Recidivism the Beginning

God said, “let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness

(Genesis 1:26).

This does not mean we are physically made like God, but have the same attributes as God, such as having emotion, logical thinking, worshiping, honoring, and serving God through freewill. However, after The Fall of Man, man lost many of God’s attributes (specifically honoring God) and decided his own knowledge was better than God's.

Didlake posits that “man is warped, frustrated, and tainted with the defilement of sin.”[1] Furthermore, Didlake claimed Maslow was a good man but failed to recognize God's sovereignty, which is evident in his explanation of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs.[2] To be human is fully articulated in Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs but fails to mention spirituality (the core of humanity, both believer and non-believer), which is pivotal to being human.

No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it (1 Corinthians 10:13). Paul explains being human consist of being continuously tempted. Still, through one’s temptation, the correct decisions must be made by trusting and knowing God will sustain and provide a way through the temptation.

Crabb argues the fact, how man developed problems remains a mystery, but points to parents teaching, ill motivations, physical needs, personal needs, and a flawed basic assumption of himself.[3] Physical needs consist of whatever is needed to physically survive, such as food, water, and safety, found in Abraham Maslow Law.[4] However, Crabb describes personal needs are whatever is required to keep the person alive, such as significance and security as the basis of self-worth.[5] When one or both are not met, problems will be developed. Crabb expounds on the motivation to obtain what a person needs, but more importantly, the methodology to obtain the tangible need is what creates problems.[6]

The Bible partially agrees with Crabb; however, it provides a deeper foundation to man’s problems, described as The Fall of Man. The Fall of Man has appeared to be on a descending path since Adam and Eve tasted the forbidden fruit. Even after the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ, men continuously ignore his way of escape from his temptation through Jesus Christ. For example, moral values and biblical concepts that define a marriage of a man and a woman have been compromised; the absence of a father figure has eroded the family structure, the spread of an epidemic (COVID19), high unemployment rates, and recidivism rates are at an all-time high with expected expeditious growth in the near future.

[1] Joshua Didlake, “A.H. Maslow and Self-Actualization a Critical Examination of Secular Theories and Theorists,” Conservative Theological Journal Volume 44, no. 11 (2000): 111. [2] ibid. 110. [3] L. Crabb, Effective Biblical Consoling: A Model for Helping Caring Christians Become Capable Counselors. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1977, 113. [4] ibid., 119. [5] ibid., 114. [6] ibid., 117.