Spiritual Drunkenness

[LadyRaven]

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.

And you know the sad thing is, when you are intoxicated by whatever it is, true joy is not experienced as it could be, because there is a disconnect between parts of your persona. Part of the reason people drink is to escape...themselves...life...ect

Sure you can drink and not be intoxicated. You only take in what you are capable of handling. God says he will only give us what we can handle...so...whenever we're on the mountain top as per a "real" experience from God, whenever we're overcome by the Holy Spirit, etc, we're not "unsoberminded" as we are completely there in the moment, the experience is actually more intense than if you were disconnected as per getting drunk and then having it....

So, in the process of "seeking" these spiritual highs, if people come about them artificially and try to loose their heads, they actually end up robbing themselves of a very intense "experience." So in seeking in the wrong way they loose the exact thing they are seeking. Much like idolatry and false religion.

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

This whole post was actually very "deep" in once sense and yet so simple to understand. I just love it when people express themselves this way... I often wonder why it's so important that we're "ready" for Christ in the sense that even so a sleeping Christian has not lost his salvation, he is still a believer. Obviously there is some reason, and I belive it has more of a meaning than just the idea that we have "works to present to Christ as gifts" as I've been told before (our works become crowns that we then cast at His feet..and wouldn't we be sad if we had none or very few?). I know that there has to be more to it than this. Is it perhaps that we've forgotten our mission on earth (evangelism?) or is there some other reason?

[Openly Curious]

I was taught that whenever I read the OT Messiah is on every page, all we need to do is find Him. I also believe if we search deep enough we will always discover the love and grace of our Saviour at work.

Every blessing, H.

Yes truster,

I am glad also that his wrath don't last forever. I see Messiah on every page of the Bible myself from the front to the very last page in Revelation. I don't even have to search deep any more to see him on every page for He is the very Word itself isn't He. I find myself more these days wanting to have understanding of the Messiah that I see written on the pages throughout. thanks for your comments and input into this thread.

OC

[Openly Curious]

And you know the sad thing is, when you are intoxicated by whatever it is, true joy is not experienced as it could be, because there is a disconnect between parts of your persona. Part of the reason people drink is to escape...themselves...life...ect

Sure you can drink and not be intoxicated. You only take in what you are capable of handling. God says he will only give us what we can handle...so...whenever we're on the mountain top as per a "real" experience from God, whenever we're overcome by the Holy Spirit, etc, we're not "unsoberminded" as we are completely there in the moment, the experience is actually more intense than if you were disconnected as per getting drunk and then having it....

So, in the process of "seeking" these spiritual highs, if people come about them artificially and try to loose their heads, they actually end up robbing themselves of a very intense "experience." So in seeking in the wrong way they loose the exact thing they are seeking. Much like idolatry and false religion.

Openly Curious

Yeah I can relate to being intoxicated as I use to drink excessively to dull my pain in life. It hard to really look into the mirror of God word and take a long hard serious look at yourself and admit where you are at sometimes spiritually. I look in mirror at home in bedroom and bathroom don't like what I see struggle with that try to make it better. Mirror of God word should be the same.

I know what you mean by seeking in the wrong way I think many do do that me included at times. I think maybe it is because we are learning sometimes and not yet reach the plateau of our new growth in the Lord quite yet but maybe be on the verge of that new sprout of growth to take place but our lack of patience sets in and we overdo it and squish the growth that was on the verge of coming.

Lady Raven

This whole post was actually very "deep" in once sense and yet so simple to understand. I just love it when people express themselves this way... I often wonder why it's so important that we're "ready" for Christ in the sense that even so a sleeping Christian has not lost his salvation, he is still a believer. Obviously there is some reason, and I belive it has more of a meaning than just the idea that we have "works to present to Christ as gifts" as I've been told before (our works become crowns that we then cast at His feet..and wouldn't we be sad if we had none or very few?). I know that there has to be more to it than this. Is it perhaps that we've forgotten our mission on earth (evangelism?) or is there some other reason?

Openly Curious

I don't think in my opinion that being ready for Christ's return has anything personally to do with a persons salvation whether they are asleep and drunk and are not watching. It just seems from the word those who are not watching will be left behind is all. I don't think it is the heart of God that any of his people be left behind to go through the horrors of the end times but that we would instead as a people of God would be ready to escape those things coming on the face of the earth instead. I don't think that the caughting away of the saints has anything to do with works either.

I do think the suddenness of the event does bring an urgency to the gospel message in getting it out to the lost so they will not have to endure the end time events that are foretold to us in the word. I think in both cases of the caugthing away of the saints and at death I think it is important to be ready to meet the Lord in peace in both aspects though.

OC

[Openly Curious]

great post and very insightful to the thread topic. thanks for your input

OC