"Spirits" and Purity

This started as a response I wrote to an email my dad sent to our immediate family (and with his permission I reprinted).

I believe that there are "spirits" that go with those spirits. Is it possible that drinking of these spirits can defile us? Is it possible that this too, can be a gate to our heart? Or, does that "spirit" simply dull our other gates so as to allow the other gates to become defiled? What about that "drink" as a "rite of passage" when someone turns 21? - Dad

I find there to be at least first and second order effects from "spirits":

1. Being drunk with wine keeps us from being "on guard." Any person assigned to guard duty must be alert and capable of doing the duty to his/her full extent. Guards must be trained, skilled, AND prepared for duty. We are at war, not against flesh and blood, but against "rulers... authorities... powers of this dark world and... the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms" (Eph 6:12). However, putting on the armor is only part of the steps necessary. We also have to "stand your ground" and "stand firm." Guards who fall asleep on duty are ineffective as guards and are subject to a death penalty. Two things can cause someone to sleep (barring sheer exhaustion and overwork) -- doing activities they are not supposed to be and drinking.

Being on our guard is not an option; it is a command (redundant references removed):

• Mark 13:9
  "You must be on your guard. You will be handed over to the local councils and flogged in the synagogues. On account of me you will stand before governors and kings as witnesses to them.


• Mark 13:23
  So be on your guard; I have told you everything ahead of time.


• Luke 12:1
  Meanwhile, when a crowd of many thousands had gathered, so that they were trampling on one another, Jesus began to speak first to his disciples, saying: "Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.


• Luke 12:15
  Then he said to them, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions."


• Acts 20:31
  So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.
  
• 1 Corinthians 16:13
  Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong.


• 2 Timothy 4:15
  You too should be on your guard against him, because he strongly opposed our message.


• 2 Peter 3:17
  Therefore, dear friends, since you already know this, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position.


• Proverbs 4:23
  Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.
  

The context in which we are do not get drunk on wine is in the middle of how we are to live:

Ephesians 5:8b-10

Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord.

Ephesians 5:15-18

Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.

While we can rightly see debauchery as "extreme indulgence in sensuality" (Websters definition 1) it can also be seen as "seduction from virtue or duty" (Websters definition 2). I can see why NIV translates the Greek as "debauchery" and the KJV as "excess". The Greek, it has it as "unsavedness or profligacy" which is someone who is completely given up to dissipation and licentiousness. THAT type of excess is one who is living entirely for themselves -- which is the end state of someone who does not guard oneself.

2. The second order effect of "spirits" has to do with the culture we live in. The United States specifically is a culture of excess. We have no self-control. While most societies are able to limit themselves, we do not seem to be able to. (Whether that is by choice or if that is by nature I am not sure). We have workaholics, eat-holics, pleasure-holics, and yes, alchoholics. For this we are both despised (as uncouth and uncultured by the Europeans) and hated (as "sinners" by Islamic terrorists). If we could find a way to waste "waste," I'm sure we would add that to our list of everything else we waste and consume. (This is not just the US that does this, but we are
marked by it!)

Specifically with alcohol, our culture treats it as a way to: escape the world around them, have a good time, and loosen inhibitions (normally sexually). As such we sacrifice it our (US) supreme idol - ourselves. This is like the culture near Corinth and eating the meat of idols (1 Corinthians 8):

For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many "gods" and many "lords"), yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live. But not everyone knows this. Some people are still so accustomed to idols that when they eat such food they think of it as having been sacrificed to an idol, and since their conscience is weak, it is defiled.

For those people, eating meat was eating meat sacrificed to idols. While eating food has no impact on our walk with Christ (see 1 Cor 8:8) eating specific food in front of others may (1 Cor 8:10-12). One time when I was explaining this to a friend, s/he asked me "Should then I only drink when in my private home?" and in that way not in front of anyone who might view it as sin. And I think, yes, that is the appropriate action. For while we, who throught the Holy Spirit produce the fruit of self-control, are able to "only have one drink" and not be drunk, those who see us may see us giving approval on those who DO drink to excess.

