CHRISTIAN PSYCHOLOGY
Dr. E. C. Bragg
PREFACEMore commonly called "Biblical Psychology." While it is true that the Bible was not written as a text-book on psychology, and it nowhere sets forth any complete psychology, yet we shall see that we are correct in formulating a system of Biblical psychology. The Bible no more seeks to set forth a system of psychology than it does of ethics, theology or any other science. But every subject of the Word of God grows throughout the Book as the Holy Spirit adds details, here by a type, there by the recounting of some historical dealing of God with sinner or saint, sometimes by explicit command, at others by way of illustration, until the growing picture is complete in ethics, morality, philosophy of life, and so in Psychology.
I go to the Bible to study True Psychology and find there the pure revelation of the psychology of man unadulterated by the vague guesses and tainted imaginations of unregenerated professors. The Bible, many times in one verse will reveal to us more true psychology than all the text-books on psychoanalysis and psycho-pathology ever written. That is, the hidden reason for all of man's emotional instability, fear complexes, insecurity, evil fixations, immoral, and unethical behavior, frustrations, and distractions, and disintegrations. THEREFORE, we are just as correct in studying Biblical or Christian Psychology as we are of studying Christian Ethics, and Christian Theology, and Christian Dogma.
Certainly, since we believe that the Bible is the very Word of God, and inspired verbally, fully and infallible as given in the original, than it speaks not with the guesses, suppositions, and errors as man-made sciences; but it speaks with the very wisdom of the God who made man, "And needs not that any should testify of man for He knew what was in man." When it speaks of sin as the underlying cause of all maladjustments, and disorganization of personality, it speaks with God's own wisdom. It gives the true cause of our behavior pattern. (And it doesn't have to resort to white rats to do it.) If Psychology is both the study of man's mental and motional makeup, as well as the study of human behavior, then there is no other source with any comparable degree of authority as the Word of God to unmask the heart and mind of man and to tell him the why of his darkened mind and evil hardened heart. This is to say nought of the Bible as the source-book to explain the natural consecrated men psychologically. (See Now all the uninspired minds of even consecrated men have erred in the tripartite makeup of man.)page2
Where else can the real perminent total cure be found, psychologically, for all the personality ills of mankind? The Psychologists say, The answer is in psychiatry and psychology. God says, the answer is in regeneration which brings a man back into harmony and fellowship with God?"
So this is a course in BIBLICAL PSYCHOLOGY, or Christian Psychology. We shall endeavor to make use of any valid findings of scientific psychology, but we shall let the Scriptures give their own particular shades of meaning to the psychological terms it uses, rather than to do as most Biblical Psychologists have done in the past, to read into the Biblical terms the modern meanings. Paul was not a psychologist but a Spirit-filled, Spirit-controlled, Spirit-engraced man.
Definition--Psychology is from the Greek--"psuche" or soul and Logos, or discourse or study. Biblical Psychology is the description and explanation of man's spiritual, psychical and physical constitution, by creation, the fall and redemption from the Holy Scriptures.
That is, what he was in the original creation, what he is by reason of the fall, or the presence of sin in his members, and what God makes of him in regeneration. It should be very patent, at least to the Bible Scholar, that there can be no understanding of the science of Nan's spiritual and psychical makeup, no real understanding of why he thinks and acts as he does, no real understanding of the emotional and mental crackups, and enslavement to all kinds of evil and immoral habits without taking into consideration the fact of his fallen nature. To the Christian, it is clear that there can be no permanent complete cure f or man's psychological ills outside of the "new creation" in Christ Jesus. All man-made cures are but panaceas which treat symptoms and leave the original disease to carry on its dread plague.
INTRODUCTION1. THE NEED OF A COURSE IN CHRISTIAN PSYCHOLOGY.
(Primarily for Preachers).
A systematic study of psychology as revealed by the Word of God and the findings of psychology, will enlarge, clarify, and classify the vast array of native psychology that most of us have in varying degrees. We say, "Native" for much of our knowledge of both our own and of other personalities comes to us without any conscious effort topage 3
be, psychologists,. but rather from three sources:
(1) Just from daily living and contacts with others. In the daily give and take, In the daily adjustments we must make, there grows an elementary accumulation of psychological data, whether we use any scientific terminology for it or not.
(2) There is the natural accentuation of psychological knowledge on the part of the preacher as he is called upon to deal with people's problems, skid counseling them.
(3) There is the inner' wisdom given the God-called preacher by the Holy Spirit usually immediately as the need arises. The preacher is not a self-appointed counselor or minister. He is anointed of the Holy Spirit if God called him, and he has the gifts of the Spirit as well as the Spirit's administration and guidance. This inner revelation by the Spirit is not lost after the immediate need is over, but becomes a permanent part of our mental and spiritual furnishing. How often have I noted how remarkably the Spirit will give us in the very hour we need it most the exact insight and counsel for the hour. But more yet, my own mental and spiritual life was enriched thereby, and my future ministry enlarged.
A mentally awake preacher cannot go through 40 years of preaching, praying, counseling, dealing with human problems and their cures without gaining some insight into the mental, emotional, and spiritual makeup of folks. All kinds of human problems are brought to him. Every sermon he preaches is to stir up a psychical response of some .kind in his hearers and leaves him enriched by the process of channeling it, So whether he wills or not, he becomes involuntarily a psychologist of varying degree; i.e., a student of human nature. It is amazing how often the faithful shepherd can judge the spiritual barometer of his flock. It is also amazing how clearly the response is written on their faces as they sit in the pew listening
to him.
The preacher, whether he knows it or not or wants to be or not, is required to be somewhat of a psychologist. He has to understand people if he is to be a neutral helper or shepherd of the flock, This is not to deny or deprecate the work of the Holy Spirit in the Spirit-filled preacher, to give them in the hour of need a word in season. To givepage 4
them the God-given wisdom needed to meet the peculiar problem of that hour. There is a right and wrong usage of psychology. If it is substituted for the Holy Spirit's work then it is wrongly used. But an understanding of human nature is a great asset to the preacher as his primary business is that of human relations, whether mental or spiritual.
ILLUSTRATION: The business man has found the knowledge of psychology indispensable in his business dealings.. Large sums of money are spent in seeming unrelated entertainment expenses to close a big deal. Some times thousands of dollars are spent to entertain the visiting representative before a word of business is spoken. Why is it he doesn't approach the subject until after he has fed the man?
The preacher will find he is called upon time and again to use all kinds of diplomacy. While he is not just trying to sell a bill of goods, every sermon he preaches is to some degree or another a contact of minds. He is endeavoring to sway the minds and wills of his hearers to action. If the sermon isn't clear and logical, then it won't be convincing and will fail of its purpose. I will not react to any proposition until it is clear to me, convincing my mind, and then my heart. We often say, "Certainly the God Who made the human reason in the first place knows how to appeal to its" But we are not automatons in His hands as
preacher, else there would be no need to study. He could give me a whole lot better sermon than I could possibly prepare. But He takes all my yielded native talents, sets them on fire for God, and then I use them for God, and the more I use them the better they become. If this study can in any measure better qualify you in this highest of callings, to better know men and the methods of God in dealing with them to bring them to Christ, we will be amply repaid,
II. THE IMPORTANCE OF THE STUDY OF PSYCHOLOGY
By this we do not mean that we wish to turn out a bunch of psycho-analysis who will substitute the psycho-analysts couch for the mourner bench, Where the preacher is to deny all the supernatural element in salvation and advise the sinner to think himself out of his dilemma. Since original sin is denied of any fallen nature, but all the blame for misbehavior and vexations of life fall upon hidden complexes, fear neurosis and childhood fixations, repressions, and inhibitions.
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I am afraid that the larger percent of modern preachers are just graduate psychologists salving and healing the hurt of God's people lightly, saying, "peace, peace; when there is no peace saith my God to the wicked." I do not mean that when I speak of the importance of the knowledge of psychology for the preachers. NOT AS THE PRIMARY EQUIPMENT BUT ONLY AS A SUPPLEMENTARY FURNISHING: AND THAT BIBLICAL PSYCHOLOGY, NOT THE "NEW" PSYCHOLOGY.
1. It is important because much of the actions of the members of his church can be definitely classified under certain clear out types. Similar cases can call upon a past fund of knowledge. But so many cases are different and he will be called upon to use all his knowledge of human nature to deal with them. Too many have one cure for every ill, like a doctor with but one
pill for all ills. The preacher must know how to deal with each individual, to do this he must know their own peculiar outlook, feelings, problems, if he is to help them. Here is why there are usually only a few in the average preacher's church that he can help, while many find no help from him in his counsel, He is a stranger to their particular problem as he has no understanding of their natures. All, too many can only help those who have similar natures to their own, since their case is
known by experience to them.
2. It is important because there are many problems of a natural nature not necessarily, nor actually, spiritual needing the preacher's advise and help. It is amazing what they can ask you! They expect the preacher to be a paragon of wisdom. Often he is asked or feels the need to counsel, about marriage problems, home problems, etc.
3. It is important because the preacher will be called upon again and again to use every bit of knowledge of human nature to make groups at variance to be reconciled or various cliques within the church to cooperate in concerted effort. There is no large group but that diverging interests divide Into cliques.
4. It is important to keep down various ill-feelings arising out of real or imagined wrongs on the part of touchy members. There are folks who think they can sing, for usually they make so much noise so close to their ears they can't hear their off-key raspings. The ones who can sing, won't; and the ones who can't insist on singing. It will take all the preachers knowledge of psychology and diplomacy to keep them from singing, yet happy. So the choir called "the war department of the church, also is the call with the average board, with at least one splinter on it.
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5. It is Important, for you will find a great deal of sympathetic understanding as well as patience in dealing with them, if you understand their peculiarities. If you know from your understanding of psychology that the person has some innate quirk of character they cannot help, you will be able to deal with them patiently and also to help them. You will. not quickly underrate them, belittle, nor ridicule them. It ill becomes us to laugh at some infirmity of personality any more than of body. In every church you will find these folks, if you understand them enough you can help them, and fulfill the ministry God has given you in that place.
6. It is important since as a minister you will be called upon to listen sympathetically to a lot of confessions. Psychologically it is necessary "to talk it out" many times to find peace of mind. The urge is overpowering to tell someone who understands and in the telling, mental rest is found. It is not easy to be a good listener at times like that. No supercilious air, no levity, no self-righteousness, no spirit of criticism, nor of condemnation will do, but real heart-felt sympathy and understanding.
7. It is import ant to the right understanding many times of certain Scriptures. It will clarify many doctrines and portions of the Word to know the psychological aspect.
