Theology of Christian Counseling, A Quotes

“Throughout the course of human history both godly and ungodly counsel always have been present, vying for man's acceptance. The history of individuals, families and even nations, has stemmed directly from whichever one of these two counsels was followed. There is no third counsel, as [Psalm 1] clearly indicates. There are just two ways to go: Satan's way or God's way. Man has no counsel that is strictly "his own." If he rejects God's counsel, whatever counsel he follows instead turns out to be Satan's counsel. Man was made to follow another's counsel; he will do so. He cannot throw off his dependency. Knowingly or unwittingly he always depends on Satan or God. He was made to be motivated and molded by counsel.”
― Jay E. Adams, Theology of Christian Counseling, A

“Notice, again, it is not what one does that saves him—when it is judged, the tree is already a good tree—that’s why it bears good fruit (its fruit-bearing doesn’t make it a good tree). One’s works identify him as a good tree, wheat, a sheep, a Christian. Conversely, the bad tree, goat, tare and the unsaved man (like a child) is also “known by his doings” (Prov. 20:11). See Romans 2:6-8 in the light of this principle.”
― Jay E. Adams, A Theology of Christian Counseling: More Than Redemption

“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. The purpose and meaning of his life, as well as his very existence, is derived and dependent. He can find none of this in himself. Man is not autonomous.”
― Jay E. Adams, A Theology of Christian Counseling: More Than Redemption

“Where were Christians before Freud? Up a tree? Were the bereft of all crucial knowledge about man's relationship to God and his neighbor? Was the church's counseling a hopeless, primitive, stone-age activity that should have disappeared with flint knives? Were Christians shut up to sinful, harmful living before the advent of psychotherapy? Did God withhold truth for living until our present age?”
― Jay E. Adams, Theology of Christian Counseling, A

“We now teach new converts basic doctrine (and that’s good), but not what to do with it—i.e., how to transform it into daily living (and that’s bad). We teach a few (usually four) personal activities: Bible study, prayer, church attendance and witnessing (and that’s good), but there are a host of other things we neglect (and that’s very bad). The greatest need for a new convert is to recognize that his life as a whole must change. Christ wants him to be different across the board. We must tell him so, demonstrate examples of such change in every area of his life, and be prepared to help him do so. That means that every congregation must have a purposeful plan and practical program to accomplish this.”
― Jay E. Adams, A Theology of Christian Counseling: More Than Redemption

“How do unbelievers (and, alas, all too many Christians) respond to suffering and pain? By whining and self-pity (seen in every sort of situation from handicapped and shut-ins to disappointed lovers), denial (actually this futile attempt so focuses one’s efforts on the pain that it actually can intensify it), seeking relief at all costs (the TV commercial and medical mentality seeks “pain-killers,” tranquilizers, etc., but never meaning in suffering; pain is always an enemy, never a friend to such persons).”
― Jay E. Adams, A Theology of Christian Counseling: More Than Redemption

“Sin is against God, and it isn’t possible to be neutral about God, Who has been offended by sin. Nonjudgmental attitudes actually condone and encourage sin. To accept a sinner as he is, means to say God was wrong in sending Christ to die for sinners in order to change them. God took sin so seriously that He punished His own Son with death for sin. If God punishes sin, we may not accept sinners as they are.”
― Jay E. Adams, A Theology of Christian Counseling: More Than Redemption

“The Roman Catholic view of prayer also must be opposed. Prayers to saints and to Mary amount to (1) a rejection of the accessibility of God in Christ (the only Mediator12) and (2) an ascription of attributes to glorified human beings that belong to God alone (omniscience, omnipresence, and sometimes omnipotence). Mary is called the “refuge of sinners,” the one who is to be asked to “guide” and “teach” us, who is “never implored in vain,” to whom “fervent prayers are to be addressed,” and the one whose “name alone comforts” (The Catholic Church the Teacher of Mankind). She solves the problems of rain and drought, famine and plague according to this book designed to instruct “the Catholic child at the mother’s knee” (Title page. The book was published in New York by the Office of Catholic Publications and bears the imprimatur of Archbishop Johannes W. Farley). On page 643 we read: Unfortunately, you are still mastered by many faults which prevent your becoming the pious and dutiful child God wishes you to be. To be able to cure yourselves of them you must implore the Blessed Virgin. Words almost fail in replying to such unrestrained idolatry. This concept of prayer puts Mary in God’s place. In fact it seems that according to this doctrine of prayer, God has delegated the answering of prayer to Mary. The response to make must be this: (1) Nowhere in all of the Scriptures can any such ideas be found. One will search in vain to find anyone at any time praying to Mary; nor is there any injunction to do so. Indeed, the Scriptures tell us to pray exclusively to God in Christ’s name (see vss. supra). And there is no model of prayer to Mary, any other human being, or to angels. The biblical picture differs considerably from the Roman Catholic one represented in these words: “…in his shortcomings, at each instant of his life, and in the hour of his death, the Christian turns to Mary. Her name alone comforts him, and gives him confidence” (ibid., p. 642). (2) When we pray to someone, we thereby ascribe to that one all of God’s attributes. For example, we must assume that the one to whom prayer is directed is omnipresent even to be able to hear the millions of prayers that are directed to him from all parts of the earth. But omnipresence is an attribute of God alone. Omnipotence likewise is required of the one to whom we pray; he must be able to answer all requests. Omniscience cannot be divorced from prayer either, since the answer must be given with reference to all other matters of all time (past, present and future). Does Mary have such attributes? Some think so (“Mary is all powerful, for she is the mother of God,” ibid., p. 642), others have not carefully thought through the issues involved.”
― Jay E. Adams, A Theology of Christian Counseling: More Than Redemption

“The Roman Catholic view of prayer also must be opposed. Prayers to saints and to Mary amount to (1) a rejection of the accessibility of God in Christ (the only Mediator12) and (2) an ascription of attributes to glorified human beings that belong to God alone (omniscience, omnipresence, and sometimes omnipotence). Mary is called the “refuge of sinners,” the one who is to be asked to “guide” and “teach” us, who is “never implored in vain,” to whom “fervent prayers are to be addressed,” and the one whose “name alone comforts” (The Catholic Church the Teacher of Mankind).”
― Jay E. Adams, A Theology of Christian Counseling: More Than Redemption