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What the Bible REALLY Says About Alcohol
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so this is a study I've never done
before and I've never heard before out
of the thousands and thousands of Bible
studies I've heard I've never heard a
study where the goal is what my goal is
today which is what the Bible really
says about alcohol just a full full
scope what the Bible really actually
says about alcohol I think it's an
important message but I also think that
it's one of those things where this is
not taught carefully and accurately by
most people I've ever heard teach it
guys I respect godly teachers and then
comes to this topic and all of a sudden
they want to give you their version of
things instead of just giving you the
text and so my goal is to just give you
the text like I just want to know what
the Bible actually says so heading into
this I want you to know this this is not
to change your convictions if you if you
have convictions about your own drinking
so you don't drink or something this is
not to change that in fact I don't drink
the goal here isn't to change that the
goal is to ask this what does the Bible
say about alcohol that's simply the
question because pastors skew this stuff
regularly and it can be hard as a
teacher it can be hard to even tell when
you're forcing your traditions on to the
text because it's always been that way
in your little circle and in your group
and you were raised this way and so I've
heard pastors say well the Bible says
this but let me give you my reasons why
I think you should have a different set
of rules like I've literally heard this
sort of study especially this week as I
was preparing but there's another
problem as well it's just people abused
alcohol and so it's almost like you got
these two two polarized versions of the
Bible in when you hear people teaching
either they they try to put a burden on
believers that doesn't really exist and
shouldn't be upon them or they casually
talk about it without worrying about the
very serious warnings in Scripture on
the topic and so I wouldn't do the whole
thing let's just do it all so here's
what we're gonna do we're gonna try to
give you a balanced teaching we're gonna
talk about the positive passages that is
passages in the Bible that speak
positively of alcohol so I'm gonna cover
those in order of just a bunch of
passages then we're gonna look at the
negative passages passages in the Bible
that speak negatively of alcohol then
we'll look at a couple other like in
addition to this important point
like for instance alcohol as medicinal
use there's two passages in the
scripture we're gonna look at that
relate to this which I think are very
different passages but very interesting
content that we have in the Bible and
then finally we'll try to give you a
little bit of clarity if you're
wrestling with should I be drinking or
not hopefully we'll do that and then
we'll do our Q&A at the end and if
you're watching online do our Q&A in the
comment section now before we do
anything else you have to get this right
you have to get the lordship of Jesus
right in your life like if Jesus is not
Lord of your life and if this is really
about alcohol and not about Jesus then
something's wrong with you and like
nothing I teach you will be used
properly if you're the abstinence person
you'll abuse people with your abstinence
if you are the Liberty person you'll
abuse your Liberty because Jesus is not
Lord in this area of your life and
there's nothing that will fix that but
that's not the topic of the study
tonight it's not the lordship of Jesus
it's just to get clarity on this topics
but that's got to be first so let's
let's dig in now to the positive
passages Deuteronomy 14 Deuteronomy 14
this is a passage dealing with the
firstfruits o Israel would plow their
fields they bring in the firstfruits and
then they would have a feast to the Lord
where they and they'd offer their first
fruits to God and this is what it says
in Deuteronomy 14 22 I'll read all the
way through verse 26 it says you shall
truly tithe all the increase of your
grain that the field produces year by
year and you shall eat before the Lord
your God in the place where he chose he
chooses to make his name abide the tithe
of your grain and your new wine and your
oil of the firstborn of your herds and
your flocks that you may learn to fear
the Lord your God always but if the
journey is too long for you so that you
were not able to carry the tithe notice
this was not money tithe this was
actually physical produce from their
farms and stuff or if the place where
the Lord your God chooses to put his
name is too far from you when the Lord
your God has blessed you that would be
Jerusalem they're too far from there
then you shall exchange it for money
take the money in your hand and go to
the place which the Lord your God
chooses so they trade their tithe n all
the produce they get cash then they take
the cash to the place and then what do
they do with that cash then you shall
exchange verse 20
five exchange it excuse me verse 26 and
you shall spend that money for whatever
your heart desires for oxen or sheep for
wine or similar drink for whatever your
heart desires you shall eat there before
the Lord your God and you shall rejoice
you and your household now I've actually
heard a pastor take this verse and and
sat there for I don't know how long and
he basically tried to explain how this
was not alcoholic wine but the Hebrew is
pretty conclusive what it says here in
verse 26 is that it's for wine or
