"How to Overcome Sin and
Learn Righteousness"
(Science Validates “You Shall Not”)

OW can you train your mind to overcome sin, or how do you permanently get rid of terribly bad habits and recurring thoughts for that matter?

    Science is just now catching up with scriptural revelation as to the exact process that is involved in effectively retraining the brain, but scientists have not yet made the spiritual connection, or realized that they are relative late-comers to the field of knowledge they call Constraint-Induced Movement (CIM) therapy.

    CIM is now being used in the therapeutic treatment of stroke, neurological disorders, such as spinal cord injuries, hip fractures, children with cerebral palsy, and even musicians suffering from chronic focal hand dystonia, among similar afflictions.

    Briefly, constraint-induced movement therapy retrains the brain to use afflicted body parts, in situations where the brain has basically unlearned how to use them normally or effectively.

    Brain mapping procedures, such as transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), electrical source imaging (ESI), and magnetic source imaging (MSI) have now proved that CIM therapy literally jump starts the healing process by reorganizing nervous tissues in the brain, within a brief two to three week treatment period, thereby creating a healing process that continues for months following therapy.

    Of 10 professional musicians, seven of whom were pianists, the others guitarists, suffering with chronic focal hand dystonia -- four of whom had been forced to stop playing their instruments due to their affliction -- CIM allowed half to return to their normal activities in just 8 to 14 days of therapy.

    All four who were no longer able to play their instruments were thereafter able to resume performing with their instruments following treatment.

Retraining the "Brain"

    How exactly does CIM therapy work, and what does this have to do with overcoming sin?  Here’s what scientists have finally discovered:

    Conventional therapy for stroke victims, for example, uses very structured, repetitive training of the afflicted limb(s), with the end result that there is only a neutral or negative effect on the brain’s learning process, or the actual reorganization of the nervous tissue in the brain that allows it to employ the limb(s) normally, by allowing other, unaffected parts of the brain to learn to take over control for the affected limb(s).

    When the nerve supply to an affected limb is first damaged, and attempts are made to use it, but those so afflicted are unable to do so due to nerve damage to the part of the brain that was once used to process the signals for that limb, the resulting failures, pain, and other frustrating negative results create a punishment syndrome that suppresses the behavior, rather than improves it.

    The brain, in effect, learns not to use the afflicted limb, even when there are still nerve connections to the area, or other parts of the brain are available to supply the limb, resulting in a learned non-use response.

    The only way to help encourage the brain to overcome this response is to use CIM to recruit non-damaged or unafflicted parts of the brain to take control of the affected limb.  It does this by refusing other body parts the ability to take up the slack or substitute for the afflicted part until it has been effectively rehabilitated.

    In effect, CIM constrains this induced movement in unafflicted limbs by restraining their normal function or movement in various ways -- such as by the use of a sling, protective mitt, etc. -- to prevent the individual from using the normal limb for up to 90 percent of their waking hours.

    Since it takes a period of two to three weeks for the mind to learn new habits, or form new solid neural pathways (and the best way to unlearn old habits, therefore, is to learn new habits that take their place), CIM therapy generally requires constrained induced movement for the same period of two to three weeks.

    This results in a net positive learning experience, by giving the affected limb very structured, repetitive training for up to six hours, with an hour’s rest in between, every weekday.  Such training consists of those activities that affect the impaired limb the most.

    For a disabled arm or hand, for instance, therapeutic training might consist of such activities as food preparation, gardening, shopping, dining, hobbies, games, etc., all while the other arm or hand is constrained or hobbled artificially.

Ancient Wisdom

    While therapeutic science is just now discovering how to train or retrain the brain, this technology has actually been known for many years as an effective technique in physical training for athletes.

    For example, someone training as a runner might constrain both legs with weights during training, to strengthen the muscles, but mainly to program the brain to put forth the extra energy required for optimal performance after the weights have been removed.

    Another example is the southpaw boxer who must learn to improve the use of his right hand, to use it effectively when faced with right-handed opponents, while retaining their left-handed skills.  This has been accomplished by constraining the left arm during training, forcing the use of the right arm exclusively, until it is as fully capable and as strong as the left arm.

    But what has been known and used for a relatively few decades by modern man, was known and was, in fact, used by man’s Creator Yahveh, in showing us how to overcome sin and learn righteousness.

    This ancient wisdom was revealed in the ten commandments.  There we are told: “You shall not...” do whatever activity the particular commandment intended to constrain (not all the commandments, however, were prohibitive, such as the fourth and fifth commandments: “Remember [or observe] the Sabbath day...” and: “You shall honor your father and your mother,” Exodus 20:8, 12; Deuteronomy 5:12, 16).

    While most modern people view the commandments as only negative prohibitions, what they -- present scientists included -- utterly fail to recognize is the fact that the very best way to learn how to respond to life’s challenges righteously -- to overcome temptations to sin, that come with everyday activities -- is to constrain yourself from doing what leads to evil results, curses, and eventually condemnation on Judgment Day!

    All it takes is to exercise our power of choice, to forego what might even seem highly desirable, enticing, or “very good” at the time, while having highly negative -- even destructive and fatal -- consequences in the long run.

Rejecting and Neglecting Sin by Learning Righteousness

    Constraint-induced morality might seem horribly “out of fashion” today, to most unrestrained hedonists, but it is in fact the only way to overcome the impediments and disabilities -- if not the fatality -- that result from sin.

    To survive the death penalty that we have all incurred through sin, on the other hand, requires our acceptance of the Savior who has qualified to take this penalty away, by having suffered the death penalty Himself, although not having sinned, or deserving it personally, having paid the penalty in our place.

    Beyond that, through the spiritual strength and obedient frame of mind imparted to us when we admit or confess our guilt, and first attempt to change course in our heart and to follow the way of truth and righteousness thereafter, requires learning obedience by constraining our thoughts, and our words -- including our deeds, or works -- according to the timeless guidelines laid out for us in the commandments revealed to Moses, by the angel of Creator Yahveh’s presence.

    Only in this manner can we finally succeed, with the help of Yahveh’s sacred spirit -- through which the Father and Son dwell in the hearts and minds of their obedient elect -- in overcoming sin, and learning to live righteously, according to every command, or word, that is fitly spoken by our Creators Yahveh!