Obedient Lifestyle

I have been wanting to do a study about drinking alcohol for a while now, not only to help me better understand but for others as well. Especially for those who have alcohol problems, for those who think they need to drink to have fun, for those who think they need to drink to be social, for those who lost someone because of alcohol and still drinks, for those who are Hippocrates, for those who are teaching others that its ok to drink, for those who think drinking will get others closer to God, for those who are having nothing but problems, and for those who think Jesus drank alcoholic beverages, this is for everyone. This study includes wine, beer, and liquor, I felt the need to point that out because some people think that wine isn’t a big deal, I will talk more about that later as well. And so everyone is clear, I am not judging anyone or pointing fingers, we all have problems, some of you may not know the truth or some of you may not even care, but it doesn’t hurt to remind everyone that our body is the temple of God. We should do whatever it takes to keep ourselves healthy, even if it means giving up alcoholic beverages. I want to start out with an article I read while researching online and I will go from there. I don’t know who wrote this but I will post the website down at the bottom.

His Article: “The Bible says that “wine is a mocker, intoxicating drink arouses brawling” (Proverbs 20:1). The Bible also says, “Woe to him who gives drink to his neighbor, pressing him to your bottle, even to make him drunk” (Habakkuk 2:15). Yet the Bible does not say that drinking a glass of wine or beer, or a cocktail with dinner, is a sin. Drunkenness is a sin, forbidden by the Bible, but having one drink may not be wrong.
Is drinking alcohol wrong?

I do not drink alcoholic beverages for one major reason: My conduct might cause someone else, who is weak, to stumble. The apostle Paul established a rule of conduct that I think is very good. He said he would not eat meat or drink wine or do anything else which would cause a weaker brother to stumble (see Romans 14:14-21).

In a country where there are at least twenty million problem drinkers, and millions of others who use alcohol to excess, Christians just cannot stand by and say, “I can drink alcoholic beverages because the Bible does not say not to.” My conduct should be governed by the law of love. If I love my brother, I will not cause him to stumble and be offended. I personally refrain from drinking alcohol for that reason.

There is another reason for not drinking alcohol. The believer’s body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. It is hard to think that we could pour liquor into the temple of God without defiling it. Liquor destroys blood vessels and brain cells. Long-term consumption of alcoholic beverages can cause cirrhosis of the liver, lead to delirium tremens, and make for habitual alcoholism.

It is also very difficult to think that anyone could worship God with his mind befogged by drinking. Even one ounce of liquor can begin to bring on intoxication. Two or three ounces can make a person legally drunk. Half of all the traffic deaths in the United States are caused by people who have had at least one drink prior to driving.

To take our money, our lives, and our bodies, all of which belong to Jesus, and subject them to a state of intoxication can hardly be said to glorify the Lord or be an act of faith.

Some would raise the issue of what Jesus did when He changed water into wine. In ancient Israel there was almost no alcoholism, and there is little problem with it in Israel today. But in Jesus’ day, wine was used at meals and in ceremonial functions or for special parties. As a national matter, wine was not a problem for them. Their wine was probably a low-alcohol-content grape derivative, and it was more of a refreshing beverage than it was an intoxicant. Jesus lived in a society in which alcoholism was not the problem that it is in our day. So, for Him, in the context of that culture, wine was all right. But for us in America today, alcohol is not all right. ”

So for the first part when he says:

Proverbs 20:1 says “Wine is a mocker; strong drink is raging: and whoever is deceived thereby is not wise.”

According to the dictionary Mock means: to attack or treat with ridicule, contempt, or derision. So the word Mock is basically a bad thing. So this is saying wine alone is a mocker, it doesn’t say if you get drunk off of wine, it says just wine is a mocker. So that alone should’ve answered this guys’ question about wine being a sin. Then it says strong drink is raging and we all know raging means; violent anger. Then it goes on to say who ever is deceived by it is not wise. That’s another point that would tell me not to drink wine. Another thing I want to point out to you that he must be reading a different version bible and not the one true bible (KJV), because the verse he entered is different from the King James Version. It doesn’t say Intoxicating or brawling, and yes you could say raging could lead to brawling but it’s not the correct words. To learn more about the new version bibles that have over 2000 verses missing, or changed visit Bogus Bibles.

