Perhaps one of the most sobering passages for any Christian is found in John 15:5, where Jesus says to His disciples, “apart from Me you can do nothing.”
Apart from Him, we can do nothing.
It is particularly humbling to consider the implications of this statement in the counseling relationship. I am called to use God’s word to teach, reprove, correct, and train (2 Tim 3:16), but apart from the work of Christ in a counselee’s life, it is a fruitless endeavor (Phil 2:12-13).
The Non-Christian Counselee
Now consider the common scenario of a non-Christian coming in for counseling. What hope does he have? Romans 8:8 says, “those who are in the flesh cannot please God.” If the work of Jesus is absolutely necessary for a Christian to grow and change, what good will counseling be for the non-Christian?
We find hope for this situation in 2 Timothy 4. Paul reemphasizes the role of Scripture as he calls Timothy to “preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction” (2 Tim 4:2). In the same breath, he goes on to compel Timothy to “be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry” (2
To continue...read the full-length post originally published on this site.
