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By Jimmy Swaggart
By Jimmy Swaggart LEVITICUS, CHAPTER 10 (verses 8-10) STRONG DRINK
“And the LORD spoke unto Aaron, saying, Do not drink wine nor strong drink, you, nor your sons with you, when you go into the Tabernacle of the congregation, lest you die: it shall be a Statute forever throughout your generations: And that you may put difference between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean.”
The Law as given by the Lord at this juncture indicates that Nadab and Abihu had acted under the excitement of intoxicating drink. In other words, they were drunk. Some have claimed from these passages that it’s satisfactory to drink in moderation, providing it’s done at the right time and the right place, etc. That’s not what the Scripture is saying here. In fact, this is a prohibition against strong drink in any
capacity. The Lord is telling these Priests, and all Priests who would follow thereafter, that if they partook of strong drink regarding their duties in the Tabernacle or Temple, with the latter yet to come, that they would run the risk of being stricken dead. While they might not be stricken dead if they partook of strong drink outside of the Tabernacle, etc., most definitely, they would be courting disaster, if they did so within the confines of the Tabernacle of its Courts. But in no way do these Passages make allowance for social drinking, etc.
SOCIAL DRINKING!
I believe the Bible teaches total and complete abstinence from all alcoholic beverage of any kind, and at all times. Considering the heartache and sorrow that alcohol has caused, I cannot even remotely see how any Christian, striving to be a good example, would think it satisfactory to partake of alcohol in any capacity. It is a known fact, concerning most crimes committed, that the individual committing the crimes is under the influence of alcohol. While there are thousands of evil things that could be said about strong drink, there isn’t one good thing that can be said, of which I am aware.
Let’s briefly look at some of the instances in the Bible, which some have claimed gives license to moderate drinking, etc.
DID THE SAVIOUR USE INTOXICATING WINE IN THE LORD’S SUPPER?
No! First of all, in the description of the Lord’s Supper, the Bible never uses the word “wine.” We are told, “He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it” (Mat. 26:27). Mark says: “He took the cup, when He had given thanks, He gave it to them” (Mk. 14:23). Luke says: “He took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves” (Lk. 22:17). Jesus called this drink the “fruit of the vine” (Mat. 26:29; Mk. 14:25; Lk. 22:18).
It seems the Holy Spirit carried this directive right on through even into the Early Church. The Apostle Paul said: “After the same manner also He took the cup, when He had finished supper, saying, This cup is the New Testament in My Blood” (I Cor. 11:25). Then, following, He mentioned “this cup,” and then, later on, “that cup.” It becomes clear, when these passages are read consecutively, that God intended for us to use grape juice. I also think the Holy Spirit took particular pains not to use any words that could be construed as referring to any kind of intoxicating beverage. There is not a single reference in the Word of God that a person should use intoxicating wine for the Lord’s Supper.
THE SYMBOL OF DECAY
The very meaning of fermented wine makes it unsatisfactory to represent the Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, which the juice taken in the Lord’s Supper is definitely to represent. Fermented wine is grape juice in which decay (or rot) has taken place. In other words, the process of fermentation is the breakdown of large molecules caused by the influence of bacteria or fungi. Wine, then, results from the degenerative action of germs on pure substances. Fermented wine used in Communion would actually symbolize tainted, sinful blood, and not the pure and perfect Blood of Jesus Christ, that had to be made evident to be a perfect cleansing for our sins. Pure, fresh grape juice tends toward life, but fermented wine tends toward death. Alcohol used for drinking purposes is both a narcotic and a poison. It could hardly be used as a symbol for the Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Please consider the following:The Jews were required to use unleavened bread with the Passover Feast, and they were commanded that during that time “there shall no leavened bread be seen with you, neither shall there be leaven seen with you in all your quarters” (Ex. 13:7). In other words, there was not even to be any leaven in the house. As early as this, bread which had been tainted with bacteria or yeast, which comprises leaven, was considered unsuitable at the spiritual events celebrated by the Jews. Jesus also used unleavened bread in initiating the Lord’s Supper. (However, the New Testament makes no special issue of unleavened bread, and because this particular type of bread was a type of the Perfection of the Lord Jesus Christ, which He fulfilled in totality in His Personal Life, making the symbol unnecessary anymore.)
Consequently, the point that I make is this: if the Lord specifically chose bread that had no bacteria, no fungus spores in it, to picture His broken body, do you honestly think He would choose alcoholic wine, fermented wine, which is directly the product of fungi or bacteria, to represent His Blood? I hardly think so! The pure Blood of Jesus Christ, as stated, is best represented by pure grape juice.
