I

Changing man’s disposition starts with knowledge of his essence

and through changes in his thinking, nature,

and mental outlook—through fundamental changes.

Only in this way will true changes be achieved in the disposition of man.

The root cause of corrupt dispositions arising in man

is Satan’s misleading, corruption, and poison.

Man has been bound and controlled by Satan,

and he suffers the egregious harm

that Satan has inflicted upon his thinking,

morality, insight, and sense.

It is precisely because the fundamental things of man

have been corrupted by Satan,

and are utterly unlike how God originally created them,

so man opposes God and cannot accept the truth.

II

Thus, changes in man’s disposition

should start with changes in his thinking, insight, and sense

to change his knowledge of God and of the truth.

Before he was corrupted by Satan,

man naturally submitted to God

and submitted to His words after hearing them.

He was naturally of sound sense and conscience, and of normal humanity.

After being corrupted by Satan,

man’s original sense, conscience, and humanity

grew dull and were impaired by Satan.

Thus, he has lost his submission and love toward God.

Man’s sense has become aberrant,

his disposition has become the same as that of an animal,

and his rebelliousness toward God is ever more frequent and grievous.

III

Yet man still neither knows nor recognizes this,

and merely opposes and rebels blindly.

Man’s disposition is revealed in expressions of his sense,

insight, and conscience;

because his sense and insight are unsound,

and his conscience has grown supremely dull,

thus his disposition is rebellious against God.

If man’s sense and insight cannot change,

then changes in his disposition are out of the question,

as is conforming to God’s will.

from The Word, Vol. 1. The Appearance and Work of God. To Have an Unchanged Disposition Is to Be in Enmity to God