The words disposition and character are difficult to define even with the best dictionaries. It is also very difficult to illustrate disposition and character. However, several terms used in Matthew 16:21-26 imply the matter of disposition. These terms include the mind (v. 23), the self (v. 24), and the soul-life (vv. 25-26). Though Matthew 16 does not use the word disposition, the matter of disposition is certainly implied here through the use of these terms. In this short portion, Peter’s disposition is exposed.
According to Matthew 16:21-26, when the Lord Jesus told the disciples that He was going to be crucified, Peter reacted and took the Lord aside to rebuke Him. The Lord responded by rebuking Peter. Peter was rebuked by the Lord because Satan had used Peter to oppose the things of the Lord. Peter was used by Satan because there was something in his disposition which gave Satan the ground to use him.
Disposition refers to something within us. Disposition is implied in the terms mind, self, and soul-life. Disposition includes all of these elements; thus to refer only to the self or soul-life is inadequate.
There are four terms mentioned in the New Testament which are closely related to the matter of disposition: the old man in Romans 6:6, the “I” in Galatians 2:20, the soul-life in Matthew 16:25-26, and the self in Matthew 16:24. In addition to these terms, according to our study and experiences of the spiritual things in the New Testament, we have also used the term naturalness in relation to the matter of disposition. The contents of these five terms all imply disposition. A person’s disposition includes all of these items.
Our disposition is expressed in many forms. One type is that of the “hero.” Brothers or sisters who have this type of disposition must do everything in an impressive, perfect, and complete way. If they are to speak, they must do it in an outstanding way, or they will not speak. They are also very strong and quick in doing things. Another type of disposition is that of the “non-hero.” The “non-hero” does not do anything in a thorough or complete way. If he or she locks the door, it is only partially locked; if he or she cleans a room, the corners are left undone.
In Message Twenty-one, we pointed out that our disposition is what we are in our makeup by birth and that our character is the outward expression of our disposition. Disposition is what we are within, and character is what we express without. The reason we are silent or talkative is due to our disposition. At the start of our full-time training, some brothers and sisters spoke very often, but after some weeks passed, perhaps due to some word of correction regarding their speaking, they became very silent. Their outspokenness was related to their disposition, but their self-enforced silence is related to their character.
Slowness is a matter of disposition. We may do everything very slowly. If we are rebuked for our slowness, we may become offended and react by doing everything in an extremely fast manner. What we express in this change of our outward behavior is no longer our disposition but our character. Disposition by itself does not directly involve anything of sin. But once our disposition is expressed with a hurtful intention, that is sin. Thus, our disposition has little to do with sin directly, but our character has a great deal to do with sin.
When you live according to your disposition and are corrected by others, your character is expressed in the way you change your behavior. An illustration of this is when little boys are playing a game with a ball. One of the boys may have the ball, dribbling it very slowly, and a friend may rebuke him for being so slow, asking him to pass the ball. When the first boy passes the ball, he may do it in an excessively fast and rough manner, reacting to the rebuke of the other boy. This way of passing the ball expresses the character of the first boy and is something naughty and sinful.
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