In our age much emphasis is placed upon the exploration of man’s psychic processes. As a result of this, a science sprang into being within the last century known as human Psychology. This science deals with the inner man, and examines his mental processes, feelings and desires. It examines the general mental processes of human thoughts, and then applies these findings to the solution of individual problems. Human psychic problems often result from vain imaginations.
We read in 2nd Corinthians 10:4, 5 that “the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds; Casting down imaginations (images), and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.”
In 2nd Chronicles 30 we learned of a massive return of Israel and Judah to the Lord; a casting down of idols and re-dedication of the people under the righteous administration of King Hezekiah. Today we are going to expose and pull down a few modern psychological idols and evil imaginations, hopefully for a re-dedication of our minds to the living and true God, even as Israel did under Hezekiah.
When we become Bible students we become (perhaps unconsciously) students of a special kind of human psychology. We become aware of the fact that the spirit of God is the discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart of man, and is the best authority on the science of Psychology.
The Apostle Paul, for instance, writing to the Roman brethren, was very emphatic about the way we think. In Romans, chapters 7 and 8, he probes the depths of first, the natural, and then the spiritual mind of man. In the 7th chapter, 5th verse, he refers to man’s natural psychic process as functioning according to certain basic, inherent instincts. He calls them “The Motions of Sins. .in our Members . . .” and he makes it very plain that God’s righteous laws identify these instincts with production of sin, bringing forth fruits unto death!
In verses 14-18 he divides man’s mind into two parts. One part he styles the carnal mind (verse 14) : “. . . I am carnal, sold under sin.’ The carnal mind exercises the motions of inner sins. This he hates, and would not consciously allow, but confesses to being helpless, a victim caught in bondage to sin. “Now then it is no more I that do it but sin that dwelleth in me” (verse 17). “I delight in the law of God after the inward man: But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members” (verses 22, 23).
The “I” of Paul in verses 17-22 is his spiritually enlivened conscience, the inner man which was made conscious of evil by the spirit word. This mind is a creation of God, and despises the weakness of the old man. Modern Psychology is aware of the inner spiritual conscience; but, by not understanding its character in the manner in which Paul did, Psychology has come to regard it as being a source of mental anguish, conflict, torment, etc. During the course of this article we shall examine some of those assertions and test their validity, thus pulling down that image.
When are the foundations of human behavior laid ? What factors determine the makeup of our psychology, or our philosophy about life? The bases of our fears, our joys and our mental health are related to this philosophy about life. To know the origins of our philosophy aids in understanding our personalities. From the earliest years of man’s memories he begins to grow intellectually, because he begins to formulate attitudes that are balanced upon experiences encountered in living; we begin to develop definite opinions about such things as our relationships with other people, and with society in general.
If we were taught according to the acceptable standards of society, our view of our personal relationship with society was what appeared to be a normal reference to living in accord with it, and we were in sympathy with popular sentiments concerning the ideologies and psychology of our age. If, however, we were being schooled within the framework of the truth, our attitudes were being shaped in a much different way. But, regardless of the influence of our educational sources, we were forming certain positive attitudes about many important aspects of life. It is the positive attitudes that we wish to consider now.
We, as believers, have formulated positive attitudes about the truths contained in the Scriptures, we have anchored our entire personalities upon God’s view of man. Our psychology regarding our feelings with our fellowman has been tempered by the divine point of view. Now, certain teachers of modern Psychology tell us that to establish firm and unchangeable opinions about moral conduct establishes basic mental traits that tend to stagnate the human psychic processes, and one must remain flexible in attitude on every subject, including divine ideas. It is asserted that positive religious attitudes prevent a scientific, analytical investigation of life and its meaning, that we must approach the study of man and his behavior from a purely natural, humanistic philosophy that is based upon the atheistic assertion that man evolved, and is a highly intellectual animal.
However, human psychology, through a development of philosophy, false or true, is evidence that man possesses the capacity to reason upon a reference level above all other beasts, and reflects the intelligence of his Creator. Humanists ignore this, and assert that far reaching mental vision is natural in the process of an evolving mentality.
It was the result of an evolving mentality that the God idea originated. It is asserted that, as man became aware of himself, as he became self-conscious, a need was born: a need to create laws to regulate thoughts and behavior; that his moral relationship with others of his kind needed policing, and consequently God was created in the mind of man. God thus became the reflection of man’s humanity, his sympathetic feelings were expressed through God, and so God is a myth, a created mental need! And today higher education claims that man no longer needs the God idea, that he is emotionally mature, that he understands why he needed his gods in the past, but now he can handle his emotional needs from a rational, analytical, scientific, reasoning process. From this philosophy we have heard the assertion that God is dead. What they are really trying to tell us is, the God idea is dead !
