THE FOUR TEMPERAMENTS AND TWELVE

HOROSCOPES: Christian or Pagan?

by Venerable Dr I. U. Ibeme
Websites: http://www.scribd.com/ifeogo , http://priscaquila.6te.net ,

The Four Temperaments, Rudiments and Horoscopy:

Superstition not Scripture
Colossians 2:8-10
(8) Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the
tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
(9) For in him dwells all the fullness of the Deity bodily.
(10) And you are complete in him, who is the head of all principality and power:

The Four Temperaments describe the classification of moods or emotion-types of crude human or
adamic nature, basic attitudes and reflex responses observed among individuals as was arbitrarily
used by pagan philosophers and physicians of ancient Greek for psychoanalysis and
psychotherapy. These pagan beliefs are resurging again with the emergence of New Age
movements. Ancient Greek superstition believed that moods and attitudes depended on
astrological control of the triple Zodiac powers (Trigones) that appear in each of the four seasons
(Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter) combined and corresponding with the influence of their four
rudimentary elements (Air, Fire, Earth and Water).

To apply these zodiac horoscope and mystical rudiment superstitions for medical purposes,
Hippocrates (469-399 BC) postulated without scientific bases that moods and health depended on
systemic preponderance of four body fluids (Humour Theory or Doctrine of the Humours). They
speculated, formulated and philosophized that …
1. PHLEGMATICS (those believed to have predominantly mucous phlegm in their body) are born
in Winter controlled by Water element,
2. MELANCHOLICS (those believed to have predominantly black bile/dark blood in their body)
are born in Autumn controlled by Earth element,
3. CHOLERICS (those believed to have predominantly yellow bile in their body) are born in
Summer controlled by Fire element, and
4. SANGUINES (those believed to have predominantly bright blood in their body) are born in
Spring controlled by Air element.

Some who are unaware of these spurious pagan fallacies, believe these superstitious speculations
to be true and try to conform themselves to one temperamental personality or the other. Many
have tried to elaborate characters which they arbitrarily allocate to match these unfounded
assumptions. This pagan belief has recently caught up with the modern Church beginning with the
writings of Tim LaHaye and his followers. New Agers today, commonly believe and propagate
(even in the Church has been swept along) that success and satisfaction in life could only come
not by regeneration but by self-discovery to maximize your inherent temperamental type, since
trying to develop and attain qualities that do not belong to your inherent temperamental type is
futile! This intriguing curiosity is subtly contrary to the teachings of the Scriptures that your best
comes rather from dying to self and being regenerated into New Life and New Creation in Christ.

Even if our human nature or our carnal nature could be categorized into one elemental
temperament or the other, the belief and teaching that these are in-born identities we could never
escape from is subtle bondage and unchristian, making the Cross to be of no effect. Again, the

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notion that the fallen flesh or human nature has some good and strengths in itself is most subtle
denial of human utter depravity and the inescapable necessity for the atonement on the Cross.

The idea of the Four (personality-type) Temperaments presented below spring from the writings of the ancient Greeks, in
particular Plato's older contemporary, the "Father of Medicine", Hippocrates (469-399 B.C.) especially on his “doctrine of
humours” which he derived from the zodiac trigone metaphysics; and the "Prince of Physicians", Galen (130-200 A.D.) –
whose writings could be found in Vol. 9 of “Great Books of the Western World” (1990). Galen was also heavily influenced in
his treatment of psychology by "the Philosopher", Aristotle (384-322 B.C.).

PHLEGMATIC MELANCHOLIC CHOLERIC SANGUINE

PHLEGM BLACK-BILE YELLOW-BILE BLOOD
Body Humour Body Humour Body Humour Body Humour
WINTER AUTUMN SUMMER SPRING
Zodiac-signs Zodiac-signs Zodiac-signs Zodiac-signs
WATER Element EARTH Element FIRE Element AIR Element
(cold-moist) (cold-dry) (warm-dry) (warm-moist)

Slow & Apathetic Cold & Depressed Quick & Irritable Warm & Pleasant
PERSONALITY PERSONALITY PERSONALITY PERSONALITY
PEACEFUL PERFECT POWERFUL POPULAR
Easy way Right way My Way Fun way
(LaHaye/Litauer) (LaHaye/Litauer) (LaHaye/Litauer) (LaHaye/Litauer)

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 DIAGRAMMATIC REPRESENTATION OF THE FOUR TEMPERAMENTS
(A) Graphical/Mathematical Scheme: BE WARNED!

