Gray Areas in Spiritual matters (i.e. drinking, dancing, music)

Are there gray areas? I voted "no". Drinking? Dancing? Music? If any of these or any other so-called "gray areas" replaces the Lord or leads us to replace the Lord AS THE LORD of our lives, it is wrong. I think the hard part is coming to terms with whether or not it has in fact replaced him.

 

I wonder if anyone who thinks that drinking is bad because God has said that drunkeness is bad thinks that eating is bad because He has said that overeating is bad.
Right and wrong tend to be determined by motive and excess in most cases.

MR

 

There is no such thing. There are only those areas that we at differing levels of spiritual maturity can clearly see.

The Holy Spirit does not work independently of the Word of God and prayer. One's conviction is either true or false. If it is true, then it is true for all.

If it is false, we who are of full age must be mindful of those whose consciences are weak and not to destroy them with our liberty. Paul knew that eating meat was no sin, but for those weaker brothers to whom it was a sin Paul said, "I will eat no meat as long as the world stands."

No, the Holy Spirit never says, "This is wrong for you, but right for another." God is no respecter of persons, and no Scripture is of private interpretation.

The Holy Spirit testifies of our Spiritual Head, Jesus Christ, and of His perfect will.

Here is what the Scriptures have to say:

Everything you do is clearly good or evil. No neutral. No amoral. No gray areas.

 

No, teresa.
I do NOT agree that there are grey areas.
My post makes the point that drinking is not bad, but drunkeness is.
Eating is not bad, but gluttony is.

I see no grey areas in my statement nor any cause to believe that I accept the notion of grey areas.

My definition of "grey area" is as follows...
==========
That which a legalist feels is wrong, though they are unable to find Biblical support for their position.
==========

MR

 

There are not grey areas. It is either right or wrong. Some people I believe either are a young Christian and don't know yet or some people just want to hold on to their sin. A young Christian ,of course as we all know,must grow into somethings. And the only reason why some people don't see certain things is they just don't have the Holy Ghost in them. Some things not so easily revealed in the Bible are revealed by the Holy Ghost and common horse sense. Even as a lost person I knew drinking and dancing was of the world and were and are and will forever be sin. And it is a sad day when Baptist have to have a 10+ page discussion on social drinking and the like.Thank You. And have a nice day.

 

Oh, and I forgot the other thing ,too. Oops. This so-called Christian rap,rock,pop,jazz, and praise and worship sort of music is wrong. It is not just wrong but is wicked. That type of music is sounds worldly, is played by wordly people, and flat out is worldly. You may say you enjoy it or get something out of it but it is easy to enjoy sin and you may get a little scrap out of it but you are missing the real thing. Because that sort of music is fake(not really Christian). What is wrong with hymns and old fashioned music? (I am not against all contemporary(new music) just that worldly stuff.)Why waste your time with that other music.Oh yeah, if you were talking about regular rap,rock,pop,jazz,or country music I think you can take a guess of what I think of it. That kind of music is sang by lost people who live any o way. I hope you were not talking about them.I did not say you were lost if you listened to those sorts of music ,but I am saying it is wrong to listen to them.You may say I am legalistic,ignorant,out of step with the time,or any thing else you can think of ,but I don't want to be out of step with God.God has convicted me of listening to those types of music. I wonder why He has not convicted some of you.Thank you. And have nice day.

 

Dear Baptistforever,

The grace of God Be with you at all times and in all ways.

Thank you for your question because it shows that you love the Lord and want to know how He manifests Himself in the world among the rest of us.

No, God holds no grey areas: we either know Him or don't know Him. No one who knows Him sits on the fence between pastures. He either stands on one side or the other, for God hates a double-minded man. We should make up our mind about everything.
We either say, "yes" or "no" (Matthew 5:37). There is no inbetween or grey area.

Concerning drinking, smoking, music, God's viewpoint remains constant: if it glorifies God then it is correct. If it glorifies the world, then is not correct. Be prudent within the will of God.

Regardless of what you do remember to cling to whatever God deems as holy, blameless, honorable, pure, and righteous. As His children, why should we bother with anything else?

Trust God's words, pray at all times in all things, and walk as Jesus walked. God will do the rest through His Spirit within your body.

May peace, love, and faith overflow from your soul. Amen.

