Last night, we studied about ethics and philosophy. Dr. Tacket talked about the “cosmic cube” and how if you don’t start with God, then you basically try to 
find the meaning and answers to life inside the cosmic cube! I can totally understand why people do this, if they don’t believe in God, but in the end it leads them to be confused and depressed because they couldn’t find the answer “in the box”. God gave us the answer to the tough questions and then lets us figure out the rest. He related it to cricket. It looks like mass chaos, if you don’t understand the basic principles of the game. Once you understand the universals, you can figure out the paticulars. If we start with the bible, and believe it to be the inerrant word of God, then we have the answer to the universals. Matt brought up the point that sometimes man tries to throw his 2 cents on what he really believes these to be. I think he is right and this can be dangerious. I beleive that we should filter everything through the word of God and if it doesn’t match up with his word, then it is not the truth, because God is truth and all truth is God breathed. You can’t always trust your “feelings”. We must always seek the Holy Spirit and for him to guide us into all truth!
Let’s talk about universals and particulars:
What are questions you had from Dale’s teaching?
Do we really believe that the word of God is ultimate truth? (This could be the biggest question of all, if so, why don’t we really live by it? Why do we argue with God’s truth and try to impose our own thoughts and feelings on what is right and wrong?) There has to be a source of ultimate truth!
Are we running from the metamorphosis. It’s hard and a struggle! How can we pull together and me metamorphed into God’s image?
***You must fill out the contact information at the top of the page in order to blog! Would love to hear your thoughts and prayers!
While we shouldn’t impose our own standards on God’s word and trust the universals it presents, it’s also important to remember that the Bible leaves some gray areas and space for difference. One could ask the question, “Can God command one person to act a certain way and yet not require the same behavior from someone else?” Probably. There is that whole Romans 14 chapter on the role of conscience regarding certain behaviors. In that chapter and context, it was about food sacrificed to idols. In another, it could be about moderate drinking and modest dress (mainly, what IS modest dress according to that particular culture). In these cases, it would seem that there may not be a set universal, unless one counts the universal of “leaving to conscience those areas the Bible gives no specific command about but encourages or discourages in different contexts.”
I think Matt makes a great point! I would like to point out in Romans 14:17 “For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” Hears what I believe concerning these issues, I think we have taken the role of the Holy Spirit out of a lot of these grey areas! Never once does it say that eating meat or drinking wine is wrong, but it says that if it is going to make a brother stumble or if you believe that it is wrong, then you shouldn’t do it! This is not about a salvational issue, but an obedience issue! If God puts it on my heart not to do something, and I do it, it is SIN. The important issue is not to impose those feelings or beliefs on someone else. I also have found Christians who think that everything is permissible, but they don’t bother to really seek after the Lord to find out if it is right or not! If you can stand before God and sought after his face on a “Grey issue” and you feel it still to be permissible and beneficial for you, then by all means, Enjoy the freedoms that God’s given you. However, I do want to point out that when it comes to spiritual maturity, I think it’s what freedoms you are willing to give up for others that gives us spiritual maturity.
I know we are all stumbling around the same issue, so I’m just going to put it out there, but this is how God has convicted me on drinking. First of all, this is not a salvational issue. People who drink are NOT going to hell! Nowhere in the bible does it say a person who drinks is going to hell, but it does say that No drunkard shall enter the kingdom of God. It also says this about slanders, mockers, and liars. In the area of drinking, I think that God has freed me from legalism and it is OK to drink, but I CHOOSE not to drink because I believe that God has called Christians to a higher standard and there are enough non-christians who associate drinking with the “wrong side”. I have lived in Europe and it is a different society over there. Drinking is not viewed in this way. Americans have a problem with consumption control. Whether that be food, drinking, spending money, the list goes on an on. I believe and have been convicted by God that drinking is not a sin, but I believe that enough people associate it with the “wrong side” and also have problems with controlling it, that God has convicted me that drinking in this society would “hurt” my testimony. Now this isn’t a black and white area in the bible. I will NEVER look down on someone who thinks it is permissible to have a drink, I will however challenge each one of us to a higher calling and for some it might be permissible, but it may not be beneficial. I don’t think that drinking is going to help me witness in the culture that I live in, even though I believe that it may be permissible for some, it isn’t for me. Wow…I don’t know if you are following what I’m saying, but I believe that it is the HOLY SPIRITS job to convict each one of us on these issues, but we should be seeking God’s face to find the truth in our own hearts about these issues. That’s why I believe it to be very beneficial to talk and work through these issues with our brothers and sisters in Christ and to seek the Holy Spirits guidance!
Wow… I didn’t know what I was missing out on in this blog. Seriously.. some great points and so interesting because drinking is an issue God has and continues to deal with me on. I thought it was so interesting bcause on Sunday, I began talking to a guy in teh grocery store and the Lord totally allowed us to talk about Him. (Isn;t that so cool because we ahd prayed about that for me!!! ) Anyways, the issue of drinking came up an dhe asked me what i had to drink the night before. I said I had one glass of wine and he said, ask me how much i had? and he had had nothing to drink. He said, the Bible says not to intoxicate the body. I responded, teh Bible says not to be drunk, and then caught myself wanted to defend my ability to drink. When I then thought… Hmm. maybe I needed to hear that. hmmm…
Jill, while I don’t want to contradict whatever lesson the Lord may be teaching you, be careful of other Christians who impose their views upon you. You yourself need to determine the areas of freedom God may or may not call you to. I actually tend to keep my drinking views to myself in order to avoid counsel from “God’s little helpers.” Not saying that this guy was doing that, but even in him asking, “Ask me how much I had,” it seems that he was trying to prove a point…I don’t know. I would give up my freedom for someone who was weak and struggling (hence the “weak conscience” clause of Romans 14) but should we give up our freedom for a Pharisee who declares his choice like some badge of honor. Galatians has some very harsh words for some people. And just to speak to the issue of being intoxicated, let us not confuse one glass or a mild buzz (for God has given wine to gladden the hearts of men and Jesus made water into wine after “everyone had their fill” which is saying a lot about people’s state of mind) with outright drunkenness. Like Jess said though, part of this does have to do with alcohol abuse in American culture. We just need to determine if it’s our call to accomodate culture or try to change the culture’s spirit of excess so that alcohol can retake its rightful place as the sign of blessing and rejoicing that its presented as in Scripture (probably more times than its presented in a negative light).
All that to say, alcohol is a good example of where a universal may not apply, but it may be particular to each person. There are other areas, like modesty for example.