As Compiled by Ptr Ronald Camiling Church of God Lesson on Human Behavior
partly based
INTRODUCTION: “Why is it that I can’t control myself? I know what‘s right and wrong but I just don’t seem to be able to do what’s right?
It wasn’t the first time I had heard those statement in fact it is a common experience.
This is the same experience from our Scriptures today…
TEXT: - Rom 7:14-25 TITLE: WINNING THE BATTLE WITHIN
14 We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. 15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18 I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do-this I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
21 So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22 For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; 23 but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God-through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.
According to Dr Tim La Haye; a Christian Psychologist, at the moment of conception we all inherited a kind of what we call …
BASIC GENETIC TEMPERAMENT that contains both our strengths and weaknesses. Temperament: we are born with them.
It is a combination of inborn traits that affects our behavior (subconsciously)
– It is passed on genetically and 6 people contribute to our:
– features. Ex: color of the eyes; body, hair, face, etc;
– skills: artists, musically inclined, sports, business and industry minded.
We have ALSO inherited our “temperament or tendency read V 18- 20)
18 I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do-this I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
This is called several things in the bible namely: sinful nature; old self; flesh; old man… it is the impulse that seeks to satisfy our wants.
CHARACTER
- IS THE REAL YOU. The hidden person of the heart called “ inner being”
- V 21- 22 so I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22 For in my inner being I delight in God’s law;
- 1 Peter 3:4 Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.
- The result of childhood training, education, basic attitudes,faith, principle, motivation you learned from parents, school, church, etc
- It is what you really are when no one is around.
PERSONALITY according to Dr Tim la Haye;
- Is the Outward expression of oneself w/c may not be necessarily be the same as the person’s character.
- “ the face we show to others”
- Our personality as we grow older improves and matures.
People are trying to change their life with so many ways doing all that they can. (Rehabs, psychiatric centers, psycho clinics, counseling center, but…
There is nothing like accepting the Lord and allowing the H.S. to mold our life.
- it is when a hard driving, demanding, angry person becomes gracious and kind
- And a fearful and timid and shy individual becomes active and strong
Let us HAVE A BETTER AND MORE OBJECTIVE LOOK AT BOTH YOUR STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES AND,
WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO LOOK TO THE LORD AND THE HOLY SPIRIT FOR YOU TO BECOME THE KIND OF PERSON GOD WANTS YOU TO BE.
400 BC- Hippocrates: (see picture) a brilliant philosopher and physician called "the father of medicine" founded the theory of the 4 Temperaments:
He erroneously thought that these 4 types were the result of 4 liquids moving in the body.
- Warm Blood Sangguine Lively
- Choler or yellow Bile Cholerics Active
- Black Bile or Dark Blood Melancholics Moody
- Pleghm or Thick Blood Pleghmatic Slow
With the advance of modern science, the theory of body liquids were discarded but the theory of the 4 temperaments was still used.
Modern Psychology has given several classification but none has been acceptable than the Hippocrates theory of Human behavior.
Study of temperaments should make us understand not only the weaknesses but also the strengths:
Each person is a mixture of 2or 3 Temperaments although one dominates above the rest.
Sanguine
Are the warm, lively, cool…kalog type
Best friend sanguine
Receptive by nature
Outgoing and talkative
Enters a room mouth first
Never lacks for friends
Speaks without thinking
Sanguine and his/her big Mouth’ – disaster!
Adult sanguine are good salesmen- can sell even the Manila Bay, can sell refrigerators to Eskimos, Excellent actors, entertainers, Pastors and Evangelists.
Driving Habits: They speed and slow down for no apparent reason
Eating habits: matakaw, madaldal, bida sa kwentuhan mahina sa kwentahan
Weaknesses: Restless, weak- willed, Great starter but Slow Finisher, action based upon feelings. Emotionally unstable, egotistical, bigheaded, proud
Negative results: easy prey to lust, financial problems, waste time in talking, wasted life, procrastination, poor study habits. “Ningas kugon”
On the other hand, a Choleric is:
Hot, quick, active, strong willed, spirited (difficult) persons.
These temperaments are:
Self- sufficient independent decisive (for others as well)
Born leader “Life is activity” adventurous planner
Challenged by adversities practical team player
Habits: ‘King of the road’ wants to accomplish more on a given time
Eating habits: always the first one to finish. : ‘super matakaw’
Weaknesses: impatience, Adult choleric can be difficult to bring to the Lord because of their being strong willed and self sufficiency. Parents should share Jesus while he/she is still young.
Mean- spirited Domineering Emotional nature: negative hard to please mayabang no mercy
Easily angered Bilib sa sarili selfish
Resort to criticism in the hope to inspire others.
Negative results of being a Choleric:
Civilization has benefited much from choleric leaders but has suffered from them also Ex: Mao Tse tung, Kim Jong IL, Hitler,
World’s greatest Generals, Dictators, Gangsters, are Choleric
Melancholic
Is a person who is thoughtful, a faithful friend, self- sacrificing.
Often very kind and considerate, melancholic people can be highly creative - as in poets and artists –
WEAKNESSES: Afraid to say what he/ she really feels, others might see it as illogical or emotional (Overly fearful or excessively angry).Overly cautious and so having a hard time trusting others.
Wants to be so independent that you tend to cut yourself off from people who could really help.
But also can become easily depressed.
A melancholy is also often a perfectionist, being very particular about what they want and how they want it making them critical.
They are often slow,unstable and moody.
Dislike people who get in the way or have different views
Phlegmatic
A phlegmatic person is calm, reliable and unemotional.
While phlegmatic are generally good under pressure, dependable and enjoys humor.
They are very consistent, relaxed, and observant, making them good administrators and diplomats.
Like the sanguine personality, the phlegmatic has many friends. But the phlegmatic is more reliable and compassionate; these characteristics typically make the phlegmatic a more dependable friend.
WEAKNESSES: Live more by fear than by faith in taking risks.
Afraid to correct somebody for fear that it could hurt relationships and employment status
Easily manipulated by others, stubborn and indicisive
Selfish at times so others are not able to benefit from his/her strengths and gifts.
Not the first one to initiate change and almost always avoid conflicts.
HOW SHOULD I DEAL WITH My sinful nature?
23 but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God-through Jesus Christ our Lord!
We have our natural strengths and it is being neglected meanwhile, we are being enslaved by our sinfulness.
ILLUSTRATION Biblical example:
Peter the sanguine (denial & confession of Christ) ;
Paul is a choleric persecutor, approval of Stephen’s death,
Moses, the melancholy, an introvert filled with self doubt and uncontrollable anger who eventually trusted God, all the prophets, Solomon and John are melancholic.
Abraham is a good example of a phlegmatic. God transformed his fear, worry and indecision to courage and action. He was given due honor in the NT.
Here is where God transformed a weak, fearful, wicked, proud, cruel person into a new being and used and empower them mightily! di remedyo kungdi bagong tao!
Since WEAKNESSES comes from our old nature, what we need is a new nature and that new nature is imparted to us when we allow Jesus Christ to work into our lives.
(2 Cor 5: 17)
Conclusion:
2 Peter 1:3-9
Galatians 5:19- 24
3 His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. 8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.
