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(MARK 5:4) “BECAUSE THAT HE HAD BEEN OFTEN BOUND WITH FETTERS AND CHAINS,
AND THE CHAINS HAD BEEN PLUCKED ASUNDER BY HIM, AND THE FETTERS BROKEN IN
PIECES: NEITHER COULD ANY MAN TAME HIM.”
The composition is:
All of this enforces the great Truth that Christ and the Cross Alone are the only answer.

FETTERS AND CHAINS

The phrase, “Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains,” proclaims the efforts of men to restrain him. These bindings were probably made of ropes, etc. The word “often”
proclaims the fact that they had done this many times, but all to no avail.
To be frank, we are looking here at the extent of man’s ability and effort to deliver individuals
from the bondages of darkness. Concerning sin, the only answer that mankind has is to lock up the individuals (prison), if the situation becomes too bad. “Fetters and chains” are the only answer that man has.
Back in the early 1900’s, the psychologists came up with a proposed answer to the rehabilitation
of criminals. Incidentally, there is no such thing in the Bible as rehabilitation. This means there is no such thing as moral evolution. The truth is, along with the fact that it’s not possible to rehabilitate anyone, so-called rehabilitation is not what one needs. One must be “born again,” if the cycle of sin is to be stopped (Jn. 3:3). They claimed that if the prisoner could be put in total isolation for a period of several months, actually allowed to go outside about 30 minutes a day, and then not to mingle with other people, that the solitude would cleanse him from his desire to do wrong, whatever the wrong might be. Of course, they found out it didn’t work, because, as stated, man has no answer.

THE MUZZLE

A dog that is a biter really cannot be stopped from this situation. So the only answer is to
put a muzzle over the dog’s mouth. While he no longer can bite, the truth is, the desire to bite
is still there. That’s why the alcoholic is encouraged by AA to say, “I am a recovering alcoholic.”
No! That’s not the answer.

BROKEN CHAINS AND FETTERS

The phrase, “And the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces,” represents, as stated, the superhuman strength of this individual, given to him by demon spirits. In the spiritual sense, the idea is, every remedy tried by man is “broken in pieces” by the individuals on whom the remedy is practiced.

DRUG ADDICTION

There was a television program some years back, regarding drug addiction and its cure. Barbara Walters hosted the program. On the program that day, the panelists consisted of: a representative from the Governor’s office of the State of New York, the head of one of the largest rehabilitation centers in the nation, a psychologist, and a representative from one of the nation’s youth groups which depended on the Lord. The representative from the Governor’s office claimed that the answer was more money and proper legislation. I really don’t know what he meant by that. The psychologist claimed that education was the answer. The representative from the rehab center at least was honest. He basically stated that he really didn’t know what the answer was. Ms. Walters asked the head of the rehab center about their cure-rate. His answer again was very candid, “About one half of one percent.” And then he quickly added, “We’re not really even sure of that!”
Ms. Walters turned to the young lady who represented the group which depended on the Lord and asked her what her “cure-rate” was. The young lady said, “Of all who come through our center,
about 75 percent never return to drugs.” Ms. Walters looked at her incredulously for a moment,
and then asked, “Do you have documentation for that?”
“Yes, we do,” the young lady quickly replied, “and you are welcome to check it for yourself, if you so desire.”
Ms. Walters then spoke up and said, “You mean that these people who are cured have some type of religious experience?”
The young lady said, “Yes, they have an experience with Jesus Christ, Who Alone can set the captive free.”
Everyone on the program sat there for a few moments and stared at the young lady. No one asked her any more questions. Here was the answer to the drug problem set before them, and they totally ignored it. For the rest of the program, Ms. Walters discussed the problem with the three men who were there, completely ignoring the young lady, even though she had the answer. If the answer had been anything other than Jesus Christ, all the air time in the world would have been given to that particular solution. But inasmuch as it was Christ, there was no interest! God help us!

IS HUMANISTIC PSYCHOLOGY THE ANSWER?

