Spiritual Drunkenness

[Openly Curious]

Was meditating today on this passage of scripture found in

1 Thessalonians 5:1-10

"But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. 2) For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. 3) For when they shall say, Peace and safety: then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. 4) But ye brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. 5) Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. 6) Therefore let us not sleep, as do others, but let us watch and be sober. 7) For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. 8) But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for and helmet, the hope of salvation. 9) For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ. 10) Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him."

Within this text it talks about being "sober" as believers in verses 6 & 8 and in the text also it talks about let us not sleep as do others because those who sleep sleep in the night in verse 7 and those that are drunken are also drunken in the night.

So can a Christian fall asleep spiritually? And can a Christian become spiritually drunken as well in this world intoxicated and no longer be sober in the faith? I'm not talking about getting drunk in the flesh as some obviously do but drunken spiritually and become no longer sober in the faith. I've noticed in other scriptural texts within the word it also uses the words "sober" and "sobriety" within the wording used.

Looking for some thoughts in regards to this passage of scripture any thoughts would be welcomed in the thread.

Thanks for your responses and discussions in advance

OC

[Donnierae]

My thoughts were more in line with becoming intoxicated with the things of this old world once again to where we no longer can think sober spiritually as a Christian and we start to waver and stagger in our faith in God which will ultimately lead us into not making good choices in life cause of bad judgment that come from not staying sober in the Lord.

Can we start to walk like those who are still in the darkness of sin and cannot see our way clearly can we take in so much of the world and it's pleasure we become just like those who become drunken in the night as those who live in the darkness can a christian get drunk and not know it and lose faith because they will not walk in the light of day. can we lose our spiritual sight and fall asleep spiritually in our faith no longer alert and watching like a real person who gets drunk and intoxicated no longer sober. this was my thoughts while I was meditating.

OC

[Donnierae]

My thoughts were more in line with becoming intoxicated with the things of this old world once again to where we no longer can think sober spiritually as a Christian and we start to waver and stagger in our faith in God which will ultimately lead us into not making good choices in life cause of bad judgment that come from not staying sober in the Lord.

Can we start to walk like those who are still in the darkness of sin and cannot see our way clearly can we take in so much of the world and it's pleasure we become just like those who become drunken in the night as those who live in the darkness can a christian get drunk and not know it and lose faith because they will not walk in the light of day. can we lose our spiritual sight and fall asleep spiritually in our faith no longer alert and watching like a real person who gets drunk and intoxicated no longer sober. this was my thoughts while I was meditating.

OC

I think today there are many christains that are in a drunken state, where they don't follow what is happening in our world today, they are blind to the events of the world.I have found when you try to explain and discuss the issues, they put blinders on,God tells us to be awake and watch, don't be asleep ,yet they choose too, ALMOST in a act of IF I don't know I won't have to be responsible,

[Openly Curious]

Yeah that is kind of my thoughts as I was seeing in the texts that it was relating all of this to the times and seasons and how that that day would so come as a thief in the night. verse 1-2 and then the text continued to talk about things that happen in the night. But then said we was the children of the day and the children of light.

But pondering on this text it was obvious that it was talking about the coming of the Lord following chapter 4 where it talked about being caught up to be with the Lord in the air. But then I see in chapter 5 of I Thessalonians that the day of the Lord would so come as a thief in the night. A night time event it relates it to. Bad things go on in the nightime when the sun goes down a lot of mischief happens. The thiefs and robbers come out the fornicators play murderers prey etc. I think you get my train of thought.

But I have always seen the coming of the Lord as a good thing and not in light of a thing of darkness of the night season so to speak. I know that the times and seasons we live in are dark times as far as the wicked is concerned. Uncertain times where dangerous things can befall us at any given moment.

I know relating to verse 3 in I Thessalonians 5 that the prophets Isaiah and Hosea forseen these times you can read in

Isaiah 13:6-11 he saw the destruction and doom coming as a woman in travail as it comes on suddenly without any warning at all.

Hosea 13:13-14 he saw it in his time the sudden destruction coming as a woman travailing as well.

The day of the Lord so shall come as a thief in the night. But to whom? the unbelievers or to the believers.

I think to the believers the coming of the Lord will be like a thief and many will be caught suddenly as a woman in travail in her birth pains. They will be caught in this way because they have and are spiritually drunk when he returns as a thief in the night.

