Jim Berg claims that this nouthetic counseling program Quieting a Noisy Soul presents the solutions to anxiety, despair, obsessive compulsive behavior, panic attacks, anorexia, bulimia, and other problems.

Part 1 of this series covered the Problem (the noisy soul) and the Cause of the problem according to Jim Berg’s nouthetic counseling: your sin, specifically, your unbelief and your guilty conscience. “Noisy souls,” says Berg, “are self-absorbed souls.” 

This post addresses his Solutions. That is, the way he says the one with the noisy soul should turn from your unbelief and stop being self-absorbed.

Solution 1: Come to Christ and purpose to be like Him

Berg bases this admonition on Matthew 11:28, which in the KJV reads

Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

Berg claims that the rest a noisy-souled person so desperately needs will be found in the instruction he give.

Come to Christ, yes . . . and purpose to be like Him?  This is the problem.

We can purpose to follow Him. We can purpose to know Him. We can purpose to trust Him. But only He, through the power of His Holy Spirit, can do the work of making us like Him, as we look to Him in faith. Not only is this a more realistic Christian life, it’s also a more restful Christian life. When Jesus said we will find rest by coming to Him, but every admonition of the nouthetic counselors is only to keep striving . . . well, that just doesn’t add up. I covered that topic in much greater depth in my critique of the nouthetic counseling booklet Godliness through Discipline.

 

 

 

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Read Part 3 here.

 

 

 

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Go here to download your free Guide, How to Enjoy the Bible Again (when you’re ready) After Spiritual Abuse (without feeling guilty or getting triggered out of your mind). You’ll receive access to both print and audio versions of the Guide (audio read by me). I’m praying it will be helpful.

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