In today’s culture, steeped in psychology, it has become habit for one to look to another person to fix their lives and solve their problems. But problem-centered, person-focused personal ministry offers superficial fixing of the flesh verses spiritual growth as the person and the problem become the center of attention rather than spiritual growth. Not only are we too complex to analyze, but it is the “Holy Spirit” who brings conviction to the heart along with the Word of God (Hebrews 4:12). As fellow believers we are instructed to “bear one another’s burdens,” but the inside work is God’s work within an individual believer and that believer’s inner response to God (Philippians 2: 12, 13). Counseling that attempts to go deeper than the problems at hand ends up usurping the role of the Holy Spirit and thus conflicts with the will of God. True Christ-centered ministry calls for those mature in the faith to be salt and light in the local church. Confidence should be placed in the mature believers in their local fellowship to minister without biblical counseling manuals, expensive workshops and seminars, degrees, or certificates. The biblical counselor’s intent to be as biblical as possible is undermined by their problem-centered counseling, which is a reflection of the psychological counseling movement. Although scientific research does support the Bible, this does not support the psychological takeover of the church. Christians do not need scientific research to convince them that the Lord and His Word are all that they need for life and godliness. (Bobgan):
The unconscious, or the subconscious, was something that Freud really made popular in his theories in psychotherapy, the religious science. In the process of subjecting his patients to dream analysis and hypnotic trance, in pursuit of childhood memories, Freud discovered that there was an unconscious side to consciousness. He concluded that it was in fact the most important part. He also suspected that it might be greater in scope than the individual’s own experience (tapped into a great universal something). Carl Jung decided, with encouragement from his spirit guide Philemon (he was demon possessed), at this unconscious level all minds are part of what he called the collective unconsciousness (Hindu concept) and described it as the source of mystical powers. Not in any scientific basis, these twin beliefs were accepted by faith by the disciples of Freud and Jung and became the foundation for the many psychologies and therapies that followed. Due to this nearly everyone accepts, as scientific fact, the religious belief that this vast unexplored region of innerspace, your subconscious, is a reservoir of magical powers. There is this great reservoir called the unconscious, or subconscious, that is the seed of all your motivations. You do all these things without your even understanding because it comes from somewhere deep inside you.
On the less than solid foundations of such theories and mystical experiences that seem to confirm them, the human potential movement has been built. Self-improvement seminar leaders assure us that by simply looking with ourselves we can discover all truth, all knowledge, and all power. In order to mind this supposedly unlimited potential, psychologists have attempted to explore unconsciousness through Eastern mysticism’s altered states. States of consciousness that were first explored through hypnosis and then LSD. The further one retreats from normal consciousness, the more enlightened one becomes. The “unconscious” is an unbiblical concept—the way it is taught in modern psychology. Although we don’t understand how the mind (metaphysical) and the brain (physical) act, this is the realm in which the demons work and they understand it perfectly. Demon possession has a logical explanation—if your own mind can effect you own brain, then the similar non-physical nature of another mind might also be able to effect your brain giving rise to your hearing a voice or seeing a vision or having the mind speak or write by controlling your body the same way you normally control your body. (Mooberry);
Hypnosis~Mooberry
NOUTHETIC COUNSELING: The Nouthetic (pronounced newthetic) technique of Dr. Jay E. Adams is similar to the teaching of Dr. John F. MacArthur. The counseling program of The Master’s College and The Master’s Seminary has been formulated and is directed by Dr. Wayne A. Mack, longtime associate of Dr. Adams. The title of the textbook for the MacArthur counseling program is Introduction to Biblical Counseling (Word 1994, 408 pages), and was primarily edited and written by the Covenant theologian, Dr. Mack. Dr. Adams’ nouthetic teaching is the teaching upon which the MacArthur program is built. Dr. Adams’ nouthetic theory is based upon standard covenant teaching, that one must be regenerated, born again, in order to believe. This is the cart before the horse, taking away the sinner’s responsibility to believe. Although claiming to be a dispensationalist, Dr. MacArthur teaches the same error in his book “Faith That Works: the Gospel According to the Apostles”(p.67, 69). Covenantism erroneously applies to the Church that which belongs primarily to Israel. The Covenantist’s lust for law blinds them to Pauline grace for the Christian life. They stop short of heavenly position and grace for sanctification; hence they are blinded by the very law they would have as their “rule of life.” The law, considered the rule of death (2 Cor. 3:7), is meant to bring one to Christ as Saviour and heavenly Head of the heavenly Body, rather than to Jesus and His pre-Cross Kingdom Gospel to Israel. On that basis the law blinds and binds the members of the Body of Christ. (Stanford):
Incompetant to Counsel~Stanford
REFORMED THEOLOGY: The differences between the Reformed theology and the fundamentalist are serious. Because the Reformed theology interprets some Scripture as allegory this leads to arbitrary theology that can change with each individual’s “spiritual” understanding of words. Distinguishing between the visible and invisible church becomes a means of rationalizing ecumenical activity in social action and otherwise. Believing that God randomly selects some to be saved and others to go to hell raises serious questions about the justice of God and compromises His integrity; and, it has the potential of discouraging evangelistic activity, since the fate of all men is already decided anyway.
