Understanding Human Nature: A Path to Moral Truth

 

Summary

Understanding human nature is crucial to comprehending our place in the world and our relationship with God. Every entity, whether a turnip or a human, possesses a distinct nature that defines its essence and purpose. This concept, rooted in classical philosophy, has been a guiding principle for centuries. Human nature, in particular, is composed of parts with specific properties that form a whole, providing a standard for what it means to be human and how we should interact with one another. This understanding is essential for establishing norms and values that guide our actions and relationships.

Plato's theory of human nature, which divides it into reason, emotion, and appetite, highlights the importance of balance and guidance. Reason should lead our appetites, supported by emotion, to prevent chaos and ensure a harmonious life. This balance is not only vital for individuals but also for society as a whole. Plato's critique of democracy, which he believed could lead to tyranny, underscores the dangers of equating all desires and allowing them to dominate our lives.

In contemporary culture, the idea of "no limits" is often glorified, promoting the notion that human desire should be unrestrained. However, this perspective ignores the reality that human desire is not self-limiting and must be tempered by reason and experience. The absence of a recognized human nature leads to a lack of moral knowledge and a reliance on political correctness as the only form of correctness. Without a foundation of moral truth, society becomes driven by power, will, and desire, reducing individuals to mere consumers.

The denial of human nature has profound implications for morality and ethics. When moral truths are dismissed, individuals are left to pursue their desires without regard for the consequences. This shift has led to significant changes in institutions like universities, where moral knowledge is no longer taught. The result is a society where political correctness and the pursuit of personal desires overshadow the pursuit of truth and the understanding of human dignity.

Recognizing and embracing our human nature is essential for living a life aligned with God's purpose. It provides a framework for understanding our relationship with God and the infinite possibilities that arise from that connection. By acknowledging our nature, we can correct oppressive uses of the concept and strive for a society grounded in moral truth and human dignity.

Key Takeaways:

1. The Essence of Human Nature: Understanding human nature is fundamental to establishing norms and values that guide our actions and relationships. It provides a standard for what it means to be human and how we should interact with one another. [14:21]

2. Plato's Balance of Reason, Emotion, and Appetite: Plato's division of human nature into reason, emotion, and appetite highlights the importance of balance. Reason should guide our appetites, supported by emotion, to prevent chaos and ensure a harmonious life. [15:45]

3. The Danger of Unrestrained Desire: The contemporary glorification of "no limits" ignores the reality that human desire is not self-limiting. Reason and experience must temper desire to prevent it from dominating our lives and leading to chaos. [18:59]

4. The Consequences of Denying Human Nature: The denial of human nature leads to a lack of moral knowledge and a reliance on political correctness. Without a foundation of moral truth, society becomes driven by power, will, and desire. [26:57]

5. The Importance of Recognizing Human Nature: Embracing our human nature is essential for living a life aligned with God's purpose. It provides a framework for understanding our relationship with God and the infinite possibilities that arise from that connection. [22:11]

Youtube Chapters:

[00:00] - Welcome
[12:59] - Understanding Human Nature
[13:48] - The Components of Human Nature
[14:36] - Differences in Nature
[15:18] - Plato's Theory of Human Nature
[16:13] - The Role of Reason and Emotion
[16:43] - Democracy and Tyranny
[17:16] - The Tyranny of Desire
[18:05] - The Concept of No Limits
[19:17] - Cultural Glorification of No Limits
[20:04] - The Supremacy of Feeling
[21:25] - The Renaissance Perspective
[22:24] - The Connection with God
[23:12] - The Disappearance of Moral Knowledge
[24:55] - The Illusion of Freedom
[26:29] - Political Correctness and Power

Study Guide

### Bible Study Discussion Guide

#### Bible Reading
1. Romans 1:21-24
2. Genesis 1:26-27
3. Proverbs 16:32

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#### Observation Questions
1. According to the sermon, how does Plato's division of human nature into reason, emotion, and appetite help us understand the importance of balance in our lives? [15:31]
2. What are some examples given in the sermon of how contemporary culture glorifies the idea of "no limits"? [19:17]
3. How does the sermon describe the consequences of denying human nature in terms of moral knowledge and societal values? [23:12]
4. What does the sermon suggest is the relationship between understanding human nature and our connection with God? [22:11]

