Justification | ACBC Exam Question #13

 “Justification by faith alone.” Discuss the meaning of this phrase.

            Because of our sin problem (Romans 3:23) we all need to be justified, or we will face eternity in hell for our sins.  To justify means; “to declare innocent or guiltless; absolve; acquit.”¹ Religions of our world tell us to do more good than bad, and we will be able to attain heaven.  The Bible however clearly states that; “nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified.” (Galatians 2:16).  Christ took our sin on Himself at the cross, paying for our sin, and if we will accept that free gift by faith (Romans 6:23) we will be forgiven, and assured of eternal life in heaven with Him when He returns or our lives end in death. 

             There is nothing we can do humanly by effort of any kind to gain justification.  No amount of good works, financial donations, church attendance, sacrifice or any other effort on our part would ever allow us to be free from sin, and appear righteous before God.  “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Ephesians 2:8, 9)  Faith requires that we believe, have full confidence in, and rely completely upon something or someone.  When it comes to our personal salvation our faith must be exclusively on what Christ did for us in order for our salvation to be genuine.  We cannot add any other requirements, being a true Christian is by faith alone in Christ alone.

            The doctrine of justification by faith is so central in counseling because it makes clear that our standing before God is not dependent upon our performance, but simply faith, believing that He loves us, has redeemed us, made us His own, and that will never, ever change.  “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ“(Romans 5:1).  What awesome hope and assurance.  From that basis we then urge believers to realize their position in Christ and live out the reality that;   “…we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10)  Works flow out of our salvation as thanksgiving to God, proof of the faith we have, not ever the source of salvation.

¹ www.dictionary.com

Jesus understands temptation. | ACBC Exam Question #12

   He was “tempted in all things as we are” (Heb. 4:15). Discuss and relate to counseling theory and practice.

            “Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.  For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.  Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:14-16)

             Jesus knew the glories of heaven as the Son of God, eternally present with the Father.  When He became flesh among us (John 1:14) He came to know by experience what life is like as a human being.  Jesus was born as a baby like you and I (though unlike us in holy deity (Colossians 2:9), and virgin conception (Matthew 1:25)).  As a child Jesus experienced physical growth, cold and heat, the senses of smell, touch, sight, hearing, hunger, pain, all that comes along with being human. He felt as we do desires, and would have experienced the draw to sin.  He felt the temptations to lie, lust, covet, steal, hate, and more. We read specifically of three temptations put before Jesus in the wilderness by Satan in Luke 4, and Matthew 4.  Satan tempts Jesus to use His power to get food instantly, to prove His power by throwing Himself off a high temple so angels would come to His rescue, and Satan also told Jesus if He’d worship him then he’d give Him rule over all the kingdoms of earth.  Through each temptation Jesus did not sin, and He skillfully spoke back God’s Word as truth to dispel the lies of Satan.  

             When Jesus lived he would have felt all of the emotions we do; anger, joy, disappointment, contentment….. He never once acted sinfully on His emotions, but always had self-control, patience and wisdom to respond in grace, truth and love to others, even His enemies like Judas, the Pharisees, His executioners and more. 

             Knowing the humanity of Jesus, we can come to Him confidently because we know He understands the realities and struggles we face because He lived human life, faced it’s temptations, pain, struggles, and challenges, and yet did not sin.  Having a Saviour who understands by experience is comforting.  Knowing He overcame temptation brings hope that we can do the same, and an example of how to do so as we examine His life, and reaction and response to Satan’s attempts to tempt the Son of Man.      

Why did Christ die? | ACBC Exam Question #11

            “For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.” (Romans 5:6) Jesus Christ, 100% God in the form of a man humbled Himself, leaving the perfection of heaven, and the presence of the Father to grace earth with His holy presence.  “…although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” (Philippians 2:6-8) 

            Jesus’ willingly submitted Himself to a cruel execution on the cross to provide redemption we could not earn any other way.  Because, “….without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” (Hebrews 9:22b)  “For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit;” (1 Peter 3:18) If it were not for Christ’s death, we’d all be hopelessly damned to hell for all of eternity, a fitting and deserved end for each and every one of us.  “But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” (Ephesians 2:13)

            Jesus died because He loves us. “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)  While living He taught His disciples that; “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13)  He modeled that like no other human when He sacrificially died that we may have abundant life (John 10:10).  The love of God is pure, not selfishly motivated, it is unending and unchanging, an undeserved extravagant gift toward us, enemies of God, sinful, wickedly hear-ted mankind.  It’s a love beyond our human understanding, there is no greater love.  “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

            Jesus died to demonstrate His obedience to the Father (Luke 22:42, Philippians 2:6-8).  He did it to bring glory to God the Father and Himself.  “When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him.  And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do.  And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.” (John 17:1-5)    

            Jesus’ death serves as a picture of our death and spiritual resurrection when we place our faith in Him.  “Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.” (Romans 6:8)  “For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.” (Colossians 3:3)  “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20) 

            Jesus Christ died to; save sinners, show His love, glorify God, give us an example of how we can be regenerated to new life in Him.  But, most of all Christ died so He could rise again.  Miracle of miracles occurred three days later Jesus was placed and sealed in a dark tomb.  The tomb was found empty (John 20:1-19), Jesus had been resurrected (Acts 13:30)!  His death is important, His resurrection is triumphant victory over death forever to all who will believe (Romans 10:9). 