similar drink and there's no way around
it this is definitely an alcoholic
content it's not just grape juice like
the Hebrews clear wine or similar drink
this is definitely including a alcoholic
beverage and there to take it in there
and he says well oh but it's the first
fruit so they just pressed the grapes so
right if you just press the grapes they
don't have time to ferment
yes but it's once a year and it's in the
first part of the year in May April May
right well the harvest for the wine was
months before that so this is this is
yeah its firstfruits but anyway the
point is this if you've sat under that
teaching or someone tells you this is
not alcoholic that's just not true
and we can't build our theology off
things that aren't true because we feel
like it makes people's lives safer we've
got to deal with what scripture actually
teaches so they're to spend this money
on wine or similar drink whatever they
want and enjoy it unto the Lord this is
a positive passage right it's not
specifically about alcohol or wine or
some but it but it includes that and
this obviously could could get somebody
intoxicated but they're not to get
intoxicated but they are to enjoy with
that liquid as part of their feast to
the Lord that's something that they're
able to do do they have to drink wine no
but it's an option numbers 15 let's look
at another another passage another
positive passage so just to recap
Deuteronomy 14 is showing us there
eating it before God there rejoicing
there loving God in the feast of their
firstfruits and that would include
alcoholic beverages at least potentially
and God was okay with it and numbers 15
7 it says and as a drink offering you
shall offer one-third of a hint of wine as
as
sweet aroma to the Lord now in the
Hebrew there's like three different
words they typically use for alcohol or
for a wine or new wine one of them is a
word that means new wine or sweet wine
and it was like more recently made it
may be alcoholic or it might just be
grape juice same word then there's
another word used for more aged wine and
that's the word we have here forgive me
if I mispronounce this but as a yin and
it and it is a word that means
definitely a fermented drink this
passage is definitely a fermented drink
so it can't be referring to grape juice
numbers 15 7 this is this is where God
says you can offer alcohol in this sense
to him as a sweet offering in the Old
Testament law right we're not following
these same rituals we see the fullness
not just a shadow but we can learn from
the principles and there's a principle
here where God allows them to offer wine
as a sweet aroma to the Lord now if
you're like me and you and you grew up
the way I grew up if you feel like like
especially you know when I was younger
it was like alcohol is just wrong like
alcohol sin like maybe maybe maybe I
haven't found the verse that says it yet
but I'm sure it's in here it looks like
it's gotta be in here and that's kind of
how I started I've literally been
drugged by the Scriptures away from that
perspective into a perspective that says
no this is just my conscience it's not
some rule I can press upon other
believers because what does the
scripture say here God's like you can
offer this thing to me now did God allow
them to offer wicked things to him
no like it has to be a land without spot
or blemish like he doesn't say you can
offer disgusting things to me things I
hate pour your wine out to me because
that way you won't be drinking it like
that's not what God's doing this is that
that's not the biblical idea here he's
like saying take the best in fact it's a
sweet aroma to the Lord and so this is a
positive now there'll be negative
passages so if you hate alcohol don't
worry I'm gonna help you out here in a
minute but but I want to I want to be
fair I just want to give us what the
Bible says and let the chips fall where
they may because God's right about what
he says in his word and I believe that
even if it conflicts with my own natural
inclinations to be sort of opposed to
these things because that's like I said
that's kind of where I'm coming from in
fact I feel like I'm the perfect guy to
teach about
liberties of alcohol in the Bible since
I don't ever take them except nyquil
every once a while so maybe that makes
me evil but I have scripture for that
today I'll share with you later okay so
Genesis 14 18 this is again that word
yayan or the word that refers to
definitely a fermented or beverage with
alcohol in it it's not firm it's in the
sense of like like a scotch or vodka or
something like that it's not as strong
what do they call those there's a term
for their more strong drinks strong
drinks it's not one of those it's it is
however talking about really truly
fermented like wine and Genesis 14 18 it
says that Melchizedek king of Salem
brought out bread and wine he was the
priest of God Most High so Melchizedek
here he is he comes out and you guys
know the story many of you right this is
a picture of Jesus in the Old Testament
and he comes out he brings to Abraham
bread and wine picturing the Communion
and the body and blood of Jesus Christ
his offering for our sins which by the
way consider the fact that his the great
picture of Jesus's sacrifice involves
wine and then he brings it out this is
definitely a fermented beverage and he
brings it out to Abraham Abraham
partakes of it it's considered actually
a very glorious moment in Scripture and
it is not tainted by the fact that it
involved alcohol now didn't involve
drunkenness no and we'll get there in a minute
minute
it didn't no but it did involve alcohol