III. THE AIM OF THIS COURSE
We have a vast reservoir to tap in this field of inquiry, There is enough to occupy our study for years. We must therefore only introduce you to the study and be selective. Much will be omitted that could profitably be included. The whole field of psycho-physical investigation is omitted, The anatomy of the nervous system, etc. The body itself physically plays a lot more important part on our soulish life than is at first recognized. Physical. health or illness can determine our whole outlook on life. Christ said, "The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak." So conversely, a sick mind or a sorrowful spirit can upset the chemistry of the stomach, and even cause a death sometimes, As the preacher of old said, "A merry heart doeth good like medicine; but a broken spirit drieth the bones." Prov. 17:22. But we shall only be able to refer to this truth as we go on.
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WE SHALL ENDEAVOR TO KEEP IN VIEW TWO CHIEF AIMS:
1.. P0 make this a study of CHRISTIAN Psychology. That must take pre-eminence over all else. As in the conclusion to this introduction, we see that all secular psychology has missed the mark by leaving out the religious significance. They have erred in omitting the basic truths of man's fall, inborn sin, his soul and spirit as made for God, and the supernatural things, in His redemption and destiny. We should feel our course to be a complete failure if we would fail to integrate the study of psychology with Christian experience as revealed in the Word of God.
2. Second, our aim is as much as possible to APPLY psychology. Not merely to theorize and systematize all the spiritual and mental working a of our personality, but to make all the practical application possible. This we shall. do in two ways-- in the purely mental sphere we wish to take the psychology of study and learning to better fit us for Christian service. And,
second, in the spiritual realm to take up the psychology of redemption and Christian victorious living.
IV. THE COMPARISON OF CHRISTIAN PSYCHOLOGY WITH SECULAR PSYCHOLOGY.
Being an indictment of the so-called "New Psychology", being also a further showing of the need of ~Christian Psychology.
The whole method of secular psychology is to proceed from the outer to the inner and therefore can never arrive at a true understanding of the true real inner subject, the life itself. The scientist can trace the wave lengths of light as they fall upon the retina of the eye, and still further as it travels over the Optic Nerve and falls upon the brain. Of late they have been able to trace the impulse further, and tell what particular lobe of the brain Is used for the reception. But, here it is unable to go further. It cannot tell what perception is; bow the brain "sees." For it isn't the eye that sees, but only takes the picture like the lens of the camera, The picture is "developed" on the plates of the brain. But how? No amount of study has thrown any light on this subject. So, with all the other functions. There is no science that can tell us how we think, nor how we love, nor how we will. To tell me that is is all electric impulse or energy is no more to tell me the reality than to tell me electricity is AC or DC. Life it self is as mysterious today as It was 6ooo years ago. Here is why Psychology has lost itself in a materialistic, mechanistic maze. Being unable to explain the mind behind the brain, the soul behind the physical. responses it has denied the existence of the soul and the spirit, because it cannot analyze them with
page 8test-tube and electronic device, and because it has defied
all efforts of the dissecting knife it. is denied. But the
Word of God starts from within, from the soul and spirit of
man and shows the currents of his life proceed not from
without inwardly, but from within outwardly. "OUT OF THE
HEART ARE THE ISSUES OF LIFE" and "AS A MAN THINKETH IN HIS
HEART SO IS HE."
INDICTMENT OF NEW PSYCHOLOGY
We have sub-titled this section, "an indictment of the Now Psychology" for a very good reason. We shall find a number of counts against it. Not the very least is that as psychology it is a dismal failure; for it boasts that it seeks to find out what-is wrong with man in his mind and emotional life, and the cure. Let us see how the "Child Psychologist" has fared. They were emphatic a few years ago in condemning with horror the age-tested precept of the Preacher, Solomon--~Spare the rod and spoil the child." This sent them Into cold chills, goose pimples and horrified denunciations. To whip a child or punish him would induce fear psychosis, all kinds of complexes and worse yet, definite pattern fixations, and repressions, which would crop out in later life in all kinds of neurosis, maladjustments, fears, manias, and even bodily ailments traceable to those early
fixations. So, all inhibitions were to be carefully avoided, so that they could grow up in the full expression of their individual personalities, uninhibited, unashamed and unafraid. They did, to the sorrow of the juvenile authorities, the parents, and society as a whole. Knowing no law save their own weak wills, and recognizing no authority but their own, spoiled brats of a misspent era, they have posed a problem the psychologists would gladly forget if possible. A number of eminent psychologists, some in the daily papers, have reversed their child psychology, to include some of the old time persuasion grandma found so effective as well as Solomon. (Even our teen-age psychology has been wrong, laying all the emphasis upon complete expression, without restraint. Parents should even sit In the kitchen and let them have the house for their fun.) But, they have found out the great truth that God taught 3000 years ago, "If they don't learn to respect authority other than their own in the home, by obedience to parents, they will have to learn it the hard way, from society sanctions, many times on the gallows, electric chair or jails. My freedom of actions as far as society is concerned ends where his begins. As far as God is concerned, I must learn that there Is a code of morals and ethics to which I must subscribe or I must answer to a Holy God.
page 9Now let us see if I'm too profane in touching this "Sacred Cow" of the "New Psychology." It seems as though it is the unpardonable sin of today to speak a word against "Science" whether it be the wild guesses of Evolution, the hard-rock
facts of physical science, or the vague conclusions of Psychology. I FIND THAT THEY DON'T AGREE WITH EACH OTHER. So why can't I disagree with them? Bread says in "Education and the New Realism," "Psychology is not the proper word to be used. Psychologies is a more appropriate term, for the so-called science of psychology is much today like a house divided against itself."
Adams, in "Psychology: Science of Superstition", says "There is no logical. necessity for our accepting a single hypothesis of the even greatest of modern psychologists. For the psychological theories are based not upon accumulated evidence, but upon personal opinion." Arata, in "Educational Administration and Supervision", says, "There are as many brands of psychology as there. are psychologists."
How wonderful to turn away from the vague hypothesis, guesses and opinions of men, which all too often deny the personal God, the reality of sin, the prickings of conscience, the need of repentance and salvation, to the perfect Word of God, which gives us a picture of ourselves as we know ourselves to be, and then sets out the cure. And I find no discrepancies between its picture and the inner record of my own soul. ANY PSYCHOLOGY WHICH TRUTHFULLY DEPICTS TEE SOUL'S TRUE STATE, AND FINDS A SATISFACTORY CURE FOR ITS ILLS, MUST BE BAS~ UPON THE HOLY WORD OF GOD. (In our indictment we shall see that failure to do that has led all. secular psychology astray.)
LET ME STATE THE CONTENT OF MY INDICTMENT:
Psychology like its kindred science Philosophy, found its birth in the unregenerated darkened heart of man, himself, hence, It can never rise any higher than its source. Since the natural man cannot receive or know the things of God, or spiritual things, it would omit entirely any acknowledgment of them. And since man by wisdom cannot find out God, and being wise in its own deceits, it starts and finishes on a purely human level winding up, denying all that is eternally real and substituting a man-made dream of self-exaltation. This is to be accomplished by auto-suggestion, re-education, the freeing of the subliminal ego of all inhibitions and complexes until you find the euphoria of life (complete happiness) in casting off all restraint.
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Further, let us see what the their finding a are on the most important Biblical truths:
1. God, There are-but a very few psychologists of repute who believe In God, or have any place for the supernatural.. It never recognizes Him or any need for Him. Carl Jung, one of the leaders of - - . Psychology defines God as "An arch typal projection of one's belief." "The content of the racial consciousness, the inherited modes of thought." I would like to hear him define that last ladel of vegetable soup for me in simple terms. Rudolf Aller, also M.D.--"God is but a projection from your unconscious reservoir into the area of consciousness." Schmalhaussen, "The "ritual of fear has embodied itself in such noble and soul-destroying conceptions as God, fate, death, immortality, evil, confessional and prayer." "And, man has sought to cleanse his human nature of its infinite pettiness and mean inferiority by postulating spiritual sawdust--twins such as the Holy Ghost, and the Holy Virgin of God and Jesus. (Rest too blasphemous)" P. 48 -- "Why we misbehave." And ibid l27--"The most glorious of the mind's pretences is the belief in a divinity."
The denial of the existence of God but follows the mechanistic theory of the world and man's origin. He is but the product of natural. forces coupled with chance.
2. Prayer. So it naturally follows prayer is nought but auto-suggestion (Praying to yourself, like Unity) "Praying to the God that is within you", "thinking better thoughts' Schmaulhousen calls religion - "Self stultification," ibid, p. 77. And says of prayer--"By the crude mythology of religion impotent man sought by the hocus-pocus of prayer and pull to cajole omnipotence into sharing godliness with Him." All prayer is to them self-analysis and auto-suggestion (Lifting yourself by your boot-straps through right thinking,)
3. Sin, and the best good or morality and happiness. There are but a very few psychologists but make sin non-existent as Barbour says, in "Sin and the New Theology" -- practically every school of psychology present self-realization as the end-motive of all life, and evil or sin is the failure to reach that end. "Like the most of Sociologist--Sin is the failure to have a
good time." Wilhelm Stekel in "peculiarities of Behavior", p. 8-9--"The imperative of the social group (The herd) is called morality, or ethical law. No action is in itself immoral., it becomes so only in relation topage 11
time, custom, country, and environment." "You see no sin only expediency and social prohibitions." This psychology Spawned two world wars. The Euphoria of life is self-gratification," p.11 and "The imperative of plea sure alone stands supreme."
4. Conscience. As the psychologists deny any existence of conscience at all; they are hard put to define that which condemns us from within. The animalistic psychologist would explain it by calling it a leftover vestige of our animal ancestry, synonymous with the skulk of the dog. Others would make it but some form of repression. Out of the many college textbooks I have, not a one mentions it at all. Barbour says, "Perhaps there has been no other theological concept which has been quite so universally denied by the Now Psychologists as the Christian idea of conscience."
"There has been a unity of effort to explain this mental activity in terms of psychology that would rid it of its awesomeness and take away its fear of power." See the serpent trail hero, he would silence God's. alarm-bell in the soul.
5. Repentance and Temptation. In the "Students Dictionary of Psychological Terms" neither repentance nor temptations are even recorded. Freud considered temptation as, "an obsession" and religion as "world Neurosis" (Nervous disorder). So a sense of sin is only an "Inferiority complex." Conscience is the "Fear of the herd." Religion is "Superstition".
6. Salvation. The New Psychologists refer to any idea of Christian Salvation as "An escape mechanism". And their idea of salvation is self-realization and exaltation; to reach complete happiness through complete freedom from all complexes, inhibitions, repressions, substitutions, etc.
