This week I have a paper due on the history of the Biblical Counseling movement. In my research, I’ve found a few quotes from those who have a high view of Scripture and those who don’t. Enjoy!

Scripture is useless

“Our knowledge of the historical worth of certain religious doctrines increases our respect for them, but does not invalidate our proposal that they should cease to be put forward as the reasons for the precepts of civilization. On the contrary! Those historical residues have helped us to view religious teachings, as it were, as neurotic relics, and we may now argue that the time has probably come, as it does in an analytic treatment, for replacing the effects of repression by the results of the rational operation of the intellect. Sigmund Freud, The Future of an Illusion, page 56.

Scripture is not sufficient for the “science” of psychology

“Physicians do not expect to find the treatment for a case of tuberculosis contained within the pages of the Holy Scriptures. …Geologists do not expect to find there a description of the sand containing oil reserves. Similarly, one would hardly expect to find material related to the field of psychology within the Scriptures, except where they directly illustrate or discuss a particular aspect of human behavior.” Paul D. Meier, Frank B. Minirth and Frank B. Wichern, Introduction to Psychology and Counseling, page 16.

Scripture is sufficient

“We must stress that the basis for our faith is neither experience nor emotion but the truth as God has given it in verbalized, prepositional form in the Scripture…” Francis A. Schaeffer, The New Super-Spirituality, page 24.

Scripture is sufficient, even for psychology

“Scripture does not claim to be a thorough textbook on medicine, or physics, or any of the sciences. But psychology differs from these in two important regards. First, psychology is not a true science. …Second, and most significant, psychology, unlike medicine and physics, deals with matters that are fundamentally spiritual. …And Scripture certainly does claim absolute sufficiency in addressing those needs.”  John F. MacArthur, Jr., Introduction to Biblical Counseling, page 368.

“…the Scriptures are sufficient in the sense that they are the only inspired and inerrant words of God that we need, in order to know the way of salvation and the way of obedience. The sufficiency of Scripture does not mean that the Scripture is all we need to live obediently. To be obedient in the sciences we need to read science and study nature. To be obedient in economics we need to read economics and observe the world of business. …To be obedient as a pilot we need to know how to fly a plane. In other words, the Bible does not tell us all we need to know in order to be obedient stewards of this world. The sufficiency of Scripture means that we don’t need any more special revelation… In the Bible God has given us, we have the perfect standard for judging all other knowledge.” John Piper, Desiring God, http://www.desiringgod.org/resource-library/taste-see-articles/thoughts-on-the-sufficiency-of-scripture

Any counselor who desires to honor God and be effective must see the goal of his efforts as leading a person to the sufficiency of Christ. The view that man is capable of solving his own problems, or that people can help one another by “therapy” or other human means, denies the doctrine of human depravity and man’s need for God. It replaces the Spirit’s transforming power with impotent human wisdom.”  John F. MacArthur, Our Sufficiency in Christ, page 72.

2 Corinthians 3:5 ESV Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God,

Romans 1:1-32 ESV Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, …

The Apostle Paul (under inspiration) on Scripture

2 Corinthians 3:5 ESV Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God,

2 Timothy 3:15-16 ESV 15and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,