(B) Astrological/Metaphysical Scheme: BE WARE! (Adapted from hubpages.com)

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The Four Temperaments, Rudiments and Horoscopy:
Superstition not Science
According to the Scriptures, this type of superstitious speculative philosophical theories neither
based on empirical science nor on scriptural truth belong to pseudo-science (1Tim 6:20-21), as the
diagrams above clearly show. True empirical Science has shown that moods and characters are
developed through social formation and experience. Moods are mediated by variety of
neurotransmitters, hormones and neuro-receptors, many of which –
• vary in innumerable ways, NOT in only four ways;
• are modifiable by the environment and our experiences, NOT determined by the Law of
fate;
• depend on our physiological chemistry, NOT on astrologic zodiacs and rudimentary
powers.

The Scriptures teach that:

➢ Personality types are determined by exposure and experience, choices and
consequences NOT by moods controlled by some imagined body humours or elemental
forces of the zodiacs and rudiments (Gal 4:8-10; Col 2:6-10).
➢ Personality types can be recreated or transformed (Rom 12:2; 2Cor 5:17).
➢ Personality types can be renounced or imitated (1Thes 1:6-7; Php 4:8-9).
➢ Personality types can be put-off or put-on (Col 3:1-14).
➢ Personality traits are depraved, but Spiritual Fruit is sanctified (Gal 5:19-23).
➢ Inherent Temperament type is someone’s old carnal nature which is sinful leads to
condemnation and death (Rom 8:1-4) and so should be DENIED, CRUCIFIED MORTIFIED
and (Mat 16:24; Rom 8:12-13; Gal 2:20; 5:24; Col 3:5).
➢ Seeking out our so-called inherent temperament is being carnally minded, which is
enmity against God and leads to death (Rom 8:5-9).
➢ What the Christian needs is not discovery of inherent temperamental carnal personality
and passions but discovery of and submission to God’s purpose and power for us in
Christ.

The Four Temperaments, Rudiments and Horoscopy:

Old Nature not New Creation
“From the time of Moses, God fixed the dates of Israelite feasts based on calendrical reckonings
which agreed with the years, the seasons and the months, as determined by astronomical
relationship between the equinoxes, the solstices and the lunar phases. These astronomical
phenomena had also been used by both Babylonians and Egyptians and obviously Abraham’s
household who migrated between the two civilizations long before Moses. However, the
pagans used astronomical phenomena and seasonal variations not only RIGHTLY for
chronological reckoning or chronographic dating purposes (Gen 1:14-19) as God did with
Moses, but also WRONGLY for astrological mysticism and idolatry (Deut 4:19) which God
warned against. Astronomy (a true science) is mathematical calculation about seasonal
motions of celestial bodies, while Astrology (a false science) is mystical superstition about
spiritual powers of celestial bodies.”
See https://www.scribd.com/document/24638256/Why-Christmas-and-New-Year

Moods or temperaments do not in any-way depend on some imagined so-called four humours, nor
are they fatally determined by the four seasons and four rudiments. St Paul who was assisted by
St Luke the Physician was apparently aware of these pagan rudimentary categories. No wonder
he taught so much against bondage to the inborn and acquired works or nature of the flesh,

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subjection to the elemental forces and celestial powers, deceit of speculative philosophies and
dissipation of carnally minded tendencies.

Christians who are begotten again into the New Creation are regenerated to belong to Christ’s
genealogy, personality and destiny. Believers should renounce, reject and deny their carnal
temperaments and personality types, rather than seek to recover those. Christians should seek to
be filled with the Holy Spirit, Who produces His Spiritual Fruit of Christ’s temperaments and
personality in us.

NOTE: What is the nature of the human being according to the Scripture?
From Adam “the Living Soul from earth” (Gen 2:7), humans inherit SPIRIT-SOULS to live on Earth with
temporal, corruptible, mortal, earthy FLESH-BODIES (also called SOULISH/Natural BODIES 1Cor 15:44
because the spirit-soul is the spiritual or inner being of the outer flesh-body Num 27:16; Zech 12:1). While animals
lack the God-breathed spirit-soul, the blood holds the nasal life-breath which quickens the flesh-body for both
humans and animals alike (Eccl 3:19-21; 12:7; 2Cor 5:8; Php 1:23). Hence flesh and blood cannot inherit God’s
Kingdom (1Cor 15:50). Believers shall inherit God’s Kingdom when their spirits are regenerated by the Holy Spirit,
their souls renewed to perfection and their mortal “soulish” earthy bodies resurrected as glorious “spiritual”
heavenly bodies (1Cor 15:42-49).
Our human responsible identity lies in our SOULS (Ezk 18:4; Lk 16:19-31);
Our earthly connection lies in our BODIES;
Our divine connection lies in our SPIRITS (which is regenerated with the Holy Spirit when we believe in
Christ Rom 8:14-16).
IN CHRIST the Lord and His “Life-giving Spirit from heaven” (1Cor 15:45-49), believers are destined to
resurrect with everlasting, incorruptible, immortal, heavenly SPIRITUAL BODIES for the Millennium Kingdom and
the Eternity Bliss (Rev 20:6; 21:8).