7. The Soul. (So the mind) of any idea of DUALISM. That there is in man an immaterial part.)
With the rare exception of the few Christian Psychologists, every one of the Secular Psychologists deny that there is a distinct separate entity in man, separate from the bodily functions, arid called a SOUL. The brain is confused with the mind, making the brain all there is to our mental makeup. "The brain secretes thought as the steam engine steam? The soulish
activities such as love, hate, reasoning, willing are all products of glandular secretions especially of their endocrine glands, and muscular reactions. Not
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as the Bible teaches that all of these activities are not of the body which only obeys the soulish dictates, and can arid does consciously exist after the body is destroyed in death. The Bible teaches that every soulish function is carried out by the soul after death separates from the body. (Both mental and spiritual). But the New Psychology teaches that all these are only chemical and muscular reactions. So no duty of man to external code but death ends it all like an animal. Thus they have followed the atheistic philosophers before them:
Huxley--"We know nothing more of the mind than that it is a series of perceptions."
Hume-- "When I enter into what I call myself I find nothing but a bundle or collection of different perceptions which succeed each other."
And so psychology agrees with sociology, "The only sin is failure to have a good time." This is called `the new morality"
but is as old as sin. So both have fought marriage as only a primitive tribal custom, and advocated free-love, promiscuity, and perfect freedom to change mates at will.
Let me quote from John Watson, high priest of the "Behaviorist School of Psychology." His books are required reading in
most universities and colleges. In the book, "The New Generation" one whole chapter is entitled "After the Family, What?"
By his experiments with white rats, ho concluded that mothers wore unfit to rear their own children as they warped them, and made them anti - social; also, that it would be far better to rear them in institutions under scientific control. Let me quote, "And will the home be missed? I know that we can plan and equip an institution today that will be better run than any home I have ever been in, because the nursery will be planned for the child. I would gamble my all, too, that after three months in our nursery no youngster will want to go home even for a weekend." (Since he denies the soul, he knows nothing of the love a child needs, and how important that is and no institute can give that).
But the real reason Watson hated the home and family is the communistic reason, "religion." He hates it, like all of these evolutionary, animal psychologists, he considers religion pernicious for children. Let me show you, "It seems tragic to have to admit that the world is largely made up of shackled individuals, top-
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heavy because they are verbally (in word only~ moral, religious and patriotic automations determined utterly in their daily conduct by family training that could function only at the level of the emergence of civilization. As a consequence of the childlike way man is brought up, think of the million of adults today who believe in a, life hereafter--in an immaculate conception--in the divine nature of Jesus--in the heavenly triad, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, and that prayer can be
effective" (And this is supposed to be psychology?) He would have us to believe he would do away with the family because of his experiments with white rats, and the assured findings of the NEW PSYCHOLOGY: but it plainly stems from the same old atheism as that of Voltaire, etc.
He continues, "Indeed, so strongly bent is the family in perpetuating this childish ignorance (Quoted above) in the race that one must almost take one's life in one's hands even to bring it to public attention. There is not a large magazine in the U.S. that would dare to print a frank thesis against the prevailing religious bondage even if that thesis were the mature sincere reflections (??) of a well-known scientist and writer."
Listen to his thesis on the "origin of the church" The most conspicuous and one of the oldest examples of this is the church. The church offers an opportunity for economic independence for a few of manual labor/ The priest craft (lumping preaching
and witchdoctors together) found very quickly that they could strengthen their hand by creating a myth of fiction among the illiterate people that there was an unseen God supporting their temporal power. This it was very easy to do--this unseen One was more powerful than the leader himself, thus Moses and Isaiah and the prophets had to have a God behind them. --.with the advent of the Christian era, there came a little different turn, the deity was materialized (The incarnation of Christ). But even so, the Biblical chroniclers had to bolster the power of Jesus by proclaiming Him to be the Son of God." (If that is "psychology, then I am not the son of a monkey, but a monkey's uncle.)
He concludes his tirade against religion and God with "Once the child arid the parents get steeped in religion all of their thinking life becomes bent, enfeebled, and inhibited. (Here Is what really sticks in their psychological craws, inhibitions, ethics, and morality a code of right living which keeps them from
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freely giving their filth) He goes into the dirty Freudian School of Psychology of the freedom of morality of the barnyard, "This oncoming generation has thrown off the shackles of sex. Experimenting in this field in a way which would terrify the family and the church if they weren't so blinded. There is coming a great sex freedom among adolescents, a return to the practice of the primitive tribes and this is in line with the behavior of other primates." (Monkeys to you.)
THIS IS THE NEW PSYCHOLOGY IN A NUTSHELL. THE PSYCHOLOGY OF THE ANIMAL, NO GOD, NO SOUL, NO MORALITY, NO RELIGION, NO CHURCH, NO FAMILY, NO INHIBITIONS. The only marriage
that of convenience; the only wrong is unhappiness through inhibitions.
J. S. Mill--"Speaks of the mind as, "Nothing but a series of sensations and internal feelings." Herbert Spencer-- "It is an Illusion to suppose that at each moment the ego is something more than the aggregate of feeling and ideas actual and nascent (Beginning to exist) which then exists ù" This is the confusing of the mind with it a thoughts, the soul with its feelings. Like confusing pain with the nerve that feels the pain and transmits it, or the steam with the engine that generates it. THE MIND IS NOT THE SUM-TOTAL OF ITS THOUGHTS NOR TEE SOUL THE SUM-TOTAL OF ITS FEELINGS AND VIOLATIONS, but they are the organs which think and feel.
So in line with this they hate the very thought of freedom of will and moral responsibility to God ù These all deny the freedom of will, since that would necessitate the belief in duty, moral obligation, right conduct, and religious obligations. But all of these make only social expediency. Freud, Jung, Watson, all their little copiers have no place in their system for freedom of will. All is mechanical determinism, a fatalism of a machine. They all make broad to say, "If we could know all the factors of environment, physical stimuli, etc., we could predicate everything you do. Freud in "Introduction to Psycho-analysis", p. 95 says, "The deep--rooted belief in psychic freedom and choice is quite unscientific, and must give grounds before the claims of a determinism which governs even mental life." Instead of any freedom of will we react to glandular secretions and muscular stimuli. These all being predetermined by environment, heredity. P. 10, John Watson
Psychology from the standpoint of a Behaviorist, "The stimulus is always provided by environment, external to the body, or by the movements of man's own muscles and the secretions of his gland." No soulish stimulus what ever.
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8. THE LAST INDICTMENT AND GREATEST OF ALL. Since the New Psychology denies what the Bible declares to be the most important reason for the human ills, that is the FALLEN NATURE IN MAN, I declare that it is a failure.
There certainly is a vast difference in Psychology's answer to the riddle of human behaviors and the Bible's. Psychology makes it wrong environment and wrong training, placing most of the blame on repressions. The Bible has the right answer. "We are fall en men and women." This alone tells the why of most of life's puzzling upsets. Illus: A man may live an exemplary life, prosperous, healthy, all humanly need to be happy. He has love, money, honor, respect--then suddenly go haywire--jumps all social barriers, falls into the worst of depravity, hits Skid row. Not just a complex, not as the psychologists try to work from, hidden complexes, repressions, etc., substitutions, but fallen nature,
CERTAINLY ANY PSYCHOLOGY WHICH FAILS TO TAKE INTO THE ACCOUNT THE GREATEST REASON FOR MEN' S FEARS, WRONG THINKING, NEUROSIS, AND EMOTIONAL ILLS, THAT IS, THE
FALL AND HIS HUMAN FALLEN NATURE, IS A POOR MAKESHIFT AS A PSYCHOLOGY. Here is why God can cure a man when Psychology fails.
PART ONE: BIBLICAL PSYCHOLOGY AS AN EXPLANATION OF MAN'S NATURE.
I. Kinds of Psychology (Divisions of Psychology) Most psychologists divide them into --(1)Child psychology (3) Animal psychology
(2)Adult psychology (4) Social psychology
Human psychology has been divided into two fields of inquiry, normal and abnormal or pathological psychology. Though some of the radicals would erase any line of demarkation, making the abnormal more or less normal. Social psychology is divided into lesser fields; Criminal, educational, pedagogic, industrial, commercial, applied or experimental,
(5) Biblical Psychology. "THE DESCRIPTION AND EXPLANATION OF MAN' S PHYSICAL, PSYCHICAL, AND SPIRITUAL CONSTITUTION BY CREATION, THE FALL AND REDEMPTION FROM THE HOLY SCRIPTURES."
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II, UNSCRIPTURAL THEORIES OF PSYCHOLOGY.
(1) Monistic psychology. A denial that there are two separate entities to man, a materialistic and spiritual Immaterial and material.
(2) Idealistic psychology. A denial of the reality of all matter, .s only mental illusions. Following Berkley's Philosophy.
(3) Materialistic psychology (Another form of monism). Man is nought but matter. When dead you bury all there is of man. Matter has no sentiency, volition, or thought.
(4.) Parallelism, Dualism, but no real interaction between the body and the soul. Run in two parallel lines independent of each other.
(5) The double aspect theory. Mind and body are but two aspects of the same thing. (Like head and buffalo on the one nickel),.
(6) Behaviorism. Materialistic and monistic, All soulish activity as only a product of muscular and `glandular activity. So denies self-consciousness,
(7) Freudianism, The complete answer to all psychological processes by ascribing them to the "Sub-conscious and
its compete absorption with Freud' a idea of the "libido" or sex passion. And makes all, love as lust and passion, and all evil as the suppression of the libido. Salvation is expression, evil is suppression. He is founder of the school of psycho-analysis,
(8) Evolutionary theory. The foundation guess underlying all. modern psychological thought. Hence most psychology is nought but an animal psychology. Find what the animal does to determine what man does and why. The same "drives" are present in man. It is not a question of differences but degrees.
(9) Mob psychology. The swaying of the whole by an idea. (They would explain all salvation and revivals by this). It is true that some have confused mob psychology with the work of the Holy Spirit; but it is impossible to explain conversion on this basis.
(10) Incarnationism. The soul is holy and the body is evil. Start in philosophy by Plato. The Bible does not fix the evil in the body. Paul says, I Cor. 6:16 - "Every sin that a man committeth (does) is without the body." Gr. - extos-outside, exterior to, "And sexual sin is
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sinning against the body." Further God asks us to present our bodies unto Him, acceptable and holy. Rom. 12:1.
(11) Suggestion and auto-suggestion. Carl Jung's peculiar
idea of a subterranean stream of life force he calls,
"Elan Vital" and a controlling of all our organism by
this auto-suggestion (As bad as the Yogi's and esoteric
religions with their "Cosmic force" and vital streams."
