Should a Christian go to or avoid counseling?

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

Scripture provides all that is needed for righteous living (2 Timothy 3:16–17), so any answer to this question must begin with that foundation. God did not leave us alone to live the Christian life; He gave us the body of Christ to encourage us, counsel us, point us to Christ, and spur us on toward faithfulness and good works (Romans 15:14; Hebrews 10:24–25; Galatians 6:1–2). Believers are to counsel one another (Romans 15:14), with a godly, mature believer being particularly helpful to a weaker one (Galatians 6:1). Structured counseling with such a person can therefore be beneficial.

There are three forms of “counseling,” in order from least helpful to most: psychology, Christian psychology, and biblical counseling. Psychology was developed by Freud to explain human behavior without biblical categories of sin or guilt. While offering helpful observations about human behavior, it focuses on symptoms and external causes rather than on the sinful heart (Jeremiah 17:9). As a result, it is ineffective for long-term spiritual growth. Christian psychology integrates Bible verses and concepts into the framework of psychology. While better, it still holds that a human’s core problem is external pressure rather than internal sin and guilt. Biblical counseling best treats Scripture as sufficient, explaining problems as heart issues and helping counselees transform their minds (Romans 12:2) and be conformed to Christ (Romans 8:29).

Whether or not you feel your situation requires specialized help, remember that all issues are ultimately heart issues, so the heart must be addressed for lasting change. Even if you never pursue formal counseling, surround yourself with faithful believers who will help you apply Scripture, fight sin, renew your mind, and grow to become more like Christ.

FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

• Foundational to understanding why not all forms of counseling are helpful is recognizing that the human heart is wicked. God commented, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9). The human heart is so deceitful that it can hide its sin from its owner. Any form of counseling that denies or ignores that reality will be spiritually ineffective in helping the individual deal rightly with their sin.
• Biblical counseling rightly understands that “Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety” (Proverbs 11:14). The reason the right form of counseling can be helpful is that it brings in wisdom to show a counselee where they are sinning.

FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

• Scripture speaks about counseling but largely as an ongoing community activity. For example, Paul said, “I myself am satisfied about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able to instruct one another” (Romans 15:14), meaning that he was confident that the believers in Rome had what it took to counsel one another. We are told elsewhere that believers are to teach doctrine to one another and to build one another up (Colossians 3:16). Biblically speaking, counseling is helping one another mature.
• The reason believers can help one another is that specialized knowledge of human behavior is not needed. Rather, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16–17). Scripture has everything a believer needs to mature. Any form of counseling that tries to help by adding to or denying Scripture’s sufficiency is inherently anti-biblical.
• Believers can counsel one another when they seek to point people to God and His Word. However, God has gifted some people with better teaching abilities than others (Romans 12:7). Some of these men and women have chosen to use their gifts in what is formally known as biblical counseling.
• True biblical counseling begins with the conviction that Scripture is fully sufficient for all that we need for life and godliness. From that foundation, mature believers use the wisdom they have gained through faithful study and obedience to Scripture to help others apply God’s Word to their own lives. Scripture affirms this kind of Spirit-led restoration among believers (Galatians 6:1). The counselor does not bring superior or hidden knowledge but rather a clearer, more seasoned vantage point from which to gently guide others toward truth and Christlikeness.
• A biblical counselor has three primary goals. First, they ensure the counselee is truly saved. Since only believers have the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:9), only those who are saved can produce the fruits of righteousness. Second, once confident that the individual is saved, they encourage them to attend church, read their Bible, and pray so that their mind will be transformed by godly thinking (Romans 12:2). Third, they themselves model Christlikeness (1 Corinthians 11:1), encouraging the counselee also to put off sinful habits and to put on righteous habits so that they also become more like Christ, which is God’s goal for all believers (Romans 8:29).

IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY

There are very real reasons why one might consider more professional or intentional counseling. Life can be a complicated for both believers or unbelievers: strained family relationships, damaged marriages, infidelity, sexual abuse, business problems, trauma, and on and on. Sometimes we need someone who is both mature in the faith, well-versed in Scripture, and trained to help those with specific needs to help us live faithfully.

Biblical counseling can help with this. Biblical counselors are men and women who are mature in the faith and have spent many hours training to apply Scripture faithfully in a variety of specific situations. Ask your pastor, as your church may already offer such counseling. You may also consult organizations like ACBC (Association of Certified Biblical Counselors), which can connect you with a biblically grounded counselor in your area.

What about a Christian Psychologist? Christian psychologists can sometimes be problematic because they sometimes adopt psychology’s more behavior-oriented solutions rather than using Scripture to fix one’s heart issues. Since all issues are ultimately heart issues or have a heart issue component, a behavioral psychologist's approach can be a significant long-term weakness. However, if biblical counseling isn’t available, you may also find Christian psychologists of good help, particularly if you carefully evaluate their methods and advice through Scripture.

Regardless of whether or not you decide to go to a counselor, remember that God has given you the church and other believers to help you grow. You are never to be alone. Surround yourself with men and women who will help train you in Scripture.

Note: If you are in a physically dangerous situation, speak to your pastor or legal authorities immediately. God has not called us to suffer physical abuse or to put someone’s life on the line. Counseling is a long-term approach that brings healing through faithful application of Scripture. However, sometimes it starts with getting out of harm’s way.

UNDERSTAND

• Scripture is fully sufficient for life and growth, and counseling should help believers apply it rather than replace it.
• All believers are called to informally counsel one another, but formal biblical counseling can be particularly beneficial for those who need more focused help.
• The most faithful counseling focuses on heart transformation through God’s Word, not just managing external behavior.

REFLECT

• How are you seeking to point people to God and His Word as well as seeking wisdom from other believers?
• In what ways are you tempted to look to psychological explanations for your struggles rather than examining the heart issues Scripture identifies as the root of human problems?
• How does understanding that sanctification is God's goal for every believer change the way you think about what good counseling should ultimately be trying to accomplish?

ENGAGE

• Why is the foundation of Scripture for counseling so important?
• What are the positive aspects and limitations of counseling, secular, Christian, or biblical?
• Why is it so important that we live in community where we can be accountable and both give and receive biblical counsel from one another?