Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Evangelical
Developing a Biblical View of Persons

Developing a Biblical View of Persons

Last updated on: November 23, 2018 at 2:53 pm by Rev. Jared V. Ingle

Developing a Biblical View of Persons 2018-11-23T14:53:12-05:00 Rev. Jared V. Ingle

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

The world is bustling. The economy is probably getting something like a shot of vitamin B today, since it is “Black Friday.” I hope you’re enjoying time with family and loved ones. This is the final post in a series on one of my first attempts at a Biblical view of persons.

Although I haven’t stated it openly on each post, I have been in a series of writings. I developed them from a seminary paper entitled “Nine Biblical Factors of Personality, Abnormality, and Change in the Creation Account.”[1]

This is perhaps one of my earliest graduate level papers on developing a Biblical view of persons. Since that time, I have completed another seminary degree, so my views have grown a little. The basic approach is to do Word studies on mankind in the Creation account and related New Testament Scriptures.

The framework is basic abnormal psychology, throughout all of the posts. What is the personality? Is there a norm, or what are norms? What is the expected level of human flourishing? For this question, I look at Adam. I explore what God may have created man to be.

The second question is what has become abnormal? Where is the dysfunction, so to speak? In the posts, I tentatively answer this question in the section entitled Adam’s Fall. We have marred some aspects of our personhood by original sin.

Embed from Getty Images

Saint Aignan Church | Adam and Eve
Eure-et-Loire, Chartres, France | gettyimages.com

The third question is how do we change? How do we adapt, cope, or even overcome our deficiencies? To answer this question, I direct our eyes to Christ in the sections entitled The 2nd Adam.

Biblical View of Persons

The nine factors of human personality in the creation account can be seen as fundamental aspects of man present in the beginning, marred by the fall, and redeemed through the work of Jesus Christ. The focus of this paper is to reflect on a guiding framework for human personality, abnormality, and the process of change. Applications are made to the helping professions.

The nine factors do not represent a complete view of persons, but only key elements. They serve as a basis for organizing Biblical and psychological aspects of man.

Body, spirit, soul, and will are all unified in the concept of a wholeness that links the man back to God.

Eden (environment), dominion (position), relationship, and power, are all factors that place the man in context.

All of these nine factors are universal factors that are common to all men.

Future Research

Future research may examine four factors that make individuals unique. A stewardship factor would explore man’s ability to organize his talents and surroundings to accomplish something unique; the existential idea of finding significance and meaning. James Fowler states, “there is truthfully nothing more sacred to a man or a woman than the meaning of his or her life, his or her value or purpose in being.”[2]

A development factor is evident in the creation account as the concepts of lifespan and life stages emerge.

Genesis 2.17, 24: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die . . . Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. (King James Version)

God has created the role of marriage and family another factor marred by the fall, and blessed by redemption.

The fourth unique factor is motivation. Each person has universal motivations such as hunger, sexuality, and reproduction.

Genesis 1.29: And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.

Helping relationships are blessed by God to facilitate change in individual’s lives. When Christians offer soul care and disciple others, they have the distinct advantage of using psychological and Biblical truths as a guide. The nine factors are merely a guide for integrating truth into the helping endeavor.

Questions and Closing Prayer:

1. If you’re in a helping profession, ministry, or serving in your congregation in any way, what are some good reasons for developing a basic Biblical view of persons?

2. Are there ways that you can practically implement such a view of persons in your ministry or discipline?

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, when you walked the Earth you preferred the title Son of Man. You chose be fully God, yet fully man.

Thank you that you were not only perfect, you were a man of sorrows acquainted with grief. You knew our struggles, our weaknesses, and our temptations. You chose to know us. Thank you that you were without sin. You were whole, so that you could remind us what we’re meant to be, what it means to be fully human.

The views of man are as vast as the sea, so guide us by the preeminent truth of your Word first, and everything else second. Teach us to see others and ourselves as you do, so that we can be your ambassadors, once again participating in your ongoing creativity in the world.

May we be conduits of the graces afforded to us by the Spirit, to the everlasting glory of our Father, in the name of Jesus Christ we pray. Amen

notes:

[1] Jared V. Ingle, “Nine Biblical Factors of Personality, Abnormality, and Change in the Creation Account,” (paper presented in Interpersonal Techniques in Helping Relationships, Assemblies of God Theological Seminary, Springfield, MO, December 9, 2003).

Toward a Biblical Concept of Personality

On Holism, Holiness, and Wholeness

The Image, the Body, and Renewal

On the Mystery of Spirit and Salvation

The Regeneration of the Soul

Motivation and the Will

External Factors of Personality

[2] James W. Fowler, Becoming Adult, Becoming Christian: Adult Development and Christian Faith (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2000), 106.

Theology & Psychology

integration

The Writings

view of persons

Previous Post

November 21, 2018

"give thanks" eucharisteo

Next Post

November 29, 2018 The One Called Wonderful

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Communion Cruz Ingle Crystal Ingle Early Church Engaging Culture Ethics & Society Family Formation History In Dialogue Jared & Crystal Kingdom of God Majority World Church Mateo Ingle Messenger College Mission Narrative Pentecostal Church of God Prayer Shepherding The Sermon The Writings Theology Theology & Psychology Traverse City Uncategorized Vernell Ingle Word Study

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 May 2017 March 2017 March 2014 February 2013 January 2013 October 2012 July 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 August 2010

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

How many years did Jacob work for Rachel before he married her?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Three Fourteen Twenty Seven