Counseling with a High View of God: Lessons from the 1689 Confession Chapter 2

Where do you seek solace and truth in the midst of life’s chaos? Recently, I reminded a counselee of an invaluable lesson I learned in seminary: We live out our beliefs about God and creation. This underscores the critical importance of understanding who God is and His work in the world. Without this understanding, it’s all too easy to fall into various false beliefs.

The 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith (LBCF), crafted in the 1600s and officially adopted in 1689, serves as a cornerstone for our faith. These historic confessions hold significant relevance today, just as they did when they were first penned. I often explain to others that creeds and confessions function as theological guardrails, guiding us to remain firmly within the boundaries of Scripture. Chapter two of the LBCF offers profound insights into God’s identity, His attributes, and our understanding of the Holy Trinity, all deeply rooted in Scripture. Hence, this confession, especially this chapter, holds immense significance.

In biblical counseling, our goal is to be as “biblical” as possible—it’s at the heart of our mission. This chapter of the confession plays a crucial role in helping us achieve that objective. As counselors, it’s essential to comprehend God’s sovereignty, nature, and attributes, along with how the Trinity leads us toward hope, healing, and relational fulfillment within the church. In my exploration of this chapter, I aim to highlight the essential points of each section and their connections to biblical counseling, with the hope of enriching our counseling practices.

Why God’s Nature Matters in Counseling

The Lord our God is but one only living and true God; whose subsistence is in and of himself, infinite in being and perfection; whose essence cannot be comprehended by any but himself; a most pure spirit, invisible, without body, parts, or passions, who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; who is immutable, immense, eternal, incomprehensible, almighty, every way infinite, most holy, most wise, most free, most absolute; working all things according to the counsel of his own immutable and most righteous will for his own glory; most loving, gracious, merciful, long-suffering, abundant in goodness and truth, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin; the rewarder of them that diligently seek him, and withal most just and terrible in his judgments, hating all sin, and who will by no means clear the guilty.

Who God Is Changes How We Help

Does counseling start with God or with our problems? This is a crucial question that deserves sincere consideration, as the answer will shape the approach taken in counseling sessions. We should always begin and conclude with God. If God is unchanging, He is our only source of security when everything else falters. His mercy and justice harmonize with His grace and truth. God is perfect in every possible aspect; this is the key takeaway from the first paragraph of chapter two of the LBCF.

We worship a singular, all-powerful God (Deut. 6:4) who embodies purity (John 4:24), simplicity (Isa. 48:12), infinitude (Psa. 90:2), and incomprehensibility (Exo. 3:14). He remains unchanging (Mal. 3:6), vast (1 Kings 8:27), eternal (Psa. 90:2), and omnipotent (Gen. 17:1). Furthermore, He is supremely wise, loving, and holy (Isa. 6:3), as well as gracious, just (Exo. 34:7), and merciful. These characteristics illuminate the essence of God as bestowed upon us in Scripture. As Sam Waldron stated, “Our only sure knowledge of God is gained from what the inscrutable and mysterious God has told us about Himself (in Scripture).” If these truths accurately reflect who God is—and indeed they do—shouldn’t our counseling approach revolve around Him?

God embodies all these attributes and reveals essential truths about Himself in Scripture. Consequently, we can turn to Scripture to gain insight into what God communicates about our nature and His creation. In His grace and mercy, God ensures we are not left unaware of the realities surrounding sin and suffering in this world. Thus, we can confidently rely on Scripture to tackle these issues and offer guidance on how to address them. For those within the church, God and Scripture must remain the primary sources of truth for nurturing souls.

God’s Sovereignty: Finding Peace in the Chaos

God, having all life, glory, goodness, blessedness, in and of himself, is alone in and unto himself all-sufficient, not standing in need of any creature which he hath made, nor deriving any glory from them, but only manifesting his own glory in, by, unto, and upon them; he is the alone fountain of all being, of whom, through whom, and to whom are all things, and he hath most sovereign dominion over all creatures, to do by them, for them, or upon them, whatsoever himself pleaseth; in his sight all things are open and manifest, his knowledge is infinite, infallible, and independent upon the creature, so as nothing is to him contingent or uncertain; he is most holy in all his counsels, in all his works, and in all his commands; to him is due from angels and men, whatsoever worship, service, or obedience, as creatures they owe unto the Creator, and whatever he is further pleased to require of them.