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#### Interpretation Questions
1. How does the sermon interpret Plato's critique of democracy in relation to human desires and societal order? [16:29]
2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that the denial of human nature affects our understanding of moral truth and human dignity? [26:29]
3. How does the sermon connect the idea of "no limits" with the concept of human desire and its potential consequences? [18:59]
4. What does the sermon imply about the role of reason and experience in guiding human desires and actions? [18:41]

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#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when your desires were unrestrained. How did it affect your life and relationships? What steps can you take to ensure reason guides your desires in the future? [18:59]
2. Consider the balance of reason, emotion, and appetite in your own life. Are there areas where one dominates the others? How can you work towards a more harmonious balance? [15:45]
3. How do you perceive the influence of contemporary culture's "no limits" mindset in your daily life? What practical steps can you take to counteract this influence? [19:17]
4. In what ways can acknowledging human nature help you align your life with God's purpose? Identify one specific area where you can apply this understanding. [22:11]
5. How can you contribute to a society grounded in moral truth and human dignity in your community or workplace? What specific actions can you take this week? [26:29]
6. Reflect on the sermon’s discussion of political correctness and moral truth. How can you engage in conversations about morality that are both respectful and truthful? [26:57]
7. Identify a personal desire that may be leading you away from God's purpose. What steps can you take to realign this desire with your faith and values? [27:47]

Devotional

Day 1: The Foundation of Human Nature
Understanding human nature is fundamental to establishing norms and values that guide our actions and relationships. It provides a standard for what it means to be human and how we should interact with one another. Recognizing the distinct nature of every entity, including humans, helps us comprehend our place in the world and our relationship with God. This understanding is essential for creating a society grounded in moral truth and human dignity. By acknowledging our human nature, we can establish norms and values that guide our actions and relationships, ensuring that we live in harmony with one another and with God's purpose. [14:21]

"For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2:10, ESV)

Reflection: In what ways can you align your daily actions with the understanding of human nature as a creation of God, designed for good works?


Day 2: The Balance of Reason, Emotion, and Appetite
Plato's division of human nature into reason, emotion, and appetite highlights the importance of balance. Reason should guide our appetites, supported by emotion, to prevent chaos and ensure a harmonious life. This balance is not only vital for individuals but also for society as a whole. When reason leads, supported by emotion, it helps us make decisions that are not only beneficial for ourselves but also for those around us. This balance prevents the chaos that can arise when desires are left unchecked and ensures a harmonious life for individuals and society. [15:45]

"Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life." (Proverbs 4:23, ESV)

Reflection: How can you cultivate a balance between reason, emotion, and appetite in your daily decision-making to ensure a harmonious life?


Day 3: The Danger of Unrestrained Desire
The contemporary glorification of "no limits" ignores the reality that human desire is not self-limiting. Reason and experience must temper desire to prevent it from dominating our lives and leading to chaos. In a culture that often promotes the idea of unrestrained desire, it is crucial to recognize the importance of setting boundaries. Without limits, desires can lead to chaos and disrupt the balance necessary for a harmonious life. By allowing reason and experience to guide our desires, we can prevent them from dominating our lives and ensure that we live in accordance with God's purpose. [18:59]

"All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be dominated by anything." (1 Corinthians 6:12, ESV)

Reflection: Identify an area in your life where desire tends to dominate. How can you apply reason and experience to set healthy boundaries in this area?


Day 4: The Consequences of Denying Human Nature
The denial of human nature leads to a lack of moral knowledge and a reliance on political correctness. Without a foundation of moral truth, society becomes driven by power, will, and desire. This shift has profound implications for morality and ethics, as individuals are left to pursue their desires without regard for the consequences. The absence of moral knowledge in institutions like universities has led to a society where political correctness overshadows the pursuit of truth and understanding of human dignity. Recognizing and embracing our human nature is essential for living a life aligned with God's purpose. [26:57]

"For the wisdom of this world is folly with God. For it is written, 'He catches the wise in their craftiness.'" (1 Corinthians 3:19, ESV)

Reflection: How can you seek and uphold moral truth in your daily interactions, even when it goes against societal norms or political correctness?