Now let’s look at the verse in Habakkuk 2:15 “ Woe unto him that giveth his neighbor drink, that puttest thy bottle to him, and makest him drunken also, that thou mayest look on their nakedness.”

So basically, its saying even if you give someone an alcoholic beverage it’s a sin.

Here is what Ellen G White says about this:
“The word of Christ supplied ample provision for the feast. So abundant is the provision of His grace to blot out the iniquities of men, and to renew and sustain the soul. {DA 149.1}
At the first feast He attended with His disciples, Jesus gave them the cup that symbolized His work for their salvation. At the last supper He gave it again, in the institution of that sacred rite by which His death was to be shown forth “till He come.” 1 Corinthians 11:26. And the sorrow of the disciples at parting from their Lord was comforted with the promise of reunion, as He said, “I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.” Matthew 26:29. {DA 149.2}

The wine which Christ provided for the feast, and that which He gave to the disciples as a symbol of His own blood, was the pure juice of the grape. To this the prophet Isaiah refers when he speaks of the new wine “in the cluster,” and says, “Destroy it not; for a blessing is in it.” Isaiah 65:8. {DA 149.3}

It was Christ who in the Old Testament gave the warning to Israel, “Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.” Proverbs 20:1. And He Himself provided no such beverage. Satan tempts men to indulgence that will becloud reason and benumb the spiritual perceptions, but Christ teaches us to bring the lower nature into subjection. His whole life was an example of self-denial. In order to break the power of appetite, He suffered in our behalf the severest test that humanity could endure. It was Christ who directed that John the Baptist should drink neither wine nor strong drink. It was He who enjoined similar abstinence upon the wife of Manoah. And He pronounced a curse upon the man who should put the bottle to his neighbor’s lips. Christ did not contradict His own teaching. The unfermented wine which He provided for the wedding guests was a wholesome and refreshing drink. Its effect was to bring the taste into harmony with a healthful appetite. {DA 149.4}

As the guests at the feast remarked upon the quality of the wine, inquiries were made that drew from the servants an account of the miracle. The company were for a time too much amazed to think of Him who had performed the wonderful work. When at length they looked for Him, it was found that He had withdrawn so quietly as to be unnoticed even by His disciples. {DA 149.5}

As a people we profess to be reformers, to be light bearers in the world, to be faithful sentinels for God, guarding every avenue whereby Satan could come in with his temptations to pervert the appetite. Our example and influence must be a power on the side of reform. We must abstain from any practice which will blunt the conscience or encourage temptation. We must open no door that will give Satan access to the mind of one human being formed in the image of God. If all would be vigilant and faithful in guarding the little openings made by the moderate use of the so-called harmless wine and cider, the highway to drunkenness would be closed up. What is needed in every community is firm purpose, and a will to touch not, taste not, handle not; then the temperance reformation will be strong, permanent, and thorough. {5T 360.1}

In a Desperate Situation—The man who has formed the habit of using intoxicants is in a desperate situation. His brain is diseased, his will power is weakened. So far as any power in himself is concerned, his appetite is uncontrollable. He cannot be reasoned with or persuaded to deny himself.—The Ministry of Healing, 344. {Te 37.1}”

She says a lot more about this subject but I’m sure you get the point. When the writer of the previous article wrote, “Yet the Bible does not say that drinking a glass of wine or beer, or a cocktail with dinner, is a sin. Drunkenness is a sin, forbidden by the Bible, but having one drink may not be wrong.

