Psychology

Chapter 4 is on Psychology by Gary Gilley in This Little Church Went to Market. We enter on a discussion of how a psychological approach is different from a spiritual approach when it comes to the issues in a person's life.

For example, a man with a bad temper may blame his anger on his abusive father. Rooted deep in his 'subconscious', he has been told, is a resentment and bitterness toward this father (which he may not even recognize) that is now being 'acted out' in his own temper tantrums. Unfortunately, the man does not know this. So he attempts to curb his anger through prayer and Bible reading, but it does no good. What he needs is a psychological expert to uncover the root forces behind his behavior. When he discovers that he is an angry man because of his father, he can blame his problems on dad and feel better about himself. Once all of this happens (which could take years) he will begin behaving better, or so the theory goes.

The biblical approach, however, is that our man is responsible for his own actions. While it is true that he may have copied or learned bad behavior from his father, and while it is true that his past will affect his present, nevertheless, this is no excuse for sinful actions. It is not necessary for this man to understand all that has happened in his past, nor is it helpful for him to shift blame. He must take responsibility for his own actions, confess his sins and seek to change according to biblical principles.

Most forms of psychology teach that the key to personal problems lies somewhere in our past. The Bible deals with us in the present. As a result, God can command us to stop being angry or anxious immediately, without looking for root causes founded in the past. The past, especially our reactions to it, may have shaped what we are today, but change lies in the present as we choose to live obediently to Christ.

What is the biblical counterpart to a psychologized approach to living? In passages such as Gal. 5:19-21, Col. 3:5,8,9 and 2Tim 3:2-7 the characteristics of spiritual immaturity are identified. Here God tells us that we should expect people not living according to his truth to be unstable and easily deceived, guilty, selfish, and divisive. It should be expected that they will love wrong things, gossip, lack self-control, be angry at life, liars and deceivers, etc.

If we are to handle the problems that we face in a way that pleases God, we must grow spiritually (2Pet. 1:5-8, Jas. 1:2-5) through obedience to the Word of God (Col. 3:16, Acts 20:32, 2Tim. 3:16,17) as the Holy Spirit works in our lives (Gal. 5:16, 22-25, also see Heb. 5:12-14).

We'll stop there for today. I hope that all made sense, as I skipped around a little throughout the chapter. I think that Psychology has it's place in society. I think a lot of healing and insight can be obtained by finding out why we do the things we do, but it shouldn't stop there. I believe that knowing what the Bible says about how we should live and being obedient to that is what will really change us for the better. Blessings at the start of the work week!