Saturday, January 29, 2022

What Counsel Do You Give To Sinners?

What do Hardshell Baptists say to sinners? To those who are lost and in sin? Think of Hardshell parents. Many of them have children who are lost and become lawless because of their depravity. I know that they believe that they should 1) teach their children the bible, and 2) pray with their children, and 3) take their children to church. But how can they believe this consistently? If their children are dead in trespasses and sins and cannot know anything about God, then why do the above things? Does doing so not contradict their theology (or soteriology)?

What do Hardshell Baptist pastors say to those unregenerate souls who come to them for counsel about family problems, depression, worries and fears, etc.?

Some have embraced noethetic counseling, which is counseling based upon the bible. But, again, if that is true, then what counsel can the Hardshells give to an unregenerate sinner who is in love with his sin? Seeing they believe that the lost sinner cannot know any spiritual truth, do they only teach them the law? But, wait, "the law is spiritual" (Rom. 7: 14). So, they cannot teach the law to their lost children either, because "the natural man receives not spiritual things." (I Cor. 2: 14) So, why even teach the bible, a spiritual thing, to their children? Why counsel sinners from the word of God?

This is a gross inconsistency between belief and practice. Based upon their practice, they show that they believe that the bible, be it law or gospel, is a means to effect change in lost people; But, this contradicts their creed that says it is foolishness to teach spiritual things to natural men. 

If I counsel with sinners in the noethetic way, from the bible, I want to first ascertain if the one needing counsel is saved or not. That will make a difference in the type of counsel given. If the person is saved, the counsel will begin upon that foundation. If the person is unsaved, the counsel will begin with discussions about sin, depravity, God, salvation, and the coming judgment of God. But, how can Hardshells counsel the lost about his being saved? Ponder deeply that question my Hardshell brothers!

What think ye?

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