... 240715-Bible-What-Place-Has-Instinct.txt F5 4:45 PM 7/15/2024 Watching a show. Animals leave, driven by instinct. What IS instinct? An utterly compelling force within animals that overrides their will for a length of time, often manifesting as travel? Salmon swim upstream to spawn and reproduce then die. Geese fly south for the winter. Why don't they all just rest where they are? They ALL go. Webster's Ninth Collegiate Dictionary says: instinct n 1 : a natural or inherent aptitude, impulse, or capacity 2 a : a largely inheritable and unalterable tendency of an organism to make a complex and specific response to environmental stimuli without involving reason b : behavior that is mediated by reactions below the conscious level instinct adj 1 obs : impelled by an inner or animating or exciting agency 2 : profoundly imbued : infused The Bible has something to say about unreasoning animals. Unfortunately it's not flattering for people. 4:55 PM 7/15/2024 2 Peter 2: 9 then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from temptation, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment, 10 and especially those who indulge the flesh in its corrupt desires and despise authority. Daring, self-willed, they do not tremble when they revile angelic majesties, 11 whereas angels who are greater in might and power do not bring a reviling judgment against them before the Lord. 12 But these, like unreasoning animals, born as creatures of instinct to be captured and killed, reviling where they have no knowledge, will in the destruction of those creatures also be destroyed, 13 suffering wrong as the wages of doing wrong. They count it a pleasure to revel in the daytime. They are stains and blemishes, reveling in their deceptions, as they carouse with you, 14 having eyes full of adultery and that never cease from sin, enticing unstable souls, having a heart trained in greed, accursed children; 15 forsaking the right way they have gone astray, having followed the wages of unrighteousness, 16 but he received a rebuke for his own transgression; for a dumb donkey, speaking with the voice of a man, restrained the madness of the prophet. (NASB) When animals are regularly, annually, driven by instinct, their free will is removed from them by the will of the agency in authority over them, that inner urging that compels them beyond their own will, and in cases of the salmon and the geese, into suffering for a purpose. In the case of these animals, it is a portion of their generational sturdiness. In the case of mankind behaving as unreasoning animals, such gnaws at and rejects the dignity of human beings, male and female, made in the image of God. So, when one person rebukes another with, "You are behaving like an animal," it is not a compliment. God through Jesus Christ has given us the gift and the significant responsibility of free will; He allows us to do much of what we want, but we discover in some choices there ARE consequences. Yet He instructs and He teaches, in many ways. Next, for a better view on consequences versus guilt, see this related article on 2 Samuel 12, Nathan confronts David . Early on, God gives to mankind to have free will. Look at the state of the world, from the exercise of free will. Why do bad things happen to good people? Aside from the inaccuracies in that simple question, how each member of mankind chooses to use free will is one of the greatest gifts, yet sometimes free will is very misused by people, from generation to generation. It then is not for us to try to blame God for mankind's choices. Instead, shouldn't we ask the Lord day by day what He wants of us? He calls for us to follow Him and His ways. IF God had simply made us robots, or animals only driven by instinct, where then is our human dignity of being made in His image? Yet, if / as WE choose to voluntarily love God back, because He first loved us, and "love thy neighbor" as the Scriptures also say, then what greater appreciation could we and others have for the free will which God gives us? If you choose to touch a life with kindness and love today, what rippling effect does that have with other people throughout the world? And then, to love. The One who died on the cross and three days later rose to eternal life, Jesus Christ of Nazareth, lived His life then died, mistakenly branded a criminal, yet offering everything He had to be the perfect sacrifice, the perfect substitute, the perfect leader, the perfect Israelite, the perfect Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, for whomsoever would come to Him. He called for mankind to repent, to trust in God. Thanks to a friend, I was reminded that, amazingly, Jesus fills the role of not only our perfect sacrifice but also our perfect High Priest (see Hebrews 10:1-14). In His generation, the alternative was falsely believing in lifeless idols. Today, are the lifeless idols more subtle? God also gives us the example of working diligently in all He does. I am coming to believe that diligent, persistent work on our part is a portion of reflection of God's image in the world, an honorable stance. Let Jesus change you as He's changed ME! This is very simple: Believe He is who He says He is. Believe He died in our place, for our sins, and that God raised Him from the dead. Ask Him to forgive you of your sins. Be courageous to affirm this, to say so, to ask Jesus to save you and to be your Lord. His promises are true. He continues to be utterly and completely faithful. When you truly forgive someone, your heart has love in it, and theirs has gratitude. How much more so this same from Jesus, who is not tainted by doubt, insecurity, nor rash anger, but He is holy, sovereign, compassionate, wise. You will enter a new chapter in your life as you follow Him! --end notes so far: 2024-07-15 21:40:07 -- Let's investigate more, on "Yet He instructs and He teaches, in many ways. How does God teach? -and- Why does God teach? This answer is easy; He has the truth; He IS the truth! He loves US! Ideas to research, on "How does God teach?" As a parent, As a King, As a Priest, As a Shepherd, As a Physician, Through His creation, By example, Through circumstance, 2024-07-28 18:19:17 https://biblehub.com/1_john/2.htm 1 John 2 (BSB): 24 And as for you, let what you have heard from the beginning remain in you. If it does, you also remain in the Son and in the Father. 25 And this is the promise that He Himself made to us: eternal life. 26 I have written these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you. 27 And as for you, the anointing you received from Him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But just as His true and genuine anointing teaches you about all things, so remain in Him as you have been taught. 2024-07-28 18:24:01 https://biblehub.com/john/14.htm John 14 (BSB): 15 If you love me, you will keep My commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate to be with you forever– 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot receive Him, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. But you do know Him, for He abides with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 In a little while the world will see Me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 On that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you are in Me, and I am in you. 21 Whoever has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me. The one who loves me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and reveal Myself to him." 22 Judas (not Iscariot) asked Him, "Lord, why are you going to reveal yourself to us and not to the world? 23 Jesus replied, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make Our home with him. 24 Whoever does not love Me does not keep My words. The word that you hear is not My own, but it is from the Father who sent Me. 25 All this I have spoken to you while I am still with you. 26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have told you. 27 Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. I do not give as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled; do not be afraid. 28 You heard Me say, 'I am going away, and I am coming back to you.' If you loved Me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. 29 And now I have told you before it happens, so that when it does happen, you will believe. 30 I will not speak with you much longer, for the prince of this world is coming, and he has no claim on Me. 31 But I do exactly what the Father has commanded Me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Get up! Let us go on from here. 2024-07-28 18:37:37 https://biblehub.com/psalms/19.htm Psalm 19 (BSB): 1 The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands. 2 Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. 3 Without speech or language, wihtout a sound to be heard, 4 their voice has gone out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. From Genesis onward: -- Back to Theology, or to Home.