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  • You are here: Blogs Directory / Apologetics / A Voice in the Wilderness Welcome Guest
    A Voice in the Wilderness
          A Call to Repentance

    Wed, Mar 5th - 12:14PM

    Humanism vs. the Gospel



    Psychology and Other Humanistic Influences in the Church

    These [things] have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you.  But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.  1Jn. ,27

     

              Sin first entered into the human race through deception, causing a great breach between the Creator and His creation.  This occurred in the Garden when the woman believed the lie that the serpent so craftily presented to her in his attempt to lead her away from God: “Yea, hath God said...?”  In the same subtle manner he comes today to supplant God’s word to His children and replace it with his own words of deception, which ultimately lead to the demise of their souls.  The Gospel is God’s answer to the destruction that has come about because of man’s belief of this lie presented to him by the Devil at the very beginning.  In it (the Gospel) are contained all things that [pertain] unto life and godliness, so that we as redeemed individuals might grow up in all ways unto God, being transformed in this lifetime into the very image and likeness of Jesus Christ.  This growth in Christ is a process that we call sanctification, in the course of which a magnificent healing encompassing all of the faculties of the soul and the mind takes place.  In order for this healing to come about, an understanding of the word of the Gospel must be obtained in fuller measure so that the mind may be renewed and transformed in accordance with its spiritual principles.  See Romans 12:1,2.  These principles are very clearly set forth in the New Testament for us to read and to meditate upon so that we might progress in our growth and knowledge of the Lord and Saviour.

             

    But just as it was in the Garden those years ago with that first man and his wife, we often become restless and dissatisfied with God’s provision and solution to our needs, and tend to wander about in search of other forms of fulfillment in our lives.  Human psychology in all of its various manifestations and subsystems of thought are essentially a counterfeit that would replace the wisdom so graciously supplied to us in the holy Scriptures.  It was initially devised and later developed and perfected (if that might be an appropriate term) by godless men and women, some of whom had moorings in the Christian faith, but who later departed to become apostate and reprobate to that faith, as the Bible plainly teaches.  This is certainly not to say that there is no truth contained in psychology.  Indeed, the Devil’s very first lie to our parents in the Garden, while admittedly containing a direct contradiction of God’s statement about the result of eating the forbidden fruit, did, in fact contain some elements of truth.  Telling the woman and the man that they would be as gods, knowing good and evil, if they ate the fruit was certainly true.  Their eyes were opened after eating it and in a very real sense, they saw good and evil, but were powerless to rule over what they saw in themselves.

     

    Psychology presents a similar lie mixed with certain accurate observations of the human soul (called the psyche by its practitioners), which ultimately distort the purpose of the mental and emotional healing it claims to be able to analyze and bring about.  Whereas the Gospel message presents a full salvation to men, which includes a very real healing of the mind from all of its confusion and misapprehensions about itself and others, psychology ultimately deepens one’s confusion and ignorance of self, sin and God.  My own experiences in the criminal justice system and the repentance and healing from my sinful tendencies while being chastened in this system are an attestation to this.  Their “correction” of my criminally “addictive” behavior included a coercive form of psychology, which was really very godless, immoral and fruitless in its ability to bring genuine change to my life.  Even though I was in a state of instability and great confusion at the time, I instinctively knew (by the Spirit of God) that their solution to my problem was opposed to God’s solution, and that I could not embrace both simultaneously.  Eventually, at great cost to me personally because of the stigma of the label they have placed on me, I have, nevertheless obtained a great measure of healing in my heart and soul from the disease of sin.  This has come about through repentance and a sincere desire to learn of God’s way of change for me.  I had to “cease from man” as the scripture says, and truly turn to God in all earnestness in order that this beautiful result of holiness might begin to blossom in my life.  Man would have further enslaved me to his methods of self-perfection and self-deception of inward ability to refrain from sin and harmful thinking.

     

              Why is psychology a counterfeit?  Briefly, because it is man-centered rather than God-focused.  Now the reasoning that is falsely used by many well-meaning professing Christians is that psychology, though not originating in the Bible, nevertheless contains certain accurate insights into human nature.  They say that evaluations of the human condition based on these insights can be of great help in bringing relief from inward suffering and outward, compulsive behavior.  They further go on to say that when these psychological principles are employed alongside of Biblical principles, the very “best of both worlds” in results can be achieved.  This is essentially the premise of the addictions recovery concepts utilized by Christians in programs such as the current “Celebrate Recovery,” which is sweeping the church at large.  Rick Warren’s Saddleback Community Church in California is where, I believe this particular program originated.  The 12-step concept of Alcoholics Anonymous is what this program is based upon, and though it may claim to have originated in the Bible, it truly did not.

     People cannot see that humanly originating ideas have no place alongside of divine truth in bringing help to sinful souls.  Self-effort, like human religion cannot be accepted by God.  Only blood shed by a perfect sacrifice can atone for sin, and cleanse from all its many harmful effects.  It takes a sole reliance upon the blood of Jesus Christ for a person to come to a truly whole and healthy state of mind. The other day I was in the presence of some very godly men and women, whose conversation betrayed a hint of the deception of which I now speak.  Some of them had apparently gone to listen to a woman who has a supposed expertise on a certain “childhood disorder,” and the technical term for this particular malady was used as though it were a new discovery of sorts.  I say this, hopefully with the meekness and gentleness of Christ, but that I was greatly disturbed, not by their concern for children who have been affected in this way, but by their apparent infatuation with the term and its supposed relevance.  When I hear my fellow Christians exalting human wisdom in even a seemingly harmless, and perhaps beneficial way, as I did then, I see that the seeds of deception are present and germinating even amongst very separated, and otherwise holy people.  My prayer is that we, as God’s people would exercise discernment and shun the wisdom of this world because we see the great value of the wisdom so freely provided us by God through the finished work of Christ Jesus for our complete salvation and perfection in Him. 

     

    The old hymn we sing saying, “Nothing but the blood of Jesus...” is so true, but this truth is so easy to drift away from.  Human psychology is just one of the many voices that subtly speak to us, telling us of another way to fulfillment and happiness.  The New Testament is a valuable guide in our journey through this world.  It provides very sound warnings for us, if we will but heed them and put them to use.  One sister told me recently that Christians in a certain country are referred to as “Repenters.”  Isn’t that an appropriate label for those whose lives are continually turning away from self and sin, and towards God and all the truth and grace He has for them in order that they might become like Him?  Let us be ever vigilant and circumspect in our dealings with this present world.  We are of another realm, and must exercise all diligence in preserving our identity of association with that realm, which is the kingdom of God.  May we, in the coming time, see the great value of what Christ has done in the shedding of His precious blood on our behalf, and carrying that blood as an acceptable sacrifice into the very presence of God in the heavenly tabernacle.  May we likewise see, that the many, varied effects of sin in our lives and the lives of those we minister to can only be dealt with successfully by an application of this blood, and not by psychology or any other humanly devised wisdom or scheme, no matter how beneficial it may appear to be!

     

    But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.  1Jn. 17

     

     

     



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    Name: W. Michael Clark
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    Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States
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