Defining the New Birth

James 1:17-18 17 Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow. 18 In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits among His creatures.

Defining The New Birth in Christian Salvation
I figured since we are entering into a new year, it is only fitting that we explore a fundamental truth of Christian salvation that has the word "new" in it.  The above text deals with the beginning of one's salvation - what the Bible calls "The New Birth" or "Regeneration". The Baptist Faith and Message 2000 (the doctrinal statement of the Southern Baptist Convention) defines the "New Birth" accordingly:  "Regeneration, or the new birth, is a work of God's grace whereby believers become new creatures in Christ Jesus. It is a change of heart wrought by the Holy Spirit through conviction of sin, to which the sinner responds in repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Repentance and faith are inseparable experiences of grace."


The source, the effects and the activities involved in the New Birth
The New Testament speaks of the beginning of Christian salvation as being that of a "New Birth".  Jesus for example in John 3:1-8 discusses with Nicodemas what it means to be "born-again".  Peter too talks about being "begotten" or "born again" by God in 1 Peter 1:3 and 23.  This language of "birthing" and "regeneration" to describe saving faith is used in Titus 3:5 - "He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit." 

James 1:17-21 is the text I want us to specifically focus upon in understanding the New Birth, since James was the first New Testament Book.  As you go down through James'  treatment, you discover the following about the New Birth or as it is sometimes termed "regeneration":

1. The New Birth Comes from God. James 1:17
This is clearly the origin of the New Birth.  This tells us that salvation by its very nature is a genuine miracle.  We could call this first thought the "source" of regeneration or the New Birth.

2. The New Birth Brings a change of heart.  James 1:18
The New Birth, being a work of God, brings with it the grace that accompanies salvation.  As we will see in later blogs, whenever you and I have been born again - there must needs had been a change of heart.  We could term this the "effects" of the New Birth or regeneration.

3. The New Birth Involves faith and repentance. James 1:19-21
Any definition of the New Birth must include "faith and repentance".  Apart from faith and repentance, the New Birth simply will not occur.  James speaks about both repentance (James 1:19-21a) and faith (1:21b) in this authoritative definition of "The New Birth".   We could call this last point the "activities involved" in the New Birth. 

I would encourage the reader to study over James 1:17-21 and the other texts mentioned in today's blog to gain a better understanding of this essential truth of Christian salvation - The New Birth.  More tomorrow..........
 

Gaining Spiritual Ground in 2013: Emphasize Obedience

Hebrews 4:11 Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same example of disobedience.

Numbers 36:10 Just as the LORD had commanded Moses, so the daughters of Zelophehad did

For the past several days the aim has been to offer a map for gaining spiritual ground for the Lord in the upcoming New Year.  We've so far demonstrated that emphasizing prayer and regular time in the scriptures will yield advancement in the Christian life.  The Old Testament gives us the concrete language we need to understand the spiritual realities of the Christian life.  For example, New Testament passages such as Ephesians 1:3; Romans 8:14-16 and Galatians 4:1-6 all speak of the Christian being an "heir of God and co-heir with Christ".  These truths become crystal clear when we look back to the Old Testament people of God striving their way to possess the physical land of their inheritance. 

As we once again consider how we can gain spiritual ground for Jesus Christ in 2013, we want to look at a third emphasis: namely emphasizing obedience.

Faith the root, obedience the fruit of true advancement for God
As we look at Numbers 36, we see the daughter of Zelophehad obediently following the word of God spoken to them.  Numbers 36:10 plainly says: "Just as the LORD had commanded Moses, so the daughters of Zelophehad did." These daughters were not just hearers of the word - but doers.  When we look at how the Christian walk practically moves forward, it requires prayer, the scriptures and obedience.  Obedience is how you and I carry out what God shows us in prayer and what He tells us in His Word. 

When we come to the New Testament, we see abundant evidence of obedience being the premier sign of the presence of saving faith in the Christian life:

1. Matthew 7:17-20 17 “So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. 19 “Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 “So then, you will know them by their fruits.