THE MORAL STATUTES
In the Passage of our study, the Lord, in addressing the High Priest, along with all other Priests under the old economy, commanded of them: “Do not drink wine nor strong drink . . . when you go into the Tabernacle of the congregation, lest you die: it shall be a Statute forever throughout your generations.” You must remember, these Priests entering into the Tabernacle were types of the Lord Jesus Christ, Who is our Great High Priest. Now I ask you a question: would Jesus, the night He was betrayed, drink intoxicating wine before going to the Crucifixion and entering into His High Priestly Work? I think not! It would have been a rejection and a contradiction of His Own Word which we are now studying in this Tenth Chapter of Leviticus.
We must always remember that the word “wine” as used in the Bible simply means, “the fruit of the vine.” It can mean either unfermented grape juice or intoxicating wine. So, when the word is read, whether it is New Testament or Old Testament, this distinction must always be kept in mind.
No, the beverage that Jesus used at the Lord’s Supper was not intoxicating wine, and neither is it proper or permissible for us to use intoxicating wine in the Lord’s Supper presently, or any other time for that matter.
WAS THE WATER THAT JESUS TURNED INTO WINE IN SAINT JOHN, CHAPTER 2, THE KIND OF WINE THAT WILL MAKE ONE DRUNK?
Again, no! If the wine referred to here is understood to be intoxicating wine, our Lord is automatically placed in the position of providing men who had already “well drunk” (Jn. 2:10) with more wine. If it was wine, as we think of wine today, which it is an intoxicating beverage, the Lord then would have been breaking His Own Law against temperance. The total amount of water turned to wine was about 150 gallons. If this had been an intoxicating beverage, it would have served as an invitation to drink, and would have placed our Lord in the unsavory position of providing a flood of intoxicants for the people who had already consumed a considerable amount.
GOOD WINE
The word “good” was used to describe what the Lord had miraculously brought about. It is the Greek word “kalos” and is defined in “Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words” as denoting what is intrinsically good. Now the pure, sweet juice of the grape could rightly be denoted as “intrinsically good”; but the rotted, fermented, decayed, spoiled, intoxicating kind of wine could hardly be called good. It is easy to think of the term “good” in describing whatever the Lord makes. For example, in describing the creation, Moses said, “And God saw everything that He had made, and, behold, it was very good” (Gen. 1:31).
It is unthinkable that our Lord would have made corrupted, fermented wine at Cana and called it “good.” You see, fermentation is a kind of decomposition, just as are putrefaction, and decay. It would be almost blasphemous to call that “good” in connection with our Lord. Pliny (an ancient Greek Scholar) said that “good wine” was a term used to denote the juice destitute of spirit. Albert Barnes says, “The wine referred to here was doubtless such as was commonly drunk in Palestine.” That was the pure juice of the grape; it was not brandied nor drugged wine. Nor was it wine compounded of various substances, such as people drink in this land. The common wine of that day, which was drunk in Palestine, was the simple juice of the grape.
As well, it is tantamount to blasphemy, in my opinion, to suppose that the first miracle that Christ preformed after being filled with the Holy Spirit (compare Mk. 1:9-12; Lk. 4:1) was an act of creating intoxicating wine for a crowd of celebrants, the kind of wine that would make them drunk. It is unthinkable!
Still another fact from the record in John, Chapter 2, is this: those men who had already drunk a considerable amount praised the bridegroom for having kept the “good wine” until the last. Now, it is a simple fact that alcohol, drunk to any excess, will deaden the taste buds of the drinker. If the wine in Cana of Galilee, that the guests had already been partaking of, was intoxicating wine (and they had already partaken of quite a bit at this point), then when the wine that Jesus had miraculously made was given to them, they could not have detected its taste. Their taste buds would have been deadened. To be honest with you, they would have been drunk by this time, or almost so. Only if they had been drinking the form of the vine’s fruit that we know as grape juice, and then had been provided some fresh grape juice, would the governor of the feast have been able to make the observation he did.
WINE IN BIBLICAL TIMES
Even though there are several words in the Bible which denote wine, there are two words which are used more than any other. In the New Testament it is the Greek word “oinos,” which can mean either fermented or unfermented wine.
Dr. Ferrar Fenton, a Biblical translator (The Holy Bible In Modern English), lists six different meanings of the word “oinos”
- grapes, as fresh fruit;
- raisins
- thick grape syrup
- a thick jam
- fresh grape juice
- fermented grape juice.