III. MAN IS A TRIPARTITE BEING (Composed of spirit, soul and body)
From this chapter title it is seen that we hold to the TRICHOTOMOUS viewpoint, This has been the psychological riddle for 3000 years. Hero we need the light of Revelation more than anywhere else. It won't do to follow the light of natural reason or science. I am afraid the Biblical Psychologists have followed the unsanctified guesses of the scientists rather than the light of Revelation, making too many concessions to their ignorance rather than the "thus saith the Lord." Even our Theologians have done likewise. There is no doubt at all that the Bible teaches Dichotomy, or Dualism; I.e., That man is
made up of the material and the Spiritual. Yet, the secular psychologists have denied that also, why follow them in the Trichotomy? We believe that though Trichotomy is more obscure, it is still taught in the Scriptures. Only the regenerated and especially the "Spiritual Ones', the are conscious of this tripartite makeup. This answers the accusation of the dualists; we are not conscious of any division between soul. and spirit." I say we are-- "We are conscious of the strivings of two
wills, etc." The Secular Psychologists use this same argument to prove their monism. "We are not conscious of any division between soul and body." No, not the natural man, He lives in the materialistic realm entirely, until the Holy Spirit begins His work. Certainly then he Is awakened to another part of His being worth saving, and even of a higher part which was dead before.
It has been further held by the dichotomists that no Serious Bible doctrine is affected whether one holds the dichotomous or the trichotomous view. This is not the case. I cannot conceive how anyone can arrive at a clear understanding of Paul's theology without trichotomy. The Atonement' through Christ' is `not seriously affected, but Christian victory is. But wise and sanctified men have contended for both views, nevertheless we consider it important in both Christian Psychology and Pauline Theology as an explanation of the conflict in the believer, victory over the flesh, and the doctrine of the resurrection.
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DEFINITION - The root Greek words from which we get trichotomy and dichotomy are-in both "temne" which is "to cut" and in dichotomy ".ika" equaling "two" and in Tnchotomy "trik'" equaling `three." Another method of terming them is Tripartite and Dualism.
While the most of modern theology is Dichotomous, most of the early church and all of the Eastern church was Tnichotomous. In the~ time of Christ. all the Jews were Trichotomous so Josephus 1:1,2. So was Justin Martyr, Tentulian Origin, John of Damascus, Tatian, Clement Alexandrinus,, In fact, no writing of the earliest church Fathers contains any idea of Dichotomy. It was only as the Western church became prominent, that dichotomy was taught at all. Strong, In his systematic theology even quotes from some evolutionists to prove his dichotomy. p. 486, Leslie Olshausen well says on I Thess, 5:23 quoted in Smith's Bible Dictionary, p. 915-.-"It is indispensable, under a purely historical view, to acknowledge
the triple division of human nature as a doctrine of the Apostolic age (and in agreement with our own belief).." in fact, it follows that many points of Christian Doctrine can be made intelligible only by assuming the distinction between spirit and soul.
A. LET US SEE HOW THE DICHOTOMISTS TEACH THEIR DUALISM.
There is a lot of truth in dualism, and it rightly emphasizes the truth that man is not just materialistic. There is a part of man which outlives the tomb, which goes not back to the dust, but to the God who gave it.
The Bible over 450 times differentiates between the soul and the body. So this truth needs emphasizing. Man is made up of' a physical or. materialistic part, and a spiritual, unmaterial part. So a part of man not based upon the physical laws of nature, fed on the same food from dirt. In this sense I am dual. Soul and spirit are so closely joined and related and mystical as to comprise a seeming entity. After death the soul and spirit are still inseparably linked and acting jointly. Only the Word of God is sharp enough to divide between the two. There is but one argument worth considering of the dichotomists, i.e.; the many times whore the two terms, soul and spirit are used interchangeably, so they argue, they are synonymous. Most, call it the double aspect theory - the Spirit - is the . looking Godward; the soul is the soul looking manward, but same entity, just two aspects of the same thing. I grant you that the two terms arc used generically to indicate the spiritual or immaterial part of man. This is common to all language. But the generalizations are in ever to interfere with or to interpret the ` . The general portions are to be
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interpreted by the specific, not vice versa, So with ù all doctrine, the doctrine of the resurrection is generalized throughout the bible until we get to the specific teachings of the latter part of the New Testament.
LET US SEE WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS THEORY:
1) It proves too much by trying to use this argument, "Interchangeable tart of man shows they are the same." You can grove unochotomy or monism by that same argument. Just one part of man, for the soul of man is used for the whole man, body and soul in many places. (Acts 27:37) "There were in all the ship, 273 souls." But bodies too.
This an Idiom of speaking, Synechdoche--"A part for the whole", inclusive not divisive. So man for all mankind, taking in women, also. So 100 head of cattle. So many mouths to, feed. So the whole science of zoology, Generic terms, Feline, for the cat family. Yet takes in lynx, lion, tiger, tabby, etc. You can call a Persian `kitten a feline, without losing its other distinctions. So soul and body used interchangeably, yet no dichotomist would say, "They are synonymous.' The many times they are used generically for the whole will not mitigate against the few specific times each is used to divide, This generalization especially in the Old Testament usage of "spirit" is further seen in using the term for animals, yet no real theological dichotomist will make the animal dual as man.
2) If man is only dual, how different from the animal? They have a rudimentary soulish activity. The difference is not in degree as evolutionists advocate, but in kind. "Who knoweth the spirit of the animal that goeth downward, and the spirit of man that goeth upward?" Spheres different,
3) How is man made in the image of God? God is Spirit. Soul is only postulated of God anthropomorphicly, oven as a body is, in a theophany. The image is spiritual, not soulish.
4) The word for flesh, "sarkinos" and "sarx" is used Interchangeably for the body and the old man, old nature. Yet no mistaking Paul's meaning, and the two are not synonymous. Is it strange then that soul and spirit are so used?
5) Paul distinctly proves the Spirit's sphere of activity is not in the flesh (Soulish realm), but in the pneuma, spirit, (Phil. 3:3) So whole "walking in the spirit, not in the flesh."
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6) Note all dichotomists must perforce distinguish between the operation of soul and spirit while denying any real separate entities. (So say, "Only two sides of same thing," yet separate spheres in the New Testament). We shall see more of what is wrong with dichotomy as we study the Scriptural proofs of trichotomy.
B. SCRIPTURAL PROOFS OF TRICHOTOMY
We shall see that the many times soul and spirit are used interchangeably does not mitigate against the few times where a definite difference is taught between the two. Paul is the great revelator of the pneuma (spirit). It wasn't until the new creation in Christ Jesus, and the believer was taken out of the realm of the flesh, and put into the spirit that there was any need of the God-given Revelation of the Tripartite man,
Definition-- Let me state first of all what I mean by trichotomy. I cannot hold to the definitions of some of the great trichotomists. I must part paths as thoroughly with them, as I do the monists who deny any soul, or the dichotomists who confuse soul and spirit as one teaching. dualism. So I part paths with . and many other trichotornists.
They hold--(l) man consists of body or matter, (2) animal life, or some call it "vegetable life," n common with the animal and this is soulish life, (3) then spirit, connected with God, I cannot ascribe to the belief that all of man's rational, emotional, and volitional life is seated in spirit. But I rather believe that all those personality qualities are seated in the soulish nature. The vitalizing principle of life in his body, that mysterious thing called life in every cell of' his body is not to be confused with his soulish nature, In the animal when the principle of life leaves the body it dies. So in man, but the body continues to die for days and weeks after the soul has departed. (I teach that the soul animates the whole body yet if arm is amputated a part
of the soul is not lost). The ascribing to the spirit all the rational functions of the soul is not Scriptural; it has a higher function connected with God, end lies in death in the sinner, until quickened by the Holy Spirit in regeneration.
The soulish life is related to life in the body and self consciousness, The spirit of man is endowed with a different set of attributes with which man was to be related to God, in communion, worship, and "seeing God."page 21
PROOFS:
(1) Using the very same text the dichotomists use.--Gen. 2:7, Here there seems to be three parts to man's creation. First, there is the forming of the materialistic part of man - his body from the "clean dust at the ground." (Not the mud, as the evolutionists sneeringly carp,). The Hebrew has the idea of moulding as a potter, the vessel. (Job 10:9) So Gen. 3:9--"Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.' God made this moulded clay figure, a senseless physical man. It must have had vegetable life but no soul. Then we read, "He breathed into his nostrils the breath of lives." The Hebrew is not singular but plural. Many think only for the Hebrew idiom of moral excellency, but I believe it was for the plurality of lives with which he was endowed. His soulish life and his spiritual life. Man was certainly made to live on two planes. Sensual life, and spiritual life. Then, "Man became a living soul." Note three things---"God moulded, God breathed and Man became." God made a body, God in-breathed a breath-spirit into man, and the union of the Spirit with the body became a living soul. Spirit and body have nought in common, spirit could no t live in body al one, at least this kind of body, gross earthly body. The communion, the link, the life between was the soul of man.
Tortullian well says, "The flesh is the body of the soul, and the soul is the body of the spirit." Justin Martyr says, "The spirit resides in the soul-house, as the soul resides in the body-house." In Adam there was a perfect blending of the three into one harmonious unity; God pervading all, glorified in all, with none of the spiritual strivings we experience.
The body was to be ruled by the soul (Paul, "Master your own vessels.") And the spirit was to rule the soul, and God the Holy Spirit was to rule our spirits as the "Father of Spirit s." This is proved from Prov. 20:27, where this God-inbreathed spirit or breath is called, "The candle of the Lord." "The Spirit of man is the candle of the Lord, searching all the inward parts of the belly." (Rotherham--"Searching all the chambers of the inner man." Bony is used by metonomy for the soul of man the inner life of man as Christ said, "Out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water." This verse in Proverbs shows that the spirit in man was to be God's candle guiding, searching, regulating, the soul of man. This the New spirit of pneuma in man does when he walks after the spirit so as not to fulfill the lusts of the flesh. We shall see that this is the heart of Paul's doctrine of the saints victory in Christ.
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The new pneuma created of the Holy Spirit rules instead of the soulish nature, so not psukikos (soulish) but pneumatikos, (spiritual). (How is this possible in dichotomy?)
(2) Continuing from this story in Genesis, I find a further proof of the trichotomist viewpoint. God told Adam, "In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." (Gen. 2:17) This was not a spiritualization by God, figurative language, but real death. If language means ought, that very day of transgression a part of man died. We ask, "What part?" His soul? - No, his soulish life was still there.. Body? - No, it began to die that day, but not consummated for 930 years. ~`What part then?
- God ha said, "Surely die" and I know he did die - not body or soul, but that "candle of the Lord," the "spirit of man." The candle of the Lord went out in darkness. That part of man God intended for "an habitation. -- of God through the Spirit", where God was to reside, died. Here is one of the great truths of Scripture reiterated again and again, the natural man is dead. Death--and darkness reigns supreme in one department of his being. `Paul calls it, "Dead in trespasses and in sins."