2. Luke 8:21 - "But He answered and said to them, “My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it.”

3. James 1:23  "For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror"

As we see in Hebrews 4:11-16, the whole emphasis is upon gaining spiritual ground.  Hebrews 4:11 tells us "to be all the more diligent" - meaning that the way we know that we have entered into the rest of God is by the obedience that issues forth from saving faith.  Hebrews 4:10 speaks of us as Christians "having entered the rest of God" - i.e saving faith.  In verse 11 we see the need to "strive to enter into God's rest" - i.e sanctifying faith.  Obedience to the known will of God is the only way I can practically measure how much I'm operating by faith in my heart. 

By regular prayer and reading of the scripture, the obedience in these areas will become more of a matter of delight rather than duty.  True gaining of spiritual ground is indicated by what began has a "have to do" turning into an "I want to do".  In this upcoming New year, may you and I be a people who gain spiritual ground in the New Year by emphasizing prayer, the scriptures and obedience. 

Gaining Spiritual Ground in 2013: Emphasize the Bible

Hebrews 4:11 Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same example of disobedience.

Numbers 36:2 "and they said, “The LORD commanded my lord to give the land by lot to the sons of Israel as an inheritance, and my lord was commanded by the LORD to give the inheritance of Zelophehad our brother to his daughters."

Yesterday we talked about gaining spiritual ground for the New Year.  We focused upon emphasizing prayer - establishing the truth from both Numbers 36 and Hebrews 4 that no advance for God can be made without prayer.  Today we want to consider another emphasis: namely the scriptures.  Just as no spiritual ground can be gained for God apart from prayer, the same must be said for the believer's relationship to the scriptures.

How the Old Testament saints appealed to God's Word in laying claim to God's inheritance
As we look back to Numbers 36 once again, we see these elders of the Tribe of Manesseh appealing to Moses and the Elders on behalf of the daughters of Zelophehad.  The daughters already had grounds to lay claim to their deceased father's estate, as articulated in Numbers 27.  The appeal made on behalf of these daughters in Numbers 36:2 refers back to God's instructions in Numbers 27.  Knowing what God had said was the ground they stood upon as they advanced their case to Moses. 

The New Testament Christian must have a close association with God's word if they are to gain ground for God
Hebrews 4:11 reminds the Christian: "Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same example of disobedience. "  This exhortation to gain ground for God is not an option - but a command.  In order to gain ground for God in the New Year, you and I must do it with the Word of God.  Hebrews 4:12 makes one of grandest statements about the scriptures:  "For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart." As we include verse 13, we can note the specific reasons as to why emphasis upon the scripture is so crucial to gaining ground for God in the upcoming New Year:

1. The Bible is a Living Book.  (Hebrews 4:12) 
Apart from scripture, no spiritual life is possible, since by it God initiates saving faith (James 1:18; 1 Peter 1:23) and sustains the believer's post-conversion Christian walk. (Colossians 3:16)

2. The Bible is an Active Book. (Hebrews 4:12)
The Bible not only brings life, it enables you to be active in your Christian walk.  How can we know how to live for God, or what God's will is, apart from the scripture?  God uses the scriptures to stir us up to active faith.

3. The Bible is a discerning book. (Hebrews 4:12)
The writer here uses the language of the Old Testament sacrifices to convey his point of the discerning character of the scriptures.  Just as the Old Testament priest would ritually cut the sacrifices to make offerings to the Lord, the scripture is God's sword that prepares the Christian for spiritual service to the Lord. (Romans 12:1-2)  Only through the scriptures can my spirit (where the Holy Spirit dwells) have priority over my soul (where my fleshly desires are located).   When the scripture is doing its work, my soul comes more in line with my spirit.  When I am not exposed as often to God's Word, my soulish realm will rule my spirit.  I find that only through constant exposure to God's Word can I be a more discerning Christian. (Hebrews 5:14)

4. The Bible is a wide-opening book. (Hebrews 4:13)
Gaining ground for God means I know what He desires and that I want to act out what He says.  Hebrews 4:13 states -  "And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do." When you and I excercise ourselves in the scriptures - things that we found to be difficult to grasp suddenly become open to us.  All the time people are wanting to know God's will for their lives.  Scripture alone is the sufficient basis for discovering His Perfect and pleasing will. (Romans 12:1-2)

If we were to treat our Bibles like our wallets, our cell phones and our personal time, we would have an explosion of personal revival.  People all the time accidently leave their Bibles at church for instance.  Yet I have rarely if ever seen a cell phone left behind at church.  Whenever I have misplaced my wallet, I can recall turning the house upside-down looking for it.  How often do we set aside calendars and rearrange our family budgets for a few hours of personal recreational time? 

