| 2 Timothy 3:16-17 states “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”.
What does this really mean for the life of the Christian and how do we apply it to counseling? Let’s walk through it carefully and reverently. When looking at “All Scripture”, Paul is reminding Timothy, and us, that the Old and New Testament is breathed out by God. There are 2 authors of Holy Scripture. The secondary authors are those who physically wrote the words (i.e Paul, Peter, Moses, David). The primary author is the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit inspirited each person to write exactly what God wanted them to write down (2 Peter 1:20-21). If we doubt God’s Word, then ultimately, we doubt the nature of God himself. But, if we believe what Jesus says about the Word of God (John 17:17), then we ought to believe in the inerrancy, infallibility, and authority of it. As we move out of our foundation of understanding and where knowledge is rooted, we are told 4 major applications where God’s Word is profitable for using in our everyday life.
It is good for teaching (instruction), reproof (conviction), correction (restore), and training in righteousness. If we attempt to counsel anyone without the use of God’s Word, whose instruction are we giving to them? If we seek to convict the counselee without the use of God’s Word, whose standard are we using? If we seek to restore or give hope to a counselee outside of God’s Word, where will the counselee find hope? If we seek to train our counselee in righteousness outside of God’s Word, where are they going to be trained? In biblical/pastoral counseling, our source of wisdom and authority only comes from the living Word. The goal of biblical counseling and the use of God’s authoritative word is to equip the man or woman of God for every good work and that they are complete. When you are tempted to getting a divorce, run to God’s Word on the matter. When you are enslaved to a particular sin (drugs, pornography, overeating, or spending habits) run to God’s Word in understanding the heart of the sin. Simply put, the problem is sin and when we attempt to cover the sin without Jesus, then we are attempting to change without the transformational power of the Holy Spirit.
So, where are you getting counsel? Who has your ear when it comes to how you should react to the pressures of life? When your anger is explosive and it leaves your victim wounded, where does your hope for change come from? My prayer is that it is found in Christ with the use of His Word. God has something to say about the issue you are going through, are you willing to listen and address it God’s way? | 