JAMES MACDONALD, founding pastor of Harvest Bible Chapel, hosted the October NANC (National Association of Nouthetic Counselors) conference in 2002. As one of the featured speakers, it is important to note that MacDonald does seminars for the Billy Graham Training Center:
ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE: Also speaking at the 2002 NANC Annual Conference was DR. PAUL REISSER, author of “Examining Alternative Medicine,” who conducted a medical conference.
Books by C. Peter Wagner, Richard Foster, Henry Nouwen, Norman V. Peale, Agnes Sanford, and Paul C. Reisser were among the bibliography for course DM848—“The Preaching and the Ministry of Christian Healing” at Asbury Theological Seminary. The course boasts providing both information and practical experience for carrying on a healing and wholeness ministry. Under the course methodologies “healing prayers and the Eucharist” (unbiblical mystical transformation of wafer into actual body of Christ which must be performed by a priest:, to experience healing ministry….and see freshly the relation of healing to Holy Communion: Asbury: Healing and Holy Communion? NON-DISPENSATIONAL TEACHIERS have endeavored to bring over the many promises of physical and material aspects of Kingdom salvation into the present dispensation, giving hope of material prosperity and physical health, as well as political peace. Failure to realize these promised goals has caused many to lose faith and to become bitter toward God Himself. The failure, of course, is not of God, but of TEACHERS WHO HAVE REFUSED TO RIGHTLY DIVIDE THE WORD OF TRUTH. It is not that the charismatics wrongly divide the Word, as do the ultradispensationalists, but that they fail to divide it at all. They focus on ‘Jesus is the same yesterday, and today, and forever.’ They seek to duplicate the healings, tongues, miracles, signs and wonders having to do with Israel in the millennial kingdom. Truth in the inerrant Word of God, snatched from Israel and claimed for the Church, becomes outright error. Since the Holy Spirit does not minister error, it requires much falsification to maintain such pilfering. Ego-empires are found all throughout the charismatic camp seeking to finance and maintain their schools and missions.
THE HOLY SPIRIT DECIDED THAT THE SIGN GIFTS, ALL OF THEM, WERE FOR ISRAEL IN THE PAST DISPENSATION, and will be to some extent renewed for the coming millennial kingdom dispensation. But not for the present Church dispensation—the dispensation of faith. No matter how firm one is about the inerrancy of the Bible—and all of the other basic truths—if that Word is not rightly divided, it will result in errant teaching.
“Study to show thyself approved of God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15).
1) Swayed by human emotion, by our very nature we are considered Arminian. The Arminian has a “humanistic base” that is Adam dominated and carnal. It is subjective and man is really the main object, not God. It is compatible with man’s inherent rationalism and thus “appeals” to the natural man. It is highly successful to those who will not be regulated by divine revelation.
2) Calvinism has an objective, legalistic base which is compatible with the carnal, Adam-dominated Christian. It emphasizes the external law, which hampers internal growth. The LAW and RULE OF LIFE for the believer cancels their liberty in the Glorified Jesus Christ. Although CALVINISM emerged from the dark ages, but it is still half in the law.
Understanding the differentiation between Israel and the Church, between law and grace, is the one doctrinal position of safety from Covenant Calvinism’s legality on the right, and Charismatic confusion on the left. There is a clear-cut distinction between God’s earthly program for Israel, and His heavenly program for the Church. The Canon of Scripture reveals that “God has one purpose—to glorify Himself in Christ. This involves the glory in two spheres, the earthly and the heavenly. Scriptural dispensationalism shows the Church beginning in Acts 2, not the moderate ultradispenstionalism of Acts 9, or Acts 13, or the extreme ultradispensationalism of Acts 28. One may believe to be holding to the inerrancy of the Bible, but by not “rightly dividing the Word of truth” they fall into error. Without holding to the proper dispensational doctrine one is not protected from improper teachings and stories. (Stanford; 14)
“For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death” (Rom. 8:2).
