Divine Knowledge

How different is biblical counseling from other counseling models? Is it just counseling that utilizes Scripture verses, or is there more to it?

The answer becomes clear when we compare the biblical counseling model to some alternatives. In his classic work, The Christian Counselor’s Manual, Jay Adams clarifies the difference this way. He refers to what he calls “Expert Knowledge” and “Common Knowledge,” while basing biblical counseling on what he calls “Divine Knowledge.” 1

“Expert Knowledge” says that an expert is needed to fix the counselee’s problems, but more importantly for our purposes here, these experts view our problems as coming from without. We might have problems because of what has been done to us by other people, or we might have problems because of
our environment, but what we can be certain of is that our problems are not self-inherent.

“Common Knowledge” says that the solution to our problems lies within us, either individually or collectively. What the counselor must do—and he need not be an expert, per se—is guide us to discover that solution. Perhaps the solution lies within my own being, or perhaps it can be found in the “herd” of
others who face similar problems, but we need not look outside of ourselves. We are sufficient.

God’s Word tells us that our problems come from within but are solved from without.

“Divine Knowledge,” on the other hand, turns both of these competitors on their heads. In the first place, “Divine Knowledge,” which is sufficiently revealed in the inspired Word of God, reminds us that the heart of our problems is the human heart (Luke 6:43-45). Our problems are not primarily outside
problems; they are inside problems. Then “Divine Knowledge” tells us that the solution to our problems does not lie within us; it lies without us as the Holy Spirit works through Holy Scripture (2 Timothy 3:16- 17). So, the alternatives tell us that our problems come from without but are solved from within, while
God’s Word tells us that our problems come from within but are solved from without. It is a complete reversal!

So, a word of encouragement for biblical counselors. It is not our first concern to understand what has happened to the persons we are called to help. Our first concern is to understand what is going on inside them. To be sure, we live in a fallen world with all sorts of hurt, but our greatest wounds are the self-inflicted wounds of our own sins. We are sinners by nature and by conduct, and this not by constraint but by choice; this is our greatest problem. Also, our goal is to minister the convicting and healing Word of God. It alone is sufficient to thoroughly equip us for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3; 2 Timothy 3:16-17).

Let’s love people enough to expose the real problem we all face—do so with boldness and grace. Then, let’s love them even more by ministering the all-sufficient, inspired Word of God.

~ Pastor James La-Follette ~

Resources

1 Jay E. Adams, “Presuppositions and Methodology,” in The Christian Counselor’s Manual: The practice of nouthetic counseling (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1973), 71-97.