IS “PSYCHOLOGY” IN THE BIBLE?

 

PSYCHOLOGY IN THE BIBLE?

When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. And one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him: “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the great and foremost commandment.” (Matthew 22:34-38)

The word “soul” is mentioned *433 times in the King James version of the Bible. The occurrence of the word soul in the Bible, indicates the importance of the human soul. “Soul” as translated from the Greek word refers to the essence of a person that encompasses emotions, desires, and the will. It is the seat of feelings, desires, and affections, in other words, it is the part of the mind which feels emotions, perceives and imagines, remembers and allows a person to have a will or determination.

This verse also mentions the heart, sometimes considered as our subconscious mind or the center of our being. Then there is the mind which possesses our cognitive functions, the ability to think and reason.

INSIDE OUT – OUTSIDE IN

What we see with our eyes and hear with our ears are first processed by the cognitive part of our mind. They are then analyzed through our soul – our mind, will and emotions. It is the soul that gives allows us to form opinions by our emotional response – we decide if we like or dislike what  we see visually, what we smell, taste and touch. Is it pleasant or unpleasant? Is it helpful or harmful? Does it please us or repel us? The soul initiates the production of substances such as endorphins, dopamine, or adrenaline which enhance and deepen our life experiences.

This information is then communicated to our “heart” which is sometimes referred to as our subconscious mind for storage and retrieval. These processes help us develop our habits, routines, likes and dislike, behaviors and even form within us, among other things, our social, economic, political and religious worldviews. Over time, these become closely held opinions and even galvanize into our doctrines and dogmas for living.

Our heart, soul and mind are collaborative and symbiotic in their functions. But it is the soul that initiates and generates these outcomes.

This process works from the outside in and the inside out. What you see you do – you judge and determine how you feel you – you stop or you pursue and repeat – and the life then you adopt, the things you pursue. And almost strangely, the things that you are drawn to, are conversely drawn to you. They seem to materialize in your life.

This is the great “secret”, when understood and properly applied, of obtaining a “good life” and success: “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the great and foremost commandment.”

The Bible teaches us, as in Joshua 1:7-9, “Be strong and very courageous; be careful to do [everything] in accordance with the entire law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may prosper and be successful wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall read [and meditate on] it day and night, so that you may be careful to do [everything] in accordance with all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will be successful. Have I not commanded you? [I am reminding you now], be strong and courageous! Do not be terrified or dismayed (intimidated by any task or challenge I give you), for [I], the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

And again in Deuteronomy 28:1-14, God says “Now it shall be, if you diligently listen to and obey the voice of the Lord your God, being careful to do all of His commandments which I am commanding you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. All these blessings will come upon you and overtake you if you pay attention to the voice of the Lord your God.

“You will be blessed in the city, and you will be blessed in the field.

“The offspring of your body and the produce of your ground and the offspring of your animals, the offspring of your herd and the young of your flock will be blessed.

“Your basket and your kneading bowl will be blessed.

“You will be blessed when you come in and you will be blessed when you go out.

“The Lord will cause the enemies who rise up against you to be defeated before you; they will come out against you one way, but flee before you seven ways. The Lord will command the blessing upon you in your storehouses and in all that you undertake, and He will bless you in the land which the Lord your God gives you. The Lord will establish you as a people holy [and set apart] to Himself, just as He has sworn to you, if you keep the commandments of the Lord your God and walk [that is, live your life each and every day] in His ways. So all the peoples of the earth will see that you are called by the name of the Lord, and they will be afraid of you.  The Lord will give you great prosperity, in the offspring of your body and in the offspring of your livestock and the produce of your ground, in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers to give you. The Lord will open for you His good treasure house, the heavens, to give rain to your land in its season and to bless all the work of your hand; and you will lend to many nations, but you will not borrow. The Lord will make you the head (leader) and not the tail (follower); and you will be above only, and you will not be beneath, if you listen and pay attention to the commandments of the Lord your God, which I am commanding you today, to observe them carefully. Do not turn aside from any of the words which I am commanding you today, to the right or to the left, to follow and serve other gods.”

However, when the “heart, mind and soul” are not functioning correctly, when they are not syncretic, when they do not collaborate, things can go terribly wrong for that person. They will likely make poor to horrible life decisions that are at least troublesome-to-detrimental, or even destructive enough to lead to death. This comes about if and when “‘You do not love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’  (Please see Deuteronomy 28:15-67.)

