The Imago Dei in Biblical Counseling: Insights from the Second London Baptist Confession

The imago dei has sparked debate for many years and will likely continue to do so. The Bible does not present it in clear terms, so it requires effort to comprehend it in light of all that God has revealed to us. Whether we choose to understand it or not, the imago dei is a crucial topic, as it shapes our views on humanity itself. In Genesis 1:26-27, Moses, inspired by the Holy Spirit, offers a glimpse of how it all began. God took dust from the ground—pre-existing matter—formed man, and breathed life into him. We are both material and immaterial beings, created male and female in God’s image. Understanding the Imago Dei aids us as Biblical counselors, as it influences our perceptions of our counselees, our methodologies, and our own development. In this blog post, I will explore various ways in which this occurs, also linking it to one of the historic confessions of the church (my personal favorite), the 1689 Second London Baptist Confession of Faith.

The Imago Dei in Biblical Counseling Methodologies

Affirming Human Worth

In the midst of sin, anger, bitterness, and indifference, it’s easy for people to forget this simple fact: every human being is created in the image of God. Every single person, even those with whom you disagree, was specifically created by the same God who created you and me. Every addict, homeless person, old, young, regardless of their stage of life or the suffering they may endure, is created in the image of God. Especially as counselors, we need to recognize that the individuals coming to us are not just problems to solve; they are image bearers deserving of compassion.

As counselors, if we view people and their suffering merely as problems to be solved, we risk adopting a simplistic and often legalistic “just do better” mindset. This underscores the importance of understanding the Imago Dei, as it guides how we should engage with individuals and their pain. When we approach others with love and compassion, recognizing them as image-bearers rather than issues to be fixed, we foster a genuine desire for lasting transformation through the redemption of Christ, who brings our renewal. Ultimately, the Imago Dei allows us to recognize people’s inherent worth as children of God rather than viewing them as merely an issue of the day that we need to address.

Holistic Approach

While the aspect of human worth may be a minor point of debate within the broader discussion of the Imago Dei, the question of what the Imago Dei signifies for human beings is a much larger facet of the conversation. In other words, what does it truly mean to be created in the image of God? What advantages does humanity possess that the rest of creation does not? Genesis 2-3 reveals that all of humanity was made somewhat differently than the rest of creation, in that God bestowed upon us a part of His image, a gift not given to the rest of creation. Additionally, through the creation and fall narrative, we learn that humanity is designed to be spiritual, rational, emotional, and relational beings. These characteristics are unique to humanity and specifically granted by a triune God to reflect that triune God. No other creature on earth is created in this manner.

How does this shape our counseling methodologies? It should inform our counseling by recognizing the whole person rather than reducing them to a specific problem. Often, the suffering we face in life stems from the entire person reacting to something that has occurred, whether positive or negative. Therefore, in the counseling room, we need to address the whole person to tackle that specific situation. We must also recognize that through Christ, the whole person is renewed daily (2 Cor. 4:16); this is the hope we offer them. In Christ, renewal is not only possible, but it is actively happening as we learn to navigate this life and its challenges. This brings us to the next section: sin and redemption in light of who we are and what Christ has done.

Sin and Redemption

It is no secret that humanity has fallen into sin and rebellion; we can merely look around to see the death and decay caused by sin. If we are honest, we notice the damaging effects of sin in our own hearts and lives. In Romans 3:23, Paul reminds us of this truth: all of humanity has fallen short of the glory of God because of sin. In Colossians 3:5-11, Paul urges us to put off or put to death those old sinful ways we once practiced freely and to embrace the new self, which is being renewed in Christ. Paul’s list serves as a reminder that the imago Dei comprises spiritual, rational, emotional, and relational aspects that have been tainted by sin but are redeemable through Christ! What a glorious view of the Imago Dei.

This perspective on sin and redemption in Christ should also aid us in shaping our methodologies in the counseling room by directing our counselees’ attention toward repentance, faith in Christ, and the transformative work of sanctification through the guidance of the Holy Spirit in their lives. Colossians 3:12-17 guides us on the path we should take as counselors: compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, patience, bearing with one another, forgiving each other, loving one another, seeking peace with one another, and teaching and admonishing each other from the Word of God, all in the name of the Son while giving thanks to the Father. Because of Christ, we have a way forward, and it is a sure path to glorification!

