The following words were written due to an assignment in which the students were to compare secular psychology to genuine, Biblical counseling. Christians often attempt to merge atheistic, secular psychology with God's Word, and it is quite the struggle. If you don't believe that it is difficult, please review psychologists stance on sin in comparison with God's explanation.
'“We all know that something is terribly wrong with us. We are not the way we’re supposed to be, either. There is evil in the world and there is evil in each one of us.” (Koukl, 174). Humanity has something inherently wrong with it. Mankind has realized this and thus has been searching for fulfillment for centuries. The great thinkers throughout the years have studied and searched the world in attempts to find out what that problem is, where it came from, and what to do to fix it. Secular psychology claims that the answer exists, but their answers are not of one accord. There seems to be one common thread in the popular studies, however, and this thread is the statement that the “fixer” of mankind’s problems is not God. Christians would argue against this quite strongly and believe that the Bible, regardless of secular psychologists claims, is sufficient to help overcome their sin issues as they work towards Christ-like perfection.
So, where do mankind’s problems come from? Depth psychology would believe that man is an instinctual animal with their subconscious desires and energies making up the innate aspect of his personality called the “id”. In her article, Freud's Theory of the Id in Psychology, Kendra Cherry explains that the id “operates based on the pleasure principle, which demands immediate gratification of needs.” Man’s issues then come from the times when he clashes with the superego - society, the church, or parental authority. Behaviorism believes that man is a conditioned animal who is problematic due to society, whereas humanistic psychology teaches that mankind is basically good.
But man cannot be basically good or a conditioned animal, because he blatantly disobeyed God in the garden after being created as a perfect human being. God made the original humans sinless, so that no Savior was necessary. But by chapter 3 of Genesis, Adam and Eve listened to the serpent instead of God and allowed sin to enter their lives, and thus the whole of humanity was disgraced and no longer regarded as perfect.
But just how imperfect is humanity? Does mankind need a solution or should humans resign themselves to being who they are and ignore the need for change? According to depth psychology, or more directly Freud, “A man should not strive to eliminate his complexes but to get into accord with them: they are legitimately what directs his conduct in the world” (Narain, Anusha). It would sound here as though Freud does not see man as problematic, but that man’s issues are due to his need for an alignment. Both behaviorism and humanistic psychology also like to accredit mankind’s brokenness to issues other than the natural sin nature and instead blame environmental failures or hindrances for their short-comings. Biblical counseling is also in agreement that man has vile issues, joining itself in unison with the Bible in the fact that “There is none righteous, no, not one; there is none who understands; there is none who seeks after God” (Rom. 3:9-10, NKJV).
Whether humankind’s short-comings are his fault, the way he was born, or simply the effects of the environment, he still needs help finding his way through the chaos. Graciously enough, each of the problem definers have also developed their own solutions. A depth psychology therapist is able to aid the counselee in gathering new information about himself by guiding him through his unconscious conditions, in order that he can “develop more positive traits” (How Can Depth Psychology Benefit You?). Those traits are then integrated on a conscious level in hopes that they will eventually grow roots to the unconscious level (How Can Depth Psychology Benefit You?). The counselee is encouraged to dig deeper into his unconscious so that he can come to a fuller understanding as to why he does what he does; this kind of therapy “is meant to give you a better understanding of who you are and what makes you tick” (How Can Depth Psychology Benefit You?). As their name would imply, behavioral psychologists exist to help the counselee observe and interpret his own behaviors, so that he can develop new behavioral habits within, and even in spite of, his environment (Behavioral Psychology Careers). Humanistic psychology then “focus[es] on each individual's potential and stress[es] the importance of growth and self-actualization” (Cherry, Kendra, Humanistic Psychology: The Third Force in Psychology). The therapist in this type of psychology becomes a mirror or sounding-board, helping the individual please his need for fulfillment, learn new things, and experience psychological growth (Cherry, Kendra, Humanistic Psychology: The Third Force in Psychology). Biblical counseling, in contrast, does not look to the surrounding environment or humankind to solve the individual’s void, but turns to God. Paul D. Tripp explains it well when he says, “We don’t offer people a system; we point them to a Redeemer.” (9). In biblical counseling, the counselor does not just sit and observe the individual, but joins in the fight and turns his counselee to the answers that are only found through God and in His Word.
Systems can only last so long on their own before they fail due to man’s weaknesses. Most therapists are okay with, and somewhat expect, their clientele to return after a period of time. But, they say this is okay, because now the counselee can build on what they have been taught before, and delve even further into themselves and gain even greater reward this time around (Earnshaw, Carly)! But with God’s Word in hand, a biblical counselor is able to give his counselee the tools he will need to work through his sin issues, both now and in the future. Initially, both psychologists and biblical counselors will expect roughly 10-20 sessions, but with biblical counseling, that should be it. Their clientele, at the end of their sessions, will be equipped to find the answers for their problems in the Bible and consequently guide others around them to help and health in Jesus! Biblical counseling not only holds the individual to a higher standard of living out and sharing his knowledge, but the counselor is also forced to face his problems as he studies to guide the individual.
Most everyone agrees with the concept that man has some sort of moral compass - either one he is born with or one forced upon him by his environment. That compass shows men their brokenness and the realization that there is something better than what they naturally know how to achieve on their own. The Bible confirms this feeling in Romans 2:14-15 by explaining that “Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law”(NKJV). With this inherent knowledge of mankind’s need, and with the knowledge that there is a solution somewhere, it is comforting to know that that solution is not anything that mankind can conjure up. It is not inside mankind as depth psychology would convey, nor is it outside - in mankind’s surroundings - but it is found in the Creator of mankind Himself. Since this solution is from God’s own hands, it is whole and perfect, guiding mankind toward Christ-like perfection, and ultimately proving that, despite what psychology wants people to believe, God’s Word is sufficient to overcome the sin-issues in life.'
Bibliography:
Bibliography:
Book:
Koukl, Gregory. The Story of Reality. Zondervan, 2017.
The Holy Bible, New King James Version. Thomas Nelson, Inc. 1982
Tripp, Paul David. Instruments in the Redeemer’s Hands. P&R Publishing, 2002.
Internet:
“Behavioral Psychology Careers.” What Is a Behavioral Psychologist?, www.psychologyschoolguide.net/psychology-careers/behavioral-psychologist/.
Cherry, Kendra. “Freud's Theory of the Id in Psychology.” Verywell Mind, 3 Oct. 2018, www.verywellmind.com/what-is-the-id-2795275.
Cherry, Kendra. “Humanistic Psychology: The Third Force in Psychology.” Verywell Mind, 7 Oct. 2017, www.verywellmind.com/what-is-humanistic-psychology-2795242.
Earnshaw, Carly. “Starting Therapy, Again...” Sunset Psychotherapy, 25 Oct. 2015, www.sunsetpsychotherapy.com/blog/2015/10/21/starting-therapy-again.
“How Can Depth Psychology Benefit You?” Betterhelp, 4 Sept. 2018, www.betterhelp.com/advice/psychologists/how-can-depth-psychology-benefit-yo u/.
McLeod, Saul. “Humanism.” Simply Psychology, 2015, www.simplypsychology.org/humanistic.html.
Narain, Anusha. “The Id, Ego and Freud.” The Hindu, The Hindu, 2 June 2016, www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/the-id-ego-and-freud/article5171319.ece.
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