Did man’s naturalistic psychology and atheistic humanistic philosophy originate in our generation? Are these ideas peculiar to our day only? Not at all! These philosophical influences began to shape thought and affect research of scientific matters during the Middle Ages. During that period much of modern thought stemmed from the study of Greek and Latin classical literature. Out of this research developed the renaissance movement in Europe which finally culminated in the upheaval of monarchical government, and the breaking of papal power over Europe, and our own form of government and other western governments resulted indirectly from those changes. Realizing that the spirit of such philosophy sprang from ancient Greek and Roman art, literature and culture, we can perceive its purely paganistic quality.
It is also important to remember that the Lord Jesus and the apostles were fully acquainted with those philosophies, for they lived in the age of their zenith in Roman culture. The Apostle Paul encountered more opposition from the philosophies of the Greek and Roman culture than perhaps any of the apostles, mainly because he traveled throughout the territory of the Roman Empire, preaching the truth in the midst of their culture. We recall while he was at Athens (the center of Greek culture) his spirit was stirred in him when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry. He began to dispute with the Jews in the synagogue and with devout persons, and in the market daily with those that met with him (Acts 17 17) “Then certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoicks, encountered him And some said, What will this babbler say ? others said, He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods because he preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection” (verse 18) These men spent their time in nothing else but to tell or to hear something new (verse 21) Therefore they were willing to investigate any strange or new thing, at least until it lost their interest.
What principle philosophy did the Epicureans teach? They taught that luxurious living, especially enjoyment of all forms of sinful pleasures, was a worthy way of life in itself They were especially fond of eating and drinking good food and liquor, and a Greek philosopher (Epicurus, 342 270 B C ) taught that the good life of man should be a life of pleasure, regulated by morality, temperance, sincerity and cultural development Needless to say, their standards of morality were founded upon human wisdom rather than divine wisdom, and their love of the materialistic things imparted to them a pragmatic form of mind.
This philosophy was extremely popular in Asia Minor and Alexandria (95-50 B C ) and influenced the Jews as well as the Greeks profoundly The objective of Epicurus was to find a philosophy, a practical guide to happiness, true pleasure and absolute truth was not the end at which he aimed Experience, not reason, was the test to be relied upon It was obvious that a system thus formed would degenerate by natural descent into mere materialism From this philosophy, then, we have a foundation for the modern materialistic attitude, and consequently the pragmatic approach to achieve materialistic ends.
The modern world has emerged into its complex industrial and scientific status as a result of the materialistic comforts, and the worship of all aspects of humanism, and so humanity today is less inclined to accept any belief which teaches humility and faith toward an unseen God They protest the subservience of self to any philosophy that restricts the free will and the free expression of our individuality Religious discipline to them enslaves the mind to concepts about life which extinguish the individual personal dynamism, it retards personalities by conforming to laws alien to human nature and robs man of his inherent right to be an individual Believers ask, are their objections to religious discipline valid? Are we justified in defending a positive attitude toward divine ideas and righteousness?
We have subscribed unto the doctrine of Christ that forbids the love of material riches for themselves We are to love not the world nor the things of the world (1st John 2 15), which for bids a fellowship with a spirit of the love of riches and luxurious living as a means of total emotional gratification of our senses It is not surprising that we are challenged often with the question, “what is so bad about being affluent or wealthy and enjoying the good life? They charge that we are mentally muscle bound with inhibiting thoughts We are classed as religiously dogmatic and fanatic, because we refuse to worship the good life! But we gladly suffer reproach, knowing that the results of righteous living will give us a much greater reward than materialistic rewards For that cause we suffer whatever may be necessary to achieve a reward of life eternal
However, we are not justified in defending religious dogmatism or fanaticism as a virtue Being dogmatic without a valid reason is stubbornness, and often rebelliousness in the extreme We have observed religious sects who are so concerned about living an austere life that the personality becomes stern and harshly strict, and so grave and sober that a smile is interpreted as a sin One sect is so austere that no musical instrument may be played in their meetings The use of modern vehicles is prohibited, and modern attire forbidden, the countenance must always be devoid of an expression which would suggest pleasure Such religious dogmatism is the basis of warped, retarded personalities
It is against such dogmatism that the modern thinkers have a valid complaint! Such tradition denies the development of the fruits of the spirit, those traits so beautifully enumerated in Galatians 5 22, 23 joy, love, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance It is obvious that one can only develop these fruits in a mind that is relaxed and peaceful within Any form of austere dogmatism is the basis of re stricted, retarded, unbalanced opinions concerning faith It is the basis of a sullen, inverted personality, and tends to be easily provoked when it is trespassed against, the fruits of love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, etc are prevented from growth, suffocated with strictness of attitude.
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One