That I May Know Him

And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life. ~ 1 John 5:20 (KJV)

Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces? Jeremiah 23:29

Saturday, June 10, 2006

Children of Light


~1Th 5:5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.

My friends in the workplace love hanging out almost every night. Since they are mostly young people, they have no family yet to go to in the evening, and much rather go out after work, especially on Thursday and Friday nights. I never join them for obvious reasons, since the places they go are not meant for children of the Living God.

Ever noticed how clubs and bars are always dark, even during the day, they make them look dark and gloomy, and to me, creepy. That is because the devil is the owner of such places that the people therein may do their sins in the dark. Christians do not belong there.

~Eph 5:8-16 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth; Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light. Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

While on Monday mornings most people enjoy talking about what they did “last night”, I enjoy talking about what I did yesterDAY, SunDAY that is.

posted by Redeemed @ 11:39 AM  

20 Comments:

  • At Saturday, June 10, 2006 12:01:00 PM, Blogger Angie said…

    I have had a lot of friends who liked to go places at night, leaving around 9:00 pm. To me that's the time to start heading home, not to leave home! I just don't get it. I might go to a friend's house that late, but certainly not "out" anywhere.

    I have been to a bar. I went with a group of Christians. I don't remember it being particularly dark in there. I didn't stay very late and never went back.

     

  • At Saturday, June 10, 2006 4:15:00 PM, Blogger Matthew Celestine said…

    Good attitude.

     

  • At Saturday, June 10, 2006 8:23:00 PM, Blogger Redeemed said…

    Thanks, Matthew.

    Angie, same here, I usually try and be home by 9, not leave at 9. But I still don't believe that Christians belong in bars, just doesn't mix.

     

  • At Saturday, June 10, 2006 9:35:00 PM, Blogger Angie said…

    Sarah, might I ask what your personal view is on alcohol consumption?

     

  • At Saturday, June 10, 2006 10:05:00 PM, Blogger Redeemed said…

    Angie, that is a good question and will be honest with you.

    We will both agree that drinking in excess (drunkenness) is not right. However, I believe that this is not what you want to know. Personally, I don’t believe it is wrong to drink here and there, maybe a glass of wine for a special occasion, that is fine.

    Again, it is not that I think it’s wrong, for me though, logically speaking (my own logic), I cannot feel right being saved and holding beer in my hand, or any sort of alcohol. My mind just cannot associate Christianity with alcohol. I associate alcohol with things that unsaved people do. All I’ve ever heard from my unsaved friends is “yeh, we’ll have a drink”. I associate alcohol with a worldly thing to do, but that is my own personal conviction, mind you, that I didn’t always think this way. The only drink that I ever really liked was Baileys Irish Cream. I used to like having it for New Year’s, until New Year’s 2005. I was holding the drink in my hand, and something just clicked, it is not the way that I wanted to start the New Year, and I’ve had zero tolerance for alcohol ever since.

    I do believe in complete purity and being very different from the world, peculiar. Remember how I told you that I had the “wine & cheese” thingy last Friday? It’s a monthly thing they have, like happy hour, but I never stay since I usually have to leave to attend Awana. Well, I stayed last Friday and everybody had a drink, many drinks. Those are people that I witness to and who know that I go to church and believe on Christ. I felt like if I too had a drink, then I would be no different that they in that moment, and I do not want to give place to the devil and ruin my testimony (though I fear I sometimes unwillingly jeopardize it other ways).

    I don’t know, but I just have a heavy conviction about it. Angie, that is my own personal conviction tough. It is a personal vow that I have made with God and I pray that He does give me the strength to always abide by it.

     

  • At Saturday, June 10, 2006 11:43:00 PM, Blogger Angie said…

    I respect that, Sarah. You know that I do not share that conviction. I suppose it is because I have had many Christian friends (and even at least one pastor) who drink in moderation. In fact, I don't know if I have ever had a drink with someone who is not a Christian (at least in name). I am very careful, however, about how and when I drink. At such a wine and cheese event I probably would not have a drink for various reasons. I guess I read in my Bible that Jesus ate and drank, and I don't think He was drinking grape juice, but I have a hunch that He never got drunk. If Jesus did it it cannot be inherently wrong, although society may dictate what is and is not appropriate for us to do by associating things that may not be inherently evil with sin. I think you and I have had different exposure to alcohol and therefore take a different view of it.

     

  • At Sunday, June 11, 2006 8:59:00 PM, Blogger Redeemed said…

    Thanks, Angie.

    I also believe that the wine Jesus drank was not grape juice; it really was wine, it wasn’t, however fermented wine, because fermentation in the bible is a type of sin. During the celebration of the Passover they were commanded to eat unleavened bread. Fermentation and leaven is a type of sin. We both know that Jesus had no sin found in Him. God does not contradict Himself, there is no way Jesus drank fermented wine.

    We all have different convictions, to each to their own. I appreciate your honesty in this matter.

