As we come into a teaching series that helps us to consider the sufficiency of the Scriptures to guide us through the problems of life, I hope that you will give me an ear to tell you why we all need counseling.
Over the past few weeks in 1 Thessalonians 5, we have encountered the Greek word, noutheteō. Some of us know that biblical counseling used to be called, nouthetic counseling. This word can be translated into English as admonish, instruct, or even counsel. Paul even uses this word in explaining one of the ways the church should act toward each other. Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. I wonder if any of us would ever say to the Apostle Paul, "Thanks, Paul, but quite honestly I'm doing fine and don't really need anyone to come and instruct me in all wisdom. I'd just rather do it on my own." The problem with a statement like that is there is no verse in the entire Scripture that affirms that Christians can live our lives to God's glory without help from each other. Take, for example, some wisdom from the Proverbs.
Proverbs 11:14 Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.
Proverbs 15:22 Without counsel plans fail, but with many advisers they succeed.
Proverbs 19:20 Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom in the future.
Perhaps you may not be confident that someone can give you the right counsel. I am confident that there was not one perfect church that Paul wrote to, and yet he was confident that there was sufficient resource for churches to help each other. Romans 15:14 I myself am satisfied about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able to instruct (from noutheteō) one another. The church in Rome (and every Christian church for 2000 years) has had everything needed to counsel one another. They have had the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit and the word of God.
Our biggest barrier to receiving counseling for our life is simply pride. So many of us are weary of unveiling our lives and showing sin, deficiencies, weaknesses, and ignorance. We live in marriages that could use help, but we are too prideful to say we need it. We live with great frustration in parenting because we don’t want others to see that we don’t have the perfect little family. We live with constant failure in sin and temptation because we are ashamed of someone knowing that something below the surface isn't right. All of these and more amount to a barrier of pride that only prohibits us from the help that God provides us in his church that helps us to grow in his likeness.
As we go through our series on the Sufficient Help of Scripture, I wonder if you might think through where you could use a brother or sister coming along side you and opening God's word as a means of God's grace in your own life.
The wise seek counsel, and God has provided!