|
Is Psychology And God At Odds? By Dr. TERRY L. COOMER, Pastor ELWOOD BIBLE BAPTIST CHURCH POST OFFICE BOX 535 -- ELWOOD, INDIANA 46036 PHONE: 765.552.1973 -- TLCOOMER@juno.com Is Psychology and God at odds? What I am writing on here will be controversial to some, however, I believe it is needed. I would encourage you to read all the way to the end. As a pastor for many years I think I have seen just about everything. Many people come to the church today with a huge amount of baggage because of sin in their lives. If you read any newspaper today, it will most generally have a Dear Abby column. Her stock answer is get counseling. The world's answer to everything is to get counseling. Psychology has become a big thing in our society. It is a secular religion! Every public school has access to counseling for children and parents. In most public schools you cannot bring a Bible or pray, but secular counselors are readily available for anyone who the administration deems counseling worthy. The business world today sends their employees to positive thinking seminars and success technique seminars. This is nothing more than the science of the mind which teaches that the per- son controls the course of his or her life by mental processes which function according a Mysterious Law, that we are all creating our own day to day experiences, by the form and procession of our thoughts. Man by thinking, can bring into his experience whatever he desires. This is nothing more than secular humanism at it's best and has taken hold in our modern society and in the church. It is the cornerstone of the human potential movement. Though expressed in slightly different ways it is the common language of all those who have by accident or on purpose brought it into their life. It replaces faith in God with a self serving faith in some mysterious force that can be used by our minds to get what we want. In the church this is rampant today. Listen to people like Norman Vincent Peale, "Your unconscious mind has a power that turns wishes into realities when the wishes are strong enough". Folks, if that works the way Peale says, then God becomes not important and grace obsolete. Many other folks are into this type of thing as well. It has taken the world and put it right into the church. It is the doctrine of man and of the world, and many Christians are buying into it. It is the enemy of the Christian home and the church. Listen to the Apostle Paul in I Corinthians 10:20-21: "But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils. Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils; ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils". Folks, if everything works by just being a positive thinker or wishing it to happen etc. then God is no longer sovereign and there is no place for the grace of God, God, Ephesians 2:8-9. Listen to people like Robert Schuller who says, "Jesus died to sanctify your self esteem. The only hell we will know is here on earth and it is a lack of self esteem". What blasphemy this is! The need of every person is to come to a real saving knowledge of Jesus Christ and to seek an intimate, personal, passionate relationship with Him. The problem is many Christians go to the world and the world's thoughts when in reality it is a matter of dealing with our own sin, rather than moving our problem from one side to the other and still have no victory. Do you believe God? Mark 11:22 is very plain, Jesus said, "Have faith in God". He did not say have faith in the science of the mind, human potential, counseling services, faith in yourself, faith in the psychologist, or faith in your mind. Folks, faith must have an object and it is unreserved and absolute trust in God. Listen to the Apostle Paul, II Corinthians 10:5: "Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ". There is nothing in the universe that can be totally trusted except God. True faith grows out of an intimate, personal, passionate re- lationship with Him. This thought today of the power of the mind is not new. It is nothing more than basic Hindu/Buddhist occultism, including reincarnation, spirit mediumship etc. It is paganism. Several years ago we had a couple in our church who received degrees in social work from Indiana University. They worked in the world's system and then got saved. They then realized how wicked this process was. At Indiana University they had been taught to use spirit mediums if they could not figure out the kids problem. They were also taught reincarnation and most of the positive mind techniques. How has this entered the church? Part of it is because of the fact that psychology or business techniques are okay with most Christians. These things are not a problem for most Christians. However, folks they are a serious problem that seeks to put our faith in something else rather than God. After all, that is what the public school seeks to teach children today. Put your faith in yourself, you do not need God. The devil is deceptive and this has been one of his greatest deceptions upon God's people. In essence, you have personal problems and issues, go get counseling and see what the problem is? When in reality, the problem is sin, Romans 3:10, 3:23 5:12. Many Christians read books on psychology, human potential, science of the mind, human growth, success techniques, etc. Why not go to God, Phillippians 4:4-9? It is impossible to understand our modern world without