(Eph. 2:1 and "She that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth," I Tim. 5:6) Jesus said, "Let the dead bury their dead."
Where In the natural man, the unconverted man, is there God-consciousness? The faculties to know God, see God, love God, worship God. For Jesus said, "They that worship God must worship Him in Spirit," not soulishly. For Paul said, "The natural man (Gr. Soulish man) cannot know the things of God--for they are spiritually discerned." What did he mean? The natural soulish man is dead in that realm of spirit, and has no faculties with which to lay hold of spiritual things. The paralysis of death lies over all those God-given faculties within, "The spirit of man which was to be Candle of the Lord." So the Bible terms them "natural man," what they are by only natural generation. Jude 10--"Brute beasts" or "irrational beasts" and then Jude 19 reveals what the natural man is, "Those be those who separate themselves, sensual (Roth-mere men) (Lit.
psuchikoi-soulish ones)." Then he defines what he means, "Having not the spirit." (Omit the definite article "the" not in the Greek text "Having not spirit.") Death reigns there. Be careful not to fall into the error of conditional immortality here. Death is never annihilation, but disorganizations, and disintegration. The dead fallen man, still has spirit, but wrecked and ruined
by the fall until it ceases to function as "the candle of the Lord." So God calls it "dead." So hero is the
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need of the new birth; Jesus demanded, "Ye must be born from above." So "Or ye cannot see the kingdom of God." There can be no comprehension. Why? Because that part of man with all those spiritual faculties died in the day Adam fell. And is dead in all Adam's posterity until touched by the Spirit of God into Newness of life. At natural birth a new nature is born,
new faculties to lay hold of physical life. So at regeneration. So many, even of the dichotomists, are Ignorant of what salvation really is; not the re-education, reformation, whitewashing, of the old nature; but the impartation of a brand new nature, "New creatures in Christ and this new Creation has new faculties and can "see the kingdom of God," yea.- "see God."
(3) Before we go further into this argument let us consider a few other Scriptures. Note - the prayer of Mary under inspiration (Luke l:46,47.). Hero there is a clear intimation that the spirit can only act upon the body through the soul. "My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior.' Here the change of tense signifies the spirit first conceived joy In God, and communicating with the soul roused it to magnify God. This is expressed through the song she sang, by the bodily organs of mouth and brain. (Like the candle of the Lord.)
THIS IS AS GOOD A PLACE AS ANY TO BRING IN THE TRUTH, WITH THE BODY MAN IS WORLD.. - CONSCIOUS, WITH THE SOUL HE IS SELF-CONSCIOUS, AND WITH THE SPIRIT HE IS GOD-CONSCIOUS. (First stated by C. A. Auberion) Even the dichotoiriists use some such formula for a distinction between soul and spirit.
(4) This naturally brings up another Scripture (Jude 19) "These be they. . . sensual (Gr. Soulish) having not spirit." Or Paul - (I Cor. 2:l1i.) "The natural man (soulish man) receiveth not the things of. the Spirit...neither can he know them." He doesn't have the right set of faculties in working order, for in that part of his tripartite being death reigns. "So he cannot see the
Kingdom of God." The very part of man's being created by God to lay hold of the things of God, to soc God, worship God, is dead. Only in the resurrected saint, quickened by the Spirit of God, are these faculties back in tune with God.
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(5) Further deduced from those truths is the Scripture very embarrassing to the dichotomists--I Cor. l5:44, etc. The two kinds of bodies of tic saints, the one we have now -. the image of the earthly, the same psuchikoss or soulish body; then the one we shall get in the resurrection, the image of the heavenly, the same pnoumatikos or spiritual body. The first has the idea that the motivating principle of life, and expression is the soulish life. The second that the motivating principle of life and expression will no longer be the soul, but the new creation, the pneuma. So Paul says, "No longer flesh and blood, since it cannot inherit the kingdom of God." But if there is no difference in soul and spirit, as the dichotomists maintain then what is the difference In these two bodies? Let them answer that one if they can ! Paul is dealing in tautology when he calls one body soulish and the other spiritual; one with, soul principle controlling It, the other with spirit. As Scofield says, "To assert, therefore, that there is no difference between soul and spirit Is to assert that there is no difference between our mortal and our resurrected bodies." (See his footnote on I Thess. 5:23 p. 1270) Scofield Reference Bible.
(6) Paul is the greatest revelator of the pheuma in man. The deeper truths of the believer as taught by Paul. are a riddle if man is not tripartite. His revelation of the two natures of the believer, of some believers as sarkikos, fleshy, carnal, and walking after the flesh; and others as pnewriatikos, spiritual, walking after the spirit; also of the warfare in the believer depends upon trichotomy. This is a truth growing out of all we have considered, theretofore, Paul Is the great revealer
here. It is the truth that at salvation God did not patch up the old nature, nor straighten it out, but completely set it aside as crucified with Christ, assigning it to death in identification with Christ on the cross, so that when Christ died, I doed. (Rom, 6:1-11; Col, 3:l-4; Gal. 2:20, etc.) And God implanted in me a new creation, born from above, making me a partaker of the divine nature called by Paul pneuma, after the pnouma Haglon, (The Holy Spirit) Who quickens it. Those two natures then are at war one with the other (Gal. 5:16,17). They are diametrically opposed the one to the other, since one has a corruption and death at work In it (Rom. 8:6, 13; Gal. 6:8). This is called by Paul, "sarx" or "flesh." The other, the new creation, has life as Its principle, holiness as its fruit, (Rom. 8:6; Gal. 6:8) and is called "pneuma" or "spirit." Since the pneuma Is holy and delights in the Law of God
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(Rom. 7:22, (inner man) 1:4), but the flesh mind is at enmity with God and not subject to His law (Rom. 8:7). Those two have contrary wills, affections, principles, desires, thoughts, and fruits. How will the dichotomists explain than? He must perforce allegorize them, robbing than of Paul's moaning. Let me illustrate--Strong, following the double aspect theory of
the dichotomists - "....The pneuma is man's nature looking Godward and capable of receiving and. manifesting the
pneuma Hagion; the psuche is man's nature looking earthward," But Paul makes this now deposit "Created in the image of God in true Holiness," so impossible of corruption. The dichotomists would have their incorruptible seed of the Holy Spirit, vacilerating, first Godward then the same entity earthward, and warring all the time within itself rather than with another contrary entity. How untrue to all Paul's great revelation!
(7) Now to .consider the two plainest portions each in itself enough to clinch the fact that the Bible teaches trichotomy instead of dichotomy. The first Heb.4.:l2. "For the Word of God is quick (living) and powerful (energetic-actively at work-effectively at work) and more cutting than any sword with two blades, piercing (piercing, cutting through to) even to the dividing asunder (Gr. division, or separation - limo of separation) of soul and . spirit (whore is the separating line if same
entity?) aid of the joints aid marrow." And tells us why--"to judge the thoughts and intents of the heart" (reflections and conceptions of the heart) purposes and motives. Berk., - pondering and meditations, Lit.-- "critic of the heart. `
"Joints and marrow" has given a lot of trouble to the interpreter. Conybearre makes it but figurative language, but rest of the verse isn't so, neither is this. This is a picture of the word of God doing what the priest did in the Old Testament as he dissected the sacrifice to search for flaws, We now know that the marrow is the blood builder, hero the red corpuscles
are manufactured, and God says, "The fear of the Lord is health to thy navel and marrow to thy bones " Umbilical cord source of all life of the fetus, and marrow the regimenting course of the life stream, "Fatness of the bones" for good life. Since the bones the marrow, it would seem soulish life from the physical body. So verse l3--"Neither is there any creature that is not manifest (without disguise) in His sight, for all things are naked (no covering) and open
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(no hiding) unto the eyes of Him with whom we must make account."
Let us ask this question--"How is this text ought but nonsense under the teaching of dichotomy?" If the test of the livingness, the ability to work or its energy, and the test of extreme sharpness of the Word of God is Its ability to divide to the line of demarcation between soul and spirit, if there is no line between soul and spirit, but they are one and the same thing? Dean Alfred was the first to try to escape this dilemma and Wuest follows him by trying to make the Greek text only mean a penetration into. Yet even here there is a penetration into two things, but why name both if there is but one? The Greek text demands that the share Word of God does lay bare (ye. 13) each soul and spirit by penetration, but it also lays bare the line of demarkation between the two to separate the spiritual from the soulish. (How necessary this latter is if our worship is to be spiritual and not carnal.)
(8) The second and most conclusive is I Thess. 5:23 - "And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly and I pray God your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lords Jesus Christ." Note - there are two different Greek words for wholly and whole here - The first "wholly" - only time in the N, T equals "through and through." (As Luther translates it, Lit. - "the whole of each of you, or every part of each of you," - the idea is "completely" o the diaglett - "entirely," but it has the idea of "penetration,") The second "whole" olokl. ron - carries the idea of "complete coverage," all of the man, no intrinsic part omitted. So rendering it "The very God of peace sanctify you through and through and altogether - a sanctification that misses no part. And a preserving of thorn blameless, the whole man, nothing omitted - and to make sure he names each Individual part, separated with a separate conjunction "and" between each and to doubly make sure adds the definite article In the Greek before each - "preserve the whole man, the spirit, and the soul, and the body." How could Paul say it more emphatically, or if he wished to teach trichotomy, how could he have said it more plainly? The dichotomy folks build their doctrine of dualism on all the generalization‚, and then like Vincent, say Paul here is using poetical language???
Note - Not as we say, "body, soul and spirit" from outward inward. But "spirit, soul, and body" from inward, where God begins His work in creating a new spirit in the regenerated, then outward to purify and sanctify
page 27the whole man. First, God clears up the spirit or spring or fountain of life, then the streams.
This then is the distinction we shall adhere to, i.e., man as a tripartite being, made up of spirit, soul and body, as harmonizing with all the Scriptures, and explaining the Pauline doctrine of the believer. These two last Scriptures are of more value in formulating a doctrine of the Biblical psychology of man's nature than all the Old Testament generalizations where spirit and soul are used interchangeably to designate the immaterial part of men' s nature.
IV. PSYCHOLOGICAL TERMS USED FOR MIND...IN THE NEW TESTAMENT
In the Old Testament, the terms are not as well defined as in the Now Testament~ because of shortness . of time we shall
confine ourselves to the New Testament, There are seven terms for mind in the Now Testament. We need to note them
carefully as they give us a very good conception of the psychology of the N.T. (Each translated mind in the Authorized Version.)
