Psycho-heresy Isn't Biblical Christianity

Great article by Gil Rugh:

Psychology has so infiltrated the Evangelical Church that taking a stand for the purity of the Word of God often brings division among Evangelicals. The few voices who speak out against integrating psychology with the Bible are often criticized. They are accused of being unloving and divisive. The focus has become their personalities rather than whether they are doctrinally correct or not. As a result, there has been a blurring of the true doctrinal issues.

On the other hand, many Christian psychologists have become so popular that to criticize their teaching is almost like attacking the Bible. Undoubtedly, most Christian psychologists are well intentioned people with a desire to help others. Good intentions, however, are not the issue. Nowhere in the Bible do we find God accepting of people with good intentions who put aside the clear teaching of the Word. Much damage can be done with good intentions. Therefore, intentions, sincerity and earnestness are not the issues in this debate. The issue is whether today’s Christian psychologists are mixing men’s ideas with the Bible. When I analyze the doctrine of these men, I am convinced they are promoting doctrine that is contrary to the Bible and are addressing man’s spiritual problems from an unbiblical viewpoint....

Since most Christian psychologists quote Scripture, many think their teachings must be biblical. Use of Scripture, however, is not always an accurate indicator that someone is theologically sound. The cults use much Scripture. Most of us have had an encounter with a Mormon or Jehovah Witness who ran us ragged through our Bibles. That does not mean they are correct, however, simply because they quote the Bible. Although they use Scripture, they mix human ideas with it. The result is a perversion of God’s Word. Most Christians clearly see this with the cults, but they do not as readily see this with psychology. Yet Christian psychologists are also guilty of diluting the Bible with ideas from secular psychology.

According to 1 Peter 2:2, Christians are to “long for the pure milk of the word, that by it you may grow in respect to salvation.” The “pure milk of the word” causes Christians to grow. When the milk of the Word is diluted with men’s ideas, however, it loses any effectiveness for developing growth. If someone took a gallon of pure milk, for example, and added a drop of cyanide poison, what would the result be? The result would not be 99.9% pure milk. The result would be poisoned milk. One of Satan’s greatest tactics is to combine error with truth. That is why Christians need to be discerning of people who use the Bible but also say we need to use the findings of men as well. Today’s Christian psychologists often use the Bible, but they also add men’s ideas to it. When the ideas of men are added to the Bible, however, the “pure milk of the word” becomes polluted.

Read the whole article here.