As A Man Thinketh So Is He?

Transformational Thinking

“For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he..” (Prov 23:7 KJV)

 Within Christianity, there are ‘power of positive thinking / word of faith’ movements that teach what a person repeatedly thinks about, and how they think about it, will determine who they are becoming, and is quoted as neuroscience fact, which it is not. Neuroscience is a convergence of physics, biology, chemistry, biophysics, biochemistry, pharmacology, and psychology, with a specific focus on the nervous system.

 There is a widely held belief that the verse quoted above means that human beings have the power to visualize and shape their reality and then manifest a new creation from the probabilities of their thoughts. Some even believe under the erroneous guise of Quantum Physics, that they can mentally turn thoughts into physical matter in a given place and time, and create their life experience physically, financially, relationally, emotionally and spiritually. However, the Bible says the complete opposite.

 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isa 55:8-9 NIV)

 In the original Hebrew, Proverbs 23:7-8 is very different. It says “for he is like one who is inwardly calculating. "Eat and drink!" he says to you, but his heart is not with you. You will vomit up the morsels that you have eaten, and waste your pleasant words.” (ESV)

 The verse is actually saying that a mean, cheap and stingy person watches every mouthful of food his guest eats in bitter resentment as he counts what it costs him. It is very clear that it has nothing to do with thoughts changing or shaping reality.

 Jesus taught that the way a person physically treats another is how they will be treated and not how they think about another will determine how they will be thought about (Matt 7:12).

 

To be continued...

 

Excerpts from the books: “The Physiology of Faith - Fearfully And Wonderfully Made To Live And Prosper In Health” and “The Quantum Love Of God - Exploring The Multi-Dimensional Mysteries Of The Universe” by Craig A. Nelson