If you knew a theif was going to come you would wait and watch for him and the things in your house would be safe but if you are to drunk on the things of this world you don't have the good sense and judgment needed to watch and wait for the Lord's return and you'll pass out over time in that drunken state it seems and fall asleep on the Lord entirely and not be ready should the Lord choose to come while in that state. Like I say alot of mischief goes on in the night and I don't want to be caught up in it. So that is why I am asking others opinions as what they think about this passage of scriptures as I sort of am seeing it differently than I have before.

OC

[larryt]

Was meditating today on this passage of scripture found in

1 Thessalonians 5:1-10

"But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. 2) For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. 3) For when they shall say, Peace and safety: then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. 4) But ye brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. 5) Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. 6) Therefore let us not sleep, as do others, but let us watch and be sober. 7) For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. 8) But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for and helmet, the hope of salvation. 9) For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ. 10) Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him."

Within this text it talks about being "sober" as believers in verses 6 & 8 and in the text also it talks about let us not sleep as do others because those who sleep sleep in the night in verse 7 and those that are drunken are also drunken in the night.

So can a Christian fall asleep spiritually? And can a Christian become spiritually drunken as well in this world intoxicated and no longer be sober in the faith? I'm not talking about getting drunk in the flesh as some obviously do but drunken spiritually and become no longer sober in the faith. I've noticed in other scriptural texts within the word it also uses the words "sober" and "sobriety" within the wording used.

Looking for some thoughts in regards to this passage of scripture any thoughts would be welcomed in the thread.

Thanks for your responses and discussions in advance

OC

Hi OC,

To be sober minded is to be in your right mind. Using your mental facilities to the intent that God created them for.

1Pe 1:13

[Openly Curious]

thanks for your comments Larryt

it sounds like a good article or is it a book to read "War on the Saints". thanks again for your input into the discussion. "The Passive Mind" sounds like a good book title for someone to use huh. Using all of our mental compacity for the Lord instead of being passive.

OC

[larryt]

thanks for your comments Larryt

it sounds like a good article or is it a book to read "War on the Saints". thanks again for your input into the discussion. "The Passive Mind" sounds like a good book title for someone to use huh. Using all of our mental compacity for the Lord instead of being passive.

OC

It is a book, the unabridged copy is very difficult to find. The abridged copy is heavily gutted, but the parts on passivity might be of some help.

LT

[LadyRaven]

Was meditating today on this passage of scripture found in

1 Thessalonians 5:1-10

"But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. 2) For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. 3) For when they shall say, Peace and safety: then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. 4) But ye brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. 5) Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. 6) Therefore let us not sleep, as do others, but let us watch and be sober. 7) For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. 8) But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for and helmet, the hope of salvation. 9) For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ. 10) Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him."

Within this text it talks about being "sober" as believers in verses 6 & 8 and in the text also it talks about let us not sleep as do others because those who sleep sleep in the night in verse 7 and those that are drunken are also drunken in the night.

So can a Christian fall asleep spiritually? And can a Christian become spiritually drunken as well in this world intoxicated and no longer be sober in the faith? I'm not talking about getting drunk in the flesh as some obviously do but drunken spiritually and become no longer sober in the faith. I've noticed in other scriptural texts within the word it also uses the words "sober" and "sobriety" within the wording used.

Looking for some thoughts in regards to this passage of scripture any thoughts would be welcomed in the thread.

Thanks for your responses and discussions in advance

OC

yes Christians can fall asleep, it's like being in a rut, not paying attention, going through the motions and letting your first love wax cold... the opposite is spiritual drunkenness where you let yourself get so caught up in the experience that any old experience will do and you have to feel the rush the uncontrollable whatever on the mountaintop all the time. God doesn't like either...our minds and hearts as perceived by the scripture are not involved in either case. How do you know the truth when you are spiritually asleep, or, on the other hand, swept away by emotions?

[Openly Curious]

yes Christians can fall asleep, it's like being in a rut, not paying attention, going through the motions and letting your first love wax cold... the opposite is spiritual drunkenness where you let yourself get so caught up in the experience that any old experience will do and you have to feel the rush the uncontrollable whatever on the mountaintop all the time. God doesn't like either...our minds and hearts as perceived by the scripture are not involved in either case. How do you know the truth when you are spiritually asleep, or, on the other hand, swept away by emotions?

