And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit - Ephesians 5:18
In this short verse Paul gives two commands - one negative and one positive.
He tells us not to get drunk with wine and to be filled with the Spirit.
It is not a coincidence that he places these two commands next to each other.
It is also not a coincidence that alcoholic beverages are commonly called "spirits."
When a person gets drunk, they are quite literally inviting other spirits to dwell within them.
Of course scripture is clear that alcohol is not inherently evil (1 Tim 5:23, 1 Tim 4:4, Matt 26:27, John 2 etc) however, the Bible also makes it clear that getting drunk is sinful (Eph 5:18, Gal 5:21, 1 Pet 5:8 etc).
Alcohol can have positive uses, but unfortunately in our world it is far too often used in evil ways.
Many people see Christianity as inherently "negative" in the sense that it contains many "thou shall not"s.
It is true that following Jesus calls for radical self denial (Luke 9:23-24).
But that's only half the story. If it ended there, then Christianity would be no different than a reformed Stoic philosophy.
We do not empty ourselves for the sake of being empty. We do not deny ourselves for the sake of simply saying no. We don't not sin for the sake of not sinning.
We empty ourselves in order to be filled. with the Spirit. We say no to ourselves in order to say yes to God. We don't walk in sin so that we can walk in righteousness, peace and joy.
The grand irony and the secret of Christ which is hidden from unbelievers is that the same fleeting pleasures that they seek in drunkenness, drug usage, and promiscuity are found, in wholeness and purity, in Christ.
The very things they think they need to forego are waiting for them in abundant measure inside the Holy Spirit.
The devil did not invent pleasure. God did. The devil takes a good thing - pleasure - and twists it in order to enslave us.
Pleasure is not bad. It is actually quite good. What is bad is seeking pleasure for pleasure's own sake, and being willing to hurt others in order to gain pleasure for ourselves.
When we only seek to feel good, then we will become blinded by sensuality and lose touch with reality. Then in the end, not only will we not feel good, but we will find ourselves enslaved to a substance or a feeling - things outside of ourselves.
However, when we do not seek pleasure first, but rather seek God first, then we will find that pleasure freely flows into our hearts. And this pleasure - unlike the synthetic pleasures offered by this world - exists within us through the Holy Spirit, meaning we can never lose access to it.
Following the pleasures of this world leads to misery, slavery, and ultimately to death. The divine pleasures of God lead to joy, freedom, and eternal life.
These pleasures are hidden in Christ. They can only be found by following Him through the narrow gate of the Cross.
Jesus was the first to venture through this treacherous passageway leading to a land flowing with milk and honey. He returned to Earth to extend the invite to us all.
All who dare to believe the Word of God are invited to follow Jesus through the Cross and to experience this new realm for themselves.
You make known to me the path of life;
in your presence there is fullness of joy;
at your right hand are pleasures forevermore
Psalm 16:11
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