The last type would make you drunk. Dr. Lyman Abbott said that fermented wine in Bible times was the least common of all wines. Even in the fermented kind, the percentage of alcohol was small.
In the Old Testament, the most often used Hebrew word for wine is “yayin.” That word is found 141 times in the Old Testament, and is used interchangeably, depending on the context. Also, it is unthinkable that the Lord would have broken His Own Word. “Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise . . . Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions? Who has babbling? Who has wounds without cause? Who has redness of eyes? They who tarry long at the wine; they who go to seek mixed wine. Do not look upon the wine when it is red, when it gives his color in the cup, when it moves itself aright. At the last it bites like a serpent, and stings like an adder” (Prov. 20:1; 23:29-32).
The reasons given above are sufficient proof that Jesus did not change water to the kind of wine that would make one drunk. Instead, it was a pure, sweet grape juice.
PROHIBITION
Before Prohibition “wine” was considered to be exactly as it was in Bible times. However, when Prohibition was enacted in 1929, the term had to be defined more closely. Consequently, “wine” was designated to mean something that would make one drunk. The other kind of non-intoxicating beverage was called by whatever name desired, grape juice or whatever. Consequently, many people today confuse the simple word “wine” as it was used in the Bible with our understanding of that word presently, but that is not universally true.
No, Jesus’ first miracle was not the making of wine that would make a person drunk. It was pure, sweet, fresh grape juice; and I believe that Scripturally, scientifically, and legally we have proof of that.
THE HOLY AND THE UNHOLY
As it was then, there is presently that which is holy and that which is unholy, that which is clean, and that which is unclean. Alcohol falls into the category of the unholy and the unclean, as ought to be overly obvious. As well, there are many things presently in the world which are unholy and unclean, with which a Believer should not associate himself. These things would consist of that which would be of harm to the physical body, which is the Temple of the Holy Spirit. This is at least one of the reasons that Paul said:
“And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in Psalms, and Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord” (Eph. 5:18-19).
The idea is that Believers be drunk with the Spirit, instead of spirits. As well, much of what comes through Television, almost all that comes through the movies, and much of what comes over the Internet, falls into the category of the “unclean,” and, therefore, “unholy.”
Concerning one of the major companies in the world, I was told the other day that an anonymous poll was taken among their white collar people. These are people, as would be obvious, with a much higher educational average, some who were millionaires, and many who concluded themselves to be Christians. The shocking thing is, sixty percent admitted to being hooked on Internet pornography.
When I was given this information, incidentally by one of their top men, to be frank, I did a double-take. I said to him, “Say that again.” He answered, “You heard me right the first time.” These people could fill out the questionnaire without signing their names, so the honesty factor was far higher than would be normal. But to think of sixty percent of these people, who are some of the elite of the nation, being hooked on Internet pornography, is beyond comprehension. But that is what is happening out there.
I’m going to make some statements that should be made, and at the same time, show you a way that the “holy” and the “clean” can prevail, even in these immoral times.
GOD’S PRESCRIBED ORDER OF VICTORY
Many Christians have the erroneous idea that once they have come to Christ, they now have the willpower to say “yes” or “no,” to sin at their leisure. They embark upon such a course, which always leads to spiritual failure. While the “yes” and “no” factor is correct, it is correct only in a specific way.
In other words, we as Believers have the capacity to say “yes” or “no” to Christ, but that’s about where it begins and ends. This means that if you as a Believer set out to live this Christian life by addressing sin with a “yes” or “no,” you have just bought yourself some problems. But yet that’s where most Christians presently are. Many preachers claim that all the Christian has to do is just to simply say “no” to sin. That’s not the way, and simply because it is a dependence on “self.” Such a dependence deprives the Believer of the help of the Holy Spirit, Whose help we must have, if we are to live this Christian life (Rom. 8:1).
THE LAW OF SIN AND DEATH
As we’ve already said, the second most powerful law in this world is “the law of sin and death” (Rom. 8:2). The unredeemed cannot overcome this law at all, as should be obvious. The Believer can overcome this law only by bringing into play “The Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 8:2). This particular Law incidentally, is the most powerful law in the world, and as stated, the only Law that can overcome “the law of sin and death.”
