The primary purpose of PsychoHeresy Awareness Ministries is to encourage Christians to turn back to the Word of God, the work of the Holy Spirit, and the sufficiency of Christ. For this very reason we give information about psychoheresies that draw people away from God and His Word and into the opinions of men. We desire to point readers back to Christ—back to knowing Him, trusting Him, and loving Him. We desire that all may become such students of the Word and doers of the Word that they will walk in newness of life by the power of the Spirit and in fellowship with Christ.
Some people say we point out error without giving something in its place. If they want another human system, they are right. There is no human method to do what Christ and the Word of God can do. Therefore, we offer nothing new. We have been given the Word of Life in Jesus Christ our Savior and in the written revelation of the Word of God. Have we forgotten the power of the Word and effectual working of Christ and the Holy Spirit in the believer? Why replace what God has graciously given with theories and therapies from counseling psychology?
Jesus said, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4). He also referred to Himself as the bread of life. He said:
I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst (John 6:35).
Is the church lacking that bread, or are Christians spiritually impoverished because they do not read, believe and obey the Word of God? Just as looking at food will not sustain us physically, merely listening to sermons and reading the Bible without doing what God says will not sustain us spiritually. Jesus said:
Whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it (Matthew 7:24-27).
If we do not read the Bible or if we read it but do not obey through the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit, we become spiritually illiterate—even if we can quote Bible verses. The Word tells us how to become equipped for life:
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works (2 Timothy 3:16,17).
The Bible tells us that God has given us what we need for daily living through His Word and His Son in this statement of blessing, promise, and truth:
Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, according as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust (2 Peter 1:2-4).
Do we as Christians truly believe that God has given us all we need for matters of life and godliness? Do we really believe Hebrews 4:12-13?
For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.
Nothing in counseling psychology can do what the Word of God can accomplish in a person’s life. No counselor can transform an individual the way Jesus Christ can through the Word of God and the indwelling Holy Spirit. Nevertheless, countless Christians are looking for answers to life’s problems through godless psychological systems which undermine the Word of God and the work of the Holy Spirit. And many of them are not even aware of the compromise. Many do not see that there is any problem with using psychological theories and therapies from clinical psychology. They embrace psychological systems of counseling.
But there is another group of Christians that have swallowed the lies of “Christian” psychological counseling who do not even realize that the compromise has been made. A few years ago a woman asked us what we wrote about. After we described our concern about psychoheresy, she responded by saying that she was fortunate never to have come across such problems in her church or circle of Christian friends. That would have been a pleasant relief. We would love to have believed that she had been spared from the ravages of psychotherapeutic thinking. However, the inroads of psychoheresy were clearly and powerfully evident in her church.
The following is a brief list of psychoheresies in that church: Sunday School classes were organized around such promoters of psychological notions as Tony Campolo. A Florence Littauer video series on personality types was offered, advertised, and enthusiastically endorsed by the church staff. AA meetings have been held in that church for many years. A staff person from Minirth-Meier Clinic was a guest speaker. The library was filled with books written from a psychological perspective. Many authors are amalgamators of the psychological way with the Bible. Church bulletin inserts included articles by Christian psychologists. And, the pastor of that church referred his sheep out to psychological counselors in the community.
All of those activities were going on while this dear naive lady thought all was well. And, lest anyone think this must be a liberal church where the Bible is not taught, we must inform you that this is one of the most conservative churches in that community.
How could such a church be so enveloped without its members even knowing it? One reason is that we are a psychological society with a psychological vocabulary, so that many Christians do not realize the danger and simply accept psychological notions as facts and, worse yet, as God’s truth. They have become accustomed to it. Another reason is because the psychological teachings are woven into most school curriculums, including self-esteem, values clarification, and other psychological philosophies and techniques. Educational psychology has been heavily influenced by John Dewey and other secular humanists. A further reason is that many Christians receive their “continuing psychological education” by watching TV and listening to radio talk shows. Unfortunately there is little discernment in the church today. And pastors are as deceived as the sheep.
But perhaps greater than any reason why clinical psychological theories and therapies have intruded into the lives of Christians is that they have lost their first love. Their eyes have drifted from Christ their Savior back onto themselves. They have lost sight of what it means to walk according to the Spirit and have been walking according to their own ways and the ways of the world. One wonders whether this great delusion of psychoheresy is the result of a type of Romans 1:18-32 downgrade.
. . .when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in the imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. . . . Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
We urge all who have been involved in psychoheresy to repent and turn again to the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world and to be restored and renewed again into loving God with all their heart, soul, mind and strength, into trusting Him in all matters of life and conduct, and into building their lives on the very Word of God.
As one of our readers declares: “The sweetness and soundness of God’s Word and an abiding walk with the Saviour are sufficient and satisfying.”
About Questions and Requests
In forthcoming issues of PsychoHeresy Awareness Letter we will attempt to address some of the questions most asked by those who write to us. Such questions will probably be dealt with in a more general way than the specific question asked so that many can gain from the general information and thereby apply it to their own situation.
We receive quite a few requests to evaluate or critique particular books, booklets, teachers, or ministries, such as the one described on page 2 of this newsletter. Unfortunately there are so many ministries that are steeped in psychoheresy that it is impossible to critique every one of them.
Even if we were to critique only those in Southern California, it would be a cumbersome task that would take years. Therefore, in our writings we primarily discuss those that are very large and influential because they serve as examples of such ministries. At times we may critique a smaller ministry with which we are familiar for the purpose of giving examples of how psychoheresies are incorporated into the church. Our main purpose is to help Christians discern for themselves, as many of you have demonstrated in your letters to us.
(From PAL, V1N2)