Discussion Thread: Going Forward
Since the beginning of the times, men have been intrigued by the
nature of things and searched to understand humanity and their
surroundings by discussing ideas and connecting knowledge and wisdom
(Sproul, 2000). Philosophy originated from this quest for understanding
the ultimate reality over the metaphysical reasoning of the physical world
(Sproul, 2000). The consequences of these ideas can be seen through the
manifestation in different philosophical works (Sproul, 2000). For example,
Thales of Miletus understood water as the unifying substance in the world
and ignited a scientific search for answers about the nature of things
(Sproul, 2000). Despite his wrongful assumption, the contribution (directly
or indirectly) thinkers such as Thales have made to the philosophical,
theological, and psychological realms is undeniable. Centuries later,
Sproul (2000) debated that a theoretical thought crisis has originated and
remained throughout the transitions into the 21st century. In the 1970s,
an intellectual crisis began concerning the downsides of incorporating
modern psychological sciences into the Christian tradition (Johnson,
2010). This crisis makes it necessary for new intellectual thinkers to
contribute to and connect current societal issues with the lessons learned
from the past from philosophy, theology, and psychology.
Self-control as my research topic has impacted humanity’s beginning
far beyond my initial expectation. Wolters’ (2005) Grand Narrative helped
me understand the importance of my research not just in the current
times but through the Fall. Traced back to Adam and Eve’s original sin,
self-control is a timeless matter (Wolters, 2005). Just as essential as it was
thousands of years ago, modern society is impregnated with illustrations
of a lack of self-restraint manifested in all-time highs in addiction,
criminality, and overall sins.
Since modifying our nature and genetics seems unviable and perhaps
undesirable, a better understanding of the origin of self-control challenges
and their mechanisms can assist researchers and practitioners in creating
“protective shields” against serpent-like influences in modern society.
These “protective shields” against environmental influences can be
researched by modern psychology standards and highly assist Christians
in avoiding immoral and sinful actions as described in the Bible. This
understanding reflects the belief that God is the author of all truth, and
modern psychology’s findings are mere reflections of His authorship
(Johnson, 2010).
By definition, self-control represents the suppression of an immediate
gratification impulse and its replacement with an option that considers the
long-term results of each alternative (Mamayek et al., 2017). In one way
or another, self-control, or the lack of it, is related to most, if not all,
actions taken against God’s will. For Christians, the Bible is the reference
guide to determine which impulses should be suppressed or not.
References
Johnson, E. L. (2010).Psychology and Christianity: Five views(2nded.). IVP
Academic.
Mamayek, C., Paternoster, R., & Loughran, T. A. (2017). Self-control as
self-regulation: A return to control theory.Deviant Behavior, 38(8), 895-
916. https://doi.org/10.1080/01639625.2016.1206730
Sproul, R.C. (2000).The Consequences of ideas: Understanding the
concepts that shaped our world. Crossway.
Wolters, A.M. (2005).Creation Regained(2nd ed.). William B. Eerdmans
Publishing.
