Call-ins Radio Broadcast Friday 09/10/2021

Call-In Classic Christianity Radio – Bob George P670 (09-10-21)

Practical Issues of Life: The Truth Shall Set You Free

Many times people call for help in practical matters of life, such as a spouse with eating disorders, such as Bulimia or Anorexia, a physically abusive spouse or an adulterous affair. Many times this requires biblical counseling. Not counseling of the world where someone is trying to fix the problem but where the counselor is directing people involved to the Lord Jesus Christ who alone can fix the real problems rather than just treating the symptoms. A psychiatrist may or may not even be giving the right treatment for the symptom, but in some cases, a doctor may be necessary. If there is a physical problem, such as requiring the removal of a cancerous pituitary gland, for example, then a doctor would be needed in such cases. But thinking problems are really spiritual problems that a person can get help from by consultation with a biblical counselor.

In the matter of someone suspected of adultery that should be resolved by the parties involved and should not be brought to the church or the pastor. If a person is flaunting his sin in front of the body and the body is affected, then the pastor, not the church, should be in charge of resolving the matter, and ultimately confronting the person and ultimately be the one to ask him to leave, if the person does not stop his flaunting behavior.

Otherwise, a person who is a party involved in the adulterous affair, if he or she goes to the pastor for counseling, the pastor should keep what is said in confidentiality, not telling anyone else about the matter, not even his wife or the deacon board. He should give practical biblical advice and instruction in regard to his/her options, and in consultation with the Lord herself, she makes the decision at to what she should do. Her options in the case the husband is the offending party, and after confronting her husband on the matter, is either to divorce or work out the problem, forgive him and move on, if there is indication to her that he is truly repentant of his behavior and she is willing to remain with him. If at any time, the church gets involved, or meddles in this, they would be involved in gossip, and that too is a sin that would need to be dealt with. But gossip is avoided by just the two parties affected by that adulterous affair resolving their issue between them. One outcome might be that the husband never sees her again for her to remain married to him.

In cases of an abusive situation, that is difficult to provide guidance in a general way. Is the abuse verbally, physically or both? But, in essence, a person abusing another person is not a believer, and if he is, he is certainly not being controlled by the Spirit of God. In the latter case, how can he be rationalizing such behavior? But it must start there in addressing where that person is. But also consider the extent of the abuse in making any specific decisions as what to do. But ultimately the person must come under the control of the Holy Spirit for any resolution to occur. And there would be specifics in regard to separation or divorce depending on the extent of the abuse. Also, a believer, married to an unbeliever, is under no obligation to remain in an abusive relationship and should leave, for God wants you to be at peace in such a situation.

Eating disorders are often a symptom of an issue of control or identity. If a person is a control freak, then eating can be one of those things she thinks she can control and so any questioning of eating habits are met with a rebellious spirit of do not tell me what to do. It would be good to find out where a person is in regard to Christ. A person is neither out of control nor in control but just thinks she is. The person is either under the control of Satan or under the control of Christ. But these eating habits affects her relationship with her spouse because he has fears of losing her and so he now struggles with an anger issue. Fear is a secondary response to anger. So he must confront her directly with this matter and seek help for her as well as for himself. Ultimately, Satan is at work to steal, kill and destroy, and so truth must dispel the error so they can walk free.

The other issue is one of identity. If you think you are a Bulimic, then what do Bulimics do? They throw up their food. If you are a child of God, what do children of God do? They enjoy their food and give thanks to God. So you cannot be both a Bulimic and a child of God at the same time. Psychiatrists give names to things, so they can give medication for it, but that is not what God calls it. It is a thinking problem according to God. You shall know the truth and the truth will set you free.

So listen as various people have questions on such matters and listen as he provides guidance on dealing with such issues. A book that Bob George recommended is A Closer Look at Your Identity in Christ. He also connected some of the callers to a biblical counselor, who was alive when Bob George was also alive, so as to reach out to get them the help they needed.