Gods in Control, Even When We’re Not

Paragraph two highlights God’s absolute sovereignty over every facet of His creation, emphasizing that He orchestrates all things according to His divine counsel and purpose. As the Creator of the universe (Gen. 1:1), all of creation belongs entirely to God (Gen. 14:19, 22). Therefore, God reserves the right to act according to His will with His creation (Psalm 135:6; 115:3). Sam Waldron notes, “As the Confession affirms, His knowledge is not dependent on the creature. It does not depend on what man chooses to do in the future. Nor is it in any way contingent or uncertain.” God is not only sovereign but also possesses boundless knowledge and goodness. This means He is fully aware of our sins and suffering.

Sin and suffering in our world aren’t just random events outside of God’s control; they’re part of a greater purpose. Scripture makes it clear that God is actively working through our challenges for our ultimate good and His glory, as seen in Romans 8:28. A powerful example of this is Jacob’s life. He faced immense trials—sold into slavery, imprisoned, and mistreated by his own family and Pharaoh. Despite not fully grasping God’s ways, Jacob recognized that God was sovereign and would use his painful experiences for the benefit of His people and to magnify His own glory.

As counselors, one of the most impactful messages we can share with those grappling with serious challenges and hardships in life is this: we help our counselees navigate the sovereignty of God, even when our understanding is limited. We remind them that God is actively at work in every situation. This journey enables our counselees to cultivate a deeper trust in God and to embrace obedience, even in the face of adversity. It is within this context that they can begin to experience true peace and rest.

The Trinity: A Relational Roadmap for Change

In this divine and infinite Being there are three subsistences, the Father, the Word or Son, and Holy Spirit, of one substance, power, and eternity, each having the whole divine essence, yet the essence undivided: the Father is of none, neither begotten nor proceeding; the Son is eternally begotten of the Father; the Holy Spirit proceeding from the Father and the Son; all infinite, without beginning, therefore but one God, who is not to be divided in nature and being, but distinguished by several peculiar relative properties and personal relations; which doctrine of the Trinity is the foundation of all our communion with God, and comfortable dependence on him.

Three Persons, One God, Endless Hope

The third paragraph of the confession articulates the profound theological truths of the Holy Trinity: the Father, the Son, and the Spirit, highlighting their unique relationships with each other and with humanity. A key point to recognize here is the unified essence of the Godhead, which is one being in essence yet manifests in three distinct subsistences. This doctrine affirms that we do not worship three gods, but one God, who exists not in three different modes (which is modalism) but rather in three unified and divine persons. Each person is divine, equally powerful, and yet uniquely related as Father, Son, and Spirit. While they are indivisible, each possesses distinct personal attributes and relationships: the Father sends, the Son saves, and the Spirit sanctifies and transforms. This understanding of the Trinity, as presented in Scripture and articulated by this confession, serves as the foundational knowledge of this mystery.

The three persons of the Godhead work together in harmonious unity, each fulfilling their distinct role in the process of salvation while collectively executing this divine mission. Sam Waldron puts it this way, “We are distinctly to enjoy communion with the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ as the accomplisher of redemption; the love of God the Father as the author of redemption; and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit as the applier of redemption.” This represents the core of redemption. As we embark on our journey of salvation, we connect in fellowship with all three persons of the Trinity (1 John 1:3). The same Spirit who resurrected Jesus now lives within us! This infuses hope for everyone, as God actively works within us and through us for our benefit and His glory. As our wounded hearts and lives yearn for true relational purity, we find it in the Godhead and remind ourselves that we share in that fellowship.