Cell phones, wallets and personal time are very important components of our twenty-first century life - yet think of how we emphasize those things in comparison to our time in the scriptures?  To make the necessary advancement in our spiritual walk with the Lord - we need to emphasize the reading, studying and interaction with the scriptures. 

Gaining Spiritual Ground in 2013: Emphasize Prayer

Hebrews 4:11 Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same example of disobedience.

Numbers 36:1 "And the heads of the fathers’ households of the family of the sons of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, of the families of the sons of Joseph, came near and spoke before Moses and before the leaders, the heads of the fathers’ households of the sons of Israel"

The Christian life or participation in their spiritual inheritance is pictured by the land of Israel
Hebrews 4:11-16 represents one of the sections in the Book of Hebrews that exhorts readers to strive towards knowing and following Jesus Christ.  The word for "diligent" in Hebrews 4:11 refers to "hasten, be zealous, eager, make every effort".  So the question is: what is it that the author is wanting his readers and us to be diligent about?  Answer: to enter into the "rest" of God.  This statement fits into the larger section of Hebrews 3:7-4:16, wherein the comprison is made between the Old Testament Israelites and their relationship to the land of Canaan to New Testament Christians and their growth in the Christian life.  The Old Testament promises of land for Israel are concrete illustrations used by the Bible to illustrate the Christian's inheritance and Christian life in Christ. 

With that basic understanding established, we can legitimately draw the conclusion that excercising the "diligence to enter into that rest" equals gaining spiritual ground. 

Gleaning principles for gaining ground in the Old Testament: Emphasize Prayer
As we pointed out, the Jews and the promised land in the Old Testament picture for us the Christian and their Christian walk in the New.  The idea of inheritance is mentioned nearly 20 times in Numbers 36, making it the perfect place to understand this concept of gaining ground.  The heads of a tribe in Israel was appealing to Moses on behalf of five daughters who were attempting to obtain their late father's inheritance.  The father's name was Zelophehad, and being that he had no sons, the question of course would be whether or not his daughters could claim the right to inherit his possessions.  Back in Numbers 27 these same people had appealed to God and Moses, with the Lord telling to Moses to grant their request.  It was now a matter of them laying claim to what was rightfully theirs. 

So what was it that these people of God did to gain their share in God's inheritiance promised to them in the promised land?  Notice what they emphasized: prayer. 

Numbers 36:1b states - "came near and spoke before Moses and before the leaders, the heads of the fathers’ households of the sons of Israel."  Where did these people draw near to speak to the Prophet Moses about this right of inheritance?  According to Exodus 33:7 "Now Moses used to take the tent and pitch it outside the camp, a good distance from the camp, and he called it the tent of meeting. And everyone who sought the LORD would go out to the tent of meeting which was outside the camp."  Over time this "tent of meeting" came to be associated with the tabernacle. (Leviticus 1:1; Numbers 3:25). They drew near to the place where God's people go to speak to God and to hear God by way of the priest.  The priesthood in turn would perform sacrifices and go into the tabernacle to represent them in prayer. 

Gaining spiritual ground in the New Testament entails emphasizing prayer
In Hebrews 4:11 we read of the necessity for the Christian to "strive" or "be all the more diligent" to enter into God's rest.  That "rest" is the spiritual counterpart to the "land" and physical inheritance we see in Numbers.  What is it that we are to do today as Christians in gaining ground for God?  One of things spoken of in Hebrews 4:11-16 is the need to emphasize prayer. 

The writer employs the language of the tabernacle and priesthood.  Hebrews 4:14 and 16 - 14 "Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.... 16 Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need."

Specific areas of gain that can occur when we emphasize prayer
Just as the people of God drew close to the entrance of the "place of prayer", the "tent of meeting", so are we as New Testament believers.  No gaining of spiritual ground is possible apart from prayer.  Take note of significant New Testament passages that emphasize the place of prayer in Christian growth:

1. Ephesians 6:18 "And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints."

2. Philippians 4:6-7 "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God."

3. 1 Timothy 2:1  "I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone. 2 for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity."

