Butterflies also seem to be pretty selective about the spots where they settle down for a drink.

The male Gluphisia septentrionis moth even goes so far as to shoot the fluids in forced anal jets. Naturalist and butterfly expert Andre Coetze gives us the lowdown on the butterfly's dirty little secret.Įver had the desire to grab your camera and get up close to a pile of fresh dung? How about lying flat on a sand bank where animals urinate? While most photographers would rather snap wildlife from the comfort of their cars, for anyone with an interest in butterflies, smelly mud and stinky excretions often lead to the best shots…īutterflies and moths regularly congregate around mud, dung and even blood, tears or decaying flesh! Little is known about this behaviour, but there are a couple of interesting observations that may help explain the icky phenomenon.įor starters, the majority of specimens found near mud are males and quite often, while the butterfly blokes are drinking from the mud, fluids are pumped out of their abdomens. But these delicate insects might not be quite as enchanting as you think. A beloved cultural icon, celebrated in ancient artworks and revered as a symbol of everything from love to rebirth. They regularly congregate around mud, dung and even decaying corpses.Īh yes, the butterfly.

The act of being publicly baptized was part of establishing that good conscience with God and before a watching world.Īnd, again, as the final phrase of the verse states, this is all made possible through the resurrection of Jesus from the dead that reveals the power of God to give eternal life.Although they're often revered for their beautiful appearance, butterflies might not be as enchanting as you think. In 1 Peter 3:16, Peter wrote that Christians should live in the world with a good conscience so that nobody can have a valid reason for accusing us of doing anything wrong. It's about asking God for a good conscience, or standing identified with God with a good conscience. In any case, this water baptism is not about making a person clean in their flesh. Instead, by this view, Peter is saying that the act of publicly identifying ourselves with Christ, through baptism, saves us from being tempted to hide our faith to avoid the suffering and persecution of Christians Peter has been addressing. This is supported by Peter's inclusion of the phrase 'which corresponds to this,' suggesting a parallel, rather than an identical purpose.Īnother possible reading is that the word 'saves' doesn't refer to eternal salvation, at all. It is this resurrection which Christians publicly express their faith in when being baptized. Instead, taking the verse as a whole, he seems to be saying that the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead saves us. (See Colossians 2:12 Galatians 3:27 Romans 6:3–5.) Is Peter contradicting that idea when he writes that baptism now saves us?Ĭlearly, based on his other writings, Peter is not suggesting that the mechanical act of being baptized is what makes a person saved for eternity. However, the act of baptism is an expression of faith and obedience, not the means of salvation. Christians were expected, even commanded, to be baptized. Part of the issue is that the New Testament clearly and repeatedly teaches that salvation from hell comes only through faith in Christ, by God's grace (Ephesians 2:8–9). Bible scholars offer differing interpretations of it. In this craft, eight people were 'brought safely through the water.' In this verse, he writes that baptism corresponds to the water of Noah's flood.

Peter has just concluded several difficult-to-understand verses with a reference to the ark of Noah.

Ghost and flesh water and dirt