4.1. God's Way vs Man's Way- Dynamics of Problem Solving

4.1. God's Way vs Man's Way- Dynamics of Problem Solving

( Heb. 3:13 ) Being ignorant of sin desensitizes and causes hardening.

( Rom. 1:20-32 ) After awhile you become your own god by establishing standards to
justify self-centered pursuits. People perish because of ignorance; therefore, it is a question of becoming knowledgeable, of becoming sensitive, of recognizing that living in this world cannot be taken for granted ( Hosea 4:6 ).

The Ways of Man and the Ways of God

Approximately 230 psychological schools of thought are practiced in the world dealing
with the study of man's behavior, and the varied methods and means required for man to solve personal problems. These schools are reduced to five common characteristics.

1. Man is good : Humanism - independence from God - New Age: Man has
everything necessary within to solve own problems - mind merely blocked by
negative thinking or influences - develop positive thinking and draw from one's
own resources - see self as worthwhile and esteemed. What does God say? Ps.
62:9 ; Rom. 3:10-18,23 ; Rom. 7:18 .

2. Man is a superior animal : Basic view of man is that his behavior is wrongly
conditioned or programmed by environment and circumstances. He needs to be
reconditioned or reprogrammed by manipulation of behavior through use of
positive and negative stimuli... He is artificially maneuvered to respond to reward
and punishment in order to improve self. What does God say? John 15:4-5 ;
Rom. 1:18-32 ; James 4:10 .

3. Man can change himself : Although being wounded by circumstances of life,
man can change bad behavior. This is a combination of the above positions: that
through education, logic and reason, man can ovecome self. What does God say?
Jer. 13:23 ; Ezek. 18:20 ; Ezek. 36:26-27 .

4. Man, a victim of conscience : Man driven by instincts, thwarted by family, by
society, by upbringing, and by others, who are responsible for his problems. Deep
analysis necessary, along with hypnosis, resocialization, catharsis, selfactualization,free association, etc. What does God say? Ezek. 18:20 ; Phil. 2:3-
4 ; 1 Tim. 4:1-2 .

5. Man, a bargainer : When the above doesn't work, the world uses - trade-offs.
You do this, and I will do this, a 50/50 arrangement. Imbalances are inevitable,
the self nature always wants more than its share. What does God say? God
commands us to love without expectation of return, to return good for evil. Rom.
12:21 ; Phil. 2:3-4 .

Man's way is always self-oriented, he is his own god, as evidenced by :
1. no biblical confrontation,
2. no conversion experience expected or even considered,
3. no repentance,
4. no work of the Holy Spirit,
5. and no sanctification process in bearing the image of God.

Given impetus in modern times from the so-called Enlightenment and the Renaissance
periods, this typifies and represents man's attempt to save himself without God. Such
concepts have culminated today in a society whose sinking foundations are being built on preferences (feelings) rather than principles (absolutes). Twisted human reason and logic replaces the Ten Commandments.

God's Way of Handling Problems

( Phil. 3:13 ) God is the God of the 'I AM', He is not in the past, nor in the future, He is always in the present. We start from the present and each day thereafter - one day at a time.
• ( Luke 9:62 ) Looking back into the past will make you unfit for the
present.
• ( Heb. 11:15 ) Thinking of the past makes one vulnerable, and weak.
• ( Rom. 8:28 ) Past events in our lives are irreversible. Why waste time
and effort there.

Our reactions to those events can be changed as we allow God to intervene in the
present, to reach into our experiences, to redeem us, to free us to love and worship God. Eventually we become lovers of God in our spirits instead of lovers of self by dwelling on the past.

( 1 Tim. 4:7 ; Eph. 4:22-24 ) Thus, it is through discipline we become godly: by
commitment to live God's way in the present through the simple process of putting-off
and putting-on - by the authority of God's word and by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Accordingly, we change our coping mechanisms from reacting to life to responding to life on the basis of God's word.

God's Resources
• Holy Spirit - John 16:7-8,13 ; 1 Cor. 2:11-15 .
• Bible - 2 Tim. 3:16-17 ; Heb. 4:12 .
• Counselors - Gal. 6:1-2 ; Rom. 15:14 ; Prov. 15:22 .
• Start up the spiral by tackling the immediate problem first ( James 1:2 ).
Act on known solutions, postpone acting when solutions are unknown (
James 1:5-8 ; John 7:17 ; Rom. 14:23 ). Continue up the spiral ( Heb.
5:14 ).