How do we counsel with the Trinity in mind? First we point to the Father, and his care for us. 1 John 3:1 reminds us, “See what kind of love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.” Secondly, we emphasize the unique forgiveness available exclusively through Christ. Acts 2:38 invites individuals to repent and be baptized in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, which brings the forgiveness of their sins. It is through Christ alone that we receive this forgiveness, as He has fulfilled all that is required for our redemption. Thirdly, we highlight the transformative power of the Spirit bestowed upon us. In Ephesians 3:16, Paul reassures us that our inner selves are empowered by the Holy Spirit. Each day, we experience renewal (2 Cor. 4:16). Encourage your counselee to understand the nature of the Trinity and instill in them the hope of finding true rest for their souls.

Embracing the Mystery and Trusting the Word

Deuteronomy 29:29 (ESV) “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.”

God’s Bigger Than We Can Grasp-And That’s Ok.

Chapter two of the confession emphasizes the incomprehensibility of God. Essentially, God is beyond our full understanding; His nature and essence are vast and profound. And that’s perfectly acceptable. Isaiah 55:8-9 is a great reminder of this, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” While we may not fully grasp the depths of God’s nature and purpose, He hasn’t kept us in the dark. Instead, He has lovingly provided us with 66 books filled with divinely inspired wisdom for salvation, life, and obedience. 

The essence of our understanding is that we can truly know God and His will through what He has revealed to us in Scripture. There’s no need to seek out signs or wonders; we don’t require dreams, visions, or secret prayer languages. Everything we need is readily available to us, but it requires our engagement and faith. In the counseling room, Scripture serves as God’s voice illuminating the complexities of life, sin, and suffering. So, why would we choose anything else to form our methodologies?

Putting it all Together: A Counseling Snapshot

From Theology to Real Life

Here is a practical scenario that might be helpful to think about. Let’s say a wife comes in for counseling, she has been betrayed by her husband in some way and is wrestling with a lot of bitterness, anger, and unforgiveness. How do we look at the Trinity as a way of counseling this woman? Let’s explore this a little bit.

First, we might point her to the justice of God. In Deuteronomy 32:35 and later Paul quotes this passage in Romans 12:19, reminding us, “Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” While many times we want to take action and justice into our own hands, we must remember to let God take care of this, as to not fall into sin ourselves.

Second, we should direct this woman toward the mercy and forgiveness of God through Christ. Paul reminds us in Colossians 3:13, “as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.” Forgiveness can be a difficult journey, yet it is essential that we embrace it. We are encouraged to forgive others repeatedly, as emphasized in Matthew 18:21-22. In my counseling experience, one of the most significant challenges people face is learning to forgive, particularly understanding their own need for forgiveness and how that translates into forgiving others.

Lastly, we should encourage her to recognize the transformative work of the Holy Spirit in her life. Often, we focus solely on the negative events that occur and overlook how the Spirit is actively moving within us during difficult times. Romans 8:28 reassures us that for those who love God, He orchestrates even the toughest circumstances for our ultimate good. Additionally, 2 Corinthians 4:16 serves as a powerful reminder that God’s work in our lives is ongoing, renewing us each day.

This is Biblical counseling at work. It involves guiding those who are wounded and struggling due to sin and the hardships of life, revealing to them who God is and illustrating how God is continually active in every circumstance we encounter. 

Reflection Question:

How has understanding the Trinity helped you?

How has understanding the different relations within the Godhead helped you?

How can you take the Trinity more clearly into your counseling sessions?

Waldron, Sam. “Of God and the Holy Trinity.”A New Exposition of the London Baptist Confession of Faith of 1689, edited by Rob Ventura, Mentor, 2022, p. 63.

Waldron, Sam. “Of God and the Holy Trinity.”A New Exposition of the London Baptist Confession of Faith of 1689, edited by Rob Ventura, Mentor, 2022, p. 74.

Waldron, Sam. “Of God and the Holy Trinity.”A New Exposition of the London Baptist Confession of Faith of 1689, edited by Rob Ventura, Mentor, 2022, p. 85.