[ October 11, 2002, 03:46 PM: Message edited by: Jamal5000 ]

 

I'm afraid that I have to disagree with much of what has been written above. Many of the comments reflect the age-old and very common fallacy we all risk slipping into: "I strongly reject this or that behavior so God must feel the same way, even though the Bible says nothing specific about it." As an example, I don't drink alcohol; I never have. I don't like my mind being blurred, and I won't drink even on social occasions. I do have Christian friends, however, who do take a drink every now and then, usually wine with dinner. It would be spiritual snobbery for me to assume that I am more mature in Christ than they are because I don't drink (especially since one of these friends is a Baptist pastor and is far more advanced in the faith than I am). They know drunkenness is wrong and never indulgence to that extent. Just because I feel strongly about alcohol doesn't give me the right to judge them. On the other hand, if one of my friends was having an affair, I would definitely speak up, because adultery is clearly an offense against God. Drinking is a gray area; sexual immorality is not. I'm not sure why there is a controversy about this.

 

I agree that a lot of "Christian" music is debateable as to whether it is. However, a blanket condemnation isn't fair. Those hymns and old-fashioned music were once as controversial. Some people didn't think instruments should be used in church. Some of the hymns were old drinking songs with changed lyrics. Etc.
Your view seems to be that if it's acceptable to you (the hymns and old-fashioned music), then it's acceptable to God. Maybe this isn't the case? Or maybe the new music will be the old-fashioned music tomorrow and we will rail against some other form of music?
It seems each generation has "their" music. Why is ours more acceptable than theirs?

 

Everyone likes to throw the term "legalist" around a lot, but the above is my classic deffinition of it. "It isn't in the scripture as being a sin, but I am convicted by the Holy Ghost that it is a sin, and if you don't believe the way I do you probably don't have the Holy Ghost in you and I question your salvation."
But Hey, Have a nice day!

 

It's either one or the other. You say some are young Christians and don't know yet, and admit that some must grow into some things ... and go on to say that the "(ONLY) reason why some people don't see certain things is they just don't have the Holy Ghost in them". Are you saying that a young Christian doesn't have the Holy Ghost in them?

We are not to judge, and by saying that if someone doesn't believe as you, you question their salvation, you are judging. This is not our place to judge, only to follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit ... what he has put on our own hearts.

As was said above ... Paul knew it was not wrong to eat meat, so he didn't eat it around those who felt it was wrong. If those who thought it was a sin to eat meat found out Paul's thoughts, would they have thought Paul to be a sinner? And would they have been right?

 

That's not what Paul said. He said he would not eat meat "as long as the earth stood" lest he should cause a weaker brother to stumble.

That's love--something that has waxed cold in these last days.

 

That's not what Paul said. He said he would not eat meat "as long as the earth stood" lest he should cause a weaker brother to stumble.

That's love--something that has waxed cold in these last days. </font>[/QUOTE]Well, actually, what he said was "IF (emphasis mine) meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend." (1Cor 8:13) I took that to mean that IF he was in the presence of those that thought it was sin, he wouldn't do it. But that wasn't my point anyhow.

I DO agree with you about the quality of his love and that it has waxed cold in these last days. What a shame.

 

CDGriffin has said...

So, just because I like to have a beer every now and then (but never to excess) means I do not have the Holy Spirit in me??? I'm sorry, but I disagree. I know that the Spirit lives within me. If and when the time ever comes when I feel that I'm greiving the Spirit, then I'll give it up.

God Bless!!!

Adam

 

I sometimes find television to be a "grey area". I watch mainly the news and documentaries, and good films (Chariots of Fire is a favourite) but when my children come to visit they like to watch some shows I think are borderline ... I sometimes feel unsure about just when to leave the room. Does anyone else ever experience this?

 

I completely see the point that there are no grey areas, only that they seem grey to us. That does seem to be the most accurate. Similarly, I like the idea of disputable areas much better, as the word "disputable" indicates that the issue is black and white, just that there is disagreement as to whether the issue is black or white. We are the ones who must discern whether the issue is black or white, but that does not mean there is no concrete blackness or whiteness.

However, suggestions that they are only grey because we have not studied enough, or that they will not be grey to a person who is more mature in their relationship with the Lord bother me. They seem to imply that where there is a dispute, the person with whom one disagrees hasn't studied enough or isn't mature in their relationship with the Lord. That seems to be code talk for "hasn't studied as much as I" or "is not as mature in their relationship with the Lord as I," and that's dangerous thinking when trying to discern the rightness or wrongness of an issue.

When we say that a person may grow into X, Y or Z, much of the time we conveniently leave out that we may need to grow into X, Y or Z.