The phrase, “Neither could any man tame him,” presents the conclusion then, which is
also the conclusion now. In other words, this is beyond the pale of human endeavor, irrespective of
its intellectual knowledge. Despite this plain statement as written by Mark, which was inspired by the Holy Spirit, man now feels he is able to do what his ancient counterparts could not do. I speak of the field of humanistic psychology. Of course, the advocates of this philosophy would disavow their abilities in such desperate situations; however, my question would be, “To what degree can psychology be of service?” “If, in his demon possession, he can break ropes which are 1/8 inch in diameter, could psychology help him then, but not if he can break ropes up to 1/4 inch in diameter?”
I do not mean to be sarcastic, but the truth is, psychology holds no answer whatsoever, despite the
fact that the modern Church has bought this humanistic line, proverbially speaking, hook, line, and sinker. Even though the following has been given elsewhere in other of our Commentaries, I personally feel that the significance of this subject demands that we repeat the information.

THE REPLACEMENT OF BIBLICAL COUNSELING

I am absolutely convinced that psychotherapy (psychological counseling) is rapidly replacing Biblical Truth, and that the whole Christian structure is being, to a great extent, subverted by this “false religion,” and a “false religion” it is!
If the Preacher knows the Bible, thereby understanding the Cross, and he Preaches the Cross as he should, that is all the Biblical counseling that is needed. Counselors, who sit in offices in Churches for hours on end, and listen to one tale of filth after the other, are not helping anyone. It might be referred to as “Biblical counseling,” but actually it isn’t.
While, at times, one-on-one counseling definitely may be needed, still, the greater thrust should come from behind the Pulpit. This is the problem: either the Preacher is ignorant as it regards the Cross of Christ, or else, it is a matter of unbelief. In other words, he simply doesn’t believe that Jesus answered every question, solved every problem, and overcame every demon spirit at the Cross (Col. 2:14-15).
Irrespective of the perversion, the aberration of the human spirit, or how bad the situation is, Jesus Christ truly answered it all at the Cross. In other words, He totally and completely atoned for all sin, which then removed Satan’s right to hold man in bondage. The Scripture plainly says,
“And having spoiled principalities and powers (Satan and all of his henchmen were defeated at the Cross by Christ atoning for all sin; sin was the legal right Satan had to hold man in captivity; with all sin atoned, he has no more legal right to hold anyone in bondage), He (Christ) made a show of them openly (what Jesus did at the Cross was in the face of the whole universe), triumphing over them in it” (Col. 2:15). The triumph is complete; it was all done for us, meaning that we can walk in power and perpetual victory due to the Cross. If the Preacher preaches the Cross, and the individual makes
Christ his Saviour and His Lord, thereby placing his faith 100 percent in Christ and what Christ did
at the Cross, and if what he is doing is continually reinforced by the Preacher from behind the pulpit,
such a person will know total and complete victory, irrespective as to what the problem might be. However, there are a couple of hitches in this solution. The first hitch is the Preacher who doesn’t believe in the Cross, and the second hitch is the individual who desires victory over the problem, whatever the problem might be, but doesn’t want to fully and wholly give their heart and life to the Lord Jesus Christ. In other words, they want to continue to sin, but just not be bothered by the bondage of sin.

