I meant that they were beasts as Solomon described it saying both that we are beasts and/or that we are like beasts.. We are by wisdom to kill those beasts, which Paul might call the "old man" of us . This is that work, which some might say is not necessary in order to finally be saved. I, on the other hand, believe that is necessary so as not to be not cast out into outer darkness should we would try to enter in without being fully prepared.
Perhaps "push" was a poor choice of words on my part. Consider every dead man walking around in the flesh does work in death, which is certainly outside of where God wants us to be with Him. I believe that the two, the old man and the new man in us continue after we have met and received Jesus as Lord to battle within us as James describes it [4:1]. But what is ultimately needed is for the new man to win. The wisdom received, be it described as Jesus or the Holy Spirit quickened scripture, is to kill the beasts which want to lead us back into sin.
There are many bibical references to beastly men and or men as beasts. Here are some:
"I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts.
For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity.
All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again.
Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?" Ecc 3:18-21
"So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee." Psalm 73:22
"Wisdom hath builded her house, she hath hewn out her seven pillars:
She hath killed her beasts; she hath mingled her wine; she hath also furnished her table." Prov 9:1-2
"And he was driven from the sons of men; and his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild asses: they fed him with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven; till he knew that the most high God ruled in the kingdom of men, and that he appointeth over it whomsoever he will." Dan 5:21
"But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.
Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord.
But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption;" II Peter 2:10-12
"But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves." Jude 10