4. Jude 20 "But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit."

As we gain ground for God in 2013 by way of prayer, we can expect to have clearer thinking (Ephesians 6:18), more peace of mind (Philippians 4:6-7), greater ability to change our communities (1 Timothy 2:1-2) and be stronger personally in our pursuit of God (Jude 20). 

Guest Blogger Debi Smith - "The Enemy's Use of Deception"

Introduction: Occassionally I like to give the readers of this blog the opportunity to read materials written by others. I call these blogs: Guest Blogger blogs. My wife Debi is currently studying for her Bachelor of Science Degree in Christian Counseling at Liberty University. She recently wrote a paper on "Battling the Unseen in Christian Counseling". Yesterday's post dealt with the supernatural component in Christian Counseling.  In this third and final installment of our Guest Blogger series, we will explore the Enemy's use of deception, as well as some concluding remarks on the nature of the unseen in Christian Counseling.  May you be blessed dear reader as you read from our guest blogger Debi Smith. 

The Enemy’s Use of Deception

    At the fall of mankind where sin entered the world through Adam, the human mind went from whole to distorted.  Without accepting the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ, the minds of men and women remain “unregenerate and cannot function properly”. (Anderson, 2003, p. 66)  It is through Christ that all mankind has the hope and promise of the ability to renew the mind. (Romans 12:2)

    Dr. Anderson reminds that the battle is for the mind. (Anderson, 2003)  Satan knows the vulnerability of the human mind and how to use it to his advantage.  The Bible calls him the “father of lies” (John 8:44), thief (Mark4:15), tempter (1 Corinthians 7:5), schemer (2 Corinthians 2:11), and a deceiver that leads people astray (2 Thessalonians 2:9; Revelations 12:9).   Warren Wiersbe in his book, Be Joyful, reminds followers of Christ that the “Christian life is not a playground, but a battleground”. (Wiersbe, 1989, p.49)  He also points out that in the book of Philippians the secret to joy and peace stems from the mind fixated on Christ (Isaiah 26:3).  In Philippians, the word mind is used ten times, think is used five times, and remember once.  This brings the total of references to the mind and thought processes to 16 times. (Wiersbe, 1989)

    No wonder the enemy of mankind’s souls wants to get into the mind to destroy any work of the Holy Spirit. Knowing this, what are the tools the enemy uses to deceive the minds of men and women?  “Satan’s purpose is to cause us to think and live contrary to God’s plan for us”. (Anderson, 2003, p. 246)  Here are just a few examples of wrong thinking that the enemy can use to get a person off course: the belief that things can give lasting happiness, addictions can bring comfort, sin isn’t followed with consequence, people that don’t believe Jesus is Lord can go to Heaven anyway, a person must live up to the image set up by those around them, finding importance in finding approval of others above God. Add to these the things people do to deceive themselves, such as: not following the Bible’s standard, claiming to be sinless, allowing pride to convince themselves they are something they are not or that they are wise, and not controlling the tongue. (Anderson, 2003)

   Examples of faulty ways people think to defend themselves include: escaping into a fantasy world, withdrawing from people, exploding in anger, blaming others for circumstances, making excuses, and tainting the truth. (Anderson, 2003)

    So how does one defend themselves against the Deceiver?  The answer is seemingly simple, but impossible to carry out without the help of the Holy Spirit. Followers of Jesus Christ can praise God that at the moment of conversion God gives His children the Holy Spirit to live inside them. This enables everyone in Christ to choose truth over the lies.  If a person has surrendered their will and their heart to Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit lives in them and gives them the ability and power to take back their minds from the enemy.  (1 Corinthians 2:10-16; John 14:16-17)  With the help of the Holy Spirit living in the heart of a believer, they can “take every thought captive to make it obedient to Christ”. (2 Corinthians 10:5, New International Version)

    This is indeed sounds like a daunting task, but there are practical ways to purge the mind of deceiving thoughts and replace them with God’s thoughts.  Knowing what the Bible says about the role of man and the benefits of being a child of God is a start.  Discover what God says in His word about how humankind should live after accepting His Son’s gift of salvation.  Decipher the thoughts that contradict what the Bible says, replacing them with scriptures that speak truth.  Find a mature believer and counselor to aid in the process of defeating the Deceiver.

