BIBLICAL COUNSELING FRAMEWORK
Man Is Not Responsible
- Man is not responsible to God for conditions or people which he cannot control. These include his genetics (heredity), many of the environments in which he finds himself, and many of the experiences that come his way in life.
- Man is not responsible to God for morally neutral thoughts, attitudes, feelings, words, and behaviors – things which are neither right nor wrong according to Scripture.
Man Is Responsible
- Man is responsible to God for the thoughts, attitudes, words, and actions for which he is said in Scripture to be personally responsible.
Scripture is filled with references to what is right and what is wrong for man to think, to say, and to do. In accord with his old sin nature, the believer is to not to walk by the flesh (Gal 5:19-21, Eph 4:22, 28-32, 5:3-11, et al.), but, in accord with his new nature, he is to walk by the Spirit (Gal 5:16, 22-26, Eph 4:24-5:2, 5:15-6:17)
For instance, though Job was not responsible for the terrible tragedies which befell him, nor for the grief and pain he endured because of them, nor for the temptation which he faced to blame God for allowing these things to happen, he was personally responsible to God for his inner and outer responses to his afflictions. And he initially responded in love and devotion toward his Creator (Job 1:20-22, 2:10). Later, however, when God would not reveal to him why He had allowed such adversity in his life, Job became unloving (Job 3:3, 20, 23), irritable (Job 10:1-2, 13:3), and downright critical of Him (Job 19:6, 23:2, 40:2). But then, still in the midst of his trials, he chose rightly to repent of his unloving attitudes toward God and to accept His will without knowing why his misfortunes had occurred (Job 42:1-6).
- Man is responsible to God for the effects of his conscience upon his immaterial heart, upon his material brain and body, and upon his life in general, as well as for his responses to those effects, as it assesses the right and wrong thoughts, attitudes, words, and actions which he chooses to embrace in his life.
When Adam and Eve were created by God, their natures and their choices were righteous before Him. As a result, their consciences assured them that all was right between them and their Creator (Gen 2:25). Soon, however, they sinned against Him, and their consciences filled their hearts with a sense of guilt, a fear of His judgment, and a desire to attempt to escape those painful urgings (Gen 3:10, Prov 28:1). And so it has been throughout human history (Rom 2:15)
The effects of man’s conscience within his immaterial heart can also generate positive or negative effects in his material brain and body (Prov 17:22). David, for instance, experienced both. When he was right with the Lord, he could lie down in peace and sleep (Ps 4:8). But when he would not confess his sin, His whole physiology was disturbed (Ps 32:3-4, 38:1-10), and it affected his relationships as well (Ps 38:11)
Furthermore, man is responsible to God for the choices he makes in an attempt to escape from the immaterial and material effects of his conscience. When Adam and Eve felt guilty before God for their disobedience to Him and feared what He would do to them, they tried to hide from Him among the trees of the Garden (Gen 3:1-10). Failing this, Adam blamed Eve and blamed God for giving her to Him (Gen 3:11-12). Eve blamed the serpent (Gen 3:13). Ever since, human beings have been attempting to deal with the uncomfortable effects of their consciences by any number of creative ways – other than contritely acknowledging their sin before God (Prov 28:1, 16:2, 21:2)
LACK OF LOVE for God for others
(Sin/Wrong Choice)
1 JN 4:17-18, PROV 28:1, GEN 3:6
Biblically wrong attitudes, words, thoughts, and actions: impatience, irritability, annoyance, anger, rage, temper, cruelty, unkindness, jealousy, envy, enmity, hatred, pride, conceit, arrogance, immorality, impurity, indecency, criminality, hostility, bragging, thoughtlessness, greed, selfishness, stubbornness, obstinacy, self-centeredness, grumbling, thanklessness, discontentment, resentment, grudge-bearing, suspicion, hopelessness, un-forgiveness, bitterness, pessimism, maliciousness, irritability, decreased energy…
Which instantaneously leads to↓
(Sense of)
GUILT
(in our minds)
ISA 57:21, ROM 2:14-15, GEN 3:10
Feelings of guilt, sense of condemnation, anticipation of punishment, bothered conscience, accusing thoughts, down on self, low self-respect, sense of worthlessness, self-condemnation, excessive doubt about doing something…
Which instantaneously leads to↓
(APPARENTLY UNCAUSED )
FEAR
(in our minds)
1 JN 4:17-18, PROV 28:1, GEN 3:10
Anxiety, uneasiness, apprehension, dread, tension, restlessness, worry, anticipation of misfortune, danger or doom, irritability, over- dependence, timidity, shyness, panic, terror, over-concern, hyper-happiness, imagination of illness, agitation, over activity, easy distraction, persecution complex. May result in being hyper-alert, fidgety, talking to much, or difficulty falling asleep, impaired concentration, poor memory, excessive perspiration, muscle tension, headaches, sighing respirations, hyperventilation, abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhea, butterflies, high blood pressure, rapid heartbeat, fainting episodes…
If not repented of can lead to↓
(APPARENTLY UNCAUSED )
FLEEING
LEV 26:17, PROV 28:1, GEN 3:10
Isolation, escape, inner hiding, denial, defensiveness, excessive self protection, abandonment or denial of self-evident truth, escape from reality, withdrawal of intimacy, flood one’s body with stimuli, alcoholism, drug addiction, workaholism, bad relationships, overspending, overcompensating, hypochondria, embracing of fantasy as reality, living in a fantasy world, sexually acting out, unwillingness to reason, delusions, blaming, changing the subject, trying to get rid of another person…
How to move from unloving to loving:
Sanctification Process for a Believer
and
Redemption Process for Un/Non Believer
- CONFESS SIN I JN 1:9, PROV 28:1, James 5:16
(and REPENT of SIN) 2 Cor 7:10-11; Prov 28:13-14
- COUNT ON FORGIVENESS ROM 8:1, EPH 1:7
(Accept you’ve been forgiven)
- CONTROL OF SPIRIT EPH 5:18, GAL 5:16 (Submit your thoughts, words, actions and relationships to the ‘Standards of God’)
4. COUNT ON CONTROL I JN 5:14-15, James 4:8
(= Walk by FAITH not by Sight) Begin to walk in what’s RIGHT (do the next right thing).