so we're just talking about the positive
passages here for a second Psalm 104 15
if I've bothered you so far I'm probably
really gonna bother you now but not
because I want to but because this is
what the Bible says
so I'm 104 so I'm 104 talks about things
that God has blessed man with you can
read it starting verse 13 if you like
but verse 15 it says this listing those
things it says and wine that makes glad
of the heart of man oil to make his face
shine and bread which strengthens his
heart again this is that word yah and
this is definitely an alcoholic or
intoxicating beverage I stayed away from
a lot of the verses that dealt with what
might have been fermented or might not
and just stuck with what we know was
according to Psalm 104 it clearly indicates
indicates
this is an eye-opener for me as I read
as I read and studied this liked wines
meant to be a blessing and let me let me
point out to you it not only says that
God has given us this as a blessing it
specifically says wine to make glad the
heart of man so it mentions not only
wine but its effects as being a blessing
because some people say wine is meant to
be a blessing but if you ever feel its
effects you're in sin but that's not
what this text says this text is
implying and it's kind of odd to think
that wine supposed to be a blessing but
you can't ever feel any of its effects
of any kind I mean that's this it just
seems counterintuitive doesn't it a
little bit but follow the hermeneutic
here as we as we look at this verse okay
so oil to make his face shine bread to
strengthen man's heart and wine to make
a glad man's heart you see how it's that
it's the thing and that its effect is
also bless now that is actually that's
the first effect of alcohol is it just
lightens your mood it brings you up a
little but it brings you up a little bit
as far as a sense of pleasure or joy in
that sense that's the first effect of
alcohol and that's actually definitely
endorsed by God the later effects will
see later are rebuked so you know what
you consume a little bit more alcohol
now you're moving into the sin territory
but the initial small amounts of alcohol
moderate drinking in a biblical sense is
considered a blessing from God now this
might come as a shock to you as it is to
me because I haven't drank since I was
so but I I'm like what that's okay but
this is what the text says and I just
want this is why I'm saying let's just
talk about what the Bible really says
about alcohol and let's let God shape
our thinking now your conscience is
fully allowed to restrict you further
than this but let's not press that on
others if it's not based on Scripture
and it's just based on my conscience
that's the thing
all right let's let's keep going I feel
like there's two groups of people right
the ones they're gonna love the first
half of the study and the ones they're
gonna love the second half we're still
in the first half so proverbs chapter 3
verses 7 through 10
it says do not be wise in your own eyes
fear the Lord and depart from evil and
then it talks about the blessing of
following God in these areas it says it
will be health to your flesh and
strength to your bones honor the Lord
with your possessions and with the
firstfruits of all your increase so your
barns will be filled with plenty and
your vats will overflow with new wine
now again this this is the word that
could mean grape juice but it also meant
probably a lower alcohol percentage wine
just because it was a newer that's why
it's also called sweet wine because I
guess as I was researching these things
the sugars break down and that increases
the alcohol content so the sweeter wine
has less alcohol and but it's still
there so it's seen as a blessing
proverbs chapter 9 verses 1 through 6
talks about wisdom here wisdom it says
this wisdom has built her house she has
hewn out her Seven Pillars she
slaughtered her meat she has mixed her wine
wine
she has mixed her wine she has also
furnished her table she has sent out her
maiden she cries out from the highest
places of the city whoever simple let
him turn in here as for him who lacks
understanding she says to him come eat
of my bread and drink of the wine I have
mixed forsake foolishness and live and
go in the way of understanding now this
is this is really symbolism not literal
wine here this is symbolic but you can't
use wine symbolically as a blessing and
good thing if it's actually an evil
thing so it's symbolically being used as
a blessing
speaking of plenty speaking of benefit
speaking of having more than enough in
your life that's the idea and something
we we should be aware of Isaiah 25 verse
6 it says and in this mountain and
speaking actually about probably the
millennial reign it's a future time if
you read the whole passage Isaiah 25 is
this and in this mountain the Lord of
hosts will make for all people a feast
of choice pieces a feast of wines on the
Lees of fat things full of marrow of
well refined wines on the LEAs and and
that phrase the well refined wines on
the leaves that's speaking of aged wines
definitely and
that includes a noticeable alcohol
content and that scene is a good thing
you can't make it symbol if it's
symbolic you can't use it as good
symbolism if it's actually bad and then
you shall be blessed like the snake in
the garden like you just doesn't work
you know you can't use that kind of
symbolism it has to be sums in some
sense of blessing a good thing this is
the thing that I've been drug to as I've
studied this this idea over the years is
the idea that wine is something alcohols