Conclusion

    Ignoring or dismissing the unseen factors in counseling hinders the healing of a counselee.  Often misdiagnosed, a person will go on in their life suffering from attacks from an enemy that has one mission: to destroy.  However, a Christian counselor armed with the word of God and the Holy Spirit can enlighten one who is willing and open to the leading of Jesus Christ.  Deception will be banished and replaced with the truth that only comes from God. “Discipleship counseling is not just a technique we learn; it is an encounter with God, who is the wonderful counselor”. (Anderson, 2003, p. 110) 

Guest Blogger Debi Smith - Supernatural Component in Christian Counseling

Introduction: Occassionally I like to give the readers of this blog the opportunity to read materials written by others. I call these blogs: Guest Blogger blogs. My wife Debi is currently studying for her Bachelor of Science Degree in Christian Counseling at Liberty University. She recently wrote a paper on "Battling the Unseen in Christian Counseling".  Yesterday's post featured the beginning of her paper, wherein she compared secular and Christian approaches to counseling, as well as outlining the need to include the unseen realm in one's approach to counseling.  Today we will continue with her paper - noting how she fleshes out the supernatural component in Christian counseling.  Bless you reader as you read more from our guest blogger - Debi Smith.

The Supernatural Component in Christian Counseling

    There is a battle being fought that is unseen.  For those that are in Christ, the Bible speaks clearly and plainly that the enemies we fight are not flesh and blood, but the powers of this dark world and the spiritual realm. (Ephesians 6:12)  Even many of our churches struggle to see this as true so it is not shocking that the scientific world would view this aspect of Christian counseling as ridiculous.  Why does the church turn a blind eye to the spiritual battle? 

    Jay Adams in his book, The War Within, points out that there have always been two mistakes made by the church regarding the power of Satan.  The Christian community has either gone to one extreme or the other, underestimating or overestimating the power of the enemy.  Satan has been made to be a cartoon character and something laughable while at other times his abilities and powers have been exaggerated to the point to make Christ’s people wilt in terror. (Adams, 1989)  The result of this improper balance is that the church is “asleep on the battlefield”. (Adams, 1989, p.8)

    In the clinical setting trained in secular science, the results are just as destructive.  Dr. Anderson brings out in his book that if a patient comes to a doctor with the complaint of a hearing voices and feeling terror or seeing things.  How is this observable by counselor?  It is not, but yet the professional would view the counselee as out of touch with reality, possibly resulting in a medication to dull the awareness of these voices.  (Anderson, 2003)

    What if it is possible that these people are indeed hearing and seeing the things they claim?  People cannot see what exists in the minds of others.  “Without some Biblical explanation, most people (including many Christians) accept the psychological diagnosis of psychosis, neurosis, or schizophrenia”. (Anderson, 2003, p.45) Using terms such as these are acceptable to define or explain the symptoms, but they do not reveal the source or root.

    In an interesting journal article written by Marcia A. Murphy, she interviews patients diagnosed and treated for various psychosis disorders.  Several describe their experiences and episodes with “hallucinations” and voices as being malevolent, sinister, feeling as though they were in Hell, and even contemplating suicide as a result.  One such individual claimed that the only thing that kept them from committing suicide was their faith in God.  Another patient described a situation where her atheist psychologist convinced her to give up church and walk away from God so that she could “rebuild her” (Murphy, 2000, p. 182) only to have the patient fall farther into despair.  It wasn’t until the patient went back to the previous religious support that she made strides.  In the conclusion of her article, Marcia A. Murphy determines that “spiritual life aids people with mental illnesses”. (Murphy, 2000, p. 183)    

    Humankind is both physical and spiritual by God’s own design.  Therefore, a fine balance needs to be struck when counseling.  There is not always a spiritual answer for every experience just as there is not always a physical answer.  However, there are two essential beliefs to encourage and maintain good mental and spiritual health.  An individual needs to understand the nature of God and who they can be as a child of God if they accept Jesus Christ as Lord of their heart and mind.  “Satan can undermine your mental and emotional health simply by distorting either one”. (Anderson, 2003, p. 56)

More tomorrow..........

