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275: Do Not Be Taken Captive by Empty Philosophy

275: Do Not Be Taken Captive by Empty Philosophy

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 Psychology vs. The Faith: When "Help" Becomes a Rival Gospel By Pastor Jeff Christianson, Dean of Biblical Counseling I'm going to talk about something that will likely offend half the room and make the other half nervous. And I'm okay with that, as long as we're fighting with God's Word and not my opinion. Psychology has had a heavy impact on American culture for decades. Then, through the 1960s, 70s, and 80s, it steadily crept into the church. Today, it has a deep foothold in the church. And I want to say this carefully, but plainly: one of the most subtle forms of heresy to ever hit the American church is psychological theory being absorbed into Christian ministry as if it were neutral, safe, and compatible with the faith. Not because every observation made by anyone in the field is false. Not because the body doesn't matter. Not because Christians have never been helped by conversations with professionals. But because the most dangerous part of psychology is the part that claims to explain what man is, why man is the way he is, and how man changes. That's not lab science. That's not medicine. That's a philosophy of life—and very often, a rival religion. The Spirit "Expressly Says" This Will Happen Paul warned Timothy with a kind of urgency we rarely hear anymore: "Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons…" (1 Timothy 4:1) Notice what's happening: people depart from the faith, and as they loosen their grip on biblical truth, they become wide open to deception—"deceiving spirits" and "doctrines of demons." Then Paul adds something that should sober every pastor, counselor, and ministry leader: "If you instruct the brethren in these things, you will be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished in the words of faith and of the good doctrine which you have carefully followed." (1 Timothy 4:6) That means warning the flock isn't optional. If we refuse to instruct God's people where deception is creeping in, we are not being "good ministers of Jesus Christ." This isn't about causing trouble. It's about acknowledging that there's already trouble if we won't speak. This Isn't About Condemning People Let me be clear: this is not a blanket condemnation of every psychologist, psychiatrist, counselor, or person who has sought help. Many people are hurting. Many people are trying to survive. Some have real physiological issues—brain chemistry, sleep deprivation, hormonal problems, trauma responses in the body, or medical complications that should absolutely be evaluated. The Bible does not forbid legitimate medicine. Jesus said the sick need a physician (Luke 5:31). Luke was called "the beloved physician" (Colossians 4:14). The issue is not medical care. The issue is philosophy—systems that tell you what life is, what man is, what truth is, what morality is, what change is, and what salvation looks like. That's why Scripture warns: "Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men… and not according to Christ." (Colossians 2:8) When a counseling theory runs "not according to Christ," the church must not import it uncritically and call it "wisdom." The Most Dangerous Part of Psychology There are areas of psychology that are closer to observation and measurement—like certain aspects of learning patterns or child development. You can observe, record, and make modest conclusions. But the danger zone is the sprawling world of psychotherapy theories that claim authority over identity, meaning, values, morality, and transformation. One of the best summaries I've ever seen puts it like this (paraphrasing the sense of the quote you referenced): the most seductively dangerous area is the part that tries to explain why people are the way they are and how they change. That's exactly the ground Scripture claims as its own. Because the Bible doesn't just tell us what to do. It tells us who we are. It tells us why we sin. It tells us what the heart is. It tells us what repentance is. It tells us what faith is. It tells us what love is. It tells us how change happens—by grace, through the Spirit, in union with Christ, in the life of the church. Psychology Often Operates Like Religion Here's where people get uncomfortable. But we need to be honest: modern psychotherapy doesn't merely treat "disease." It frequently teaches a worldview. It interprets suffering. It assigns meaning. It defines virtue. It sets the boundaries of blame and responsibility. It reframes guilt. It counsels hope. It offers a path of transformation. That's religion-level territory. Even Carl Jung—one of the towering figures in psychological theory—recognized this. He essentially admitted that people were coming to therapists for what they used to go to priests for: relief, meaning, wholeness, direction. In other words, therapy was stepping into the territory of pastoral care and ...
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