Therefore, (and this is of utmost importance), when the Bible says we are to be or do certain things, or that we must not do certain things, it may be enough for the simplest of minds or the most faithfully blind believer to say, “the bible says it so that settles it”. But there are reasons the Bible says we are to be and to do certain things, and not to be or do certain things. And these reasons are for our benefit, for our well-being, safety and good health. You need to know them so you can apply them to your life decisions and you can disciple others likewise.

These reasons are mental and psychological reasons. They profoundly affect your mental and physical health.

For example, the Bible says “Thou shalt not murder, thou shalt not lie, steal, commit adultery, engage in sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality (total irresponsibility, lack of self-control), idolatries, sorcery, horoscopes, hostilities, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions [that promote heresies], envy, drunkenness, riotous behavior, and other things like these. I warn you beforehand, just as I did previously, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”  And it is these things that create great trauma in our life.  (Please read: (1). The long term effects of trauma on your health. (2). Can Trauma Cause Brain Damage?.

Another example is that there are also psychological reasons to honor your father and your mother, beyond just the command. (Please read about Blue Zone research on (1).  what promotes health and longevity and (2). What and Why this works.

There is are psychological reasons the Bible discourages divorce. (1). How Divorce Affects Your Children.

This can be said about each and every Word in the Bible. As it tells us how to live an abundant life now and how to gain an eternal life with God. The Bible directs us to good health, safety and wholeness, if we will only understand and follow its instructions. But, just robotically following rules will not always get the job done, or at least not effectively. We must understand the reasons behind the Words and that must become your first love.

THE WORD

You see, the Word became Flesh, (which is a reference to Jesus), and He lived among us. Teaching us, caring for us and saving us from our destructive selves. He says we can follow Him, and we must follow Him, if we want a life worth living, now, and eternally. (see John 1:1-2).

How can we do this? First, if have never asked Him, then ask Him now. Humbly ask that He remove your sins from your (the obstacles that separate you from Him) and contract with Him, that is, make a covenant with Him, to obey and follow Him in all the teaches and has done. You can do this only by faith. Faith that He physically died to pay for the penalty of your sinful ways and faith that He will do what He says He will do and has done. I.e., verbally confess with your mouth Jesus as your Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead and you will be saved. (see Romans 10:

If you are already a Christian, then deliberately set your mind on Him, His Ways and on the Kingdom of God. For those who are living according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh [which gratify the body], but those who are living according to the Spirit, [set their minds on] the things of the Spirit [His will and purpose].

(Why should we do this? The reason is that) the mind set on the flesh is death [both now and forever—because it pursues sin];

But the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace [the spiritual well-being that comes from walking with God—both now and forever];

The mind set on the flesh [with its sinful pursuits] is actively hostile to God. It does not submit itself to God’s law, since it cannot, and those who are in the flesh [living a life that caters to sinful appetites and impulses] cannot please God.

However, you are not [living] in the flesh [controlled by the sinful nature] but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God lives in you [directing and guiding you]. (see Romans 8:5-9).

Finally, believers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable and worthy of respect, whatever is right and confirmed by God’s word, whatever is pure and wholesome, whatever is lovely and brings peace, whatever is admirable and of good repute; if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think continually on these things [center your mind on them, and implant them in your heart]. The things which you have learned and received and heard and seen in Jesus, practice those things [in daily life], and the God [who is the source] of peace and well-being will be with you. (Philippians 4:8-9).

He will now guide you because ‘YOU love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

 

Footnotes:

The number of times the word “soul” is used in the King James version differs from the number of times it is used in the New American Standard Bible is because the word can be translated as the Hebrew word “nephesh” is a multifaceted term that appears frequently in the Old Testament. It is often translated as “soul” or “life,” but its usage extends to denote the essence of a person, their inner being, or life force. It can refer to the physical life of a creature, the emotional and spiritual aspects of a person, or the entirety of a living being. In some contexts, “nephesh” is used to describe desires, appetites, and emotions, reflecting the holistic view of human nature in Hebrew thought.

For example, in the King James version, Genesis 2:7 reads, “And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.”

The same verse in the New American Standard version reads, “Then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and the man became a living person.”

The same is true for the English Standard version.

None-the-less, the occurrence of the word soul in the Bible, indicates the importance of the human soul.