Guest Blogger Debi Smith - Battling the Unseen in Christian Counseling

Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

Introduction: Occassionally I like to give the readers of this blog the opportunity to read materials written by others.  I call these blogs: Guest Blogger blogs.  My wife Debi is currently studying for her Bachelor of Science Degree in Christian Counseling at Liberty University.  She recently wrote a paper on "Battling the Unseen in Christian Counseling".  I believe you will find what she wrote insightful and informative.  May the Lord bless you dear reader and thanks for stopping by the blog.

Battling the Unseen in Christian Counseling

by Deborah Smith

 

Abstract: This paper will explore three themes in Christian counseling as explained in Neil T. Anderson’s book, Discipleship Counseling.  First, can Christian counseling in some cases offer aid that clinical psychology and psychiatry cannot using the Holy, inspired, inerrant Word of God?  Second, the Bible states that mankind consists of more than just physical components.  Humans are made up of body, soul, and spirit.  If this is true, can the spirit realm affect a person’s mental wellbeing?  Is there an enemy to the soul of man that desires to destroy and keep its victims bound and unproductive?  Thirdly, deception is one of the most de-habilitating weapons in the enemy’s arsenal.  If lies can be spoken into the minds of people and allowed to fester there, the individual over time will begin to believe the enemy’s accusations and will accept these falsehoods as truth.  How can one fight these lies and protect their minds against future deception?  The Bible, in the hands of a counselor surrendered to the leading and guidance of the Holy Spirit, can disciple a person bound by the ploys of the enemy into a life of freedom and fellowship with God.       

Introduction  

    When one looks at a person they can see their physical body.  With the right medical equipment and training, a doctor can even see their internal organs and evaluate what might be amiss.  Even human behaviors can be observed and opinions can be rendered based on what is seen.  However, what about the areas of men and women that remain unseen? 

 

     Dr. Neil T. Anderson in his book, Discipleship Counseling, aids Christian counselors in understanding that there is more to humans that what can be observed with physical eyes.  There is a spiritual realm that consists of the human spirit as well as the supernatural that also plays a part in why people think and do the things they do.  This is not an area that psychology or psychiatry focuses on and a Christian counselor armed with the Bible can aid a counselee, resulting in breaking free from dangerous deception of the enemy of our souls.

Christian Counseling vs. Secular Behavioral Sciences

     The studies of psychology and psychiatry attempt to answer the questions of why we behave and think in certain ways based on scientific evaluation of what is seen.  With a certain amount of success, doctors in these fields can address the physiological symptoms that they observe. “They are observing what the Bible calls the flesh in the vast majority of cases”. (Anderson, 2003, p. 27) 

    Dr. Anderson points out that scientific research can be helpful in illustrating behaviors consistent in sinful humanity, but there are limitations that keep behavioral sciences from shedding light on the nature of man that remains unseen.  For example, science not rooted in Christ tries to prove that mankind is “an evolutionary product of our past environment and shaped by our individual choices”. (Anderson, 2003, p.27)   With all of its research science cannot explain the supernatural, prove or disprove the existence of God, or how faith works in the life of an individual.  (Anderson, 2003)

     Man is both material and immaterial.  The material aspect of man is the physical body as can be observed and experienced.  The immaterial consists of the soul and spirit, with the heart of man at the center.  (Anderson, 2003)  The Bible says, “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it”. (Proverbs 4:23, New International Version)

     Oswald Chambers explains the heart this way: “According to the Bible the heart is the centre: The centre of memory, the centre of mercy, the centre of damnation and of salvation, the centre of God’s working and the centre of the devil’s working, the centre from which everything works which moulds the human mechanism.” (Chambers,1912, p.100)     

    How would secular science be able to observe and treat the condition of the human heart?  Only God can read a heart.  (Romans 8:27)  What happens when something goes wrong in the heart of a man or woman?  God has given humanity a gift called the Bible.  It is through the Bible that people can understand how to live, function, and respond in a fallen, sin sick world and a Christian counselor can point a person with a heart hungering for God in the right path.  “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17, New International Version)

More tomorrow...........