PSYCHOTHERAPY AND THE PREACHING OF THE CROSS

In a recent book review in a major Pentecostal publication, a book entitled “The Holy Spirit in Counseling” was lauded. Here is what was said:
The authors, whom I will leave nameless, Ministers in this particular Pentecostal Denomination, examined (according to the book report) the Biblical foundations of the Holy Spirit’s dynamics as Comforter in the counseling process. Both authors, during the time of writing, were professors in one of the schools in this Pentecostal Denomination. The following is a statement they made in their book:
“It is impossible to separate psychology and theology — as they relate to the counseling process. The object of counseling is a human being created in God’s Image. Wholeness is achieved only when
life is lived in the manner in which He intended. Therefore, it is not a question of whether therapists rely upon the Holy Spirit or upon their counseling skills. We must equip ourselves with the best tools available, while being certain that the Presence and Power of the Holy Spirit permeates our personalities.”
If one is to notice, even though cleverly stated, they are saying that it doesn’t really matter what one uses, the Holy Spirit or their counseling skills (psychology).
They went on to say, “We must equip ourselves with the best tools available,” which actually
says that at times psychology is a better tool than the Holy Spirit. Then, they tried to gloss it over
by saying that while they are using the psychological tools, they must make certain “that the Presence
and Power of the Holy Spirit permeates our personalities.” First of all, to conclude that
poor, failing, perverted man has developed greater means for dealing with the human problem
than the Holy Spirit is ignorance at its best, and blasphemy at its worst. How can the Holy Spirit
permeate personalities who are using false methods of humanistic psychology devised mostly
by agnostics and atheists? Actually, these two men do not believe that what Jesus did at the
Cross is sufficient. They believe that it has to have help, and the help they are suggesting is humanistic psychology. What did the Holy Spirit through Peter say:
“According as His Divine Power has given unto us all things (the Lord, with largehanded generosity, has given us all things) that pertain unto Life and Godliness (pertains to the fact that the Lord Jesus has given us everything we need regarding life and living), through the knowledge of Him Who has
called us to Glory and Virtue (the ‘knowledge’ addressed here speaks of what Christ did at the
Cross, which alone can provide ‘Glory and Virtue’):
“Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and Precious Promises (pertains to the Word of God, which alone holds the answer to every one of life’s problems): that by these (Promises) you might be partakers of the Divine Nature (the Divine Nature implanted in the inner being of the believing sinner becomes the source of our new life and action; it comes to everyone at the moment of being ‘born again’), having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust (this presents the Salvation experience of the sinner, and the Sanctification experience of the Saint)” (II Pet. 1:3-4).
Now, either what Peter said is the Truth and we should abide by that Truth, thereby receiving
its glorious benefits, or else it isn’t the truth and we should buy the book written by these two individuals, whoever they might be.

WHAT IS PSYCHOLOGY?

The primary Greek word, “psyche,” is the root from which we derive the English terms, “psychology”
and “psychologist.” Interestingly, the word “psyche” is utilized in the New Testament for “soul.” Hence, a psychologist is a “worker with souls,” that is, if the true meaning of the word is maintained.
However, the foundation of psychological teaching does not even believe that man has a soul.
Consequently, a specific distinction should be made. The secular psychotherapist considers
himself a worker with “minds,” while the (so-called) “Christian” psychologist considers himself a
worker with “souls.” Most Bible Colleges and Seminaries offer at least some basic introduction to
psychology for their would-be Preachers of the Gospel. Thus, a foundation is laid for a subtle
deflection away from the Bible and toward psychotherapy. Actually, I suspect that the psychology
offerings in most Bible Colleges and Seminaries do far more than offer a basic introduction to psychology. A short time ago, I happened to pick up a catalog advertising the course offerings
of a long list of Bible Colleges and Seminaries. Almost all of the subjects were in the field of psychology, or at least leaned in that direction. So, I feel that the subtle deflection away from the Bible and toward psychotherapy has turned into something that is not so subtle after all. It could
be better described as a wholesale rout. Consequently, the Preachers graduating from these schools
come away with little knowledge of the Bible, if any, but steeped in the new “psychological way”;
therefore, those who sit under their charge have the terrible misfortune of being led astray. It has even today been suggested that if a person has only Bible knowledge (and this comes from Bible Colleges and Seminaries), he is ill-equipped to handle the pressing problems of humanity. He must (they say) be grounded also in psychology to meet “human needs.” This is implanted early, with the unspoken implication that the Bible in itself is insufficient to solve human problems.

PROFESSIONAL HELP

As well, it is constantly being suggested that Ministers are ill-prepared and ill-equipped to meet the
needs of modern man. If the Preacher is to be truly effective and proficient in his role, they say, he
should be referring a large percentage of those who seek his help to “professionals.” “Professionals” or “therapy” used within this context means, of course, psychologists or psychotherapy.

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