When we don’t assume our heavenly position in Christ we either are swayed by our emotions and self-gratification or by following the law and self-righteousness. We are told we will not find rest in this world or in following the Mosaic law, it is in the Object of the ascended Lord Jesus Christ alone.
“That the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh” (2 Cor. 4:11).
Paul wrote, “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15).
God’s hidden mystery was revealed by the apostle Paul, the mystery of the Church (Eph. 3:3). “The mystery of Christ” (Eph. 3:4), although foretold by Christ, was not explained (Matt. 16:18). Historically realized at Pentecost, this revelation and its purpose had been “hid in God” throughout the ages (Eph. 3:9). The church, however, has struggled to escape from the law, the problem of Galatianism. Paul’s answer to this was, “Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty” (2 Cor. 3:17). The Apostle Paul’s ministry included death to the law, to the world, and to the principle of indwelling sin centered in the old Adamic man.
While living on the earth, the Lord Jesus ministered mainly to the nation of Israel, and to His Jewish disciples while living under, keeping, and applying the Law of Moses, but He also taught the principles of His future kingdom, and, at the end of His ministry and in relation to His Cross, anticipated the teachings of grace.
The teachings of the Kingdom have not yet been applied to any man. They are centered on the Sermon n the Mount and anticipate the binding of Satan, a purified earth, the restoration of Israel, and the personal reign of the King. This will be the first and only universal reign of righteousness and peace. The kingdom laws will be for Israel and all of the nations which will enter the millennial kingdom. Whereas ONE NATION was involved when the Law of Moses was in force in the Old Testament, The WHOLE SOCIAL ORDER of mankind will be involved when the kingdom is set upon the earth, but for now just THE INDIVIDUAL is involved in the dispensation of grace.
“Kingdom Living Here and Now,” by Dr. John MacArthur, Jr., was published by Moody Press in 1980. When truth that belongs to Israel is heaped upon the Church there is bound to be error. Dr. MacArthur’s book drew almost exclusively from Covenant, law-orientated sources: Wm. Barclay, Thomas Watson, John Bunyan, , Martin Lloyd-Jones, Puritans, Donald Barnhouse, and Arthur Pink. Much can be charged to Covenant Calvinism. “Calvin attempted by discipline of Church and State to make everyone live like a Christian—as did the Puritans. As a result, this effort resulted in the need to use the Old Testament rather than the New as an ethical guide.
Theonomy means Law of God. It is not a system of theology. It is rather a contemporary emphasis on the relationship of the Law to the present age, stemming from Covenant Theology and associated with the current expression of Postmillennialism. The current textbook for the theonomist movement is Greg L. Bahsen’s “Theonomy in Christian Ethics” (Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Co.):
“The attitude of the Puritans in founding this new land was governed by the model set by Calvin in Geneva. They were convinced of the dire need for godly politics and determined to let God’s infallible word guide their endeavors. The renewed emphasis we see in this day (Theonomy) on the application of Christianity to every area of life and human activity is the heritage of Reformed Theology; much can be learned from the New England Puritans in this regard.
Their goal was to see the Kingdom of Jesus Christ come to expression in society as well as the private, inner heart of man. Due to their zeal for a righteous political structure they ‘preferred a wilderness government by Puritans to a civilized land governed by Charles I.’ The New England Puritans agreed on a great deal. They wanted a government that would take seriously its obligation to enforce God’s Commandments upon all.” This is similar to the theory of Postmillennialism. The Kingdom must be established all through the world, and the time is now. The thing that distinguishes the biblical postmillennialist from amillennialism and premellennialism is his belief that Scripture teaches the success of the Great Commission in this age of the Church. The Postmillenial theonomists have an optimistic confidence that the nations of the world will become disciples of Christ, and that the Church will grow to fill the earth, and that Christianity will become the dominant principle. The Gospel shall convert the vast majority of the world to Christ and bring widespread obedience to His Kingdom rule.
