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The Psychologizing of the Faith

Self-exaltation by Satan marked the first appearance of sin in the universe (see Isaiah 14:12-14). Eventually, Jesus would identify man's fundamental obstacle in following Him as this same self-centered perspective on life (see Mark 8:34). One of the most radical consequences of "the Exaltation of Self" can be seen in the "Psychologizing of the Faith" taking place within the church world today.

Our American culture, like much of the rest of the world, has become deeply and extensively psychological. As psychological thinking flows into churches that are biblically weak, the foundational truths of "the faith once for all delivered to the saints" (Jude v. 3) are being redefined. This tragic process is replacing the Christ-centered perspective of the Bible with a new man-centered approach to life.

The Ministry of Counseling

One of the areas of church life which is being clearly impacted by this psychologizing trend is the ministry of counseling. The word of God declares the Lord Jesus Christ to be our "Wonderful Counselor" (Isaiah 9:6). Jesus is such a Wonderful Counselor that in Him "are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" (Colossians 2:3). The Lord wants to get His wonderful counsel to us through His word. "Your testimonies also are my delight and my counselors" (Psalm 119:24). This is what the churches of Jesus Christ should be teaching and practicing.

INSTEAD?!?

Instead of ministering the word personally to hurting and needy people, many churches refer them to Christian therapists or to Christian counseling clinics. The deadly danger in this approach is that these professional Christian counselors have typically been trained in the same humanistic theories that worldly therapists use. Consequently, troubled believers are being taught by godless men like Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung and Abraham Maslow, instead of by godly Apostles like Paul and Peter and John.

The Problem of Sin

There are biblical truths far more vital than the ministry of counseling that are being redefined by psychological influence in the churches. The problem of sin is one of those. "Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned" (Romans 5:12). Man's basic problem is sin, which is self-serving rebellion against God. God's remedy is grace. "For if by the one man's offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ" (Romans 5:17). This is what we should be proclaiming in the Lord's church.

INSTEAD?!?

Instead of declaring sin as the problem, man's need is now described as dysfunctionalism or co-dependency or victimization. We speak of sicknesses and disorders, instead of moral failure or spiritual irresponsibility.

Further, man's hope is often held forth as discovering the appropriate recovery group, instead of learning about God's life-giving and life-transforming grace.

The Call to Discipleship

In Matthew 28:19, Jesus gave His followers their all-encompassing instructions for the rest of their lives on earth. "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations." Living as disciples of Jesus and helping others to do the same is the fundamental calling for all who are in the church of the Lord Jesus. The path of discipleship was explained by Jesus in Luke 9:23. "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me." Discipleship is following Jesus. The terms of discipleship are no to self and death to self. This should be our central instruction to believers in the church today.

INSTEAD?!?

Instead of urging people to deny self, many churches are calling Christians to esteem self. Self-esteem counseling and self-esteem preaching abound in the church world. This self-exalting message is not some "harmless contemporary version" of the message of the Bible. It is a serious error that prevents Christians from progressing as disciples, since it is a call in the opposite direction of discipleship. Discipleship calls us to Christ and away from self. Self-esteem calls us to self, which obstructs our progress after Christ.

The Sufficiency of Christ

As we follow the Lord as His disciples, we are to be teaching about and learning to live by His sufficiency. Christ's sufficiency is one of the essential foundation stones of the Christian faith. Believers are to find in Jesus all that they need for a complete, full, abundant walk with the Lord. Colossians 2:9-10 speaks of such truth. "For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him." Everything that the Godhead has to offer man for living here on earth is resident in the Lord Jesus Christ. Every believer in Jesus is now in Christ, where all the fullness dwells. Therefore, in Christ, we all have completeness of life available to us. Actually, Christ is our true life. "When Christ who is our life appears . . ." (Colossians 3:4a). As we learn to depend upon the sufficiency of Christ, looking to Him for spiritual life each day, He can then increasingly become to us our "all in all" (Colossians 3:11). This is what God's people are to be trusting in themselves, as well as proclaiming to others.

INSTEAD?!?

