CHURCH MEMBERS
“And be not drunk with wine, wherein is
excess: but be filled with the Spirit making
melody in your heart to the Lord.”
[Eph 5:18,19] Whenever alcohol is involved it
tends to excess. There is only one melody the
Lord wants to hear, and it is not one of drunken
singers.
“It is good neither to drink wine, nor any
thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is
offended, or is made weak.” [Ro 14:21]
Remember this counsel during social meetings.
Your drinking could be a very selfish thing if it
leads another into a lifetime of woe. “A bishop
then must be blameless, sober, of good
behavior not given to wine.” [1Tim 3: 2,3,8,
Tit 1:7] “The aged women likewise, that they
be in behaviour as becometh holiness not
given to much wine.” Lest we think the aged
women should be allowed to drink in
moderation, the Amplified Bible has a better
translation: “not slaves to drink” [Tit 2:3]
“For the grace of God that bringeth salvation
hath appeared to all men, teaching us that,
denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we
should live soberly in this present world.”
[Tit 2:11,12] “That the aged men be sober … the
aged women likewise that they may teach the
young women to be sober … young men
likewise exhort to be sober-minded.”
[Tit 2:2-6] That Paul would have to exhort young
and old, male and female to be sober shows what
a problem alcohol had been amongst God‟s
people. “Let us walk honestly, as in the day;
not in rioting and drunkenness.” [Rom 13:13]
the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about,
seeking whom he may devour.” [1 Pet 5:8] The
many pitfolds of not being sober are very clear
in Scripture. Alcohol was, is, and will always be,
the ultimate tool of Satan to destroy men‟s lives
for eternity. “But the end of all things is at
hand: be ye therefore sober.” [1 Pet 4: 7] No
man can stand in the last days unless he stands
alcohol-free, with clarity of mind to be able to
withstand the final onslaughts of Satan.
What kind of company does the drunkard keep?
“But now I have written unto you not to keep
company, if any man that is called a brother
be fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a
railer, or a drunkard.” [1 Cor 5:11] “Know ye
not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the
kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither
fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor
effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with
mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor
drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners,
shall inherit the kingdom of God.” [1 Cor 6:9-10]
Non-believers won‟t be practicing traits in
heaven such as “witchcraft, hatred, wrath,
heresies, murders, drunkenness and such
like.” [Gal 5:19-21]
In the midst of the incredible low standards of
Old Covenant living we discover an anomaly in
Moses‟ day which typifies the modern Christian
experience: “I have led you forty years in the
wilderness … neither have ye drunk wine or
strong drink: that ye might know that I am
the Lord your God.” [Deut 29:6] Are we not a
type of the children of Israel, wandering through
this wilderness of worldly sin on our way to the
heavenly Promised Land? If we want to be led
by God and know Him, we too should be
abstainers.
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“Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be
sober at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”
[1 Pet 1:13] New Covenant believers have the
power of Christ to overcome Old Covenant ways
of living. “Be sober because your adversary
“For the time past of our life may suffice us to
have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when
we walked in excess of wine.” [1 Pet 4:3]
While many Christians defend alcohol use in
moderation as being the acceptable norm, let us
examine how the non-Christian world has come
to view alcohol consumption. Alcohol is a
recognized addiction and a sorry temptation.
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THE WORLD