Purpose and Identity

A common issue I see often in the counseling room is that many people who are suffering have a false view of their purpose and identity as image bearers of God. So, I want to spend time in this final section on the Imago Dei on how it gives us a proper view here. The Westminster Larger Catechism, question and answer number one, gives us some good insight here: What is the chief and highest end of man? Man’s chief and highest end is to glorify God, and fully to enjoy him forever. Romans 11:36 reminds us that everything created by God is by God, through God, and for God. 1 Corinthians 6:20 reminds us that we were bought with a price and so we ought to glorify God in our bodies. Later on in 1 Corinthians 10:31 Paul reminds us to glorify God in all that we do. So, we have purpose in life to glorify God. But what about our identity? It is easy to see through out Scripture that, as God’s people, we are chosen (Eph. 1:4), redeemed (Rev. 5:9), loved (1 Pet. 1:5), adopted (Rom. 8:15), forgiven (Col. 2:13), justified (Rom. 3:24), sanctified (1 Cor. 6:11), and the list could go on. In Christ, we have all the purpose and identity we could ever ask for!

As counselors, we must understand these aspects of purpose and identity, as they help us identify the falsehoods that may lead our counselees into suffering and sin. The truth is, we cannot guide someone away from a falsehood if we are unaware of the truth to replace it with. Thus, the Imago Dei deepens our understanding of individuals and how they perceive themselves, while simultaneously helping us replace those lies with the truth of Scripture. We are not purposeless or worthless creations, made for no reason at all; in Christ, our purpose and true identity are revealed and influence how we live. The goal of the Christian life is to become more like Jesus in every way, and we achieve this as God works in our hearts through the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit and our submission to His will. Now, let us turn to the London Baptist Confession of Faith and see how it connects and informs our understanding of the Imago Dei and its relationship to counseling.

Insights from the Second London Baptist Confession of Faith

The Confession

Chapter four paragraph two states, “After God had made all other creatures, he created man, male and female, with reasonable and immortal souls, rendering them fit unto that life to God for which they were created; being made after the image of God, in knowledge, righteousness, and true holiness; having the law of God written in their hearts, and power to fulfil it, and yet under a possibility of transgressing, being left to the liberty of their own will, which was subject to change.” I want to highlight four main aspects of this text that relate to our Biblical counseling methodologies: original design, pre-fall capacity, fallen man, and the immutable soul.

Original Design: Knowledge, Righteousness, and Holiness

In this confession of faith, several qualities are emphasized as part of the image of God. It states, “being made after the image of God, in knowledge, righteousness, and true holiness.” This is known as the triadic description of the image of God in man, indicating that we were created to be rational, righteous, and holy beings for God. This offers a framework for understanding the imago dei and how we should perceive others, particularly in counseling. Although these triadic descriptions have been tainted by sin and suffering in this world, they are being renewed by Christ through the empowerment of the Holy Spirit and the truth of God’s word.

This triadic description of the imago dei, found in the confession, also provides a framework for counseling others. The triadic descriptions help us identify sin in someone’s life by asking a few simple questions. Is this sin due to a lack of knowledge about God and His will? Is this sin willful and rebellious toward God or someone else? Is this sin arising from some form of idolatry or fear that needs further understanding? The answers to these questions, along with many others, will help guide our counseling methodologies and the homework we assign. In better understanding the imago dei in people, we better understand how to counsel them.

Pre-fall Capacity

The 1689 2LBCF also mentions in chapter four paragraph two that humans were created with the law of God “written in their hearts, and power to fulfill it.” Before the fall of man, Adam and Eve were given the law of God on their hearts, spoken to them by God himself, and all the willful power they needed to obey it, allowing them to live in perfect harmony with God and with each other. If the possibility for obedience was there, then the possibility for disobedience was there also and it didn’t take long for the serpent to come in and twist God’s words. We all know what happened after that, we see it and feel it every day of our earthly lives, but there is hope.

Paul reminds us in Ephesians 4:23-24 that our minds (knowledge) are being renewed, and that as we put on the “new self,” we are putting on righteousness and holiness. Notice again the triadic descriptions emerging for us. The point of Ephesians 4:17-32 is that in Christ, because we are being renewed in this triadic sense, we have the capability to return to a pre-fall state (in glorification), and to live in victory over sin. Even though sin has tainted everything about us and everything we do, God has not left us to put sin to death in our lives alone, because Christ and the empowering Holy Spirit are with us. Christ has already won the battle; the Spirit is helping us live in that victory, and that is our hope.