The Verse Snatchers~Stanford
PSYCHOLOGY AND THE OCCULT
Raymond Buckland, of “Bucklands’ Complete Book of Witchcraft,” encourages witches to become psychologists, dieticians, and students of anatomy and physiology because for many Neopagans and New Agers the integration of medicine and religion, as characterized by ancient and indigenous cultures, go together. New Agers contextualize their healing practice with reference to other psychics and spiritual healers—if channelers, to spirit beings. As they place themselves within traditions of alternative healing they also believe that they have a special role in bringing about a change by using ancient techniques. THEY PLAN TO SEEK OUT WHAT IS MISSING IN WESTERN HEALING PRACTICES by practicing Chinese medicine, Shamanic healing, ayurvedic (Indian) medicine, and American Indian herbology. Diana who remembered being accused of being possessed by demons by her mother who attended and evangelical church. Her unusual experiences of seeing fairies in the woods and playing with imaginary friends was then “forced out of her” until she was in her mid-twenties. At that time she visited an astrologer who encouraged her to develop her innate “psychic gifts.” She then studied Witchcraft and crystal healing and reinvigorated her childhood experiences. She also went to a hypnotherapist who helped her to explore her “past lives.” She is now a Wiccan who is interested in shamanism (Pike, Sara M., “The New Age and Neopagan Religions In America,” Columbia University Press, 2004; PP. 13, 14.).
In the book, “REDISCOVERING SHAMANISM: Practical Magick For Today,” by Kenneth Deigh (1994), a Neopagan writer and healer, believes that many people experience a “wound of separation,” of alienation from our essential and primordial Self. It constantly reminds us, at a level so deep that we can rarely hear it consciously, that we are alone…. Deigh believes the key to healing this wound is self-knowledge that allows us to discover “the place where we are all One. This is where we begin to explore real connectedness. On the inner planes this is done by connecting with non-ordinary entities. On the outer planes, by practicing stillness with like-minded people.” Illness is believed to occur when the body’s natural energy flow is blocked. The blockages can have many different causes, frequently they are attributed to trauma and abuse in childhood. Words and actions are said to be vehicles for our life energy. “We have the greatest healing effect on the world when we allow the life force to move through or own bodies. Our power comes not simply from what we say or do. Rather, our words and actions are vehicles for our life energy. What really transforms is the life force moving through us.” (Gawain, p. 32; 18) Some of the ways to remove the energy blockages include herbs, yoga, ritual, and special diets as well as Reiki practitioners and other healers who move energy around by laying their hands on people’s bodies.
Because New Agers and Neopagans believe that Christianity has debased sex and the body and made them sinful aspects of human experience, they elevate sexuality in all its forms. They believe rigid gender roles and traditional religions are responsible for much of what is wrong between men and women and within each person. The sexual liberation movement of the 1960s aimed to make sex a healthy and open aspect of human experience; Neopagans and New Agers took it one step further by placing sexuality in the realm of the sacred. Convinced that the transformation of the body, sexuality, and gender roles is a precondition for the transformation of society, they realize through trial and error, that full realization of human potential is long, hard work. They have reconstructed histories of ancient goddess-worshipping matriarchies, borrowed sacred sex techniques from Tibetan Tantric traditions, embodied gods and goddesses in ritual, and reclaimed roles previously seen as negative, such as the “sacred prostitute.” “The Occult Power of Sex”—book by Spiritualist Lois Waisbrooker—she believed she was “no longer sitting in the shadow of reflected light, but clothed with the sun, with direct power.” In her book she explained “that the magnetic forces that made spirit communication possible also powered the sex drive that drew men and women together.” She linked sex and religion and viewed her “struggle to emancipate human beings from uncongenital marriages and sexual relations and her struggle to emancipate souls from dogma of conventional religion as one and the same. She and others invoked messages of spirits to support marriage reform and free love and to agitate against social ills (Pike; 17; p. 52). “Neopagan Airique recalls that, ‘Being gay and Catholic never mixed well. Christian teachings turned my parents and families from me… I knew that I could not belong to a faith that did not accept me for who I was. Wicca holds no such prejudices. The duality of the anima/animus, goddess/god in every person does not allow for restrictions of society.” New Age and Neopagan groups welcome people who have been “uncomfortable” in other religious settings. They encourage others to explore other cultural approaches to gender and sexuality as part of their journey of self-transformation. As an example, they may blend Christian ideas with Asian mysticism and worship of ancient Celtic deities in a framework that they believe is more sexually liberating and inclusive (Pike;p.117). The key to the transformation of gender roles was the emergence of stories about ancient goddess-worshipping matriarchies (Pike;p.119).
