| | psychology's main presupposition of there
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| Second, counselors should be complete in
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| | is no God. If there is one single
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| knowledge. This is spiritual knowledge
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| | difference that makes the two counseling
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| relating to: 1. God, His nature and
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| | models stand out, it's the fact that one
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| perfections, His mind and will, 2. Christ
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| | acknowledges God and the other does not.
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| and the work of redemption, 3. The Holy
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| | Also, the heart drives behavior and all
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| Spirit and how He operates, 4. The Gospel
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| | counseling issues are heart issues. This
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| knowledge necessary to salvation. If a
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| | establishes that all behavior is
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| counselor is to have an understanding of
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| | righteous or unrighteous, not healthy or
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| the biblical issues relating to human
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| | unhealthy; and certainly not the
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| nature and behavior, the study of the
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| | psychological heresy "feelings are
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| scriptures will be fundamental to his or
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| | neither good nor bad, they just exist."
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| her qualifications and effectiveness. It
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| | Furthermore, one's view on the nature of
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| would be paradoxical for someone to say
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| | man is critical in understanding behavior
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| they counsel biblically, yet lack the
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| | and offering biblical solutions. If man
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| wherewithal or inclination to provide
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| | is depraved and his behavior is the
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| biblical explanations to issues and
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| | result of sin, the biblical counselor can
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| problems. 2 Timothy 2:15, "Do your best
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| | offer solutions, hope, and a cure. If
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| to present yourself to God as one
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| | there is no sin, reductionism becomes the
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| approved, a workman who does not need to
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| | presupposition and all behavior is
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| be ashamed and who correctly handles the
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| | reduced to chemical imbalances, diseases
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| word of truth."
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| | or other ambiguous impulses. Doctors
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| Third, the word of Christ should dwell
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| | David Tyler and Kurt Grady explore this
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| richly in the counselor. The counselor
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| | further in their book, "Deceptive
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| should understand the scriptures,
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| | Diagnosis: When Sin is Called Sickness."
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| especially those which speak of Christ
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| | Dr. Dr. Ed Bulkley comments from the
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| and testify of Him, teach pardon by His
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| | forward of the book are most appropriate:
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| blood, justification by faith, and
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| | "The church has a growing tendency to
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| salvation. He must know the Bible
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| | pathologize every form of spiritual
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| thoroughly and how to use it practically.
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| | discomfort..., instead of seeking God's
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| I would seriously question the motives
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| | definitions and explanations of human
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| and presuppositions of a biblical
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| | behavior, more and more pastors, elders,
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| counselor who lacked the willingness or
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| | and congregations are accepting a secular
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| desire to study and learn the doctrines
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| | world-view which is based on humanistic
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| central to the work of a true biblical
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| | psychology rather than the Bible. The
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| counselor. If a counselor believes "Thy
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| | result is an increasingly weakened
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| word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light
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| | Church, no longer certain of its message,
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| unto my path," Psalm 119:105, how can
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| | mission and calling.
|