SUMMARY STATEMENT ON THE SUFFICIENCY OF SCRIPTURE
(Full Statement Below)
(Full Statement Below)
We affirm that the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments alone constitute God's breathed-out, inerrant, and infallible Word, serving as our full and final authority in all matters it addresses. Scripture provides complete sufficiency for doctrine, reproof, correction, and instruction in righteous living (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
The Bible contains all truth necessary for salvation and thoroughly equips believers for every godly endeavor. God's Word is perfect and reliable, making wise the simple (Psalm 19:7-9). Scripture, properly interpreted and applied in partnership with the Holy Spirit, is our foundational resource and authoritative guide for biblical counseling and discipleship.
While affirming that the canon of Scripture is closed and no new authoritative revelation equals or adds to Scripture, we joyfully recognize God's active work through His Spirit today. The Spirit illuminates Scripture's truth, grants discernment in counseling, provides guidance, and applies biblical wisdom to specific circumstances. Such spiritual insights must align with and be interpreted through Scripture's sufficient revelation.
In counseling and discipleship, we depend on both Scripture's sufficiency and the Spirit's active work. While the Spirit may grant unexpected insights about someone's life or circumstances, these insights serve to apply biblical truth rather than add to it, operating within Scripture's framework for understanding human nature, sin, salvation, and sanctification.
God's Word effectively addresses all human struggles, providing both understanding and solutions for spiritual, emotional, and relational challenges (Hebrews 4:12). All guidance, insights, and supplementary resources must align with and submit to Scripture's authority. Secular theories inconsistent with Scripture prove insufficient and potentially detrimental to biblical counseling.
Our commitment centers on using Scripture as our primary source in counseling while partnering with the Holy Spirit in interpretation and application. The Director will address questions about outside resources in keeping with this statement.
This position rests on Scripture's own testimony (2 Timothy 3:15-17; Psalm 19:7-9; Hebrews 4:12; 2 Peter 1:3-4), affirming that God's Word proves sufficient for every counseling need while actively engaging with the Spirit's work in applying biblical truth to specific situations.
The Bible contains all truth necessary for salvation and thoroughly equips believers for every godly endeavor. God's Word is perfect and reliable, making wise the simple (Psalm 19:7-9). Scripture, properly interpreted and applied in partnership with the Holy Spirit, is our foundational resource and authoritative guide for biblical counseling and discipleship.
While affirming that the canon of Scripture is closed and no new authoritative revelation equals or adds to Scripture, we joyfully recognize God's active work through His Spirit today. The Spirit illuminates Scripture's truth, grants discernment in counseling, provides guidance, and applies biblical wisdom to specific circumstances. Such spiritual insights must align with and be interpreted through Scripture's sufficient revelation.
In counseling and discipleship, we depend on both Scripture's sufficiency and the Spirit's active work. While the Spirit may grant unexpected insights about someone's life or circumstances, these insights serve to apply biblical truth rather than add to it, operating within Scripture's framework for understanding human nature, sin, salvation, and sanctification.
God's Word effectively addresses all human struggles, providing both understanding and solutions for spiritual, emotional, and relational challenges (Hebrews 4:12). All guidance, insights, and supplementary resources must align with and submit to Scripture's authority. Secular theories inconsistent with Scripture prove insufficient and potentially detrimental to biblical counseling.
Our commitment centers on using Scripture as our primary source in counseling while partnering with the Holy Spirit in interpretation and application. The Director will address questions about outside resources in keeping with this statement.
This position rests on Scripture's own testimony (2 Timothy 3:15-17; Psalm 19:7-9; Hebrews 4:12; 2 Peter 1:3-4), affirming that God's Word proves sufficient for every counseling need while actively engaging with the Spirit's work in applying biblical truth to specific situations.