To be frank, most Christians, even though they have read Romans 8:2 a few times, have never heard a single Message preached, or a single word taught, on these two particular “Laws.” That’s tragic, when they face the law of sin and death every single day of their lives. And please understand, no Christian without being properly taught, is going to understand “The Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus.” Without it being properly taught, it cannot be properly understood. So this means that the far, far greater number of Christians are stumbling through this Christian experience, trying to live the life, but in essence, failing on a continuous basis; and failing because they do not understand this “Law of the Spirit of Life.”
IN CHRIST JESUS
If it is to be noticed, this “Law of the Spirit of Life” is “in Christ Jesus.” Every time Paul uses this term, or one of its many derivatives, which he does about 170 times in his 14 Epistles, he is speaking without exception of what Jesus did at the Cross. So, this particular Law, which is the most powerful in the world, and which is the only Law that can overcome sin, is all wrapped up in what Christ did at the Cross. In other words, the Holy Spirit, Who is the “Spirit of Life,” works entirely within the parameters of the Sacrifice of Christ. He superintends the life that comes from Christ, which is made possible to Believers as a result of the Cross. Everything hinges on the “Cross.” As a Believer, you are to understand that every single thing comes to you through and by “the Cross of Christ.”
Second, the Cross of Christ is to ever be “the object of your Faith.”Third, when this is done, “the Holy Spirit” will then work mightily within your heart and life, overcoming the “law of sin and death.” Otherwise, you will not be able, even though you are a Christian, even though you are Spirit-filled, to live a “holy” and “clean” life. The Lord has only one prescribed order of victory, not five, not three, not even two, only one! That one way is “Jesus Christ and Him Crucified” (I Cor. 1:23; 2:2, 5).
SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS
The unfortunate thing as it regards the Christian experience, and in fact which has been with us from the time of the Garden of Eden, is the problem of self-righteousness. The Believer can have the Righteousness of Christ, only by believing in what Christ has done at the Cross. That being done, and continuing to be done, the Righteousness of Christ is freely imputed to the Believer. This takes place when the person gets saved, and it continues throughout our Salvation experience. But if the Believer begins to look elsewhere, in other words, making other things the object of his Faith, rather than the Cross, he will only succeed in developing self-righteousness. And that was not only the bane of Israel, it is, as well, the bane of the modern Church, and in fact, has always been the problem.
Concerning Israel, Paul said:
“For they (Israel) being ignorant of God’s Righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves to the Righteousness of God” (Rom. 10:3).
That’s the major problem of Believers presently, exactly as it was in Israel of old; we’ve tried to establish our own Righteousness. That is self-righteousness. Now let me make this statement, to help us understand it even more: Any Believer who doesn’t understand the Cross as it pertains to our Sanctification, which means that the object of his faith is not the Cross, but rather other things, will, of necessity, function from a position of self-righteousness. There are only two types of righteousness in this world, Righteousness which comes from Christ and what He did at the Cross, and self-righteousness.
As well, almost all Believers who are functioning in self-righteousness claim to be trusting Christ. And the truth is many think they are. But again I state, if that Believer doesn’t understand the Cross, which as well demands an understanding of Faith, along with the Holy Spirit, despite the claims, such a Believer is going to function in self-righteousness.
Considering that very few modern Christians understand the Cross, which means that very few modern Preachers understand the Cross, that means the Church is presently functioning almost entirely from a position of self-righteousness. This is a road to spiritual disaster. This is what destroyed Israel of old, and it is what is destroying most Christians.
INSTRUCTION IN THE WAYS OF THE LORD
Verse 11 reads:
“And that you may teach the Children of Israel all the Statutes which the LORD has spoken unto them by the hand of Moses.”
We learn here that the Priests, whose number would grow extensively very shortly, were to teach the people the Law of Moses. It is the same now as Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors, and Teachers, proclaiming and explaining the Word of God to the Church. The task then would have been somewhat harder, because many of the people couldn’t read, and beside that, there were no printing presses in those days. Whatever copies of the Law there were had to be copied laboriously by hand, which many were. So it was left up to the Priests to teach all the people the Word of God, which then consisted of the Law, referred to at times as “the Law of Moses.” If the Priests did not sufficiently teach the people, they simply could not learn, which spelled disaster.
In later years, the Priests neglected this all-important duty. Concerning this, the Lord through the Prophet Ezekiel said:
“Her Priests have violated My Law, and have profaned My holy things: they have put no difference between the holy and the profane, neither have they showed difference between the unclean and the clean.” In other words, they did not teach the people the difference (Ezek. 22:26).
