Most people have heard of Kirk Douglas, and his son Michael Douglas. Michael was a star in Basic Instincts alongside Sharon Stone. What is/are the basic instincts of humans and animals. Simple. Sex. Look around you. People will do anything, compromise everything, for that basic instinct, sex. But there is another basic instinct, perhaps even more powerful than the sexual drive, and that is self-survival. Basic instinct of sex, is overcome with the basic instinct of self survival. Who would people; kill, walk over, throw away, in order to survive? You can get a variety of opinion, but self-survival is generally number 1 on the list of human instincts. 1 Sam 22: 7ff and 1 Sam 22: 9ff- Doeg informs Saul about David. A spy if you will. Doeg was choosing the best side to survive. He couldn’t care less of any of them. It’s a matter of his survival. Pick the winning side. And David plays that game too- 2 Sam 15:32 and 2 Sam 16:16 here David uses Hushai as both a spy for David and to give Absalom bad advice. Why? Self-preservation of David. David was looking after himself. No one else. Point? Self-preservation runs deep within the human psyche. Admit it or not, it’s irrelevant. We protect ourselves at all costs. It doesn’t matter who we put down, so long as we are victorious on the other side. Some people can plan and scheme, without others knowing it, how to survive. They are skillful, for they have learnt what to do for survival. Others are cruder in this basic instinct. They have never learnt the tact, the skill, of the basic instinct. Don’t judge people, as you have it too. It’s just some realize it, and are skillful in its application. Others are sheer brutes, like a bull in a china shop. No tact. When they are confronted with something that “offends” them they come out fighting to defend their viewpoint. They totally open themselves up, and totally reveal who they are and what they think. There is a quote Pro 18: 7- its application does not have to be that of a fool, for the person can be quite bright- but the end result is they have played their card. And that's not a good thing. Another scripture is 1 Tim 5: 24- some sins are obvious, others trail behind them. Point being, all have them, sins. Point being, all do and say different things to preserve their reputation, or to preserve their authority, or to preserve their honour, etc. But some people’s self-preservation is obvious, others know how to hide it. Such a nursery simplistic example- some workers obey the boss. Why? They love their boss? Don’t be so naïve. Self-preservation- they need the money. Back to the beginning, and hence lies the dichotomy. A basic instinct, sex, is controlled via Christ. A basic instinct of self preservation is controlled by Christ. Is it? Are they? I leave to you.
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