What is Biblical Counseling?

I recently went to the chairman of our biblical counseling department, Dr. Jim Juvinall, and asked him for a 50-75 word definition of biblical counseling. Of course, like most people tasked to give such a short and simple definition he gave me both the short and the long version. I thought this was helpful so I wanted to share with you today.

What is “Biblical Counseling”? Maybe in its simplest form we could define it as “Biblical counseling is Christians doing what God instructs us to do as Christians—love God and love others. We love God and love others by using the Scriptures to help “anyone caught in any transgression” by helping them in restoration (Gal 6:1). This all happens in a spirit of gentleness patterned after the life and examples of Christ. Biblical counseling is God’s people doing what they are called to do.” What does that look like lived out relative to biblical counseling?

Galatians 6:1-5 gives us a succinct picture of the components of Biblical Counseling. The passage answers for us four questions about this discipline.

Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. For each will have to bear his own load. (ESV)

1.  Who is expected to counsel?

• “Brothers,” “you who are spiritual.” In other words this instruction is for all who have a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

2.  Who needs to be counseled?

• “Anyone caught in any transgression.” This means all of us. We are each is in the daily battle of dealing with our sin.

3.  What are we called to do?

• “Restore him.” We are one of the tools that God uses to help complete, mend, and return to usefulness our brothers and sisters who are struggling with life as it happens in this sin-cursed world. We help them recognize their unbiblical thought patterns and ungodly behaviors, and we help them identify the idols that they serve. We call them to confession and repentance and help them implement God honoring change in their lives.

4.  How do we minister to others?

• “In a spirit of gentleness.” Patterned after Christ’s ministry we love them to the point of involvement in their lives. We make the effort to get to know them at a deeper level.  We demonstrate a willingness to lovingly confront their sins (both worldly thinking and ungodly behaviors) and we instruct them in Biblical truth, helping them to appropriate God’s truths into their daily lives. This requires that we be students of His all sufficient Word.

God does not call us to do what He does not equip us to do. He has placed us within a gifted community of believers, the local church, who have been given the call to minister to one another, to be tools in their redeemer’s hand. And, He has equipped each of us with His Sufficient Word, the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit, and His transforming grace.

“Biblical counseling” is God’s people doing what they are called to do.

For a great resource on biblical counseling check out my friend Paul Tautges blog Counseling One Another as well as the website for the Biblical Counseling Coalition.