Last day I was quoting Einstein as having said “Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind." I want to apply some of the things I was saying about the Faith/Science debate to the Psychology/Faith debate. As with Science, what is presented in Psychology is not always right, and because of this some Christians have thrown out the baby with the bathwater, rejecting all of Psychology period. But also, as with the Science faith debate, the main contradictions in the Psychology / Faith debate occur because the data is interpreted in terms of anti – theistic presuppositions. So again it is not Psychology or Faith (as some argue thinking it is possible to choose just one of the two) it is Psychology plus Faith. And again the question becomes “Which faith, an atheistic faith or a theistic faith?” Do we interpret the data (observed phenomena) in terms of our anti-theistic presupposition or do we choose a theistic interpretation? My view, as I argued earlier is that “The Bible has the best solutions for life” (March 2012).
Let's take guilt as an example. The existence of guilt is an accepted fact. Now some will say the problem is that Christians (and the like) are going round talking about sin, and laying guilt trips left right and center. The solution, in their mind, is to shoot all Christians. Christians on the other hand say that guilt (as opposed to shame see April 27 and May 10th post) is real, and that it comes as a result of doing something that we know deep down is objectively wrong. The solution, in this view, is to be forgiven by the only One (God) who has the right and the power to forgive, and who also had the ability to cleans us from all unrighteousness (see 1 John 1:9).
Having said this I need to admit that we Christians have not always spoken the truth in love, and this is wrong, abhorrent and it grieves my (and I believe His) heart. Presenting truth in judgmental self righteousness is wrong. On the other hand, if what we believe is true, then not to present the practical solutions the Bible gives to those who will listen would be unloving. We are told to be always ready to give an answer to the hope that is within us. We are not told to force our opinions on those who are not listening! So you see it depends which faith is true, atheism or theism. This is the real issue here!
As with all other branches of research/knowledge, we need to be aware that confidently expressed Psychological solutions based on the wisdom (and presuppositions) of man are not always correct. What is true, is that Psychological research can give insight in our understanding of human nature in general, and the nature of our psychosis in particular. Having said this, I firmly believe that any principles that Psychology discovers that work, can all be found in the Bible. And of course the Bible got there first. I have written more about this which again can be for for example in “The Bible has the best solutions for life” (March 2012).
There is indeed much that could be said. But to come to the title of this post, Psychology without faith is lame. I am of course referring here to the Christian faith. Part of what I mean is that understanding what is wrong, is not the same as fixing it. In addition, we may know perfectly well what we aught to do to fix things, but the wherewithal to do it is more often than not, missing. Nicky Gumbel (of Alpha fame) says it over and over “Yes, but how?” Paul, seeing the problem complains that the good things he wants to do he does not do, and the bad things, he does not want to do, these are the very things that he does. He goes on to ask who will deliver him from all this and answers for us “Jesus Christ the Lord” (Romans 7:19-25). He and we, need help. We cannot live the Christian life without God's help, and we only have access to this help through faith. We need His help to change, and we need Him to heal our hearts. He is the One who “heals all your diseases.” I know that it is foolishness to the World, but the testimony of so many of His people is that He helps those who are humble enough to ask for it. It is my testimony too. Taste and see that the Lord is good!
Let me acknowledge here, that there are those who do not name the name of Christ who do somehow manage to pull themselves up out of their addictions. They obviously have a will power much stronger than mine! Those I have spoken to though, tell me that they never seem to loose the craving, and that many times – there is a substitute addiction that replaces the one given up! The big problem here, is that even when I can change the behaviour, it does not heal the wounds that many times drove me to the behaviour in the first place. I personally need God to work in my desires, I need His healing in the hurts I have sustained and continue to sustain in life, and I need something from Him in the wherewithal to do it.
These helps are more available than we have begun to imagine. It only comes however as we are vitally connected with God through prayer, godly council and His Word. There are many helpful resources that God has raised up, and continues to raise up at this hour, in and for the increasingly sick society in which we live. Some of the keys He is unveiling in and through His Word can be found, for example in such works as “Healing Light” by Agnes Sanford, or in Leanne Payne's “Healing prayer”, or in “Healing of Memories” by David Seamands. Then there is “Transformation of the inner man” by the Sandfords (see Elijah house ministries), or the Restoring the Foundations work of the Kelstras (RTF), or the Theophostic (God's light) Prayer ministry, or Jack Frost's “Shiloh Place ministries”. All these and others, seek to bring the intervention of God into our recovery and healing as we co-labour and cooperate with Him in and through our ongoing and growing interpersonal relationship with Him.
Another way to say this is that Biblical recovery is to be found in partnership with Him in and through His Word. I have described it elsewhere as a trinity of helps, Bible help (the insight and inspiration we get from it), self help (the part we must play) and God's (the help the tangible leg up we get when we fully participate in this partnership I am describing). I want to quote and then say something about one key set of verses in this regard. The verses are Philippians 2:12, 13 which say “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.”
The “Therefore” connects these verses to the context. It is because Christ who could have taken advantage of His nature as God did not, but instead for our sake and our salvation became obedient in the extreme, that is even to death on the cross, it is for this reason we need to continue to work out etc., etc. If there is anything about us at all, and we had a friend on earth who did something even remotely like what Jesus did for us, we would likely move heaven and earth to live worthy of his sacrifice. We need to see the reality of the fact that Jesus is that friend and to live accordingly. This is the force of the “Therefore.”
The aspect of salvation being talked about here is the deliverance from the power of sin (as opposed to the penalty, or the presence of sin - see Bible Best Solutions II from March). We need to work this through in fear and trembling for many reasons for example because we are lazy, and we reap according to the measure we sow; or because the propaganda of the World too easily chips away at our confidence, and our nature is to drift away; or because the way is narrow and few find it – especially fullness of life in Him; or because we are busy, or wounded, or tired and easily discouraged. We need to be tenacious and stay focused on and connected to Him, in and through His World, in fellowship, in the breaking of bread and prayer (Acts 2:46,47).
But the good news is that when we do our part, He comes in and makes up for what we are unable to do. He is at work changing even our desires (He is at work in us “to will” to do “His good pleasure”) and also in the wherewithal to do what needs to be done (He is at work in us “to do His good pleasure” ). He knows when we are burnt out and need rest and at such times He calls us to Himself to find that rest (Matthew 11:28-30). And it's all found in relationship with Him. We are meant to experience His healing empowering presence. Psychology, even Biblically based Psychology (principles), cannot give us this. It is only found in His presence. In His presence there is joy and peace and hope and love and energy. Psychology cannot give us this either. Man made Psychology does not always work, Psychology that works is in the end Biblical Psychology, but even that without faith and trust in God is lame. Please don't let the propaganda and the groundless atheistic faith based ridicule of the World rob you of (take away) these treasures!
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