Natural and unnatural way

. The natural way 2. Another way that we will call "the unnatural way". The Natural Way. The way we are naturally inclined to go, the easy way, the way of following our natural inclinations. It is the way of impulsiveness, impetuousness, self- indulgence, self-gratification, selfishness, pride, vanity, dishonesty, deceit, impatience, self-will, anger, malice, envy, jealousy, hatred, vengeance, laziness, overindulgence, gluttony, prodigality, promiscuity, pleasure seeking, etc. It is the way in which if you desire to do it, you just do it. Want, wish, desire, impulse and natural inclination rule. Want, wish, impulse and desire, unwilling to be restrained by reason, sense or conscience, decide action and behavior. Reason, sense and conscience is ignored, overruled, or just not heard. The Unnatural Way. The way of self-restraint, self-denial, self-control; the way of following mind, intellect, reason, sense, judgment, moral knowledge, conscience, moral principle, religious or moral teaching; the way of prudence, wisdom, reflection, thought, forethought, unselfishness, kindness, benevolence, humility, honesty, truthfulness, caution, patience, industry, thrift, perseverance, diligence. It is the hard way, a way that doesn't come naturally. It is a way that is learned, acquired, built up through practice and cultivation, a way that is instilled and created. It is a way of inhibitions -- for reason, sense and conscience place inhibiting, restraining or regulating effects on thought, action and conduct. It is a way of self-imposed habits and discipline, a way that arises out of an understanding of life and truth that comes through fear of God, knowledge of Biblical teaching, thought, reflection, and observation (of life and people); a way that arises out of a love of God, virtue, goodness and truth and the pursuit of those things. In almost all ways the two ways are opposites. For in the later way impulsiveness is replaced by thought, care and caution; self-gratification is replaced by self-denial and self-restraint; laziness is replaced by industriousness; prodigality is replaced by thrift; dishonesty is replaced by honesty; pride is replaced by humility; overindulgence is replaced by temperance; etc. In the later way our mind causes us to go against natural inclination and do that which is contrary to our natural inclination; it subjects all our behavior and conduct to restraint and discipline. The natural way is the low way. It is the way Christian scripture refers to as the way of "the natural man", "the way of the world". It is the way Christian teaching says leads to hell. The "unnatural way" is the high way. It is the way taught by Christ, by Christian scripture. It is the way of the "reborn.