something God intended to be used as a
blessing for mankind I just have seen it
used as abuse so much that it was hard
for me to perceive of it that way but
the Bible is you know the Bible is the
Bible so let's let it speak Isaiah
chapter 1 verses 21 and 22 it says how
the faithful City has become a harlot it
was full of justice righteousness lodged
in it but now murderers your silver has
become dross your wine mixed with water
so it's considered a bad thing that
their silver has become like draw straws
is like that the offscouring the
impurities in the silver and the wine
has been mixed down with water now so as
we like hooray mix it down you know but
but this is seen as like a sad thing
Oh your wines been watered down that's
that's a seen as a I think that's not
good we can also go to the New Testament
we can look at John chapter 2 and we
think of the wedding at Cana Jesus's
first miracle everybody knows this every
drunk in the world can tell you what
Jesus's first miracle was it's like the
only verse they know in the Bible some
people say that this was not alcoholic
now I have looked this stuff up because
I'm open I'm open either way god I just
went I want to know your word so I know
what it really says and they quote some
of these guys there's these guys that
these Greek and Roman guys that lived
around that same time and they said that
the best wine was wine that heaven had
lost all of its alcohol through firm and
tape or through filtering excuse me and
it hit through processing it would not
cause people to be intoxicated that was
the very best wine and then when in the
wedding at Cana the Toastmasters like
hey this is the best wine and they
combined those two ideas but what I was
able to find online just doing some
research looking for people that would
actually give me some ancient history on
this stuff
is that the Romans did have a typical
thing where they would water down to add
pretty strong wine they water it down
about two parts to one back then so
about two parts water to one part wine
which would make it more like modern-day
beer in its alcohol consistency and then
the the Jews the only source I could
find on this was one source that
suggested the Jews didn't do this and
they would consider it like uncouth to
water down the wine and there of course
we're in a Jewish environment so I don't
know if I want to quote the Romans to
find out what the Jews were doing at
that time the Jews very much had their
own culture very much did their own
thing but let me say this in John 2
verses 9 to 10 let's look at the the the
comments of the master of the feast what
did he say about this says when the
master of the feast had tasted the water
that was made wine and did not know
where it had where it came from but the
servants who had drawn the water knew
the master of the feast called the
bridegroom and he said to him every man
at the beginning sets out the good wine
and when the guests have well drunk then
the inferior you have kept the good wine
until now
now these comments actually I'm just I'm
just doing Bible study here just
hermeneutics this is obviously not to
feed my own drinking habits I haven't
done right because I like pomegranate
juice is really good grape juice just
grapes you know I'm down but this is
just because I want to give us the
Scriptures here right and the scripture
here makes it clear that this was
definitely alcoholic wine that Jesus
made how do I know this because the guy
says normally the guy sits out the good
wine and then after the guests have well
drunk and the Greek there he means that
they've became somewhat intoxicated
that's what that means in the Greek so
he then compares that wine that Jesus
made to the wine that could intoxicated
wine so his version of good wine could
intoxicate people and he calls but Jesus
is wine good wine so we know what what
kind of wine he was talking about it's
right there in the text you don't need
to study ancient Greek you don't need to
study ancient Roman cultures to see just
read the text
mm-hmm now I just want to add this some
people will take this and they'll act
like it met Jesus is okay with
drunkenness Jesus sends people to hell
for drunkenness
let's get we'll get to that in a second
okay any use of this text because I've
seen this many times this text used to
excuse drunkenness or to have a low
attitude on the sinfulness of
drunkenness we'll come to that in a
minute it just means that Jesus did in
fact make alcoholic wine for the people
that were at that event so Matthew 11 19
Jesus says that he's and he's accused of
them of being a bad guy because it says
the Son of man came eating and drinking
and they say look a glutton and a
wine-bibber a friend of tax collectors
and sinners now if Jesus only drank a
grape juice then you couldn't be accused
of being a wine-bibber probably so Jesus
himself would have drunk never once ever
becoming too tipsy or a little bit over
the line of what's appropriate never
ever ever but he would have drunk okay
so those are those are it to me those
are like a lot of really important
positive passages I draw from this the
conclusion that wine is intended by God
to be a blessing for man used in
moderation but now we'll talk about the
negative passage ISM here's the negative
passages proverbs 20 verse 1 and there's
a lot of them we will not cover all of
them because we don't have much time
proverbs 20 verse 1 it says wine is a
mocker strong drink is a brawler and
whoever's led astray by it is not wise
you drink you become the mocker you
become the brawler that's what happens
III lose my inhibitions I start to say