FULL STATEMENT
We affirm that the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments alone constitute God's breathed-out, inerrant, and infallible Word. Scripture stands as our full and final authority in all matters it addresses, providing complete sufficiency for doctrine, reproof, correction, and instruction in righteous living, as Paul declares in 2 Timothy 3:16-17.
The Bible contains all truth necessary for salvation through faith in Jesus Christ and thoroughly equips believers for every godly endeavor. As the Psalmist proclaims, God's Word is perfect, sure, and completely reliable, converting the soul and making us wise no matter our education or intellectual capacity (Psalm 19:7-9). This sufficiency means that Scripture, properly interpreted and applied in partnership with the Holy Spirit, is our foundational resource and authoritative guide for biblical counseling and discipleship.
While we affirm that the canon of Scripture is closed and no new authoritative revelation equals or adds to Scripture, we joyfully recognize that God actively works in believers' lives today through His Spirit. The Spirit illuminates Scripture's truth, grants discernment in counseling situations, provides guidance for ministry and life decisions, and applies biblical wisdom to specific circumstances. Such spiritual insights, while potentially powerful and specific, must always align with and be interpreted through Scripture's sufficient revelation, which provides the authoritative framework for understanding and testing all of God's ongoing work in our lives and in the world.
It is important to distinguish between special revelation and divine revelation. Special revelation refers specifically to God's authoritative self-disclosure in Scripture - the closed canon of biblical truth completed in Christ and Scripture. Divine revelation, while including special revelation, has a broader scope encompassing God's ongoing illumination, guidance, and providential working in history. This distinction helps explain how God continues to "reveal" things to believers through guidance and illumination while maintaining Scripture's unique authority and sufficiency as special revelation. All other forms of divine revelation must be tested against and interpreted through the lens of special revelation (Scripture).
In biblical counseling and discipleship, we therefore depend on both Scripture's complete sufficiency and the Spirit's active work in applying biblical truth. The Spirit may grant unexpected insights about someone's life or circumstances, help us discern underlying heart issues, or guide us in applying Scripture's wisdom. However, these insights serve to apply biblical truth rather than add to it, operating always within Scripture's framework for understanding human nature, sin, and sanctification.
We maintain that God's Word effectively addresses the full range of human struggles, providing both the categories for understanding problems and the solutions for addressing them. The Bible speaks authoritatively to spiritual, emotional, and relational challenges, offering divine wisdom for life's complexities. As Hebrews 4:12 affirms, Scripture is living and active, piercing to and exposing the deepest parts of human nature and motivation.
This position necessarily means that all guidance, insights, and discernment must be tested against and submit to Scripture's authority. Any supplementary resources or insights, while potentially valuable, prove insufficient and potentially detrimental if inconsistent with biblical truth. We maintain Scripture's supreme authority in our methodology while welcoming the Spirit's ongoing work in illuminating and applying its truth.
Our commitment, therefore, centers on using Scripture as our primary and authoritative source in counseling, applying biblical principles and solutions to life's challenges while partnering with the Holy Spirit in interpretation and application. This reflects our deep conviction that God's Word provides the necessary and sufficient foundation for understanding and addressing the full scope of human needs in counseling and discipleship, even as we depend on the Spirit's active work in applying its truth.
In practical application, we recognize that secular theories or methodologies inconsistent with Scripture prove not only insufficient but potentially detrimental to biblical counseling. Any supplementary resources must align with and submit to biblical truth. All counseling tools and approaches require careful evaluation through the lens of Scripture, maintaining the Bible's supreme authority in our methodology. If there is a question as to whether or not to use an outside resource, the Director will provide guidance in keeping with this statement.
This position rests firmly on the Bible's own testimony about its sufficiency and authority, as witnessed throughout Scripture and particularly in passages such as 2 Timothy 3:15-17, Psalm 19:7-9, Hebrews 4:12, and 2 Peter 1:3-4. We stand resolute in upholding these truths in our counseling ministry, confident that God's Word proves sufficient for every counseling need we encounter, while actively engaging with the Spirit's ongoing work in applying Scripture's truth to specific situations.
