The Human Animal and Sin

Humans are animals -- very clever ones, but still animals. Behavior (individual and collective) for all animals is instinctive. Conditioned behavior (learning) will occur, but does not and cannot negate instinctive behavior.

By their nature, instincts are selfish. What appears to be altruistic behavior will, upon closer examination, be behavior that an animal believes to be somehow beneficial to itself. Self-sacrifice does not occur naturally. What appears to be sacrificial behavior (such as a dog fighting a wolf to save a lamb) will only occur with conditioning or with breeding (genetics). The seemingly altruistic behavior in the sheep dog will actually be as selfish as that of a Beagle hound, who would not only let the wolf have the sheep but help him eat it. This instinctive selfishness is natural in animals (including human animals). It is a gift from God that all animal species require for survival -- and it is not "sinful".

When God chose to give His Spirit to the human animal, he included something else -- two basic responsibilities (laws). These responsibilities require acts of self-sacrifice which conflict with our selfish animal instincts. "Sin" occurs when a human fails to fulfill either of these basic responsibilities (which God has given to all humanity, independently of religion). These two basic responsibilities are for humans to love their Creator and to love each other.

We are still in animal form, so God did not eliminate our selfish animal nature when He gave us our two responsibilities. This causes inner warfare between the selfishness of our instincts and our consciences. As Paul said, "But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members." This "law in my members" was Paul's selfish animal instincts. A zoologist could not have worded it any better.

Almost all human behavior-- even what appears to be altruistic -- when analyzed for motive, can be attributed to selfish animal needs such as survival, sex and recognition. This includes most of our "worship" behavior, which is instinctively used as a means to an end. We want our lot to be better while alive and we want to overcome death. That's why the Bible describes our good works being as filthy rags.

Because God did make us in His image, we humans can (but rarely do) choose to perform a truly altruistic act -- one that requires an actual sacrifice on our part with nothing to gain. We can (but rarely do) choose to deny our instincts and suffer for another or for our Creator. We have the ability (seldom used) to share what God gave to us instead of to a gopher -- sacrificial love (the only real kind).

It makes little sense to blame sin on the rain or on the Devil. Put the blame where it belongs -- upon ourselves. It is our failure to do what we know we should. It is our failure to deny ourselves and follow Him. It is our failure to unselfishly sacrifice ourselves for our God and for our fellow man.