This series of thoughts will take several blogs to unpack. So I encourage one to be patient as this make take a while. There is a song of the same name out there by Katy Perry. The song glorifies the aspect of how they got sooo drunk that there behavior was detrimental to the ability to make sound judgment. But it was sooo much fun she cant wait to do it again. Many a Charismatic/Pentecostal has sung that tune, but only changed the words. This practice is known as getting “drunk in the Spirit.”
There is so many leaders in Charismatic Churches teach the idea of getting drunk in the Spirit. This is so frustrating because so many contemporary Christian leaders teach their experience instead of what Scripture teaches. The unspoken theology would be that preaching experience trumps accurate preaching of Scripture. As a result many do not speak up because these teachers are so popular. And so even those who know this is wrong remain silent as these teachers are so popular with their members. I personally know of one pastor whose whole church pursues this on a regular basis while he himself admits privately that this never happened to him. Yet he lets his church perceive him as one who is committed to the practice. We confuse popularity with being anointed. So when it comes to taking a stand against popularity, accuracy of knowing scripture looses so many times in our entertainment based culture. The theologian Charles Spurgeon preached this advice in his message “Christ and His Co-Workers”:
A great many learned men are defending the gospel; no doubt it is a very proper and right thing to do, yet I always notice that, when there are most books of that kind, it is because the gospel itself is not being preached. Suppose a number of persons were to take it into their heads that they had to defend a lion, a full-grown king of beasts! There he is in the cage, and here come all the soldiers of the army to fight for him. Well, I should suggest to them, if they would not object, and feel that it was humbling to them, that they should kindly stand back, and open the door, and let the lion out! I believe that would be the best way of defending him, for he would take care of himself; and the best “apology” for the gospel is to let the gospel out.
In light of this, I will let what the Holy Spirit recorded in scripture act as our guide to behavior:
Search results from blueletterbible.org regarding being sober minded:
- 1 result in the KJV
- 3 results in the NKJV
- 7 results in the ESV
- 3 results in the CSB
- 1 result in the NASB
- 1 result in the NET5 results in the ASV
- 4 results in the YLT
- 1 result in the WEB
- 4 results in the HNV
Some of those highlights are:
- Titus 2:6 KJV – 6 Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded.
- 1 Corinthians 15:34 NASB – 34 Become sober-minded as you ought, and stop sinning; for some have no knowledge of God. I speak [this] to your shame.
- 1 Timothy 3:2, 11 ESV – 2 Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, … 11 Their wives likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things.
- 2 Timothy 4:5 ESV – 5 As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
- Titus 2:2 ESV – 2 Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness.
- 1 Peter 1:13 ESV – 13 Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
- 1 Peter 4:7 ESV – 7 The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers.
- 1 Peter 5:8 ESV – 8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
The need to be self controlled:
- Acts 24:25 NASB – 25 But as he was discussing righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, Felix became frightened and said, “Go away for the present, and when I find time I will summon you.”
- 1 Corinthians 7:5, 9 NASB – 5 Stop depriving one another, except by agreement for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer, and come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. … 9 But if they do not have self-control, let them marry; for it is better to marry than to burn [with passion.]
- 1 Corinthians 9:25 NASB – 25 Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then [do it] to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.
- Galatians 5:22-23 NASB – 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
- 2 Timothy 3:3 NASB – 3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good,
- 2 Peter 1:6 NASB – 6 and in [your] knowledge, self-control, and in [your] self-control, perseverance, and in [your] perseverance, godliness,
Self Controlled IS a fruit of the Spirit, NOT drunkenness!!! So the question we need to ask ourselves as we proceed forward, is popular experience or the recorded words of the Holy Spirit our guide? The reality is the Holy Spirit never presents drunkenness as a quality to be emulated. That may not be popular with in the Charismatic movement for which I am one, but popularity can never be confused with the satisfaction at the end of the day God is pleased with you standing your ground and stating the truth.
And as always, love much my friends . . . for that is how how we are encouraged to speak the truth (Eph 4.15).
Unspoken Theology 