A man burns his hand putting wood onto a fire. He pulls his hand back out of reflex, and his brain keeps the knowledge of this event. So the next log he places on the fire, he does so with awareness and caution.
A man feels jealousy, because his brother has honored the family name. His jealousy turns to bitterness and then contempt, and blooms hatred that leads him to murder his brother. And now his brain keeps the knowledge of this event, and his reaction to his own jealousy from then on, is to kill any who inflames this feeling.
A minister, in his lust, is given over to depravity, and finds sexual desire for other men. Because he does what enables his desire, he is empowered in the flesh. This empowered state of mind, leads him to believe his desires are blessed. He testifies to others that God accepts those who accept themselves. And that those who do not accept this, are judgemental and condemned.
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Our soul is bound in a vessel that reacts to what is set before it. This vessel is based on our instinctive behavior to adapt and survive.
Before we were called by Christ, we were fully enslaved by this poverty, and were the promotion of this poverty. To this very day, the promotion of this poverty is called liberty, and freedom. And all liberties and freedoms are an expression of enabling and empowerment of this vessel. It is natural and instinctual to survive by what knowledge we are given by what is set before us. This, my friends, is the path of our existence that leads to death.
After the ascension, the Holy Spirit was made available to all who would repent their natural and instinctual ways. This repent was then the foundation of our faith, believing we could exist in denial of ourselves. This was considered a rebirth, having died of this poverty, and reborn into developing in holiness. Holiness that was available in this Spirit. It is humbling to commit ourselves to faith and deny ourselves what we have been raised in. But this is the Way.
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Although we stumble, we are not considered perfect. Instead, we grow in our faith, and begin to rely on that holy perfection to come through us in our humble acts. This is our way of glorifying the Creator, through the authority of our Redeemer. It is unnatural, and it is in denial of our instinctive survival traits, to act selflessly, and consider others before ourselves. But we strive to resemble the image of God within us, as it is the eternal life we hope to remain with forever.
There are some who try to find a balance between what they desire and what they know is holy. These individuals or groups are the ones who do not repent, but instead embody sin, and demand acceptance of it. They influence many, because they speak to their desires and instinct. From justifying murder to embracing worldliness, to empowering sexual depravity; they claim it as the will of God. They hold high the authority of Jesus, claiming grace from his spilt blood as a weapon to defend themselves, shamefully.
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Jude 1:17-23
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But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold.
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They said to you, “In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.”
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These are the people who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit.
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But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit,
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keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.
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Be merciful to those who doubt;
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save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.
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We are called to persevere in faithfulness. When we are conflicted by corrupted individuals or groups, our only consideration is to be our love for our Father in Heaven. If we love the Father, we believe in His Truth. Our belief is followed through with love of one another.
And loving acts are important, such as being gentle in correction, and having mercy on those who are corrupted and misled. We know that those who rely on their instincts and still claim Jesus are false and not of the Holy Spirit. But that does not give us over to judgement and condemnation. We are to be examples of holiness, and leave judgement and condemnation for the authority we serve through.
It is not that we do not have instinct, we just deny it, purely out of love, and at our cost. We are not serving through holiness, if we base our actions on our reactions in this poverty. And the danger of reacting to what is set before us is clear, we fall away from faithfulness.
So what can we do? Like Jude said, 'build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit.'
Set yourselves apart, in order to love through holiness.
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