Counseling Notes - Section Three - The Model of Man
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The Model of Man
The Model of Man
Biblical Worldview
A worldview is one’s philosophical viewpoint about life and the rules that govern life. A Christian worldview is a commitment to accepting and following Biblical principles in all aspects of daily living. If one is committed to this goal, then God has promised a full life.
8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
28 But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.
21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. 23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: 24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. 25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
The Four Main Questions
Where did I come from?
God first created man and then told man to be fruitful and multiply.
1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. 28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
Why am I here?
Man was created to have fellowship with God, to be a reflection of God’s character, and to rule over the earth.
4 What is man, that thou art mindful of him? And the son of man, that thou visitest him? 5 For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, And hast crowned him with glory and honour. 6 Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; Thou hast put all things under his feet:
When Adam and Eve sinned, turning from God-centered to self-centered, or from Theocratic (a society ruled by divine guidance) to autocratic (a society ruled by a single person or small group, not God), they forfeited the rights and position that God had intended for them. However, because God’s plans are eternal, and because of His great love, He decreed that through His Son atonement would be made and redemption would be accomplished.
What is Right and Wrong?
8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, Neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are my ways higher than your ways, And my thoughts than your thoughts.
12 There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, But the end thereof are the ways of death.
8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
Where am I going?
There is an afterlife and all people will stand before God and give an account of themselves. The one that has acknowledged Jesus Christ will have eternal life.
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. 13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
The Seven Governing Principles for a Biblical Worldview.
The Sovereignty of God
The Divinity of Jesus Christ
Restoration and Salvation through faith in Jesus Christ
The Reality of Sin and Satan
The Christian witness to the World
The Inerrancy and Sufficiency of the Scriptures
The Return of Jesus Christ
The Model of Man
Every counseling theory has what is called a model and a methodology. The model includes a description of man’s nature and an explanation of his behavior.
The Biblical model of man is explained by examining the account given in the book of Genesis and substantiated in the rest of the Bible. It is only by understanding the Genesis record and the rest of the Scriptures that we can get an accurate understanding of human nature, man’s attitudes, values, beliefs, and behavior, and understand the correct methodology for counseling.
The Biblical model of man is based upon the fact Creation, Separation, and Restoration.
Creation - God created Adam and Eve in His own image. This means that God gave man moral character, mind and will, abilities, needs, and the freedom and opportunity to use all of these in a way pleasing to God. Man was made to desire fellowship both vertically and horizontally with God and with others.
Separation - If one does not believe, obey, or trust God’s Word, he sins and is immediately separated from God. The process of sin is described fully in the book of Genesis: The Word of God is disputed, obedience and trust are violated, and sin is the resulting behavior. Satan’s words were aimed to cause a separation in the relationship that Adam and Eve had with God. Since we are told clearly what caused the separation and what the resulting consequences of that separation were, then we know what must be done to restore the relationship that was broken.
Restoration - Because of God’s great love, he provided salvation for man. He provided both a way for man to be restored to a right relationship with Him and a remedy for what was lost in the fall. He said, “Ye must be born again.”
The Biblical counselor needs to understand these three areas and the dimensions of each area.
Creation
Spiritual and physical nature of man.
Uniqueness of Man
Relationship between free will and moral responsibility
Separation
Doubt introduced
Choice introduced
Spiritual relationship broken
Restoration
Death of Old Man
Rise to walk in newness of life.
Spiritual life restored.
The Creation and the fall
In the beginning God created, and He saw that everything working together was very good.
31 And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
The Nature of Man in the Garden of Eden
Man was created with basic needs. This is supported scripturally by looking at what provisions were made for man in the Garden of Eden , and also by looking at how He commanded us to treat each other. These are the called “one another” needs. These needs must be met vertically and horizontally.
Vertical needs are met with a proper relationship with God.
Horizontal needs are met with a proper relationship with other people.
Basic emotional needs that man was created with.
Love
Love refers to the sense of being accepted and being accepting. Man has a need both to love and be loved. Adam had a perfect relationship with God in the Garden. Love has to do with the feeling of being united with others and sharing a sense of intimacy, commonwealth, and belonging. It is giving and receiving love.
31 And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
18 And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.
20 And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him. 21 And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; 22 And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. 23 And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. 24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. 25 And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.
8 And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden.
Significance
Significance refers to the fact that man has both an internal and external value. His value comes from the fact that he was created by God, in the image of God, and has a place and purpose in God’s plan. In our personal and private relationships, we need to feel competent and capable, without condemnation, guilt or shame.
26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
31 And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
Freedom
Freedom refers to the ability to make choices in one’s life. This corresponds to the free will that God gave to man. We are able to make decisions and have a voice in the guidance and direction of our lives. Man must feel that life is significantly under his own control.
28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
15 And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.
19 And out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof. 20 And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him.
Discipline
Discipline refers to man’s need to feel secure about the choices he makes. Not only must man have a feeling that he is capable of making choices, but he must also feel that he makes right choices that move him to positive and successful results.
28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
15 And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.
19 And out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof. 20 And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him.
Emotional Awareness
This refers to the sense of security one feels knowing how he will respond to given situations over time. He will understand the emotions that he feels and the process that generates those emotions, both positive and negative. Our personality is greatly shaped by our emotional responses. This is how we label those responses and how others label them.
26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.
20 And Adam called his wife’s name Eve; because she was the mother of all living.
Need to know God
Every person needs to know that there is a meaning, sense of purpose, and power that is far above and outside him. There is recognition, although not always accompanied by understanding, that there are things that go beyond the five senses and the natural realm. Our predisposition to know God, seek God, and be restored to God leads man to continually seek an explanation for these things beyond himself. Man labels these things as magical, supernatural, or simply Divine. Man’s inherent concept of fairness and balance resides in this feeling that there is an ultimate right and wrong. As man tries to define and answer this needs composes a large part of his “spirituality”.
27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
7 And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: 5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
8 And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden. 9 And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? 10 And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself. 11 And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat? 12 And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. 13 And the Lord God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat. 14 And the Lord God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: 15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. 16 Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. 17 And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; 18 Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; 19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return. 20 And Adam called his wife’s name Eve; because she was the mother of all living. 21 Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them. 22 And the Lord God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever: 23 Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. 24 So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.