Instead, too many teachers and leaders are depending upon and pointing others toward self-help books and self-actualization theories. Churches are often more interested in self-improvement courses and self-development techniques than in the unlimited spiritual resources found in the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Work of the Holy Spirit

Another essential foundational truth that we must be proclaiming and living is the work of the Holy Spirit. "However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth . . . He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you" (John 16:13-14). The Holy Spirit is the one who discloses to us real understanding of the truths of the word of God. As that process is unfolding, the Spirit reveals to us the realities of the Lord Jesus, showing us what is ours in Christ to draw upon for daily Christian growth and service. Furthermore, as the Holy Spirit shows us the glories of Christ in the word, He also transforms us more and more into the very likeness of Christ. "But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord" (2 Corinthians 3:18). For biblical insight, as well as for spiritual growth, it is critical that God's people be proclaiming this message about the work of the Spirit.

INSTEAD?!?

Instead of putting their hope in these great ministries of the Spirit, many church leaders are inferring that the challenges of modern life are too complicated for such an old fashioned approach to ministry. Those who should be calling us to confidence in the ability of God's Spirit to use God's word in the transforming of lives are pointing us toward theories and speculations formulated by the intellect of man. The proper exercising of the human intellect is in looking to the Spirit of the Lord to unfold for us "the mind of Christ" (1 Corinthians 2:16). That process increasingly enables us to think as God thinks on all the issues of life.

The Supreme Goal of Knowing God

Getting to know God is the ultimate goal that the church is to be calling God's people toward. "But indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord" (Philippians 3:8). A growing acquaintanceship with the Lord is the surpassing value of life. It is what eternal life is all about. "And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent" (John 17:3). This prime objective is what the Lord's church is to be living for and teaching to all.

INSTEAD?!?

Instead, as the faith is being psychologized, the church frequently sounds just like the world in calling people to know themselves. Many are led by their churches down the path of personal introspection through the growing interest in temperament analysis profiles and self-evaluation inventories. Such tools may seem helpful. However, all that we need to know about ourselves has already been laid out for us in the scriptures. God will reveal such personal insight to us as we concentrate upon a growing relationship with the Lord. Our next and last issue to examine is closely related to this same matter.

The Great Commandment to Love God

Jesus said, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all

your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment" (Matthew 22:37-38). The most important directive from God to man is that we are to learn to love Him with all of our being. This is to be a fundamental emphasis in the message of the church. It is a central, strategic tenet of "the faith, once for all delivered to the saints."

INSTEAD?!?

Instead of urging God's people to be learning to love the Lord fully and wholeheartedly, believers are frequently exhorted to learn to love themselves properly. This erroneous teaching comes from a twisting of the second commandment to "love your neighbor as yourself." This distorted exposition assumes that we don't already love ourselves. Actually, Jesus was telling us to give the loving attention to others that we all give habitually to ourselves. "For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it" (Ephesians 5:29). Nonetheless, many contemporary leaders in the church world urge Christians to attempt to develop love for themselves. By engaging in such unbiblical teaching, they are sadly helping to fulfill a biblical warning, given in a prophetic instruction from the Apostle Paul. "But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves" (2 Timothy 3:1-2). The primary characteristic of rebellious humanity in the last days will be open, flaunted, unashamed self-love. Far from calling us to self-love, the scriptures warn us about such an ungodly perspective.

Conclusion

Multitudes in the church are becoming as focused on self as the world has become. This is one of the tragic consequences of "the psychologizing of the faith." The Lord has given us many warnings and exhortations in the word which can protect us against being a part of this self-exalting deception now impacting many churches. "Beware lest anyone cheat you (or, take you captive) through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ" (Colossians 2:8). Psychological theories are one of the predominant philosophies in the world today. We must be alert that no one (whether humanistic agnostics or beloved and respected church leaders) - - that no one lead us astray by such theories. On the other hand, we are to be those who respond to this biblical call. "Guard what was committed to your trust (that is, the word of God), avoiding the profane and vain babblings and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge-- by professing it, some have strayed concerning the faith . . . Hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. That good thing which was committed to you (that is, the word of God), keep by the Holy Spirit who dwells in us." (1 Timothy 6:20-21; 2 Timothy 1:13-14).

Resources for Further Study on This Subject:


Article excerpted From "Psychologizing of the Faith" Tape Series
Bob Hoekstra
©1997 Living In Christ Ministries
Permission is granted to copy for noncommercial personal use.
Matthew 10:8