1. Gnome--occurs eight times in the N.T., variously translated. Acts 20:3 - "purposed to return," I Cor. 1:10 - "Be of the some Judgment" 7:25, 40 II Cor. 8:10 - "Herein I give my advice." Phil. 14, "Without thy mind would I do nothing", Rev. 17: 13. Rev. 17:17 - "In their hearts to fulfill His will and to agree" (Lit. "to form one Judgment.")
This is not of the mind in it self but one of its activities, that of purposing. So, Rev. 17:13, "These have one mind to give them power to beast." It is the mind formulating purpose o judgment." Here the idea is of opinion formulated from mature reflection. So I Cor. 1:10, "All speak the same thing that there be no division among you, but that ye be knit together (as a
broken hone) in the same mind (another word for later consideration not equaling a unity of souls) and the same judgment." (sentiment or purpose). It is cross purposing that causes a lot of disunity.
2. Dianoia..-occurs thirteen times In the N.T. variously translated, understanding three times, imagination, once Luke 1:51, and the rest of the time mind. Used of the rational mind itself, the faculty of knowing or understanding as comprising all the mind's ability or knowing faculty.
Matt. 22:37--."Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy mind."
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Heart-equals all your emotional faculties; soul - all the volitional faculties; mind - with all your mental faculties.
Luke 10:27 "Strength - equals all your physical powers.
Eph. 2:3 - "The desires of the flesh and mind."
Col. 1:21 - "Enemies in your minds."
Heb. 8:10 - "I put my laws in their minds (10:16 - "in their minds will I write them."
I. Pet. 1:13 - "Gird up the loins of your minds."
II Pet. 3:1. - "I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance."
So used three times of understanding (a full grasping of the knowledge by the mind, or lack of it).
Eph. 1:18 - "The eyes of your understanding being enlightened."
Eph. 4:l8 -"Having the understanding darkened."
(Note the psychology of the sinner's downward progression in this text. EPH. 4.:l7-19)
a, "Walk in the vanity: of their mind", lit. "Minds full of folly." Conybeare. Williams - "Frivolity of mind."
b. "Having the understanding darkened." II Cor.4:4 "In whom the God of this age hath blinded the mind s of them which believe not."
c. "Alienated from the life of God through ignorance."
d. "Because of the blindness of their hearts", lit. Stupidity, callousness of their hearts, insensible.
e. "Being past feeling," "Ceased to feel," "Conscience seared with hot iron." I Tim. 4.:2.
f. "Given themselves (abandoned themselves) over to all licentiousness, (lewdness, uncleanness, living only in lusts.)"
g. "With greediness," with all lusts or eagerness.
h. I Jn. 5:20, "And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know Him that is true, and (know) that we are in Him that is true ù "The ability to know Him that is true is a gift of God, which agrees with Eph. 1:18, "The soul or mind as knowing, it `s rational ability to understand "
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3. Ennoi--only occurs two times in the New Testament
It is not the mind itself as much as one of the faculties of the mind. It carries the idea of inner designs, motives of the heart. The part of the mind which influences decisions, and motivates choices. Certainly one of the most mysterious of operations of mind, the why a person chooses as he does.
What rational processes go on to determine choice? Heb.4:12--The Word of God - discerner (critic) of the secret intents of the heart, I Pet. 4:l, "For as much as Christ hath suffered in the flesh arm yourselves with the same mind." The same mind." The same intentions, design, set purpose of mind as Christ, "For he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased (been made to cease) from sin", i.e., identification with Christ in His death is to judge sin in the flesh and to pass out from under its dominion, so vs. 2-- "That he should no longer live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lust of men but to the will of God."
4. Noema--only six times in the New Testament Five of them in II Cot', and one in Phil. Paul is the only N.T. writer who uses it. It is a very unusual word and with the next word explains quite a lot of Paul's Christian psychology..
II Cor. 3:14--"But their minds were blinded--" so a veil.
II Cor. 4:4.--'"In whom the god of this age hath blinded the minds of them."
It has the idea of the thinking faculty--thoughts as we think them. Note a very important truth taught here by Paul in the other two times the word occurs. Phil.4.:7--"The peace of God which passeth all understanding shall keep (guard, garrison, do sentry duty) your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus ù" Keep this verse in mind and read:
II Cor. 10:3-5--Our mighty spiritual weapons--"Casting down imaginations (`logismous' - reasoning 5; Williams-- `demolishing arguments') and every high thing (lofty bulwark or fortress) that exalts it self against the knowledge of God." Now, "And bringing into captivity every thought (Diaglot-- `leading captive every mind;' Conybeare~- `bring every rebellious thought into captivity and subjection unto Christ')."
Hero is the secret of the meaning of the word `noema' for mind. Our thinking life needs guarding--a garrison sot over It, Our thoughts are like quick-silver. It is
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so easy to sin in the secret imaginations of the thought life, in unguarded moments ù Here Satan has access to the mind--to insinuate rebellious thoughts, unsanctified reasoning, lofty thoughts against Christ and the "real knowledge of God." Here carnal weapons won't do. We need the mighty spiritual weapons. Every evil suggestion of Satan, every lustful act, is first insinuated into the secret recesses of the mind, In the inner thought life, and entertained. SO EVERY THOUGHT MUST BE BROUGHT INTO CAPTIVITY TO CHRIST IN OBEDIENCE.
5. Phron - - only in Rom, 8: does it occur, and that four times. Though the root word from which it is taken is used by Paul a number of times, as in Phil. 2:5, "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus," So, means to take care, or thought for something, it seems our idea of minding something comes from, to take care. The four times are:
Three times of the carnal mind in Ram. 8:6. To be carnally minded, Vs. 7, the carnal mind is at enmity with God. Vs. 27, "Knoweth the mind of the Spirit." Rotherham, "He that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is preferred by the Spirit." So He can make intercession for them according to the will of God.
So it would seem that "inclination" is as good as any definition of Phronema. It is the mind bent toward some inclination influencing all its deductions and thoughts. As in I Cor. 13:11, "When I was a baby I spoke as a baby, I thought as a baby, I reasoned as a baby." That is the baby's inclination. See Rom. 12:3, I Cor. 4.:6 and many more of phronea. Thayer says, "What one has in mind, the thoughts and purposes," p. 658.
6, Nous--the most common word for mind in the New Testament occurring 24. times, It has the idea of mind itself as
a rational entity. Thayer says, "The mind, comprising alike the faculties of perceiving and understanding, and those of fooling, judging, determining:
1) The intellective faculty, the understanding as Lk.24:45, Phil. 4:7 (So note I Cor, 14:14-l9 where "the spirit is aroused and completely absorbed with divine thing, but is destitute of clear ideas of them"). So "understanding is unfruitful" and, "I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding, etc." "The intelligent rational mind as opposed to the spiritual mind."
2) Reason as the capacity for spiritual truth, higher powers of the mind so the renews mind of Eph. 4: 23,
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and transformed mind of Rom. 12:2 both in the Greek signifies a newly created mind, which is the mind of the spirit or new nature.
3) The power of considering and judging soberly, calmly and impartially, II Thess, 2:21.. It is also used of a particular mode of thinking and judging, Rom. 14:5, "Be fully persuaded in His own mind." (We have loosely paraphrased Thayer here to suit our purpose.)
7. Psyche--really. erroneously translated mind in the A.V, 105 times in the N.T., and should be translated soul , as it is most of the time, though sometimes correctly translated life. It has in mind the soulish life. Many times if the student will carefully not that soul is meant, more light will flood into the passage than the lame word mind.
Note a few times in particular f or illustration: Phil. 1:27, A.V., "striving together with one mind." Lit. - That you stand firm in one spirit, with one soul vigorously cooperating for the fait of the glad tidings. Rotherham --"with one soul joining for combat along with the faith for the glad tidings." More than a joining of minds, intellects, ideas, but of souls.
Col. 3:23--"Whatsoever ye do, do it heartily," Lit.-- Soulishly. Rotherham, "Do It from the soul as unto the Lord not unto men." We would say, "Put your heart into it." Jn. 10: 21.j., "How long do thou make us to (Lit; - our souls) to doubt."
Acts 14:2--"Unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and made their minds. (Souls evil affected. Rotherham, "Provoked their souls against the brethren.")
Eph. 6:6--"Doing the will of God from the heart." (Lit.- soul)
Heb.. l2:3--"Lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds," (Lit. - souls) It isn't the mind that faints, but the soul.
8. Other psychological terms used in the Bible.
1) Kardia--heart occurs 159 times in the `N.T. It is evident as we see its usage that it is not the physical heart or organ that is meant. It Is not used once of the organ the heart, I Pet. 3:4 explains the psychological usage of Kardia, "Not the outward adorning, but let it be the hidden man of the heart, and explains the adorning a meek and quiet spirit." Unto the Kardia is ascribed all the attributes of personality and soulish functions--so that it must be `the hidden man," the
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essential ego or self, soul of man. So one must `believe with the heart unto salvation" as swaying the will. It is used many times instead of nous, and psyche to show the emotional character of the soul instead of the mental, Some Christian psychologists have tried to prove that the heart is the organ of the soul as the brain is the organ of the mind. But it has always seemed too literal an inference to draw. I do not accept it as a truism. NOTE a few of the attributes ascribed to Kardia.the Understand with the heart-Matt. 18:15
Forgive with the heart- Matt. 18:35
Love with all the heart- Matt, 22:37
Say in the heart - Matt. 24:48
Reason in the heart - Mk. 2:6
Hardened heart - Mk. 6:52
Doubt in the heart - Mk. 11:23
Imagine in the heart - Lk. 1:51
Pondered in the heart-LK. 2:19
Treasured in the heart- Luke 1:66
Thoughts of the heart-Lk. 2:35
Mused in the heart - Lk. 3:15
Sorrowing hearts - Jn. 16:6
Rejoicing hearts - Jn. 16:22
Pricked hearts - Acts 2:37
Idea conceived in heart- Acts 5:4
Believe in the heart - Acts 8:37, Rom. 10:9,10
Purpose in heart - Acts 11:23, I Cor. 9:7
Opened heart - Acts l6:l4
Foolish heart - Ram. 1:21
Impenitent heart - Rom. 2:5
Obeyed from heart - Rom. 6:17
Deceived heart - Ron. 16:18, Jas. 1:26
Counsels of heart - I Cor. 4:5
Decreed in heart - I Cor. 7:37
Anguish of heart - II Cor. 2:4
Secrets of heart -. II Cor, l4.:25
Christ dwelling in the heart-Eph, 3:17
Comforted heart - Eph. 6:22
Kept heart - Phil. 4:7
Erring heart - Heb. 3:10
Covetous heart - II Pet. 2:14
Assured hearts - I Jn. 3:19
Condemning hearts - Jn. 3:20
Searched hearts - Rev. 2:23
Lusts of the heart - Ron, l:24
2) The reins--Heb. Chalats, Kelayoth end Greek~-Nephros, equals kidneys. Variously translated kidneys and loins
and reins. Only once in the N.T., Rev. 2:23, "All the church shall know that I nm He that searcheth the reins and hearts and I will give to you according to your work." It occurs many times in the 0.T. as: Ps. 26:2, "Prove mc, try my reins and my heart." Ps. 139:13, "For Thou has possessed my reins," Jer. 17:10, "I the Lord search the heart, try the reins, even to give to every man according to His ways and according to the fruit of his doings.". Note in the persecutors of Jeremiah, "God
is near in their mouths but far from their reins." 12:2.page 33
It seems to be the motive, the impulses, the well springs from whence issue choices and works, the will end volition.