Ellen white proved that he was wrong with this as well. Jesus told several people not to drink, like John the Baptist that I mentioned earlier, and said he would put a curse upon the man who put the bottle to his neighbor’s lips. There is so much evidence how badly alcohol hurts the body, and how it messes with the mind, and causes problems in peoples lives. Especially if you are a preacher, you shouldn’t be a preacher if you drink. Preachers/Pastors are supposed to be a good example, and good role model. Even going into a bar is an appearance of evil, is it not? Sadly, in todays world it may not be since a lot of catholic priest’s drink which I am sure confuses the mind of many, even preachers.
Leviticus 10:8-9 says And the Lord spake unto Aaron, saying Do not drink wine nor strong drink, thou nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations:” That’s another person the Lord told not to drink. Why would the Lord say that if it was ok to drink? And such a harsh punishment? Because he knows how defiling it is to the body and how it messes with our minds, how can we preach correctly if we have toxins in our bodies? How can we even trust ourselves? I know some who call themselves Pastors who go to bars and drinks while preaching. I had someone once tell me that they wouldn’t have reached these people if they hadn’t done this. What I do know is if the person they are preaching to is a alcoholic he will never learn the truth with a clouded mind because now he is taught that drinking is ok so he will never stop, therefore his problems (especially health) will never stop. This leads me to think the preachers who do drink not only have a problem with alcohol they have a problem with attention and fame, meaning they may be doing this to get those people to join their church. It’s basically advertising how fun their church is because we all get drunk together! Who wouldn’t want to go to a church that preaches drinking isn’t a sin? According to a survey that was posted by Newsweek in 2017 over 70% of Americans drink alcoholic beverages and over 40% drink excessively. So there ya go popularity will win! What irks me is how can we even think that the Holy Spirit is guiding us while drinking or being hung over everyday? One thing I do know is that God winks at our ignorance, meaning we won’t be judged if we didn’t know what we were doing was wrong (so there’s still time to change), but if we know the truth and do the wrong thing anyways it is called iniquity which is far worse.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 says: “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.”

This is why it is so important to take care of our bodies, especially the leaders out there, especially the people who want to help others get closer to God.

The writer of the article made a good point where he mentions how Paul said that he would not drink or eat meat to prevent a weak brother from stumbling. Although this shouldn’t be his only reason why he shouldn’t drink, it is a good one. All of the problems alone people get from drinking alcohol should be a good reason why it is bad for us.

Romans 14:21 “It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.”

Truth is, if we are in our bibles like we are supposed to be every day, studying to expand our knowledge and to help others get to heaven then we wouldn’t have a problem in this area. I know there’s people out there that preach for fame, but those are the ones we need to stay away from. There are many wolves in sheeps clothing out there, but thank God our God directs us how to decipher those wolves. “By their fruit ye shall know them.”Matthew 7:20.

Also, when we think of why we shouldn’t drink and how it defiles the body, we should always think of Daniel. He is the prefect example, in Daniel chapter 1 Daniel told the Prince of the Eunichs that he didn’t want to eat the kings meat and wine that was fed daily to the best children of Israel because he didn’t want to defile himself, because of this God favored Daniel and loved him very much. He then ended proving what he ate (pulse and water) was healthier for the children which convinced the King to change the menu from meat and wine to pulse and water. Read below:

Daniel 1 King James Version (KJV)
1 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon unto Jerusalem, and besieged it.

2 And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with part of the vessels of the house of God: which he carried into the land of Shinar to the house of his god; and he brought the vessels into the treasure house of his god.

3 And the king spake unto Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring certain of the children of Israel, and of the king’s seed, and of the princes;

4 Children in whom was no blemish, but well favoured, and skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability in them to stand in the king’s palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans.

5 And the king appointed them a daily provision of the king’s meat, and of the wine which he drank: so nourishing them three years, that at the end thereof they might stand before the king.

6 Now among these were of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah:

7 Unto whom the prince of the eunuchs gave names: for he gave unto Daniel the name of Belteshazzar; and to Hananiah, of Shadrach; and to Mishael, of Meshach; and to Azariah, of Abednego.

8 But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.

9 Now God had brought Daniel into favour and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs.

10 And the prince of the eunuchs said unto Daniel, I fear my lord the king, who hath appointed your meat and your drink: for why should he see your faces worse liking than the children which are of your sort? then shall ye make me endanger my head to the king.

11 Then said Daniel to Melzar, whom the prince of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,

12 Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days; and let them give us pulse to eat, and water to drink.

13 Then let our countenances be looked upon before thee, and the countenance of the children that eat of the portion of the king’s meat: and as thou seest, deal with thy servants.

14 So he consented to them in this matter, and proved them ten days.

15 And at the end of ten days their countenances appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all the children which did eat the portion of the king’s meat.

16 Thus Melzar took away the portion of their meat, and the wine that they should drink; and gave them pulse.

17 As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.

18 Now at the end of the days that the king had said he should bring them in, then the prince of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar.

19 And the king communed with them; and among them all was found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: therefore stood they before the king.

20 And in all matters of wisdom and understanding, that the king enquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers that were in all his realm.