Fallen Freedom

Another aspect highlighted in the confessions is that, as rational beings, God granted us the ability to think and make decisions independently. It states, “yet under a possibility of transgressing, being left to the liberty of their own will, which was subject to change.” The only free will humanity possessed was before the fall, in its perfected state, but it became enslaved to sin after the fall of mankind. Since then, we either live as slaves to sin or slaves to Christ. In Romans 6:2–23, Paul reminds us that now we have been set free from our enslavement to sin, giving us the freedom to live in righteousness, which leads to sanctification and eternal life with our Creator.

In counseling, the idea of being rational creatures capable of independent thinking and decision-making, whether good or bad, benefits us in two ways. First, it enhances our understanding of personal responsibility, allowing us to teach our counselees the same concept. While some suffering results from sins against us, there remains room for personal responsibility in how we react to that sin. Clearly, sin committed by the counselee must also be recognized as personal responsibility. Second, this understanding highlights the necessity for ongoing repentance in our lives and in the lives of those we counsel. Repentance is never a one-time event; it is a continuous aspect of the Christian life as we recognize sin in our lives and take personal responsibility for it. Personal responsibility and repentance will always go hand in hand.

Immutable Soul

One final aspect of the confession I want to address is its statement that God created man “with reasonable and immortal souls.” This confession, alongside an understanding of the imago dei, allows us to view people from a proper perspective. We were made for a life with God—eternal life—gifted with a soul that will one day dwell with its Creator forever. What Adam and Eve might have experienced had they not succumbed to sin reflects the very reality our souls yearn for: a time free from sin or suffering, devoid of crying or pain, but filled with an eternity of perfect praise for our King.

When it comes to counseling, this is an important reality that we must acknowledge and frequently remind our counselees of. It helps shift our focus away from the fleeting and temporary relief of this world and encourages us to long for the glorification we will one day experience fully. Paul reminds us in Colossians 3:2 to set our minds on things that are above in the heavenly places, rather than on the things of this world. Recognizing the immutable soul of each person helps us focus on salvation, sanctification, and glorification for everyone who comes to us in their sin, pain, and suffering.

Application in Counseling

Balancing Dignity and Depravity

From this, we gain an understanding of the imago dei and what the 1689 2LBCF states about the creation of man and woman, leading to a comprehensive understanding. However, we must also maintain a balanced perspective. In the counseling room, coffee shop, or wherever counseling and discipleship occur, it is crucial that we recognize the inherent worth of those we engage with; God created them, and they possess purpose and identity, along with a soul yearning for its Creator. They also carry sin in their lives that needs to be addressed, making personal responsibility and repentance essential in the Christian life.

We also walk away from this understanding of the triadic descriptions of the imago dei in every person. This helps us build a framework for understanding individuals, identifying specific issues, and gaining wisdom in addressing those concerns. Clearly, the primary goal of any methodology should focus on Jesus Christ, and from this, we see that Christ, through his life, death, and resurrection, is actively transforming us. The Holy Spirit, through the Word of God, works in our lives amid all the sin and suffering to sanctify us and make us more like Christ. What good news!

A Hypothetical

Imagine a new counselee approaches you, struggling with feelings of worthlessness and failure due to the sin in their life. How do we tackle these issues? We can begin by guiding their focus to the creation and fall narrative in Genesis, which illustrates how God has made them, how we are all fallen in Adam, and the hope provided by the new Adam (Christ), who redeems and renews us. This enables the counselor to convey the inherent worth of every individual created in the image of God while also addressing the sinful patterns in their lives, emphasizing the hope of a future free from sin and brokenness. The counselor can discuss the triadic aspects of knowledge, righteousness, and holiness within the imago dei, how these have all been marred by sin, yet are fully redeemable through Christ. You can pose questions to clarify and identify the distortions in their lives, allowing for a more targeted approach to these issues. The ultimate goal is always Jesus, the perfect image-bearer, who grants us renewed purpose and identity now and forevermore.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the imago dei is a vital aspect of our understanding of people, and as counselors, one of our aims is to comprehend them better. Without a proper understanding of the imago dei, we risk resorting to secular methodologies apart from Scripture. Along with the imago dei, the 2LBCF helps us formalize this understanding and guides our perspective of it as seen through Scripture. Overall, the historic confessions and doctrines of the church can assist us as counselors in forming a more solid understanding of people and our methodologies for counseling practice. If you are not utilizing confessions and learning how specific doctrines fit into counseling, I urge you to consider them, as they not only enhance your understanding but also foster growth in your counselees as they gain a better grasp of these concepts. Remember, Jesus is always the goal; He is renewing us, and we have hope set in that.

For counseling and discipleship you can find more information at www.redeemercare.net or email rdawson28@outlook.com