Counseling

Counseling and the Westminster Confession of Faith

Posted on by Dan Dodds

As a pastor who counsels, I have developed a list of resources that I have found helpful. Some might be predictable: articles and journals from Christian counselors or counseling groups, books on specific counseling issues and others. But one of the resources might come as a surprise – the Westminster Confession of Faith (and related Larger and Shorter Catechisms). What some might see as just a collection of Biblical doctrines for theologians, is actually a wonderful resource for counseling others and ourselves, as it succinctly communicating truths for us.

As the Lord provides opportunities, I would like to share with you how the Westminster Confession of Faith (WCF) addresses many of the issues that I encounter in counseling. Let’s begin. Let’s look at the first paragraph:

WCF 1.1  (1) Although the light of nature, and the works of creation and providence do so far manifest the goodness, wisdom, and power of God, as to leave men unexcusable; yet are they not sufficient to give that knowledge of God, and of His will, which is necessary unto salvation: therefore it pleased the Lord, at sundry times, and in divers manners, to reveal Himself, and (2) to declare that His will unto His Church; and afterwards, for the better preserving and propagating of the truth, and for the more sure establishment and comfort of the Church against the corruption of the flesh, and the malice of Satan and of the world, to commit the same wholly unto writing; which makes the Holy Scripture to be most necessary; (3) those former ways of God’s revealing His will unto His people being now ceased.

When would I use this paragraph in counseling?

  • When I deal with someone who is an unbeliever. I will use this to show that they really do know about God but have suppressed the truth. I will also show how the Bible and the Bible alone is the only way to come to know how to be reconciled to God.
  • When I deal with a believer who does not value the necessity and benefits of regularly being in the Scripture. The Scriptures teach us the will of God, they preserve and propagate His truth and they establish and comfort the Church (believers) against the world, the flesh and the devil. This is the means of grace gifted to us by God – but we need to read it to know what He says!
  • For counselees who believe in continuing revelation, who insist that ‘God told me.’ I will point out that God no longer communicates through this means – choosing instead to reveal Himself through the Word. So in our counseling, we will not look to our feelings for His message to us, but to His Word.

Of course, the WCF lists Scriptures that can be employed as the final authority for what is written in the WCF and the counselor will want to look at these as well. The WCF is a tool only and should not be used as a primary source. More later!

Dan Dodds
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Dan Dodds
Dan is a native of Detroit, Michigan; a graduate of Hillsdale College in Michigan and Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary. Dan has worked in the financial area as a CPA and controller as well as in international business and sales. In 1995 Dan entered into the ministry in a Florida church as Sr. High and Singles Pastor. In 2001 he was brought on staff at Woodruff Road. Dan and his wife Christy have two daughters, Anna and Jenna and two sons, Will and Wyatt.