ID, Superego and the UFC glove

when we read in paul's writings about the 'sinful nature' (some translations use the word 'flesh') we mustn't default, like the ascetics did, to the notion that our flesh is somehow bad. God created human beings and pronounced the creation very good. a traditional phrase seems to say it all: we are called God's crowned of creation.

so what about this troublesome 'sinful nature?' referred to in galatians 5.16-18

in the original greek, the word is sarx, a word that carries with is some interesting overtones.

Sarx:
1) the animal nature with cravings which incite to sin
2) denotes mere human nature, the earthly nature of man apart from divine influence, therefore prone to sin and opposed to God… the beast within; the heart of a man

the heart is a wild thing- it engages with the world from a place of complete self interest. its M.O. is do or be done to…

sigmund freud, the father of modern psychology, describes the dichotomy of the ID vs SuperEgo at great length. basically, one part of us- the self interested and self serving part- is only motivated by gratification, while the other part of us- the socialized part- is motivated by the upholding of a sense of order, balance and justice in all things.

but what if we're seeing the relationship wrong? what if we're seeing these opposites as adversaries doing battle when really they are really team mates?

perhaps the ID and the Superego aren’t opposed to each other at all- perhaps they complement one another in that the ID (inward, self interested) self is enwrapped in the Superego (outward, socially and spiritually conscious) self.

recently i viewed a rather unlikely christmas special: a pay-per-view UFC event.

the UFC glove is an interesting thing. whereas it affords the wearer with limited digit dexterity need to compete in a UFC match, it would definitely be an encumbrance for one trying to play guitar well or perform dental surgery or type a really insightful blogpost. the UFC glove exists for the purpose of the protection of the competitors, nothing more.

perhaps there is a model here: if the ID is the fist and the Superego is the glove, then it seems to make sense that, like the UFC glove, the Superego with all of its orderly politics, systemic structures, laws and religions cushions the ID from the harshness of the world outside (and from the violence it tends to inflict), while also cushioning the world from harshness of the ID...

unsurrendered to the Spirit (pneuma) of God, they may work together to keep us from being all that we could be in Christ the way a UFC glove might make it difficult to perform fine adjustments when doing a tune-up on the vehicle of someone who can't afford to take it into the shop.