WALKING IN the HOLY SPIRIT

Why is it that some do not have

EYES TO SEE AND EARS TO HEAR?

This is what took place when A Brother in Christ is trying to explain who the Holy Spirit is and what He does for the True Believer in His Life. The Holy Spirit guides and corrects the True Regenerated One.

http://sbctoday.com/2008/05/27/alcohol-abstinence-freedom/
Satarting at comment # 208

Chris Johnson Says: May 29th, 2008 at 10:25 am
Brother Peter,
I am certainly not opposed to moral law…that’s just silly. A true moral law is the outworking of being led by the Spirit of God. Self-Control is the solution to revealing a true moral law because self-control is informed and ordained by God.
What determines “substances” to be immoral? Not using a substance is a good way to argue against your alleged “rock solid case for any and all drug use – not abuse-imaginable” schema.
I am far from antinomian in my pursuit to obey the word of God. If God says that strong wine is like a viper, I believe him and obey him by not going there….
Proverbs 23:29-32 Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions? Who has complaining? Who has wounds without cause? Who has redness of eyes? (30) Those who linger long over wine, Those who go to taste mixed wine. (31) Do not look on the wine when it is red, When it sparkles in the cup, When it goes down smoothly; (32) At the last it bites like a serpent And stings like a viper.
If God says to prepare wine for sacrifice or if God uses wine in the analogy of His love for us, I believe him and obey….
Numbers 15:1-5 Now the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, (2) “Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘When you enter the land where you are to live, which I am giving you, (3) then make an offering by fire to the LORD, a burnt offering or a sacrifice to fulfill a special vow, or as a freewill offering or in your appointed times, to make a soothing aroma to the LORD, from the herd or from the flock. (4) ‘The one who presents his offering shall present to the LORD a grain offering of one-tenth of an ephah of fine flour mixed with one-fourth of a hin of oil, (5) and you shall prepare wine for the drink offering, one-fourth of a hin, with the burnt offering or for the sacrifice, for each lamb.
Songs of Solomon 8:1-4 “Oh that you were like a brother to me Who nursed at my mother’s breasts. If I found you outdoors, I would kiss you; No one would despise me, either. (2) “I would lead you and bring you Into the house of my mother, who used to instruct me; I would give you spiced wine to drink from the juice of my pomegranates. (3) “Let his left hand be under my head And his right hand embrace me.” (4) “I want you to swear, O daughters of Jerusalem, Do not arouse or awaken my love Until she pleases.”
The bible never requires someone to haggle about the strength or even composition of wine….because the bible documents it very well. The Spirit of God has always informed His children with self-control. God allowing us self-control is vividly seen from Genesis to Revelation. We should teach self-control.
You seem to be arguing that there is no way to “not be drunk” if you choose to drink wine that contains alcohol. I enjoy all of the information you compose,…so I will continue to listen.
And Peter, there are some people that do actually believe they can hinder the work of God which you term “irresistible grace”….Is there any way to keep God away from His purpose? That is a great subject for another time.
Blessings,Chris

peter Says: May 29th, 2008 at 11:21 am
Chris,
Thanks. You write:
“I am certainly not opposed to moral law…that’s just silly. A true moral law is the outworking of being led by the Spirit of God. Self-Control is the solution to revealing a true moral law because self-control is informed and ordained by God.”
First, my brother, what exactly do you mean by a “true moral law”? And why is the “true moral law” the “outworking of being led by the Spirit”?
Chris, again, this seems simply odd to attempt to build a moral ethic from Scripture by placing such focus on the “outworking of the Spirit” through “self-control.” Sorry, I’m just not understanding what you’re getting at.
Secondly, you seem to say that what determines “’substances’ to be immoral” is by “not using” the substance since it is “a good way to argue against your alleged “rock solid case for any and all drug use – not abuse-imaginable” schema.” (italics mine).
I’m confused, my brother. “Not using” is my line as an abstentionist. It’s the moderationist who insists Scripture teaches it’s the abuse of alcoholic substances and not the useof alcoholic substances that is condemned.
You cannot have it both ways, Chris. Before you wrote
“I don’t think anyone would agree that an object is capable of sin, yet it is possible to use an agent as a tool in the act of willful sinning by the inherent sinner (man).”
My response was and is, Chris, if all substances are morally neutral and are only “tools” in the hands of sinful men as they abuse the “tool,” then you have just made a case for relaxing all resistance to any and all mind-altering drugs.
You’re way out of this dilemma seems to be to argue “not using” the substance since it is “a good way to argue against [my] alleged “rock solid case for any and all drug use – not abuse-imaginable” schema.”
My question is why would you slip over and try to steal my chickens when your hen house is empty?
Sorry. Brother. Your position is not adding up. Grace. With that, I am…
Peter

Chris Johnson Says: May 29th, 2008 at 11:52 am
Brother Peter,
I am not really stealing any of your chickens,….you have hatched a few of your own though.
Seriously,
I choose to abstain from drinking alcohol. So technically, I am an absentionist by practice…. My practice of abstaining does not require that I change the bible to line up with my practice…nor does that bible require that I must drink wine.. because the bible is clear that it is not sinning to partake of wine,…yet the capful of wine that I drank when I was eleven in communion was not very good in my opinion, yet it was not sinful nor was I drunk at impact. When I last checked, it was not a sin to abstain as well.
So no chicken stealing here….I agree with your desire to have everyone warned of the dangers of alcohol, especially the stuff that is manipulated by man these days. I also agree with you that it is silly and can be unwise to be associated with the stuff altogether in the American culture above the rest. But your warnings are already echoed throughout scripture and need to be heeded. I don’t even disagree with Bart when he makes the case that suppliers of alcohol to be consumed could produce alcohol content at any level they wish. But, it is overtly obvious that the manufacturers of such substances want to get their constituents drunk at a controlled pace (at the most profitable pace to coincide with all levels of socioeconomic categories for best market impact and bottom line results) So, I don’t think the manufacturers give two hoots about the SBC, nor will they be pressured into change.
I remain unmoved and will always contend that it is much more effective and profitable to preach and teach the gospel, and preach and teach the results of the gospel (fruits of the Spirit / self - control) than it is to spend an exorbitant amount of effort against people that do not give two hoots. We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, even the blood that has a high BAC.
I do continue to learn from your posts though,…because you are trying to rightly divide the word and I am all about those chickens.
Blessings,Chris

I do believe these comments do speak for Themselves and May God Give Us Ears to Hear and Eyes to See.

Wayne Smith

Walk in the Spirit The Holy Bible, New King James Version

Galatians 5: 13For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”£ 15But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another! 16I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. 18But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: £adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21envy, £murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. 24And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.