Counseling

THE Biggest Issue and Starting Point – Counseling from the WCF 2

Posted on by Dan Dodds

WCFH. G. Wells once said that if God does not exist, nothing matters; but if God does exist, nothing else matters. Dostoevsky’s version looks like this: If there is no God, all things are permissible. God’s existence makes ALL the difference. This is true in all of life, no aspect of our existence is unaffected by God’s existence (or non-existence).

But it cannot just be any undefined deity (like the AA’s Higher Power or the impersonal ‘Force’) to which we appeal. We must know God as He is, not as we want Him to be, and here is where Westminster Chapter 2 comes as a wonderful tool for us. Though we cannot go through all the descriptors listed in this chapter, here are a few critical attributes for us to understand. (Quotes from the WCF are in bold print.)

God (paragraph 2) has all life, glory, goodness, blessedness in and of Himself. We need to know this because if we want life, it will only be found in Him. We will not find life and joy in any sinful pursuit no matter how momentarily stimulating it may be. (Prov. 8.35-36)

God is (paragraph 1)  most holy. If we want to be with the Author of life we must know that He is holy and that which is sinful cannot abide in His presence. As such, we need cleansing, but we can’t do it ourselves. Who will cleanse us?

We learn in paragraph 1 that God is also “most loving, gracious, merciful, longsuffering, abundant in goodness and truth, forgiving iniquity, transgression and sin…We can truly know forgiveness from sin and shame and be cleansed by God Himself. As such, we can enter into His presence with confidence and joy.

These paragraphs then, help us with our sins and sinfulness. But what about times of suffering not due to our own sin?

Chapter 2 to the rescue again! Because here we learn that God works all things according to the counsel of His own immutable and most righteous will and that His knowledge is infinite, infallible.  Isn’t that comforting when the doctor calls with a bad report? We’ll learn more of God’s sovereignty in upcoming chapters.

There is nothing in life more important than knowing God. The WCF chapter 2 is a good start, but for a fuller understanding, read J. I. Packer’s Knowing God. You will never be the same.

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.