mixnutz23: Is it possible to sin while dreaming?
Daniel: Yes.
anonymonality: You don't support the claim that one is responsible for actions in dreams, you only support that there are instances where dreams are visions and God used them as ways to communicate or convey a message. The closest you get is that God expresses pleasure with answers in dreams, but I do not see this as adequate to provide a grounds of sin or not sin.
If one murders in a dream, are they guilty of murder?
No, I think that dreams are, at their core, the mind connecting unconnected thoughts in seconds. A time when the unconscious touches the conscious. One cannot hide from oneself forever and neither can one hide from God. So what God sees in a dream is likely a truer version of what one might actually think or do in a dream.
The OP i might want to think about why they'd dream that way and that might give greater understanding.
But you've not adequately supported your claim as your evidence is not directly related to the question of responsibility.
Daniel:
If one murders in a dream, are they guilty of murder?
Yes. (Matthew 5:28 ii)
But you've not adequately supported your claim as your evidence is not directly related to the question of responsibility.
It's not enough evidence that Solomon was given his wisdom and riches as a result of what he did in a dream? (1 Kings 3:5-15 iii)
Raergur: This is pretty compelling. I think we don't have a choice over what our dreams are about, but rather how we react to them. Even if we aren't fully conscious/aware I think it can expose our hearts true inclinations.
Daniel: We don't have a choice over anything that we do. (Jeremiah 10:23 iv) God causes all things. (Romans 11:36 v)
anonymonality: We do have choices. You cherry pick and misunderstand those versus. Proverbs 16:9 vi, Joshua 24:15, vii John 7:17, viii John 1:12-13, ix Revelation 3:20 x Genesis... Etc, etc.
Daniel: Proverbs 16:9 confirms what I said. God directs our steps. Even when you choose something, God makes you choose it. (Romans 9:20 xi)
VarmintKiller2: We have a choice. What are our dreams about? If your having those kind of dreams I think you need to examine your daily thought patterns and see why your having them.
imanuglyperson: Hold on, Matthew 5:28 is referring specifically to the action of looking upon a woman with lust. Dreams have no semblance of this as we are unconscious, physically paralyzed (GABA), to keep the body from moving for its own sake. How as people can we be responsible for what is a natural occurrence, especially for dreams, which we know very little about.
Also, 1 King’s 3:5-15 is widely understood by commentators as a vision, not actually a dream. xii We can also surmise this logically, because Solomon is having a cohesive conversation with God, which is quite impossible in a dream.
Daniel: I don't go by what the world understands; I go by what the Bible literally says. Nothing is impossible with God. (Luke 1:37 xiii)
imanuglyperson: By widely understood, I mean in Hebrew that word in that context means vision. xiv That’s what the Bible says. People cannot be held accountable for what is in their dreams, or what they do in them, as they are physically and mentally unable to do so.
Daniel: A "night vision" is a dream.
In Scripture, dreams are not only called "dreams", but also "visions of the night" (Job 33:15), "thoughts on my bed", "visions of my head" (Daniel 4:5; 7:15), "visions of his head while on his bed" (Daniel 7:1), and "night visions" (Daniel 7:7, 13). Now granted, the above references out of Daniel are in reference to dreams given miraculously by God, but even when the Word speaks of a "normal" type of a dream, it is still called a "night vision" (e.g. Isaiah 29:7-8). In fact, Job 33:15 clearly describes a dream as a "vision of the night" ("In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls upon men,"). So, Scripture defines dreams as "night visions". Where do these night visions come from?
anonymonality: One cannot be guilty of an action one did not do. There is not murder from such a dream. A horrible dream, sure, but no murder. Matthew 5:28 is not related to dreaming. Dreams may reflect a deeper character issue, that is my only point, which is also the point in 5:28. You've clearly done your research, but you have made a logical error in your premises and conflated these versus with your own ideas.
Daniel: Matthew 5:28 relates to being guilty of doing things you "did not do." When God says something makes you an adulterer, He's not lying.
- "Original poster," I think. In this case, mixnutz23. ^
- Matthew 5:
28 But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
- 1 Kings 3:
5 At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, “Ask! What shall I give you?”
6 And Solomon said: “You have shown great mercy to Your servant David my father, because he walked before You in truth, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with You; You have continued this great kindness for him, and You have given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day. 7 Now, O Lord my God, You have made Your servant king instead of my father David, but I am a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. 8 And Your servant is in the midst of Your people whom You have chosen, a great people, too numerous to be numbered or counted. 9 Therefore give to Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?”
10 The speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing. 11 Then God said to him: “Because you have asked this thing, and have not asked long life for yourself, nor have asked riches for yourself, nor have asked the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern justice, 12 behold, I have done according to your words; see, I have given you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has not been anyone like you before you, nor shall any like you arise after you. 13 And I have also given you what you have not asked: both riches and honor, so that there shall not be anyone like you among the kings all your days. 14 So if you walk in My ways, to keep My statutes and My commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days.”
15 Then Solomon awoke; and indeed it had been a dream. And he came to Jerusalem and stood before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, offered up burnt offerings, offered peace offerings, and made a feast for all his servants.
- Jeremiah 10:
23 O Lord, I know the way of man is not in himself;
It is not in man who walks to direct his own steps. - Romans 11:
36 For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.
- Proverbs 16:
9 A man’s heart plans his way,
But the Lord directs his steps. - Joshua 24:
15 And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
- John 7:
17 If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority.
- John 1:
12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: 13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
- Revelation 3:
20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.
- Romans 9:
20 But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, “Why have you made me like this?”
Darwin: Scripture calls dreams "visions of the night," (Job 33:15) "night vision." (e.g. Isaiah 29:7-8)
- Luke 1:
37 For with God nothing will be impossible.”
Darwin: It is the same Hebrew word (chalom) for "dream" as in a normal "dream" when one sleeps. (e.g. Psalm 73:20)