taking into consideration the way it has been shaped and molded by modern psychology. Nothing else even comes close to matching it's influence upon the beliefs and lifestyles of our contemporary society. Almost all of this has taken place since World War II. In 1946 Congress passed the national Mental Health Act, establishing a national program with federal law. This meant money was allocated. As a result, psychology courses exploded in universities across the country and spread rapidly from there to Bible schools and Seminaries. I remember in my fresh- man year in a Bible College taking Psychology 101. It did not make me comfortable at the time, and now I understand why. It seeks to divert my faith away from God to myself. It is a self religion when the Bible tells us to die to self. No seminary or Bible College taught a psychology course prior to 1946. Psychology is a big money business today. It is a sign of the times in which we live. Folks, psychology is a religion in our country today. It is deeply antichristian yet it is strongly supported by Christians, Bible Colleges, and Seminaries. Psychology is a secular religion that has destructive logic. Most Christians have failed to recognize the fact that Christianity and psychotherapy are actually two different and irreconcilable systems. It always bothers me when I hear the term "Christian psychology". It is an unequal yoke that brings into the church a very sneaky influence of secular psychology. The devil is very sneaky and the battle ground for the Christian is the mind, Romans 12:1-2. What better way for the devil to influence Christians by letting them think that this is helpful to them. By the way folks that is the way he operates, John 8:44, Ephesians 6:11-16. How far has this gone? Listen to this quote by a feminist leader, "We will, I hope, raise our children, to believe in human potential, not God". Folks, the power of the imagination (mind) is being mistaken and confused with inspi- ration and power of the Holy Spirit. It is a very sneaky way to believe in man rather than God. It is called the doctrine of Secularism Humanism and it is a sign of the times in which we live. It has had a devastating effect on the Christian family and in the church. It teaches that man is the center of his or her universe and to pull themselves up by their own boot straps. Who needs God when you have yourself? The Bible makes it plain we are not to go our "own way". Listen to what God says on the subject. Folks, the Bible is our authority not the psychologist. Colossians 2:8-10: "Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power". Acts 17: 18, 28, "Then certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and the Stoics, encountered him. And some said, What will this babbler say? other some, He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods: because he preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection. For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, for we are also his offspring". II Corinthians 11:14-15: "And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works". Phillippians 2:5: "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus". Romans 7:23, 25: "But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh, the law of sin". Galatians 6-7-8: "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting". Dear friends, do not be deceived. The Christian needs to immerse himself in God's Word, not the message of the world. If you need help today, go to the great Physician. Spend time in His Word. Ask Him to show you any sin that might stand between you and Him. Confess that sin to Him and turn from it, I John 1:6-10. Draw nigh to God and He will draw nigh to you, James 4:6-10. "Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God", Romans 10:17. He has the answer to any problem you have and will help you. Ask God to fill you with His Spirit so you may have his power and His mind in your life, Ephesians 5:18-21, Phillippinas 2:5. Remember this, a Spirit controlled person is a Word filled person. If you are having problems, spend time with God in His Word and seek His face. Most people when they do have problems go to the world and seek the world's answer and spend no time with God when in reality this is the time to spend more time with God. Is there ever a time for Biblical counseling? Sure there is. A person may need some direction from the Scriptures to understand what God says on a subject. A godly Pastor or counselor can lead you to God's answer. The problem is that many Christians already know the answer, but choose to be disobedient to the things of God. Someone will say, what about a person who has serious mental problems? There are people who have chemical imbalances, but again, they are few and far between. For most people it is a matter of going to God and being willing to turn from their sin and turn to Him. I encourage you to do so today. V Dr.Terry L. Coomer is the Pastor of Elwood Bible Baptist Church, and the Director of For the Love of the Family Ministries. Pastor Coomer holds Family Conferences in the local church. To have a meeting at your church or other needs he may be contacted at 765.552.1973, tlcoomer@juno.com. There are many helpful articles and material on our web site to help you change your life at www.fortheloveofthefamily.com. We serve the God of answers. If you need help finding those answers you may contact us at |
|
|
|