21 And Daniel continued even unto the first year of king Cyrus.

Again, this alone should prove that drinking wine is a sin. There is so much proof in the bible where drinking wine caused bad things to happen, how is this not a sin?  You won’t find a single bible verse where Jesus said “don’t drink alcohol” any more than you will find a verse that says “don’t smoke cigarettes” or don’t do drugs” etc.. If someone opens the Bible to see what His Word says about such things with a desire to find a way to make excuses, then they’re not serious at all about the truth in the first place. God knows how we feel in our hearts, He knows our desires, He knows what we are thinking, so if you really want to learn and help others then He will bless you, but if you are doing it for show or popularity you will never get anywhere. Toxins destroy the mind, body and soul, if these aren’t balanced then you will always have problems. With God you can change these things.

According to the Center of Disease Prevention and Control:
Short-Term Health Risks
Excessive alcohol use has immediate effects that increase the risk of many harmful health conditions. These are most often the result of binge drinking and include the following:
• Injuries, such as motor vehicle crashes, falls, drownings, and burns.6,7
• Violence, including homicide, suicide, sexual assault, and intimate partner violence.6-10
• Alcohol poisoning, a medical emergency that results from high blood alcohol levels.11
• Risky sexual behaviors, including unprotected sex or sex with multiple partners. These behaviors can result in unintended pregnancy or sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV.12,13
• Miscarriage and stillbirth or fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs) among pregnant women.6,12,14,15

Long-Term Health Risks
Over time, excessive alcohol use can lead to the development of chronic diseases and other serious problems including:

• High blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, liver disease, and digestive problems.6,16
• Cancer of the breast, mouth, throat, esophagus, liver, and colon.6,17
• Learning and memory problems, including dementia and poor school performance.6,18
• Mental health problems, including depression and anxiety.6,19
• Social problems, including lost productivity, family problems, and unemployment.6,20,21
• Alcohol dependence, or alcoholism.5

According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism:
Alcohol-Related Deaths: • An estimated 88,0008 people (approximately 62,000 men and 26,000 women8) die from alcohol-related causes annually, making alcohol the third leading preventable cause of death in the United States. The first is tobacco, and the second is poor diet and physical inactivity.9
• In 2014, alcohol-impaired driving fatalities accounted for 9,967 deaths (31 percent of overall driving fatalities).10

ALCOHOL’S DAMAGING EFFECTS ON THE BRAIN
Difficulty walking, blurred vision, slurred speech, slowed reaction times, impaired memory: Clearly, alcohol affects the brain. Some of these impairments are detectable after only one or two drinks and quickly resolve when drinking stops. On the other hand, a person who drinks heavily over a long period of time may have brain deficits that persist well after he or she achieves sobriety. Exactly how alcohol affects the brain and the likelihood of reversing the impact of heavy drinking on the brain remain hot topics in alcohol research today.

We do know that heavy drinking may have extensive and far–reaching effects on the brain, ranging from simple “slips” in memory to permanent and debilitating conditions that require lifetime custodial care. And even moderate drinking leads to short–term impairment, as shown by extensive research on the impact of drinking on driving.

So the last thing I want to point out in that article is how the writer said that Jesus drank alcoholic wine. Here is a good study from www.remnantofgod.org (click to see video and actual study) :

Over the years many have claimed Jesus made alcoholic wine at the Wedding of Cana, or at the last supper. However, the Word of God is rather plain in that this is not the case at all.

Mark 14:23-25, “And he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them: and they all drank of it. And he said unto them, This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many. Verily I say unto you, I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, until that day that I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”

Common sense tells us that the mention of drinking this wine “NEW” in the kingdom of God means it is in fact “New Wine” But what is “New Wine” in Scripture?

Isaiah 65:8, “Thus saith the LORD, As the new wine is found in the cluster, and one saith, Destroy it not; for a blessing is in it: so will I do for my servants’ sakes, that I may not destroy them all.”

Here it is obvious that new wine simply means the juice of grapes. A cluster is what you find on a grape vine. This being the case, this means the word “wine” in Scripture is used to speak of both fermented as well as unfermented grape juice just like the word meat can be used to describe fruit, bread, and flesh in Scripture.

Genesis 1:29, “And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.”

Leviticus 2:4, “And if thou bring an oblation of a meat offering baken in the oven, it shall be unleavened cakes of fine flour mingled with oil, or unleavened wafers anointed with oil.”