I’m afraid that this sin of ancient Israel is our sin presently as well. Christians, presently, simply do not know the Word of God. That’s at least one of the reasons that they fall so easily for false doctrine.
I read sometime back of an Assemblies of God Church, which was devoting its Wednesday nights to a discussion on what the Radio talk show host, Rush Limbaugh, had said that past week. Wednesday nights in most Churches are normally given over to Bible study. I do not know who this Pastor was, but I do know that he isn’t much of a Pastor. In fact, the people who are so foolish to attend that particular Church will wreck themselves spiritually. That’s how bad the situation is, and, regrettably, that’s how bad it is in the far greater majority of Churches. Some few proclaim the Gospel, and do so with the Power of the Holy Spirit. The majority does not!
It is incumbent upon every Believer to know the Word of God. In fact, every Believer ought to make the study of the Bible a part of his daily consecration. That’s at least one of the reasons that we strongly encourage every Believer, at least over whom we might have some small amount of influence, to obtain these Commentaries. I know that their study will open up the Word of God, and nothing could be greater than learning the Word.
(The above article was derived from the Jimmy Swaggart Bible Commentary, “Leviticus”, Chapter 10.)
I think any substance, if it has an intoxicating effect was allowed to be discovered by men from God for purely medicinal purposes, more so for the unsaved but not exclusively. We have however, taken these natural medicinal remedies given by God and have begun to use them in more so recreational arenas, and this is where the unbiblical practice and sin comes in. Some would argue however, that any use of any intoxicating substance if required by the individual to a degree is considered medicinal, though for many what began as a medicinal purpose can easily compound into an addiction. For instance if a person who is social but shy finds that if they have a glass or two of wine, that this allows them to quote unquote "loosen up", same as if someone had severe anxiety and needed a medication to ease the symptoms. But the problem with this always is as the scripture quoted earlier said, becareful what you consume and the ammount lest you forget the law, i.e. walking in righteousness and upholding the statutes of God, which so often happens, people drink too much and become far to uninhibited thereby causing them in many cases to fall into sin. People so often use the medicinal card as a justification now adays, but basically there is a fine line between medicinal use and medicinal use which for some can easily escalate to medicinal abuse, and simple recreational use, where the persons desire is to merely get drunk. For me, if the person has a legitimate medicinal need then so be it let them do as they will, but that person should also however make his moderation known unto all men and to himself and deifinatly to God. In conclusion, my ultimate belief is that if The Spirit of God lives within you and you walk in the spirit, you dont need alcohol or its effects to be comforted, because The Spirit of God should be enough....I could go on for hours but Ill stop there and let you add what you will to this statement...
We have a new wine, I'm addicted to the spirit.
"For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil."
"The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children."
Proverbs 31:6-7 says:
"Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts.
Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more."
Brandogrey,
Rayne, LA
About Proverbs 31:6-7 .. Lets read the verses before that. 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." ( Even moderate drinking can cause one to 'forget the Law', and are we not kings with Christ, made the head and not the tail?) Now Proverbs 31:6-7 says:
"Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts.
Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more." This probaly refers to using alcoholic drinks as a form of pain medication. If you are in severe pain you take tylenol or during surgery take anestesia well this is probaly all they had then to help ease pain. Take medication for pain not fun.. There are pain medications that people are abusing right now. Taking it for pain is one thing but taking it for any other reason is another.
Matthew 5 : 18-19 says For verily I say unto you, till Heaven and Earth pass one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the Law, till all be fulfilled... Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least Commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven...
The Word tells us that all things are lawfull but we are not to be brought into subjection or be enslaved to anything other than Christ. This would apply to anything that we could have a depencey on, Be it alchohol, caffine, sugar, nickotine, other people, food, or whatever. All these things can become a stronghold in our lives, some more esaly than others, we are also told if something may cause a brother to fall or stumble then we should avoid that thing.
Thanks for you comment,
I agree with everything that you just said....almost
But, how would having a very occasional drink cause a brother to stumble?
To me....that standard can be applied to...women wearing make-up.
The Bible also has no prohibition on that, but the church that I grew up in believes it to be a sin.
The church that I currently go to does not.
So if one of my current church members starts hanging around someone of the Holiness crowd, and then the Holiness lady decides to wear make-up...has either one sinned?
I would not thank so.
If I were to "preach" this message, I would not preach it as a sin, but possibly just not a smart thing to do.