Now, regarding drinking at 21, we are called to obey the rules of the land. Drinking alcohol before 21 (in the US) is wrong for that reason. And drinking upon celebrating turning 21 is closer to the world's (US culture) idea of NOW you can REALLY party (with the idea that it is not your first time, but your first time legally).

In summary the first order effect is to dull one's ability to be an effective soldier - and there is nothing worse in war than an ineffective soldier. The second order effect is to either be a stumbling block to young-believers or to be seen as a hypocrite by non-believers.

Therefore, if what I eat {or drink} causes my brother to fall into sin, I will never eat meat {or drink liquor} again, so that I will not cause him to fall.

Dad's email:

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Reading earlier this week in the Book of Mark chapter 7 is Jesus’ teaching about Inner Purity; it is also recorded in Matthew 15.

Jesus called to the crowd to come and hear. “All of you listen,” he said, “and try to understand. It’s not what goes into your body that defiles you; you are defiled by what comes from year heart.” . . . “Can’t you see that the food you put into your body cannot defile you? Food doesn’t go into your heart, but only passes through the stomach and then goes into the sewer.” . . . “It is what comes from inside that defiles you. For from within, out of a person’s heart, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, lustful desires, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. All these vile things come from within; they are what defile you.”

It is from here and other passages that we get the little childhood song,

Oh, be careful little ears, what you hear (repeat)

For the Father Up above, is looking down in love,

So be careful little ears what you hear.

(VS 2) Oh, be careful little eyes, what you see,

(VS 3) Oh, be careful little mouth, what you say,

(VS 4) Oh, be careful little hands, what you do,

(VS 5) Oh, be careful little feet where you go,

(VS 6) Oh, be careful little mind what you think,

(VS 7) Oh, be careful little heart what you love,

I believe we would all agree that this little song is singing to us about protecting the gates to our heart. What we see, what we say, what we do, where we go . . . all are gates to our heart. Seeds are planted in our heart via our gates. Depending on what nourishments are in our heart determines which seeds grow. Now, just because
there are some weeds in our garden, we don’t plow the entire garden under, we get in and pull the weeds, we make sure that we are putting the right nutrients in so that the right plants are growing. You see, the other side of what Jesus said defiles us, is the Fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance. AND the opposite of what is mentioned as bad coming from a person’s heart: evil thoughts vs good, Godly, pure or creative thoughts; sexual immorality vs sexual purity; theft vs giving; murder vs life giving; adultery vs not straying; greed vs generosity; wickedness vs kindness; deceit vs truthfulness; lustful desires vs pure desires; envy vs desiring the best for others; slander vs pulling out the best in others; pride vs JOY (Jesus, Other, and then Yourself) there is obviously a Godly pride – but that Godly pride always points to the source and that is not us but Him. There is pride as in “I’m proud of YOU.” And, there is pride (not boasting) knowing that it is Jesus that works a good work in me. JOY. Foolishness vs well, grow up and act your age and like Solomon
and James 1:5, ask God for wisdom.

Jesus, can I push back on that? “You said that the food you put into your body cannot defile us.” In mentioning the Fruit of the Spirit, I’m reminded of other spirits. I know that when you served wine, it was not grape juice and that there was a reason why your servant, Paul, challenged believers to not be drunk with wine but to be filled with the Spirit. I do believe that there was a reason why that liquor store in Echo Park was named,

“Wines and spirits.” I believe that there are “spirits” that go with those spirits. Is it possible that drinking of these spirits can defile us? Is it possible that this too, can be a gate to our heart? Or, does that “spirit” simply dull our other gates so as to allow the other gates to become defiled? What about that “drink” as a “rite of passage” when someone turns 21?

Jesus, please help me to watch over the gates to my heart.