Character refers to our outward expression. The Chinese equivalent to the English word character means an outward form which expresses the inner nature. Thus, character is the outward form which expresses our inner being. The disposition is always explicitly expressed in our character. Character is at least a part of the expression of disposition. If you were born slow, slowness is always a part of your outward expression, your character. If you were born humble or proud, humility or pride will be a part of the outward expression, the character, of your person.
Character is composed of about thirty percent nature and of about seventy percent habits. For example, if a child is placed in a Chinese home, he will be cast into a Chinese mold. The same child placed in a family of another nationality will resemble a person of that nationality when he grows up. Our outward character is composed of our nature by birth and our habits by living. To deal with our disposition is to deal with what we are inwardly, but to deal with our character is to deal with what we express outwardly, including what we are inwardly. The intrinsic element of our outward character is our inner nature by birth.
We cannot change our inward nature, but we can change or correct our outward character. A dog cannot be trained to be a cat, but it can be trained to behave like a cat. Many brothers have been trained in the military service. When they first entered the military service, they were not very punctual, but after some training and severe discipline, they were adjusted to be punctual. The military service also trained them not to be so talkative and not to be loose in their expression. This kind of training changed their outward character.
Our dealings with sins, sin, the world, and the conscience are superficial dealings, but our dealing with the disposition is the deepest dealing. To deal with sins and sin is relatively easy, but to deal with our disposition and character is very difficult. According to my study of the New Testament, we are charged to make confession of our sins and mistakes (1 John 1:8-9), but there is no charge to confess concerning our disposition or character. Many times our disposition may not be right, but it is difficult to say that it is always sinful. Sometimes we are simply in our disposition and not in anything sinful. However, we must realize that our fallen disposition is close to the edge of the deep well of sin and mistakes. Thus, it is very easy for us to fall into this well.
Dealing with our disposition and character will safeguard us from making mistakes and committing sins. Our mistakes and wrongdoings are closely related to our disposition and character. Because we have a particular kind of disposition, we make mistakes. Similarly, we are prone to make mistakes because we have a certain kind of character.
Question: Is any part of our disposition related to habit?
Answer: Our character is composed thirty percent of our disposition and seventy percent of our habits. Our character is more troublesome than our disposition because our character is composed of our disposition plus our habits. To deal only with our habits is not sufficient because our habits are only the outward expression of our character. In the Gospels, from the time the Lord first called Peter, the Lord took every opportunity to deal with Peter’s character and disposition.
Question: When I use the term “deal with,” I mean that something is exposed, eliminated, changed, or replaced. Is this what is meant by dealing with our disposition and character?
Answer: To deal with something has a number of meanings in English usage. It can mean to take care of, to punish, to correct, as well as to get rid of. Since our disposition and character cause problems in our Christian life, we have to deal with, take care of, or correct them, and even put them to death. Here the term deal with has both a positive and a negative side.
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