9. Solving Problems Nouthetically

Biblical Counseling and the Problem of Man

Continuing along in our series on biblical counseling, tonight we're looking at solving problems euthetically, and just a little review so that we know where we are. First session we had was Introduction to Biblical Counseling, and we spent one week on that just looking at what biblical counseling is.

Then we looked at the crisis in counseling, what has happened to it in the church, not just countrywide but worldwide. Then we looked at the role of the Holy Spirit in counseling, and that's a crucial foundational topic that we had to look at to understand what biblical counseling is.

Then we asked and answered the question, what is euthetic counseling? And then we showed the difference between the euthetic version, which is directive or straightforward, versus non-directed. And we used, if you remember, whose method did we use to show that?

Rogers, Carl Rogers, was sharing counseling. Tonight we start into another topic, solving problems euthetically. If we're going to look at see how to solve man's problems and to do it euthetically, we first have to understand what is man's basic problem, because that's in dispute.

You would think everybody would agree on it, but it's in dispute. So we have to get down to the very basics and then start with some... I know everybody knows these principles, but it's important to lay the foundation as we move on.

Firstly, man was created in the image of God and was given authority and told to rule over the earth. We all know that. We understand that from Genesis. Humanism views man as an intruder into nature. There's a big difference in man being the crown jewel of God's creation and told to exercise dominion over it, as opposed to the humanist says, no, man is an intruder.

And basically because he's an intruder, he should leave nature alone. They don't like us cutting down trees and, you know, doing things like that. We're supposed to just let everything be. Okay. The Bible teaches man was to reflect God's rule over the earth.

And in that view, it's his kingly role that we're most concerned with, which means that we do exercise dominion. Now, when Adam sinned, he lost his dominion over the earth, not only spiritually, but physically.

The Effects of the Fall and Human Helplessness

How do we see some of the physical ramifications of the fall of Adam? What do we see? Go ahead. Disease. Yep. What else? Curse on the earth. Curse on the earth. And how is that manifested? In toil, when we try to work the ground to bring forth fruit.

Sure. You plant something and you expected it to come up. Prior to the fall, you plant beans. Beans came up. Nowadays, you plant beans and who knows what's going to come up. All right. So, but thorns and thistles are going to grow.

So, the earth is actually going to fight against man's dominion. That's the point that we're trying to make. And that has ramifications throughout the whole being of a man. The earth now has gained dominion over a man.

All right. So, the problem in counseling, if we can relate it now to counseling, is that men have allowed the environment to control him. All right. In other words, how often we say, well, there's nothing I can do about that, or I can't.

And in fact, when a person says, I can't, I'm helpless, he's submitting to the rule of sin in a fallen universe set against him. And that's not what we're called to do. I mean, you see that throughout the scriptures, God has called a Christian not to submit, but to master his environment.

In other words, we can't use the environment as an excuse not to follow God. Is that making sense? Now, this is in a broad sense, and then we're going to bring it down, basically, just to, you know, dealing with the topic of counseling.

So, how do we cause the environment to submit to us? It's possible by God's grace, and only by God's grace. Failure to bring biblical solutions to problems is to allow sinful conditions to continue. Two portions of scripture reflect on this most directly, one Old Testament and one New Testament.

Who can take a stab at what they are? What we're talking about, bringing biblical solutions, exercising dominion, in general, talking about dominion, and to exercise dominion. All right. Now, how does that, how does God's grace come into that?

How does that change in the New Covenant?

When he died on the cross, he brought redemption, not only to his people, but he reversed the curse,.

And he is making all things new. Sure, and what does the commission look like now? Yeah, to make disciples of all the nations baptizing and teaching, right? That's by God's grace only. On the other hand, humanism teaches that man must adapt to his circumstances.

Freudian psychology, for example, if something is making you depressed, what does Freud suggest? Change your view. Don't call it sin. If somebody's telling you you can't do something, don't listen to them.

Be free. Listen to your id. The Bible teaches that man must overcome his circumstances, not adapt to them. And J. Adams, I borrowed the next few slides from J. Adams, he says there's basically four responses to life's problems, and this is all setting up and solving problems euthetically.

Four Ways to Respond to Problems

So, here's the first way to confront the problems is by going around it, in other words, not dealing with it. So, for example, so if you have a problem represented by that orange balloon, man comes up and now he's faced with this overwhelming problem.

One way of dealing with it is he goes around it, all right? But as we'll see later on, that presents more problems because he has not dealt with the problem. The problem still exists. He has just somehow avoided it by going around it.

Second way is by stepping aside. It's a little bit different. Related to the first one, there's the problem. He comes up. This time, instead of going around it, he goes off in a different direction. What's the problem with that?

He's going to encounter another problem. Now he's going to have another problem added to the first problem, and neither of them is resolved. Third, avoiding the problem simply by turning around. Man comes up, encounters a problem.