Do this and it leads to
LOVE (of God and of others)
(Right Choice)
PROV 28:1, 1 JN 4:17-18, GAL 5:22
Which instantaneously leads to↓
PEACE (of God)
PHIL 4:7, 9, ISA 26:3, GAL 5:22, ROM 8:6
Which instantaneously leads to↓
CONFIDENCE (before God and others)
PROV 28:1, 1 JN 4:17-18, 1 JN 3:21
Which instantaneously leads to↓
DRAWING NEAR (to God and others)
PROV 28:1, 1 PET 2:4, HEB 4:16
Expressions of Love to practice – Towards God
- Meditating on God’s Word (Colossians 3:16, Psalm 1:1-3, 119:1)
- Obeying God’s Word (John 14:15, James 1:22-25)
- Praising God constantly (Hebrews 13:15, Psalm 103:1, 150:1-6)
- Thanksgiving for all things (Ephesians 5:20, 1 Thessalonians 5:18)
- Worship in Spirit and Truth (John 4:23-24, Hebrews 10:24-25)
- Acceptance of what God Allows in your life (Romans 8:28, 1 Peter 5:7
- Casting concerns and worries on Him (Philippians 4:6-7, 1 Peter 5:7)
- Loving others (1 John 4:20-21)
- Evangelism and Witnessing (Matthew 28:19-20, 1 Peter 2:9)
- Standing for what is right ( 1 Corinthians 16:13-14)
- Using your spiritual gifts (1 Peter 4:10-11)
- Helping others grow in Christ (2 Timothy 2:2, 1 Thessalonians 5:14, Hebrews 10:24)
- Thinking on good things (Philippians 4:8)
- Giving to God’s Work (2 Corinthians 8:24, 8, 9:7)
Expressions of Love to practice – towards others
- Sincere apologies (Matthew 5:23-24, Romans 12:18)
- Praising others (Proverbs 27:2, 31:28-29, 1 Corinthians 11:2)
- Listening and talking to others (James 1:19, Proverbs 18:2, 13)
- Sharing where you hurt (2 Corinthians 6:11-13, 7:2-3)
- Spending time with one another (2 Corinthians 12:15, 1 Thessalonians 2:8, Ephesians 6:4, Titus 2:4-5)
- Gentle Correction (Proverbs 27:6a, 1 Thessalonians 5:14)
- Self Sacrifice (1 Corinthians 13:5, Philippians 2:3-4)
- Submission to God ordained authority (Ephesians 5:22-6:9, Romans 13:1-7, Hebrews 13:17)
- Saying I love you (John 13:34)
- Giving encouragement (1 Thessalonians 5:11, 14, Proverbs 12:25)
- Showing appreciation (Philippians 4:14)
- Helping each other (Acts 20:35, 1 Thessalonians 5:14)
- Comforting each other (Romans 12:15, 2 Corinthians 1:3-4)
- Bearing one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:2)
- Warm smile or appropriate touch (Proverbs 15:30, Mark 10:13-14)
- Phoning or writing expressions of love (3 John 1:13-14)
- Asking for help (Philippians 4:17)
- Expressing forgiveness when someone has apologized (2 Corinthians 2:7, Ephesians 4:32)
- Discipline of one’s children (Ephesians 6:4, Proverbs 13:24)
An open loving relationship can be expressed to others in many ways, at
the right time, in the right way, in the right circumstance.
(Proverbs 27:14; 25:11; 15:23; 15:1, Colossians 4:6)
Insights and concepts adapted from The Heart of Man and The Mental Disorders by Rich Thomson)