Within the first few chapters, the Bible reveals that we live in a fallen world that is not of God’s doing, but our own.  And yet, most people wrongly blame God or mistakenly expect an easy life.  Maybe some do not read the Bible.  Maybe some have not read the Bible in its entirety.  Maybe some do not read it regularly.  Whatever the reason, there is a low level of Bible literacy, which results in either inaccurate quoting of Scripture or a lack of knowledge when it comes to the whole counsel of God.

This is bad enough in the course of everyday life, but when Christians need guidance in the face of individual growth challenges, mental health disorders, or relational conflicts, it becomes all too easy to complain that God doesn’t have anything to say about it and rush off to a secular therapist (or counselor who is Christian but brackets out their confession from their profession).

God tells us that His Scripture is precisely what we need.  It is useful for teaching foundational concepts, for pointing out where we went wrong, for showing us where to get back on the right path, and for how to get there (2 Timothy 3:16).

ICHTHYSroe believes in the sufficiency of Scripture.

It is our opinion that the Bible says too much for most people–or, more precisely, more than what can be dished out in a quick sound bite.  In fact, the counter-intuitive corollary is that a well-meaning counselor says way too little to do any justice to what the Bible actually says.  This is too often the case, whether it happens to be a pastor, small group leader, or brother/sister-in-Christ from church… or a professional counselor who is either a non-believer or someone who goes to a church (once a week, or once a year).

So on one hand, some counselors do not reference Biblical truth.  On the other hand, others speak a couple of over-used verses out of context.  This, of course, makes things worse because clients are then led further away from God and the truths that would have set them free.

• God is immanent (we are not alone because He is with us) and transcendent (we do not have to be everything because He is beyond everything).
• God is triune: the Father designed us in His wisdom (we have a purpose), the Son atoned for us in His love (we are freed from the now unnecessary guilt and/or shame), and the Spirit is continually empowering us (we are works-in-progress who will be done in His will and timing).
• God adopted us as His children (we are now royalty and must see one another as crowns).
• God makes us His sons (co-heirs with Christ regardless of gender, similar to how we are all collectively the bride of Christ, regardless of gender).
• God prepares us for His good works by His power in His design (we are called to love so that He can be glorified in a fallen world, so that others can experience Him even as broken people, and so that we would be made more like Him over time).