Nature vs Nurture?
“You asked, “Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorance?”
It is I—and I was talking about things I knew nothing about, things far too wonderful for me. You said, “Listen and I will speak! I have some questions for you, and you must answer them.”
I had only heard about you before, but now I have seen you with my own eyes. I take back everything I said, and I sit in dust and ashes to show my repentance.”
-Job 42:3-6
This endless debate over nature versus nurture has little relevance to the Christ-filled life. It is questioning the wrong foundation. The question is composed of completely material logic.
“Was it the substance in which I was formed that makes me the way I am? Or the environment in which I was reared that has formed my identity?”
These questions are fruitless and irrelevant for those who are in Christ. We ignore the spiritual for the natural!
When we tell you these things, we do not use words that come from human wisdom. Instead, we speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit’s words to explain spiritual truths. But people who aren’t spiritual can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can’t understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means.”
– 1 Corinthians 2:13-14
Jesus formed us and gave us a body, soul and spirit. Whatever causation you are looking for in the natural does not surpass the value and identity the Creator ascribed to you at birth. We must not pass by the originator of our creation with questions completely based on our carnality. You are designed with a purpose for a purpose, by a loving God. PERIOD.
We must commune with Him, we must gather ourselves and take our whole beings before His throne in submission to Jesus.
All of Job’s questions faded into silence when Lord God Almighty spoke. The fruit of his life bore no relevance outside of relationship with Yahweh.
Search and search, question and question, and you are beating a broken drum, you are following a dead end road.
“As the Scriptures say, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and discard the intelligence of the intelligent.
“So where does this leave the philosophers, the scholars, and the world’s brilliant debaters? “God has made the wisdom of this world look foolish.”
-1 Corinthians 1:19-20
All of your philosophy will lead you to the same place as it did Augustine, to the realization that the human mind has no power over humanity, over the savage nature of mankind.
“…All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls.”
– 1 Peter 1:24
We in western culture have taken the view that we can accomplish much through our own effort, through believing the right things and following the right paths. We focus on the body and mind while ignoring our soul and spirit.
“….God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets … .we have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us.”
– 1 Corinthians 2:10, 12
Jesus designed us to function in the fullness of His Spirit, never experiencing absence from His presence. By focusing on questions that will not bring us closer into communion with Him we cut off the spirit to Spirit relationship that Jesus wishes to have with us.
Your nurturing and nature must take a back seat to the all consuming power of God Almighty. Your failure to come into His presence in spirit and truth (John 4:24) will lead to unfulfillment and frustration.
Come on up Church! Take your place in the Spirit. Rise up and grab hold of your inheritance.