     

  • At Monday, June 12, 2006 1:53:00 AM, Blogger Angie said…

    "Fermentation and leaven is a type of sin."

    Can you explain how you came to that conclusion?

    Leaven was only forbidden during the feast of unleavened bread, so it was okay for all but 8 days out of the year. Then it was as a reminder of the haste with which they left Egypt - a reminder of God's deliverance.

    Juice from grapes has to be pasteurized to keep it from fermenting naturally. Grapes don't grow during the winter in Israel, so I think it somewhat unlikely that they would have unfermented wine available in early spring when Passover comes around, about 6 months after the end of the grape harvest. That's food for thought.

     

  • At Monday, June 12, 2006 10:39:00 AM, Blogger Angie said…

    Sarah, just so you know, that last comment was me thinking out loud again!

     

  • At Monday, June 12, 2006 12:37:00 PM, Blogger Consecrated said…

    Matthew 16:6 - Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.

    Matthew 16:11 - How is it that ye do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees?

     

  • At Monday, June 12, 2006 12:41:00 PM, Blogger Consecrated said…

    1 Corinthians 5:6 - Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?

    1 Corinthians 5:7 - Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:

    1 Corinthians 5:8 - Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

    Are these verses proof enough, Angie, that leaven and fermentation stand for wickedness and evil influence.

    Surely, you will agree that Jesus had no leaven in him.

     

  • At Monday, June 12, 2006 4:08:00 PM, Blogger Angie said…

    I really think that leaven is used figuratively there. If it was evil, why did God not forbid leavened bread for the rest of the year?

     

  • At Monday, June 12, 2006 6:40:00 PM, Blogger Consecrated said…

    Angie,
    In the Bible there are types and symbols. Same as oil is a type of the Holy Spirit, leaven and fermentation is a type of wickedness and evil teaching.

     

  • At Monday, June 12, 2006 7:59:00 PM, Blogger Redeemed said…

    Consecrated, thanks, I certainly agree.

    Angie, like I mentioned before I have a heavy conviction about drinking, and I'm not just talking about wine here. I just cannot imagine the Lord Jesus Christ having a beer. But like I also said before, to each their conviction.

    Thanks for your participation in this conversation!

     

  • At Monday, June 12, 2006 8:12:00 PM, Blogger Angie said…

    Do you eat bread that is leavened?

    Why did God command leavened bread to be made in Leviticus 23:17 as an offering with the firstfruits? Would God require the sacrifice of something that represents wickedness and evil teaching?

    Jesus compared the kingdom of heaven to leaven in Matthew 13. Is the kingdom of heaven thus associated with wickedness and evil teaching?

    I would still like to know where the Bible talks about fermentation as evil. Drunkenness is, yes, but alcohol? I do not see that at all.

    There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man. ~ Jesus

     

  • At Monday, June 12, 2006 9:01:00 PM, Blogger Redeemed said…

    You asked, that is my answer. I do not comdemn drinking wine, though, as I have been saying from the start, it is my own personal conviction not to drink it at all.

    Besides, this post comes from sadness. My colleauge Mitchelle is close to getting saved and promises to come to church each Sunday. But she doesn't, why? Because she spends Sat. nights drinking, she doesn't get drunk, just hangs out very late with my other friends and colleagues (and beer.

    I am in an environment where all I hear by my lost friends, whom I dearly cherish,is “tequila, smirnoff, margaritas", you name it, and I therefore hate and despise that thing with every inch of my body. I do take "and be not conformed to this world" very literally.

    It may not be your case, and that is fine, but I do associate alcahol with the world. But that is me and my conviction, and I will not impose it on any. Something triggered this post, and I had to vent.

     

  • At Monday, June 12, 2006 11:04:00 PM, Blogger Angie said…

    Like I said, I respect your position. It is not uncommon, especially in this area. I am careful to not drink around those who might be offended by it, and it is not the kind of thing that I feel like I have to do.

     

  • At Tuesday, June 13, 2006 10:20:00 AM, Blogger Redeemed said…

    Angie, I do trust your wisdom!

     

  • At Thursday, June 15, 2006 6:44:00 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    In college I did enjoy staying up until 1 or 2 am, but we didn't go out to bars or clubs or anything like that. It was mostly hanging out or studying with each other or a late night Denny's run or something like that. Now, however, I feel like an old person because by 10pm I am so beat and tired!! LOL. I don't necessarily think it is the hour that is bad, but what you do in those hours. I agree that there is a coincidence that most unwholesome activities take place at late hours, but I don't necessarily agree that all activities done at late hours are unwholesome. :)

     

  • At Thursday, June 15, 2006 11:17:00 PM, Blogger Redeemed said…

    Shieryl, I'm usually so wiped out by 9pm, I'm actually half passed out just typing this right now :) haha

    In general, the sinful activities of the world do take place at night. But you are right, not all activities done at night are bad. I sometimes stay out late with my christian friends at restaurants, and we are usually discussing the goodness of the Lord!

    Thanks for your input, Shieryl! :)

     

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