What does he do? Makes a U-turn, goes back. Now, again, this is graphically speaking, but you get the idea. The fourth way is the biblical way, all right? That's solving the problem by going through it, in other words, resolving it.

So, man comes up to the problem, okay? What does he do? He reasons through it. He goes through the scriptures, biblically finds and creates his path through it, and then he walks through the problem, never having to deal with that problem again, all right?

He may have similar problems, but now he knows how to deal with them, all right? So, in figures one to three, the problem, the initial problem remains unresolved, and it either grows more complex or it manifests itself in different ways, and the person who has encountered the problem has not learned how to resolve it, so he's going to still wind up being in the same condition as he was when he came to the first problem, all right?

The person changes course, adapts to the problem, and is subdued by it. In figure four, man overcomes the problem, all right? Here's a pissy little saying which is so true. Circumstances cannot always be changed.

You come across a big problem, you may not be able to change those circumstances. However, every problem has a biblical solution, and I underlined every problem. There is no such thing as a problem that does not have a biblical solution.

I've often had people come into the counseling room and say, Pastor, I've got this problem, and no matter what I do, it's going to cause me to sin. That is not true. There is always a way out. How can I say that so dogmatically?

Because the Word of God says it. There is always a way, no matter what temptation overcomes you. Who can tell me what that verse is? Yes, 1 Corinthians 10, 13. There's always a way out, and God will always provide the way around it or through it in such a way that you resolve the problem.

The word can't is taboo in biblical counseling. One way to get a rise out of me if you come into the room for counseling is to say, I can't do this. I'll come up out of the seat. Don't tell me you can't do it.

Temptation, Testing, and the Christian's Response

Every trial or test is also a temptation because it affords an opportunity to fail. God doesn't tempt. He tests, but we can actually turn that into a temptation by yielding to the test. But see, and here's the key.

When a person solves a problem biblically, in other words, passes the test, his spiritual life is strengthened, and he grows in grace. And one of the biggest encouragements, and this is getting back to 1 Corinthians 10, 13.

One of the biggest encouragements is in the midst of a problem is that Christ and other Christians have faced them successfully. And we see that also in Hebrews, in Hebrews 12, 1 and 2, where we have this great cloud of witnesses.

What's the cloud of witnesses? Who can tell me what's the cloud of witnesses in Hebrews 12? Is it therefore has such a great cloud of witnesses? Yeah, in Hebrews 11, because Hebrews 12 comes after Hebrews 11.

I figured that out by myself. I like the way numbers work that way. That's why I was a math major. So I figured out 11 comes then 12. But yes, all that whole chapter 11 was to encourage us. We can look at the past saints, and then we have 2 ,000 years of church history, and we can look back, and all the saints who have successfully gone passed on are that cloud of witnesses.

And that's an encouragement to the believer. 1 Corinthians 10, 13. No temptation has overtaken you, but such as is common to man. You know, every phrase on this verse is important. How many times, I can't tell you how many times somebody's come in and says, nobody understands my problem.

Nobody's been through something like I've been through. Eh, lie. Scripture says right here, no temptation has overtaken you, but such as is common to man. In other words, it's not unusual. And I'm not going to break into the Tom Jones song either now.

There is nothing that you have faced that somebody else hasn't faced before that, before you. And notice, what is the hope that we can go through, you know, the temptation without yielding to it? God is faithful.

It's not that you have to muster up all your inner energy and whatnot. No, God is faithful. And here's another precious promise, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able. Have you ever said, I can't handle this?

It's non-biblical. Because if you are a believer in Jesus Christ, and you are facing some sort of test or trial or temptation, you can know that for sure, that it's not beyond your capability to handle it, because God has promised.

And with the way, with the temptation will provide the way of escape. That's what I tell somebody, you find yourself in deep trouble, and you don't know which way to look around. The way is there. Best place to look is where?

In the scripture. So that you will also be able to endure it. So you'll be able to endure it. There'll always be a way of escape. God is faithful, and it'll never be more than you can handle. That's such a precious verse.

And that's true, because God is the one who designs the tests that come into the Christian's life. So when you come across, when you find yourself in a real bad situation, and it's getting you down, just think, this is from the hands of my loving Heavenly Father, and I'm going through this for a reason, and He will show me the way of escape.

There are four essential elements necessary for the individual to withstand whatever test is facing him at any given time. It's a shame how many Christians succumb to depression and anxiety, etc., when they come into troubling situations.

If we just keep in mind these four elements that we're going to talk about, these are the things that will enable you to get through the toughest of times. Anyone want to take a stab at what they are?