So, Rotherham translates Ps. 26:2 marg., "My impulses and my understandings." Economy of words in Heb. tongue-.-
only 7,000 in vocabulary use organs for spiritual and soulish activity by metonomy. So hands and feet, etc. "Teach
my hands cunning."3) Belly--to this catalogue must be added a common O.T. word used in a psychological way--belly, the Heb. beten, translated, belly, cavity, bosom, womb. The RV. translates it, "Innermost parts," which is a very good translation, for it has the idea of the soulish parts rather than the external, or rather an inner, inner being. It occurs but once in the N.T. (Gr Koilia) Jn. 7:38-.-"Out of his innermost parts shall flow river s of living waters." RV. . goes on to show it is not out of my own soulish being but deeper within from the indwelling Holy Spirit. NOTE--Prov. 26:22--"Tho words of a talebearer are as wounds and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly." An apology is not enough, the scar remains in the innermost soul. Prov. 20:27-.-"The spirit of man is the candle of the Lord (light of God in man) searching all the inward parts of the belly." Others - Ps. 31:9, Rev. 18:8, 20, etc.
4) There are other psychological terms which shall find a larger treatment later, but to name a few here such as: "the new man, "the old man," "the outward man," "the inner men," "flesh," "Carnal man," "spirit," all of these are certainly psychological terms and form a large part of the psychology of the New Testament.
III. THE PSYCHOLOGY OF LEARNING AND RETENTION
I have in view the prospectus we gave in our introduction to the course. The first part was to be theoretical psychology; the second part was to be applied psychology. In this second division we said we wished to consider applied psychology in study or learning that is our mental life, and ez~p1icd psychology in Christian experience, or in our spiritual life.
We hope as we traverse this planned course that many extracurricular elements of psychology shall have room for development. What we could not do systematically, maybe we can do by way of illustration as we proceed. Where a
subject of real. interest entices us from the subject in hand we shall consider it also, also fool perfectly free to question our findings or seek further knowledge on the subject.
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THE NO-FOLD DIVISION FOR THIS SEMESTER IS:.
I. THE PSYCHOLOGY OF LEARNING AND RETENTION
II, THE PSYCHOLOGY OF CHRISTIAN EXPERIENCE
I. THE PSYCHOLOGY OF LEARNING AND RETENTION.
By way of introduction to this section we wish to warn you at the outset that we have never found any "easy" method of learning--any complete psychology of memorizing or reasoning, pro-digested, fool-proof, acquired overnight by putting it
under your pillow, like a love letter. Everything we shall consider in this shall only help you as you put them into practice by ardent work.
This leads us to our first division in generalization:
A THE FORMATION OF HABITS OF STUDY
1. First a word about habits in general. Psychology has worked out certain principles to determine the why of habits. They are based upon two qualities in the nervous system:
(a) Modifiability subject to change;
(b) Retentivity character of holding that change.
A coiled spring is capable of changes every second for years, but doesn't retain it - retention without modifiability. The bent wire has modifiability with. retention. Clay has modifiability without retention. Illustration--The bent, creased paper will bend every time after in the same place.
It is known that the impulse traversing the nerve loaves its impression, and afterward has a tendency to follow the precious impression. When we take up the study of memory and learning, we shall see certain laws to make the impression indelible. We all know in our own experience how easy it is to form adverse habits and how hard they are to break.
William James, the great psychologist, enumerated four laws of habit formation still copied today by every psychologist.
(I.) Begin a new habit with as strong and decided a start as possible. Use a firm resolution of will. This is particularly necessary in studying. One man's proscription was, to the young preacher, "Glue the scat of your trousers to the seat of the chair."
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(2) Never allow an exception to occur until the habit is well-formed, like fixed periods of study. After graduation this will be imperative. You'll have no other boss than your will. Paul said, "redeeming the time." What you do with time will determine what time will do with you."
(3) Seize the first possible chance to put the now resolution into action. To this many add frequency or repetition of the act.
(14.) Keep yourself young by a little free practice (outside of habit) every day.
There is no minimizing the effects of good habits of study and learning. They become vehicles conveying the mind to higher conceptions, and to the minister greeter usefulness. Lot me name a few advantages:
(1) Study habits make the acquisition of knowledge a perennial fountain, rather than a stagnant pond. Education is not a storing up of enough knowledge to last the rest of your lives. Much of the material, you learn actually is dissipated, but modes of study remain, methods of grasping
facts; reasoning about thorn evaluating, discriminating, concentration are loft, as well as the accumulative wisdom, the development of the mind, its enlargement.
With our forgetters in good working order, we need to continually drink at the fount of learning. HOW MANY PREACHERS DO YOU KNOW WHO DRIED UP ON THE STALK LONG AGO? Why? They never study.
(2) The mind is never as richly furnished as it might be. You can look back and see how much larger your conception is this year than last. Good study habits keep this progression steady.
(3) Good study habits will finally lead to a study which is not necessity, nor duty, but a joy. The reason is simple. It ceases to ho work, but an easy habit of mind--like learning to do anything. First, it is hard work, painful repetition, slow, awkward. But later it becomes a second
nature to you and a joyful release--like swimming, golf, skiing, etc.
(4) But the richest reward of all, outside of God's approbation when Ho said, Study to show yourselves approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed," is the rich scholarship, especially in this field of Biblical research. Your spiritual. experience will ripen with your knowledge.
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But note in the text quoted--it is STUDY to show yourselves approved unto God, a WORKMAN. This is not the passive reception of knowledge, like a sponge soaking up water. It is like trying to build a physique. One doesn't sit down beside the muscle-building machine of weights and springs, waiting and hoping it will build muscles. Study, especially until it becomes such a habit as to be second nature with you, will be WORK. We shall see that a great deal of will-power will, be needed.
B. LEARNING IN GENERAL
The child enters the world with but very few instincts and traits. John Locke was probably the first to describe the brain of the child as a "tabula rasn"' or clean slate. Others have used the idea of blank paper, and a now receiving record for phonograph. All through life there is gathered the impressions learned, and the resulting character building and motivations from which life is made. The child starts with inherited mental as well as physical traits or tendencies, as the physical, facial, and other physical traits are inherited--color of the eyes, hair, certain shape designs. So it is in tie soulish realm: talents, such as musical, artistic, and educational, are traceable in the child. Those seem to be inherited impressions both on the cellular life of the child (for the physical) and upon the mind and soul of the child (in the soulish life).
BUT as the child grows and learns and reaches adulthood, definite habits formulate; the sum total of learning takes definite patterns. In some it is confusion, discord, a mere jumble of every-day memories gathered haphazardly, while on the part of some it takes the form of a well-ordered desk or filing cabinet. Memory is stored with learning in a systematized manner. Education properly received tends to put the mind in order. (Here again is the necessity of good habits of studying.)
Our studying should be looked upon as a capital investment. God has called us out into His service; our equipment shall be two-fold:1) Mental 2) Spiritual
We see the failure of those who emphasize either one to the exclusion of the other. The development of the mind by systematic study and learning is as important to our future ministry as the spiritual development under the moans of grace. In fact, spirituality will follow learning if the wills assent unto the things learned. We grow by the sincere milk of the Word.
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THE WHOLE OF OUR TREATMENT OF LEARNING AND RETENTION OR THE PSYCHOLOGY OF LEARNING IS WRAPPED UP IN THREE OPERATIONS OF THE SAME MENTAL ACT.
Learning is memory being stored or memory in acquisition, retention, or memory proper, as we call it, is memory in retention; forgetting is memory slipping or losing its store (at least conscious memory This acquiring of knowledge can be more careless, accidental, or effort toward some specific goal. This latter is of course our goal as "Workmen approved of God."
1. In the acquiring of knowledge there are three elements: Perception, conception and Apperception. Perception is awareness with interpretation. All learning is perception--the mind evaluating as it is aware of the reports of the senses.
Apperception has to do with my own particular and
peculiar mental interpretation of what I have perceived,
and in relation to myself. Conception is the reasoning
upon It.
BUT ALL THOSE BYWAYS MUST BE OVERLOOKED FOR OUR
IMMEDIATE SUBJECT AT2EPTION. Attention is awareness or consciousness focused upon one specific detail. It is the gateway to learning. Husband calls it, "The process which clarifies sensations." Illustration; Hear a light scratching at the door; we focus our attention upon it and identify it as our dos. So "Attention is a mental. flashlight; whatever it is focused upon is made more distinct." This throws a lot of light upon attention as the doorway to learning. That thing which is learned with a diffused attention, distracted attention, or passive attention is soon
forgotten because it wasn't clarified by focused attention.
a. There are three forms of attention:
I) Passive attention. There are stimulations which come to us as compulsions forcing themselves on our attention--such as a loud noise, brilliant lights, swiftly moving objects, etc. We cannot refrain from attcnd1n~ to it. It momentarily blinds us to all other stimuli.
2) Active attention. This is true selective attention--the holding of the mind forcibly to attend to certain things. This involves effort and is the first fruits of study.page 38
(c) Secondary passive attention. This is when active attention passes over into passive, the becoming so absorbed in the thing you have given voluntary attention to until buried or sunk into the study or work. Many other stimuli go unnoticed: conversation, noises, interruptions. THIS WE CALL CONCENTRATION.
Most all learning from studying is at first active attention, and only becomes secondary passive attention after there is mastery of the mind's focusing ability and an absorbing Interest develops in the subject. BUT UNTIL STUDY BECOMES SECONDARY PASSIVE, LEARNING IS SLOW, PAINFUL, AND OF COURSE INCOMPLETE, since forceful attention is work. Illustration: It is just like the learning of a trade. But the pathway to the effortless attention, when the work is gone and it is a pleasure to concentrate, is by way of the voluntary. It is because the pathway loads through the effort filled way that few pursue to the end.
There are a few other things to consider about attention before we consider a few ways to stimulate attention until It becomes concentration (certain laws of attention):
(1) We are always conscious of something at every waking moment. This is spontaneous attention, shifting whether voluntarily or passively. Even the wool-gathering teenager is giving attention to his day-dreams. Every waking moment is attentive.