Genesis 27:9, “Go now to the flock, and fetch me from thence two good kids of the goats; and I will make them savoury meat for thy father, such as he loveth:”

To further verify this as fact, as Christians we know that a prophet of God would never do that which is considered sin. The prophet Daniel and his understudies refused the King’s wine in their day further proving that it had to have been fermented wine he was offering them.

Daniel 1:8, “But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.”

If fermented wine would cause Daniel to defile himself, then it could not have been the fermented wine Jesus used to represent His blood at the last supper either. If a prophet won’t do it, surely the Lord who speaks to those prophets wouldn’t do it either. To further confirm this, notice Jesus also used unleavened bread to represent His flesh. Leaven permeates the whole lump of bread just as sin does the flesh.

Luke 12:1, “…Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.”

Christ has no sin, therefore even the bread, representing His flesh, would have no leaven either because as we know symbolically speaking leaven represented sin. Fermented wine is nothing more then rotten grape juice. Therefore it too could not be used to represent His blood because Jesus was not going to be allowed to rot in the grave…

Psalms 16:10 “For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.”

Acts 2:27 “Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption”.

Acts 13:35 “Wherefore he saith also in another psalm, Thou shalt not suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. “

Just like any other plant or animal on earth that dies. Rotten, or fermented grape juice releases a gas as it decays proving corruption has set in. This is why Jesus said in Mark 2:22, “And no man putteth new wine into old bottles: else the new wine doth burst the bottles, and the wine is spilled, and the bottles will be marred: but new wine must be put into new bottles.” As grape juice ages it releases a gas just like the gas released by yeast that causes the loaf of bread to rise. The wine skins, or bottles as they were called back then, would stretch at the seams as the new wine aged. Therefore, if you placed new wine in and old wine skin that was already stretched to its limits, it would naturally burst and you would loose the grape juice. That being said, it is clear that at the Last Supper, the wine representing Jesus’ blood could not have been fermented because in so doing it would be considered corrupt. And according to prophetic Scriptures, The Father would “not suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. “

If a prophet of God refuses to defile himself with fermented wine, then the wine that Jesus created at the wedding of Cana could not possible have been fermented. Because then He would have been causing everyone at that wedding to defile themselves. This is not something our Lord and Saviour would ever do.

ONE LAST THING:
1 Timothy 5:23 says, “Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach’s sake and thine often infirmities.”

Ask any natural healer and they will tell you grape juice can heal many ailments, including stomach problems. The “wine” in this verse is definitely unfermented. Fermented wine would make stomach problems worse.

UPDATE:
Proverbs 31:4,5 “It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink: Lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted.”

As Christians, are we not slated to reign with Christ as kings? If a king could not drink back then, why is it ok for those in training as kings now to drink? And if we drink, do we not “forget the law” while doing so? And yes, some will say the next passage makes it ok.

Proverbs 31:6 “Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts.”

First off, the only way to make drinking “ok” by using this passage is to do so out of context with the preceding two. Still, this passage is not saying it is ok to drink wine. It’s saying only those that are headed for death (hell) can drink it.

Claim: No such thing as good alcohol
ALSO: In the Sanctuary services we find instructions that prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that alcohol is not only deadly to the soul, it is in fact unholy and unclean.

Leviticus 10:9-10, “Do not drink wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations: And that ye may put difference between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean;”

So with all this proof and much more that I haven’t posted how can you say that it is ok to drink alcoholic beverages? I hope and pray that you were blessed by what you read in this blog. God Bless.

 

“Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. 32Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God: 33Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.” 1 Corinthians 10:31-33

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2018). CDC Works 24/7. [online] Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/index.htm [Accessed 25 Mar. 2018].

Niaaa.nih.gov. (2018). National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) |. [online] Available at: https://niaaa.nih.gov/ [Accessed 25 Mar. 2018].

Remnantofgod.org. (n.d.). Presents of God ministry. [online] Available at: http://www.remnantofgod.org/ [Accessed 25 Mar. 2018].

White, E. (1890). Ministry of Healing. Battle Creek: Review and Herald.

White, E. (1898). Desires of Ages. battle creek: Review and Herald.

White, E. (1900). Testimonies of the Church. 5th ed. Battle Creek: Review and

Herald.CBN.com – The Christian Broadcasting Network. (2018). Is Drinking Alcohol A Sin?. [online] Available at: http://www1.cbn.com/questions/is-drinking-alcohol-a-sin [Accessed 25 Mar. 2018].