Day 5: The Importance of Recognizing Human Nature
Embracing our human nature is essential for living a life aligned with God's purpose. It provides a framework for understanding our relationship with God and the infinite possibilities that arise from that connection. By acknowledging our nature, we can correct oppressive uses of the concept and strive for a society grounded in moral truth and human dignity. Recognizing our human nature allows us to live in harmony with God's purpose and opens up infinite possibilities for our relationship with Him. [22:11]

"And have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator." (Colossians 3:10, ESV)

Reflection: In what ways can you embrace your human nature to deepen your relationship with God and align your life with His purpose?

Quotes

"To have a human nature is to have parts with specific properties that constitute the whole person in such a way that its peculiar wholeness provides a standard for what a human being is and provides norms for how a person is to be treated and what they are to do." [00:14:02]

"Plato says well there are three parts to human beings there's reason there's emotion and there's appetite reason emotion and appetite and each of these has certain properties and because they have those properties they relate to one another in a certain way and for example you want to be sure that reason is guiding your appetites by enlisting emotion on its side otherwise you're going to be in total chaos." [00:15:27]

"Democracy meant in his mind that all desires are equal and if all desires are equal the individual goes mad imagine living your life on that principle and imagining a master desire emerging which is able to subordinate all other desires and make them serve it and soon you will see that democracy in his view would naturally lead to tyranny." [00:16:43]

"To say no nature no human nature is to hold that human beings there's there's nothing they cannot do there is nothing that it is not appropriate to do to them endless change is possible No Limits and our culture is very much tied to this and and we have to understand that a lot of the rationalization that goes into backing up this view that there's no human nature is based on the will to be able to change things without limit." [00:18:05]

"Human desire is not self-limiting it can't control itself human desire has to be restrained by the capacity to apprehend reality experience and reason have to be able to set the limits to desire in our life today you'll see for example in commercials the glorification of No Limits." [00:18:55]

"Actually this idea of no nature comes out of the Renaissance Pico DEA marandola had a book called The Dignity of man what is interesting here is he said man who new nature because great God created him that way so he would have an infinite capacity to rise towards God now actually you have to have a certain nature to do that." [00:21:25]

"When you understand the nature of God you realize its connection the nature of man you realize its connection with God and you realize that there is an issue in here about Infinity because of that relationship with God now of course of course Nature has been falsely used and we need to acknowledge that Human Nature has been used oppressively." [00:22:24]

"Moral knowledge disappeared from our present world and it has disappeared it hasn't ceased to exist but it has disappeared precisely because the idea of a nature for a human being has been set aside and if you read contemporary moral theory moral theory in the 20th century and now in the 21st you'll see that the constant issue that is raised." [00:23:12]

"Political correctness is the only thing that's left once you have set aside moral truth moral correctness and you will do that if you indeed think human beings don't have a nature once you do that then the reason we have a big thing about political correctness is not uh conspiracy of some sort there isn't any other kind of correctness left with human nature going all that is left is power it is will it is desire." [00:26:29]

"Instead of law being based upon a foundation of moral truth about human life it has to be based simply upon what people desire and judges and legislators wind up trying to reflect what they think is the sentiment of the people did desire degrad the person to the body and there is no Foundation of dignity left for the human being he becomes a consumer a person who is simply striving to satisfy their desires." [00:27:09]

"When people turned away from the knowledge of God they were abandon to their own desires and how that developed through utilizing the body because you see if you turn away from a value structure that is there in reality you turn away from God the only thing you're going to have left to work on is your body and you will pump that body for everything you can get out of it and pleasure will be king." [00:27:45]

"You don't retain God you don't have a foundation for understanding human nature and when you lose that you simply go to what what you can ring out of your body or the bodies of others." [00:28:17]

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Transcript
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