Editor's Note: I originally was going to play a pre-recorded interview today with Dr. David Jeremiah. I have decided to move that interview to a later date in October.

My Guest on today's program will be Dr. David Powlison. I will be speaking with Dr. Powlison about his latest book entitled, "Seeing with New Eyes" (P&R)

Althought the book was published in 2003, it was recently reviewed on Discerning Reader by Bob Kellemen. In the review, Kellemen wrote...

"Powlison organizes his thoughts in two parts: "Scripture Opens Blind Eyes" and "Reinterpreting Life." In part one, readers enjoy a biblical theology of biblical counseling from three books of Scripture: Ephesians, Psalms, and Luke. In part two, readers benefit from a biblical psychology of biblical counseling: what is the nature of human nature and why do we do what we do?

In several chapters on Ephesians, Powlison seeks to understand how Paul uses Scripture and thus how we should do so in practical theology. He then explores Paul's view of God and the titanic difference our image of God must make in our lives and ministries. In a final chapter on Ephesians, Powlison uses Ephesians 5:21-6:4 as a model for understanding human relationships. Throughout this section Powlison artfully crafts a pastoral theology for real people with real life issues and a real God with real answers.

Biblical counseling has sometimes been slow to emphasize suffering, instead focusing almost exclusively on sin. So it is encouraging to see Powlison spend two important chapters on the why and how of suffering, using the Psalms as his guide. These chapters provide a biblical sufferology useful both for the person going through suffering and for the person called along side to help the sufferer.

His chapter on Luke is a sermon on Jesus' sermon on worry. What Powlison does here is reflective of his entire purpose: he takes one section of Scripture and not only applies it, but models how we can apply it in biblical counseling.

For readers wanting a full-blown, systematic, detailed theology of biblical counseling, Seeing with New Eyes may fall a little short. However, that was not Powlison's purpose. However, for readers wanting an excellent introduction into how to view and use Scripture to begin to develop a biblical model of biblical counseling, Seeing with New Eyes is an excellent primer."

On today's program, I will ask Dr. Powlison to further elaborate on on Human Nature and the important role of Biblical Counseling.

Additional Note: For those in the Upstate of South Carolina - Dr. David Powlison will be speaking twice in our area over the next week. First, he will be preaching at Redeemer Presbyterian Church (ARP) this Sunday. And he will also be speaking at the National Association of Nouthetic Counselors conference next week.

DAVID POWLISON is the editor of The Journal of Biblical Counseling, teaches at the Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation (CCEF) in Glenside, Pennsylvania and at Westminster Theological Seminary, and counsels at CCEF.