Four things that are promises from Scripture that will enable you to withstand whatever test comes your way. The grace of God, knowledge of God's Word, your own sanctification, and the Holy Spirit. Now there's other things as well, but if you look at this, when you're facing trouble, you know that God's grace is greater than any trouble that you find yourself in.

If you know the Word of God, you know where the answer lies. If you are working on your sanctification with fear and trembling, that's going to enable you to come to a mature decision. And then the bottom line is, the Holy Spirit dwells within you.

So you got those four things going for you. So don't tell me you can't. And the way a person speaks, in other words, what he says, the words he uses, is an indication of what he thinks. And that's important.

That's why it's important that we use the right terminology. It's no secret that if I ask you how you're doing, what's the response that's just going to send me ballistic? I'm hanging in there. I'm coping.

We are Christians are not hangers in there. We're not copers. We are more than conquerors. We are overcomers. And it's important that we do speak that way. Because if you're speaking that way, it'll be an indication that you really believe it from your heart.

Because what you think influences the way you act and react to the circumstances in this life. If you think that you can't do something, or this is too hard for me, I can't do this. Then guess what? You're not going to do it.

Because you're not going to have the motivation to do it. The internal struggle that Paul faced in Romans 7, everybody familiar with Romans 7, I hope, right? Paul says, the very thing I don't want to do, I do.

And the very thing that I do, I don't want to do, etc. And then he goes on and talks about, you know, this struggle that he has within him between the flesh and the spirit. And finally ends up with declaring, oh, wretched man that I am.

Right? That stemmed from conflicts between his inner desire as a believer now, as a Christian, and the deeply ingrained habits of his past, which was carnal. And we all know that even though once we're born again, we still, sin nature still resides there.

That's why we're told to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. Okay? The important thing, though, is Paul doesn't leave us in Romans 7. And here's where my math comes in again. What follows Romans 7?

Romans 8. See? I'm good that way. I love the way he put it together. It makes it so much easier. But Romans 8, what's in Romans 8? There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

And that's where he goes through that all overcomers. You know, I am more than conqueror in Jesus Christ. What shall separate us from Jesus Christ? Nothing. Neither height nor breadth, etc. You know it.

So the conflict within the Christian is the new mind of the spirit that is set against the old impulses of the flesh, the old nature. And that's why we need to practice godliness, to put to death. The Puritans were big on mortifying the deeds of the flesh.

They also said no holiness, no heaven. So we have to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. Then when a person has achieved a certain amount of success in his battle with the flesh, as per 1 Corinthians 10, 13, probably need to be reminded of the previous verse.

Because verse 12 comes before verse 13. It's not a math lesson, really, but it helps. Does anybody know what 1 Corinthians 10, 12 says? I mean, this is good news. 1 Corinthians 10, 13. There's always going to be a way out.

I can't overcome my sinful nature. I can't do this. What happens if you have a relative amount of success? 1 Corinthians 10, 12. Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall.

In other words, don't get a big head. It's not you doing it. It's the grace of God. It's the knowledge of the Scripture. It's the Holy Spirit who is working in you. Hope and counseling. This is perhaps one of the most important factors in counseling, other than having a knowledge of Scripture and then using that.

But having hope. When somebody comes into the counseling room, the very first thing I do is give them hope. Quite frankly, it's why this church has the name it does. When we were getting ready to plant this church, we were talking about a name, and we looked around the world and said, you know, what does the world need?

The world needs hope. Hope of Jesus Christ. It's one of the most important factors in counseling is giving hope. And we see that in Scripture. After the fall, besides reprimanding him, God gave Adam hope.

He promised to send Christ to defeat Satan. Remember Genesis 3, 15. He disciplined him. He was punished for the fall, but he offered him hope. By the way, do you think Adam's in heaven? I do, because he believed the promise.

I believe Eve's in heaven too. After Peter had denied Christ publicly, he confronted him and gave him words of restoration and commissioned him to future service. You're going to fall, Peter, but don't worry, I pray for you.

And when you've been restored, what's going to happen? You will counsel others. You will minister to your brothers. So yes, you have to rebuke, but then offer hope. That's the one thing in the Christian's life where you always have hope.

Remember that all hope grows from the fact that Jesus Christ triumphed over sin and all its effects. I love the way Chris Arnson ends his radio show every time, you know, Jesus Christ is a greater savior than you are a sinner.

It's not just a trite saying, it's a biblical truth. Never underestimate what Christ accomplished on the cross. He defeated Satan, he defeated sin, and he's progressively trampling it underfoot until the consummation of all history, when it will be complete on that day.

But he accomplished it on the cross. And hope is a crucial element in the Christian life and therefore must be prominent in biblical counseling. If you come across somebody and they don't have hope in their life, that's where you got to go.

Counseling is definitely needed in that area. If you follow the medical model, which we've looked at in the past, that destroys hope. And here's how it destroys hope. Sinful behavior is treated as a disease for which there is no cure.