The Bible contains all truth necessary for salvation through faith in Jesus Christ and thoroughly equips believers for every godly endeavor. As the Psalmist proclaims, God's Word is perfect, sure, and completely reliable, converting the soul and making us wise no matter our education or intellectual capacity (Psalm 19:7-9). This sufficiency means that Scripture, properly interpreted and applied in partnership with the Holy Spirit, is our foundational resource and authoritative guide for biblical counseling and discipleship.
While we affirm that the canon of Scripture is closed and no new authoritative revelation equals or adds to Scripture, we joyfully recognize that God actively works in believers' lives today through His Spirit. The Spirit illuminates Scripture's truth, grants discernment in counseling situations, provides guidance for ministry and life decisions, and applies biblical wisdom to specific circumstances. Such spiritual insights, while potentially powerful and specific, must always align with and be interpreted through Scripture's sufficient revelation, which provides the authoritative framework for understanding and testing all of God's ongoing work in our lives and in the world.
It is important to distinguish between special revelation and divine revelation. Special revelation refers specifically to God's authoritative self-disclosure in Scripture - the closed canon of biblical truth completed in Christ and Scripture. Divine revelation, while including special revelation, has a broader scope encompassing God's ongoing illumination, guidance, and providential working in history. This distinction helps explain how God continues to "reveal" things to believers through guidance and illumination while maintaining Scripture's unique authority and sufficiency as special revelation. All other forms of divine revelation must be tested against and interpreted through the lens of special revelation (Scripture).
In biblical counseling and discipleship, we therefore depend on both Scripture's complete sufficiency and the Spirit's active work in applying biblical truth. The Spirit may grant unexpected insights about someone's life or circumstances, help us discern underlying heart issues, or guide us in applying Scripture's wisdom. However, these insights serve to apply biblical truth rather than add to it, operating always within Scripture's framework for understanding human nature, sin, and sanctification.
We maintain that God's Word effectively addresses the full range of human struggles, providing both the categories for understanding problems and the solutions for addressing them. The Bible speaks authoritatively to spiritual, emotional, and relational challenges, offering divine wisdom for life's complexities. As Hebrews 4:12 affirms, Scripture is living and active, piercing to and exposing the deepest parts of human nature and motivation.
This position necessarily means that all guidance, insights, and discernment must be tested against and submit to Scripture's authority. Any supplementary resources or insights, while potentially valuable, prove insufficient and potentially detrimental if inconsistent with biblical truth. We maintain Scripture's supreme authority in our methodology while welcoming the Spirit's ongoing work in illuminating and applying its truth.
Our commitment, therefore, centers on using Scripture as our primary and authoritative source in counseling, applying biblical principles and solutions to life's challenges while partnering with the Holy Spirit in interpretation and application. This reflects our deep conviction that God's Word provides the necessary and sufficient foundation for understanding and addressing the full scope of human needs in counseling and discipleship, even as we depend on the Spirit's active work in applying its truth.
In practical application, we recognize that secular theories or methodologies inconsistent with Scripture prove not only insufficient but potentially detrimental to biblical counseling. Any supplementary resources must align with and submit to biblical truth. All counseling tools and approaches require careful evaluation through the lens of Scripture, maintaining the Bible's supreme authority in our methodology. If there is a question as to whether or not to use an outside resource, the Director will provide guidance in keeping with this statement.
This position rests firmly on the Bible's own testimony about its sufficiency and authority, as witnessed throughout Scripture and particularly in passages such as 2 Timothy 3:15-17, Psalm 19:7-9, Hebrews 4:12, and 2 Peter 1:3-4. We stand resolute in upholding these truths in our counseling ministry, confident that God's Word proves sufficient for every counseling need we encounter, while actively engaging with the Spirit's ongoing work in applying Scripture's truth to specific situations.