(2) Attention is constantly shifting. This we shall see is important to know, as we shall learn to use this phase rather than try In vain to stay it. The longest concentration of attention on record is 24 seconds, though most of the time it is but 3 to 5 seconds, The attention waves rise end fall. We cannot hold it for but a few seconds on any one thing. Ill.: Put a dot on a piece of paper; hold as far away as possible. Both his eyes and his mind will continually wander off.
Illus.: Like trying not to think; try it. This shows how active the mind really Is. You find yourself thinking about not thinking.
This does not moan that the attention cannot recur almost instantaneously to the same subject in rapidly recurring attention. While attending to
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the various details we are learning the general subject. Far from being disadvantageous, this fluctuation of attention is an advantage. We are not forced to fix and voluntarily change attention on minor things: stagnation would result. Fluctuations are en essential clamant in every wakeful moment, as we are conscious of all about us and continually make adjustments to them. So in learning. Rather than futilely trying to stop those fluctuations, we should lam rather to direct them.
(3) One more general thought: This fluctuation principle of attention carries with it two degrees of consciousness. If the immediate focal. point wore all we could take in, there would be danger to us all about and narrowness of life itself.
Besides the focus of attention, there is a nebulous, hazy border of attention. We say, "I saw it out of the corner of my eye;" it wasn't in the focus of the eye. Now this seems to be true of all the senses and the mind itself. They are receiving and sending into the brain secondary reports besides the focal one. You may be writing while someone is talking to you. You arc vaguely conscious of them; so of noises, sights, oven thoughts. We are conscious of but one thing at a time, but vast areas are pushing it. The real ability of attrition and concentration seems to be. the ability at last to anesthetize (put to sloop) these secondary borderline distractions and focus the attention voluntarily upon the one chosen subject.
(That that is studied or learned thusly is permanent. There is a greater impression made. A book read can be reconstructed not by rote, but by content of material.)
2. The problem of ATTENTION (or cultivating the attention) Since the first problem of learning is proper attention, without which real systematic learning is impossible, we must. consider how attention may be improved. Again we warn you, there is no easy way. NO "three easy lessons to attention." You will find this your own personal problem, and a lot depends upon
whether you have the right stamina and respect for your calling in Christ Jesus to pay the price of hard work, to learn how to learn. All we can do is suggest methods of focusing attention; the acquiring of the art of concentration is up to you. But the rewards are great. (By the way, some suggest a goal or reward as one of the stimulations toward attention.)
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You may think that we are parting paths with Biblical Psychology in our present treatise, but you will find several. words for attention In the Scriptures which have a definite bearing upon our present study. The most common Old Testament word m cans to "prick up the ears, to carefully hearken, give heed, to mark well," --Such as Solomon to his son. "Attend to know under- standing." Prov. 4:1
In the flow Testament the common word or a derivative of It means "to hold the mind, to apply oneself to something diligently, to be given wholly to something." Note how Paul applies it: I Tim. 4:13--"Until I come, give attendance (wholly apply yourself) to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. ` So "neglect not the gift that is in thee."
Then he further explains, "Meditate on them and give thyself wholly to thorn," (then the result) "thy profiting will. appear to all, and thou shalt save thyself and those that hoar you." Here is ATTENTION, MENTAL SELF-STIMULATION, MEDITATION, A SINGLENESS OF GOAL--.-"give thyself wholly to them"--AND THE PROFIT OF IT.
Here is the answer to so much slipshoddiness in doctrine, life, and service of so many, and the overall ignorance, pervading the whole.
NOW THE PROBLEM OF ATTENTION. We have soon how important attention is to learning. Now we raise the question, "How can I cultivate that kind of attention which will guarantee a retention of learning?' What are the laws governing attention?
INTEREST.
Too many times you have been conscious of the futility of forcefully attending to that which has no interest for you. But contrariwise you cannot help attending to that which does interest you. Your mind is continually drawn to it when separated from it, and is reluctant to leave it when interrupted, even by such a compelling stimulus as the dinner boll. If you have never had an interest that strong, you are abnormal. Children oven do. So the problem of attention is primarily the problem of interest.
That which is interesting to us will absorb our attention, and working together will cause us to progress--(as Paul says) we will become proficient in it. (Here is the importance of entering the life's work that Interests you.) Ill.: Many of you make better grades hero than you used to in high school; you have a different interest in life.
Page 41Now the question arises how to increase interest--not by force or will power alone, but by incentive primarily. Ill.: Boy day-dreaming in class watches the clock; but give him a reward for finished work, and the clock loses its interest and grades pick up.
Some laws of interest:
a) Take the line of native (natural) interest to you. W~ arc different. Some have the scientific mind (innate curiosity of the why of things), seine. the poetical, some the historical, some the speculative or philosophical mind. Note the difference in the Bible characters--all different, yet all used of God. It is useless to try to force the emotionally minded to a scientific mind. Loan toward the things which have a native interest to you. Use the books which appeal to you, etc.
b) MEANING ADDS INTEREST. You cannot maintain interest in study with the mind passive, in a state of peaceful acquiescence--drinking in with all the vigor of a sponge. The mind must be actively engaged in weighing, evaluating, reasoning, even disputing with the author. Ill.: Note when you lost this connection with the author you road on for a paragraph or a page or two, and suddenly "awaken" to find that you lost the connection; it didn't register.
You should study or road not to memorize but to understand. Bottom one paragraph road to under- stand, "digested," than whole volume swallowed whole. Find out if you agree with the author. I keep pencil in hand; sometimes I say `Amen' on the margin. Sometimes I put "false" or "lie" and give chapter and verse for it. Other times I leave the author entirely for hours on end, while I chase down an argument or train of thought introduced by the. author. (How can you holy but be interested and attentive with whole concentration when you study or reason with that kind of interest?)
THIS FOLLOWS THE LAW OF FLUCTUATIONS IN ATTENTION.
If the stimulus is unvaried, or if some now attribute is not discovered, attention must waver. The mind cannot remain concentrated in the same identical course for long. (Hero is the reason why If the author gets tediously repetitious, we lost.
interest,) IC attention is continuously centered upon one thing without evaluating, reasoning,
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changing points of interest, it tends to produce an hypnotic state. or comatose state (drowsy, lethargic state).
Last of all, as to studying with meaning to create interest, hero is the need of mastering the material as you progress in any book or study since the meaning or understanding of the argument will be lost and interest wanes Ill,: If it is a book based
upon some basic tenant of the author, ho will state his argument in the very beginning~. If that isn't mastered, the rest of the book will be unintelligible, and therefore' uninteresting; and the attention will wander.
c) UNCERTAINTY AND EXPECTANCY WILL INCREASE INTEREST.
That thing which we know too well becomes trite to us and cannot hold our interest without finding some new attribute in It, like the traveling on new highways, with the interest of what is to be seen around the corner--or in fishing. How can a man fish for hours without catching anything? It is the not knowing at what Instant ho will got a bite and what it Is ho might catch.
This is also illustrated by killing the interest in a book by reading the last chapter first, or to have someone toll you how it turns out. Got the habit of expectancy in Bible study. You will never be disappointed.
d) A lot like the last division is this: Curiosity will increase interest. This answer to the natural attribute of the human mind to inquire into the why and what of things. Launch out into new fields of inquiry. Do not be satisfied with the beaten paths of knowledge or second-hand learning. There Is little imagination in the average student's study. Ho never rises higher that what is told him. No wonder it soon loaves him uninterested and mediocre. The pathblazers are few. Real. originality among thinkers is scarce. But you will never know the real. joy of Bible study or of learning in any field until you have found out
new truth for yourselves. It may be old truly, yet you found it Independently by following your curiosity to its conclusion. Men have hold their interest with singleness of attention upon the most obscure and seemingly dry of subjects and research by curiosity. DO NOT ONLY SEEK TO LEARN FACTS SINGULARLY, NOR ONLY THE IMMEDIATE MEANING INVOLVED, BUT ASK YOURSELVES THE "WHY."PAGE 43
o) Lot the emotions have sway to Increase interest. We are always interested in things we like. In theology, Bible study, and spiritual. things how necessary it is to become emotionally involved in order to hold attention. How anyone can coldly
investigate slide. truth as he would a germ on a microscope slide is beyond me. There things are about me, for me. I am involved in thorn. So pray over your studios here in school and throughout life. Got the Holy Spirit to Illuminate for you the sacred page, and apply it. Apply all that you study to your own life. Bengel's motto of Bible study was, "Apply thyself wholly to the Scriptures arid apply the Scriptures wholly unto thyself."
In the front of an old lady's Bible wore those words, "NOW DEAR LORD JESUS, LET US READ THIS BOOK
TOGETHER."
IN THE FRONT OF MY BIBLE I HAVE WRITTEN NY OWN PRAYER CONCERNING BIBLE STUDY:May God the Father speak His Word to mc, as its
source, for instruction that I might know
His will.
May God the Son freshen His Word to mo, as its
life, for enjoyment, that I might love His
will.
May God the Holy Spirit quicken His Word to me,
as its power, for illumination, that I might
do His willsTHIS HAS BEEN MY MOTTO OF BIBLE STUDY
You cannot love Bible study, and therefore really got interested in it, from a cold orthodox viewpoint. His "lord is living and powerful, and is God's love letter to us.
f) A goal or reward stimulates interest. Difference is seen in a traveler who is going somewhere and one who has no destination or aim in view.
We use this always in child psychology. This and curiosity are the; prime incentives to children. In Bible study we arc going some were, more so than the one working for a Ph.D. or Master's Degree. Can you think of a greater goal in life than to
know this wonderful Book and the depths of the mysteries of God's revelations? Paul's prayer was "to know the length and breadth and depth and height,page 44
and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge." In comparison, what is the average aim in life and the things man calls success? To get. wealth, fame, to live and die for self and self-gratification; to live unto one's self and to die unto one's self.
g) There is one more, corresponding to one of the three kinds of attention: Perseverance will augment interest to hold attention. Study is work. Real mental effort is involved. MOST FOLKS ARE INTELLECTUALLY LAZE. THEY WOULD RATHER DO PHYSICAL WORK THAN TO THINK. They want their thinking done for them, predigested. Every opinion comes to them shaped, formulated, and perfected, needing only their signature to make it theirs. They can toll
you what they believe, but not why. Their knowledge of the Word is contained in a few familiar Bible stories finally learned from twenty years of Sunday School attendance, plus a very few verses either memorized or as a basis for argument. This
perseverance is not a sudden burst of speed, then litharge, but a settled constant system of study kept up. It isn't the sudden burst of speed at the starting gun that wins the race, but the set pace. Paul calls it "patient endurance."
Choose a goal, set your course, and hold to it.