Anthropology's Effect on Counseling | ACBC Exam #10

1.       What role does anthropology play in counseling theory and practice?

1.

            The foundational anthropological view point is vital in counseling theory and practice.  If you begin with the wrong foundation of who man is you cannot possibly build biblical truth accurately into the counselee’s life.  Secular psychology is based on the evolutionary theory that we developed as humans over millions of years of organic improvement, resulting in human life as we know it today.  With this basis, conclusions are made that people must be improving more and more, are generally good, and most of their problems are caused by outside circumstances, other people, and more.   This leads to conclusions such as; morality is relative, you are not to blame for wrong, and you need to live for your own self-improvement, trusting your own instincts, etc.  The biggest problem is that God is taken out of the equation, each person is made out to their god, and authority; making their own needs as they see it become priority.  

            If we are all trace back to great-great-great grandfather ape then we have no absolute authority, and surely no need to recognize or submit to a Creator God.  So, then each person makes their own relative morality, and method of which to help someone else reach normal/balanced/happy.  So now we have all these theories and experts like Skinner, Freud, Rogers and more dehumanizing man, rationalizing, providing behavioural modification, a neutral listening ear, and justifying words that “If it feels good, do it!”  There are as many views in psychology are there are psychologists, each believing they are right, they don’t agree.  All of which have refused to humbly accept that there is One who rightfully has complete authority and has defined correctly standards of morality.  They reject God.  Our biggest issue of sin is denied. 

             “From the beginning, human change depended upon counseling.  Man was created as a being whose very existence is derived from and dependent upon a Creator whom he must acknowledge as such and from whom he must obtain wisdom and knowledge through revelation.”¹ If counselling is taken from a Biblical perspective of man it changes everything.  “God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth… since He gives all life, breath, and all things.  And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and boundaries of their dwellings, so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him….” (Acts 17:24-27 NKJV)   Biblical counselling offers real solutions at the heart level because it is rooted in the truth of God and His Word; revealing sin (Proverbs 20:9), requiring repentance (1 John 1:9), giving hope (Romans 15:13), and soul rest (Matthew 11:28-30), providing instruction to put off the old man, living new in Christ (Ephesians 4:22-29), and wisdom to live in the midst of the temptations of sin but not give in (1 Corinthians 10:13).    

¹  “A Theology of Christian Counseling”, Jay Adams, page 1

Man | ACBC Exam Question #9

 Who and what is man?

             Man is a living being created by God.  The first man, Adam, was fashioned from dust on the sixth day of creation; “Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.” (Genesis 2:7)  Later, Eve, the first woman was made from one of Adam’s ribs as a help-meet to Adam, “….Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.” (Genesis 2:22)  All people are descendants of this first couple, each a creation of God (Psalm 139:13-16) with a physical body, and an eternal soul.  All of our bodies will die physically, but our souls will always live, either in heaven or hell forever depending on what we choose to do with God’s offer of salvation while we live on earth.(1 Corinthians 15:51-54, Psalm 6:5, 16:10, John 14:1-3)

             Unlike animals, man was created with freedom to choose right or wrong (Genesis 2:15-17), and made in the image of God having dominion over the animals (Genesis 1:26).  Because Adam and Eve sinned by disobeying God’s command not to eat from the tree of knowledge which was forbidden by God (Genesis 3:1-7) there would be eternal consequences for them (Genesis 3:16-19), and  spiritual death for all humanity from then on (Romans 5:12).  Because of our ancestry, and our own personal sin by nature and choice, we are all guilty of wrong.  “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23)  We are not innately good as some would suggest, we are evil, selfish and sin bent; “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9).  Left to ourselves we are hopeless, and life has no purpose beyond pleasing ourselves.  We are separated from God, deserving of His judgement, unable to cleanse our own sin. 

             “But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus…” (Ephesians 2:4-6)  God made a way for us to be rescued from the penalties of sin, to have a restored relationship with Him, be forgiven, having eternal life and the hope of living in righteousness through His power in us a believers.  This transformation takes place when an individual agrees with God about their sin, believes that Christ is the Son of God who died for their sin, and accepts His free gift of salvation by faith (Romans 6:23, 5:8, 10:9-10). In Christ we can have hope, and a life with purpose, and meaning.