Hello Lady Raven,

thanks for your comments I must say your last question, "How do you know the truth when you are spiritually asleep, or, on the other hand, swept away by emotions?

well that question made me do some more deep thinking on my part in regards to other scriptures that speak about being sober, sober minded and sobriety. Because all those terms refer to someone not being intoxicated.

but the opposite terms would be being or getting drunk at times, getting drunk out of your mind and to give yourself totally over to becoming a drunkard all the time a state of drunkeness as a lifestyle.

As I look up scriptures in this regards

1 Timothy 3:11 about the wives

Titus 1:8 being sober just holy and temperate

Titus 2:2,12 the aged men and in regards to worldly lusts

1 Peter 1:13; 4:17; 5:8 in regards to our mind our prayer life and being vigilant on watch.

Romans 12:3 and in regards to our ownselves

just to give a few scriptures

It makes one think as they look around at society and the christian community as a whole across the board that their is alot of spiritual drunkenness that exists and I don't think many are aware they themselves are intoxicated by this world we live in. They are going with whatever the current trends are it seems. At least this is my observation of things. They aren't sober, they are not sober minded and are not living in a permanent state of sobriety.

I can't help but reflect to the words of apostle Paul that he told young Timothy about the last days in how people will be living both in the first 4:1-11 and second 3:1-17 letters to Timothy. The Spirit of God was speaking expressly or urgently back in those day so how much more urgent is the cry of the Spirit today in this regards.

Even in the prophest Ezekiel's day in Ezekiel 1:3 the Spirit came to him expressly speaking urgently to the prophet of what was going to happen as the close of the last days came to an end and judgment came on them suddenly as they didn't believe it was coming but it did. As they were spiritually drunk you could say and didn't believe they really were and that day caught them unaware.

So the Lord so shall come as a theif to the "believers" and not to the "unbelievers" in the passage in 1 Thessalonians 5 and many are not going to know what happened.

Those who are in the world without Christ are not anticipating his coming so therefore are not watching anyway nor will they cause they don't know to unless they get salvation first. It would not help them to watch even if they did know he was coming because they are still unsaved and not a born again believer yet so it wouldn't matter.

But a believer on the other hand knows of Christ return and should be anticipating this great event and not be swept away with the wicked but be sober, sober minded and live a life of sobriety in this world watching and waiting so this event want catch us off guard asleep and in a state of spiritual drunkeness in the darkness of this world but rather we should live and walk in the light. Lest that day overtake us as a thief in the night and that is written to the

"saints" not to non-believers so it would be good to overview our lives to see where we stand in this matter at times along our pathway.

I don't want to walk solely on an old experience of yesterdays gone by but on fresh new life that somehow renews our spirits and gives new growth for today. It says in Corinthians for us to examine ourselves maybe that is where I am in all of this I have written and been pondering over this past week as I am trying to keep pressing onward in my life.

OC

[Openly Curious]

Hi OC,

Jeremiah said he was like a man whom wine hath overcome, because of the Lord, and because of the words of His holiness.

This is intoxicated by love.

Grace & truth, H.

Hello truster,

I am aware of these words of Jeremiah that you have quoted from. Jeremiah is one of my favorite prophets to study he was a man most faitful to God and to the words he put in his bosom to speak forth to a rebellious that not one would listen to while he prophesied what God had given him to speak forth. The things Jeremiah was given from God the cup of God's fury and the judgments that were on the way as the last days were about to come to a close. These things trouble the heart and soul of Jeremiah as he tried with all of his might to warn the people to repent but they did not listen nor heed to him. Jeremiah decided once that he was not going to preach to them anymore but he couldn't hold the words of the Lord in his bosom any longer as he knew what was up ahead and he warned them as he said it was like fire shut up in his bones even. But they was a stubborn stiff necked and rebellious people who did not heed the voice of God through this prophet.

I think the prophetic messages that Jeremiah recieved and saw in the Spirit had so consumed his being that his existance became that of being taken over by his prophetic call to warn about the coming judgments that was right around the corner as the Babylonians were going to march of Jerusalem and burn it and carry them off into captivity. But they would not listen and Jeremiah is known as the weeping prophet as tears flowed from this man as you read in Lamentations as he wept at their destruction as he did everything in his power to warn the wicked as his life had been consumed with the call of God. I don't know if it was intoxicated by love or not but I see it more like being sobered by love in this case that is just me and my opinion as I see that God in his love sent a voice to call the people to repentance and it made this prophet of God sober and soberminded with sobriety as he was faithful to intercede and warn as he knew firsthand what God had told and shewed him that was surely going to come to pass.

Openly Curious