.... Why would you want to drink ? I mean when it all boils down what is the reason you drink Socializing? Grab the Bible , have a study group.Pressure from others? True friends wouldn't make you feel bad or force you into things you're not wanting to do. The taste? They make non -alcholic drinks., You're thirsty? Alcohol will dehydrate you. Why does it have to be alcoholic....? Maybe because its something you think you're not suppose to have , so you want it more. What about is it alright to steal a pencil but not a car I mean its such a minor thing would you just tell people thats it's just not a smart thing to do or as long as you don't get drunk it's fine, You never know how the devil will try to temp and this is giving him easy access one drink could turn into many , don't put yourself in that position, avoid the apperences of evil... The Holiness crowd, Theres no one in this world thats Holy , no not one. Only Jesus.And the ones that think they are so Holier than thou are just fooling themselves. .. As far as makeup goes the Bible talks about dressing in moderation .. Like don't try attracting people by dressing up so much aka. Makeup or wearing things not to just look nice but to 'attract' people your attractivness should be shown by the love you have for others in other words Jesus' Light should shine through you.. People get so hung up on this sin or that sin that they loose focus on whats important . Jesus. His Sacrifice, And your faith in that Sacrifice provides help of the Holy Spirit Who will guide you in all truth. Letting God transform you into the Image of His Son .. We will never be Jesus. But God will make us more Christlike as we allow His Holy Spirit to work ... You will hear directly from God how He wants you changed and know that you won't be alone in the process He is there every step of the way . His stregnth and not yours will be relyed upon thus equaling complete victory.. So with that in mind I take my orders from God not man, man creates too much stuff to obey and too many steps in which to obey them. God says , Trust in Jesus' Sacrifice on the Cross, Follow me, Love me... Everything else just falls into place.
The thing about alcohol, is that it is one of those things that creates a chemical dependance, where as clothes, or makeup, or jewelry, do not. Thats not to say these things cant become a bondage in someones life though. A drink now and then may not be a problem for you, however if a brother who is weaker in the faith sees you doing it, and says, " hey Bob does it, so that means I can to" but he may not stop at just a little, and then become addicted and brought into bondage to the thing, whatever it may be. Thats why Paul said "if my meat makes my brother to offend I will not eat meat while with my brother." It comes down to us not being or putting ourselves in a place to be in bondage to anything. When we are born into this life we are born a slave to sin,in bondage to sin. When we place our faith in Christ and what He did for us on the cross we are free from the bondage of sin and therefor death. We are then a slave to Christ free to serve Him by choice, and inherit eternal life. You see we will be a slave to one or the other, to sin by default, or Christ by choice. I choose Christ.
1Ti 3:8 ΒΆ Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;
Tit 2:3 The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things;
Why would there a prohibition of much wine, the key word here is "much"...if it is not fermented?
This sounds to me like verse of moderation, not of forbidding, when it comes to the subject of wine.
Thanks
I just checked out this article on Drinking, and I have to say for myself, that if drinking of Alcoholic Bevereges were ligitimate, then Jesus would not have taken them away from me when I accepted him as my Lord and Savior.
Drinking is of the World, and we has his blood bought believers, are not to partake, nor are we to participate in any activities where consumption of Alcoholic substances are required.
Blessings always!
In Christ and Him Crucified!
Michael G. McKay BA, '05
Fredericton, New Brunswick.
Canada. E-Mail: mgmckay@rogers.com
After reading your commentary I have been quite intrigued, I often wondered whether the bible referred to wine as what we think of wine today (fermented grapes). In the church that I grew up in we have always been given grape juice to symbolize the blood. However, I know people in my area that are catholic and are given real fermented wine. They state that when Jesus gave communion at the last supper, literal fermented wine was used? Why do the catholics use fermented wine, and why do they say that there practice of the Eucharist with fermented wine is right and every other church giving communion is wrong in giving just grape juice?
This is a reference that was given, these are not my words, as I don't agree with using alcoholic wine, as it is unscriptural!:
There is variety of practices in the use of wine for communion. In Episcopal services the "wine" seemed to be Sherry. I assume the Roman Catholics have regulations about what kinds of wine to use, and perhaps other groups do as well.
Red wine was used at the Last Supper. (I suppose Jesus could have held up a chalice of white wine and said "This is my blood," but I can't help imagining it was watered red wine, which would have looked a lot more bloodlike than either white wine or unmixed red wine.)
Also, see the Two-Wine Theory, discussed by 186 clergymen on the basis of communion wine, discussed 120 years ago in 1888. Go to Google books.
http://books.google.com/books?id=s5EPAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA31&lpg=PA31&dq=roman+...