The Four Temperaments, Rudiments and Horoscopy:

Bondage not Freedom
The Four Temperaments and Twelve Horoscopes are certainly not attributable to the Fullness and
Fruit of the Holy Spirit or Fullness of Christ but to the inborn or rudimentarily determined human
nature, WHICH AT ITS BEST IS CALLED THE FLESH IN THE SCRIPTURES. These have
nothing whatsoever to do neither with scriptural Christianity nor with true scientific
physiology. The root of the Four Temperaments as seen in diagram (B) has to do with the Four
divination Horoscopy Trigons and Four mystical Rudimentary Elements (Gal 4:3-10). Not all that
glitters is gold. Be warned! Don’t get back into bondage!

For Christians, natural temperaments are works/desires of the flesh or motions/passions of sin
(Rom 7:5; Gal 5:16-21) and so are to be mortified and crucified not magnified (Gal 5:24-26; Col
3:5-8). They are to be denounced, be brought under subjection (1Cor 9:25-27) and be replaced
with the Fruit of the Holy Spirit (i.e. the Divine Nature or the Measure of Christ) Gal 5:22-23; 2Pet
1:3-8; Eph 4:11-13. The natural man is in enmity against God and cannot please God (Rom 8:5-
10), nor understand the things of God (1Cor 2:14). Our natural temperaments spring from our
fallen nature and are the reasons why we are ungodly. Present day interest in temperaments
tends to encourage preservation of so-called “positive” qualities or “strengths”. But the Scripture
says these are filthy rags (Isa 64:6), fallen short of God’s glory and depraved. Believers should
live in Christ and not be deceived through vain philosophies to become bound again to any
rudimentary temperament. (Col 2:6-10).

➢ Contrary to New Age self-worship and modern heathenish propaganda which the Church is
fast imbibing, the four humours and the rudiments do not really determine anyone’s personality,
nor is carnal personality of any use for good success and spiritual fulfilment in Christ (Rom
8:12-13).

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➢ New Age self worship propagates that key to success and spiritual fulfilment lies in our
discovery and pursuit of self (personality, passions, and pleasures) rather than self denial and
discovery of God’s will.
➢ When Moses and Jeremiah tried to use self discovery and desires to assess their calls, God
differed and maintained that their success shall depend on their walking with Him according to
His Word (Exo 4:10-12; Jer 1:4-10); Christ insisted on outright self denial instead (Mat 16:23-
25).
➢ When God counselled Joshua on keys to leadership success and spiritual fulfilment, He said
nothing about discovery of self. What biblical Faith teaches as key are denial of self and
submission of self for divine transformation (Rom 12:1-3).
➢ In the Scripture, the means of good success and spiritual fulfilment are confidence in God’s
purpose and power (not in the flesh), conviction about God’s call and pleasure, diligent
circumspection with God’s will and wisdom (Eph 5:15-17), and selfless commitment to God’s
Word and precepts (Josh 1:6-9) NOT self-discovery of carnal passions, personality and
temperaments.

BELIEVERS SAVED TO LIBERTY IN CHRIST SHOULD NOT ENTRUST THEIR FATE AND
FORTUNE BACK INTO BONDAGE OF HOROSCOPES AND TEMPERAMENTS OF THEIR OLD
FLESHLY NATURE.
Temperaments and Horoscopes are attributed to the basic Law/Course/Control of
• the Powers of the air (Eph 2:2-3) or
• the Seasons and months (Gal 4:8-11) or
• the Rudiments of the world (Gal 4:3; Col 2:8, 20).
Christ is the ultimate personality changer as well as orientation liberator. He makes all
things new (2Cor 5:16-17) and takes us far above all horoscopic and rudimentary powers
(Eph 1:21).

Updated March 3, 2015

by Ven. Dr. I. U. Ibeme
Copyright © PriscAquila Publishing, Maiduguri, Nigeria.
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PriscAquila Christian Resource Centre ; http://priscaquila.6te.net