Psycho-anatomy of an Un-believer:
Let us look at the ‘personal inside’ of a un-believer. He is very much out for himself, and he evaluates his life in terms of the world’s value system. He behaves in a way to meet his own needs only and does not care about others. Basically he has believed the devil’s lie about how to be a person. He is truly a child of the devil and thinks and valuates an event based on the world, Satan, and the programmes of the world unbiblically.
How one thinks not only determines the range of behavior form which we may choose, but it also greatly influences how we feel.
When we analyze the psycho-anatomy of the un-believer below we come to the following conclusions.
1. Thinking based on wrong world’s value system leads to negative emotions, which will block compassion.
2. Emotions (depression, crippling guilt, resentment, frustration, or anxiety) spring from deficit motivation caused by wrong thinking. Anxiety, resentment, and guilt are the basic problem condition behind all other personal difficulties.
Anxiety: is the fear that something we need will not be provided.
Resentment: comes from believing our needs are threatened by something which God has allowed to happen to us.
Guilt: comes from believing what God provided is not enough and then going outside of God’s will to secure what He has not provided.
If we believe all that we need is God, and what He chooses us to provide, we will not experience any of these emotions.
If our thinking is based on Scriptures, we will begin to evaluate events Biblically. We may feel painful emotions, but a deep care, reality and compassion will eventually follow.
Only Christians whose needs are met in Christ is capable of sustained compassion, no matter what the circumstances are. Distinguishing mark of a Christian should be love, and a community of believers getting along should have genuine love for each other.
Look at the psycho-anatomy of a believer:
1. Notice that the wrong belief he has learned still enter his conscious mind, but he deliberately values the world from a Biblical framework.
2. Notice, the arrows between behavior and compassion pints both ways: the more compassion I feel, the more compassionately I behave.
3. Christians’ perspective is to live for Christ. He behaves as God tells him to and evaluates his life from God’s perspective. This person has a deep sense of his personal worth and knows experientially the fruit of the Spirit.
Carnal man:
A Christian living as a carnal man is still living for himself and will still evaluate the world from a false perspective. He will still behave selfishly, disobediently, and without compassion. He thinks, acts, feels, and behaves like a un-believer and it is a tragedy.
Scriptural references for Progressive sanctification:
Keep growing in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ; 2 Pet 3:18.
Do not be content to be an immature Christian, as was the case with many Hebrew believers Heb 5:11-6:4; Heb 5:12-14.
God works in us through His Word to bring us to spiritual maturity, to sanctify us Jn 17:17; Col 3:16; 1 Pet 2:2-3; Psa 119:11; 105.
The Bible, the inspired Word of God is that by which He trains us in righteousness so that we may be thoroughly equipped for every good work 2 Tim 3:16-17.
The Counselor Holy Spirit, teaches us through His own Word Jn 14: 25-26.
The Word of God is immeasurably effective, Heb 4:12.
Like a runner in a race, keep pressing on until you have gained the victory, as did the apostle Paul Phil 3:12-14.
Get rid of everything that might hinder you and run the race with perseverance Heb 12:1.
Fix your eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of your faith. Focus on all that He did to save you, Heb 12:12.
Train yourself to be godly. Be like an athlete, who persists in training, and that is what Paul counselled Timothy to do, 1 Tim 4: 7-8.
Abide in Jesus Christ, the vine through whom alone you can bear much fruit, to glorify God, Jn 15: 1-8.
Imitate Jesus so that you will become more Christ-like; 1 Jn 2:6.
Christ like virtues we may seek after, 2 Pet 1:5-9.
We must be motivated to work at growing in faith and godliness by the victory we have through the suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, 1 Cor 15: 57-58; 2 Cor 7:1; Rom 12:1-2.
God uses His Word to revive the soul, make wise the simple, give joy to the heart, give light to the eyes, and much more, Psa 19:7-11.
The Lord requires us to keep working out our salvation in every area of life, since He works in us by His Word and Spirit, Phil 2:12-13.
God is graciously transforming every Christian more and more into the likeness of Jesus Christ, 2 Cor 3:18.
Spirit of God: (Holy Spirit plays a huge role in the sanctification process of a believer).
Holy Spirit provides the resources for transformation through the normal mechanisms of the human personality we were built in. The Spirit brings to our mind the necessary Scriptures suited for different circumstances. The individual begins to recognize that no event can rob him from God’s hand, and his personal worth is complete, significant, and secured in Christ regardless of circumstances. The individual begins to evaluate life events Biblically, and the Spirit of God helps the individual to deepen his appreciation of God’s truth. His Christian belief begins to seep down his basic assumption system, and slowly replaces ‘wrong beliefs’ he had from early childhood. He is on the process of sanctification, and he becomes mature, his inner man is changing. This individual regard himself as non-threatened and begins to express his worth in worship and service. This transformation depends upon the renewing of the mind with God’s pure inerrant Word, by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Food for thought:
In quietness and confidence shall be your strength - Isaiah 30:15. Are you limiting God by the way you think? Imagine a circumstance that you consider bad. Use whatever descriptive words you want to use - difficult, hard, agonizing, frustrating, strenuous, debilitating, horrific, sorrowful, confusing, perturbing, penetrating or painful. Is there a problem too awful or too hard for God to handle? If your answer to this question is anything other than "no"" your understanding of God is too small. Our God is a great and limitless God. He dwells in eternity and operates in infinity. He has all things within His understanding and all things under His control.
Prayer:
Father today I pray and ask that you will work inside of me and make me the person you want me to be. Father I am allowing God's Spirit to examine my heart in order to find any areas that could potentially discredit me, weaken me, or take towards the path of evil. Help me by the indwelling power of the Spirit of Jesus in me to distinguish between what is right from wrong; and help me to discern things of the world and the enemy strategies from the truth and what You have given to us in Your Word. Help me realize that this is God given time to strengthen my foundation as a believer in Christ.
References:
1. Dr. Larry Crabb, “Effective Biblical Counseling” How Caring Christians can Become Capable Counselors, (Hammersmith: Marshall Pickering, 1985, p. 100-104).
2. John G. Kruis, Quick Scripture Reference for Counseling, ‘Progressive Sanctification’ ( Grand rapids: Baker Books, 1988, 1994, 2000 p. 140-145)
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