All the medical model can do is attempt to treat the symptoms of the disease. That's all they can do. The best thing you can tell somebody, I got good news for you. You're not sick, you're just a horrible sinner.

But that's good news, because that can be forgiven and that can be wiped away as far as the east is from the west, buried in the depths of the deepest sea, never to be raised again. So you see, so I would rather be a sinner than sick.

The hope is that the sin and its effect can be dealt with because of the cross. We always come back to the cross. That's the center of all of life. It's also the center of biblical counseling is the cross.

So the biblical counselor must learn to engender hope by impressing on people the seriousness of their sin. You can't minimize sin. That's why, remember last week when we were going over confession, somebody said, will you forgive me?

Don't say, oh, that's okay. Say, yes, of course, I'll forgive you. And it's important that the person understands they have been forgiven. And if it was a great sin, they need to know. Like if somebody offends me, they say, you know, I'm sorry for what I've done, you know, will you forgive me?

Yes, of course, you know, what you said really hurt, but I forgive you and I'll never raise it up. I'll never bring it up to you again. Thank you for coming to me and asking for forgiveness. It's an important part of healing and moving on.

Christ consistently confronted those who came to him about their sin. Can you think of anybody that came to Christ that he didn't talk to him about their sin? In the medical model, the giving of pills decreases a person's motivation by lessening the pain and depression that is a result of the sinful lifestyle.

Euthetic counseling sometimes gets a bad rap. They, you know, people say, well, you know, you don't believe in any medication. Not true. There are times when medication is absolutely a necessity and the right course of action, but it has to be evaluated carefully because minimizing or giving the medication to only address the symptoms like the depression and doesn't cause the person to deal with the sin, you're doing them worse than having them be a little bit depressed.

So that's why it should be evaluated very carefully. Minimizing sin does not lift the depressed spirit, only confession and forgiveness of sin. All other so-called therapies only mask the symptoms for a time.

The Downward Spiral of Sin and the Case of Gehazi

The last thing we're going to be dealing with this evening is the cyclical movement of sin. What I mean by that is sin left unchecked will always circle downward. And again, I borrowed some charts here from Jay Adams.

A person confronts a problem. What does he do with the problem? Well, let's presume as most of us do, we don't deal with it biblically. It cycles down and we usually come up with a sinful response. You punch me in the nose, what am I going to do to you?

I'm going to punch you in the nose. That's not necessarily right. I take that back. There may be a spot where that's good, but usually there's another way around. What does a sinful response lead to? More problems.

And what happens with more problems? Usually if you haven't resolved the first one, you're going to have a sinful response to that. That spirals even further down and the pattern continues, and now the person has a pattern of when sinned against, of offering a sinful response.

Does that make sense? Righteousness cycles upward. You're confronted with the problem. You handle it biblically. We have a biblical response to the problem, which leads to a biblical resolution. When you have a biblical resolution, you now have the ability to solve new problems because you're developing a track record on how to handle them, and you see that when you handle it biblically and come to a biblical resolution, you know how to deal with the future problems.

And then just a little case study before we close for the evening. Remember Gehazi? Everybody remember who Gehazi was? Elisha's servant. Remember the story, Naaman comes, and he wants to be healed, and Elisha tells him, just go dunk yourself seven times in the river Jordan.

And then he comes back, he's healed of the leprosy, and he wants to shower Elisha with gifts, and Elisha says, no, I will take nothing. You know, just go your own way, and you know, there's a lot of other dynamics, but he goes.

Gehazi, who overhears the problem, says, uh-huh, my master doesn't necessarily want the gifts, but I could certainly use a new change of clothes. So he runs after Naaman. My master changed his mind. He takes a few of the gifts, runs and hides them, and we know what happened.

He's discovered, and what happens to him? He becomes a leper. Naaman's leprosy is transferred to him. So, brief right now, what was Gehazi's problem? The initial problem, the underlying problem, what was it?

What do you think? That's the problem, but that's more of a manifestation, or what we call a presentation problem. There's an underlying problem, failure to submit to his authority. He didn't listen to his master.

His master was very clear, and he violated that trust. So, what was his sinful response? Now we come to coveting. He coveted. What was the new problem he faced? Not yet, almost. How do I tell Elisha? What am I going to say to Elisha?

What was his sinful response? He lied. I didn't go anywhere. Who, me? And now, what was the result of his sinful solution? His sin was discovered. He was struck with leprosy. Let me put it in the downward spiral model.

His lack of submission, he caused him to covet the gifts. Coveting the gifts led to the new problem. How do I explain my newfound wealth to Elisha? He lied, and he became a leper. Final thoughts or questions?

You see how it works? You find the charts helpful? You can thank Jay Adams when we get to heaven.