dumb things foolish things I criticize I
ridicule I have no filter for this mouth
which I desperately need you know I
become a fighter I'm more likely to get
into trouble and cause battles and
fights both physical and just strife
emotionally and so it says whoever's led
astray by it is not wise and that's the
point though it may intended to be a
blessing it can lead you astray and
that's the danger I imagine that if you
love the first part of this study the
most you probably need the second part
the most and if you love the second part
the most you probably need the first
part first because that's kind of the
way this balancing act goes with
understanding alcohol it is something
that can lead you astray
if you are being led astray there is no
excuse this is not wise it's not okay
proverbs 21 verse 17 it says he who
loves pleasure will be a poor man he who
loves wine and oil will not be rich the
danger here is not just that I can enjoy
it it's that I love it like are you a
little too romantic with your glass of
wine with your with your beer or is it
like too much to you is it out of its
proper place
I mean hey I like you know hamburgers
are great but am I like I need him
you know I'm it's not like I have this
passionate love for burgers and there
could just be an over commitment of my
heart into this substance that's
actually gonna mess me up and that's of
course a possibility the people I've
known who can who can handle wine can
easily not have wine people have known
who can who can take it easily can set
it aside easily as well and this person
probably has an issue with that and it's
included in oil it's just a lover of
pleasure I just like pleasure too much I
want to feel good I want the oil I want
the finer foods I want the I want the
alcohol I just want to partake it more
of this stuff that's a danger proverbs
23 verse 20 and 21 it says this do not
mix with wine-bibber x' or with
gluttonous eaters of meat for the
drunkard and the glutton will come to
poverty and drowsiness will clothe the
man with rags this glutton and the
drunkard are those who either eat food
or alcohol to excess to excess now both
of these things are bad and gluttony is
wrong and at this point someone's like
you should teach more about gluttony
Mike and I really like that's great wait
for that study how about you pay
attention to the alcohol for this study
instead of using gluttony as an excuse
for your alcoholic nature because I see
that way too often well let's just
change the subject and ignore what the
text says about the thing we're actually
talking about right now
so yes gluttony is an issue it's not the
same thing as wine but it's connected
for sure not in excess and here the
statement is this if you know people who
drink too much and their habitual too
much drink too much of whatever the
pleasurable things in life don't even
hang out with them don't even make them
part of your friends circle that's
that's what the proverb is saying here
don't let this be part of your cluster
of friends it's not good it doesn't do
good for you
proverbs 23 verses 29 through 35 it says
who has woe who has sorrow who has
contentions who has complaints who has
wounds without cause who has redness of
eyes those who linger long at the wine
those who go in search of mixed wine do
not look on the wine when it is red when
it sparkles in the cup when it swirls
around smoothly and someone's like I
need some wine right now and if you're
just like craving you're just hearing
that maybe something's wrong oh yeah it
is very vivid and so what do they have
they have whoa
they have sorrow they have contentions
complaints wounds without cause how'd
that happen oh no no I just woke up and
I had an injury I don't know what
happened redness of eyes that's
interesting redness of eyes is thrown in
there if you see these symptoms
something's wrong with you like if your
wine causes problems in your life who
has whoa causes whoa in your life you're
doing something wrong if it causes
sorrow in your life instead of bringing
a sense of joy something's wrong if it
causes contentions and fights in your
life with with loved ones and friends
something's wrong if it causes
complaints or downsides because of the
drinking of the alcohol something's
wrong if it you wounds without cause
even redness of eyes if you wake up the
next day and you have something of a
hangover you did something of a sin the
night before pretty simple those who
linger long at the wine notice it's not
just see if the Bible was just against
drinking it all together it would just
say those who drink wine but it says
those who linger long at the wine that's
the issue it's too much man it's too
much so don't look at it and maybe
that's the advice for you for those who
linger long at wind those who abuse it
don't look at it when it's read in the
cup in sparkles and goes down smoothly
maybe this is the statement to those who
say man this is an area for me I stumble
in the area of drinking then maybe you
need to not drink at all maybe that's
the best thing for you do you have woe
and sorrows and contentions and wounds
without cause and redness of eyes then
don't even look at it just stay away
from it
maybe that's that's a an advice from the
scripture to say to the drunkard don't
even touch the stuff let me keep reading
because it goes on it says in verse 32
at last at the last it bites like a
serpent and stings like a Viper
your eyes will see strange things and
your heart will utter perverse things
that jumps out to me because do you know
that it's it's so interesting even you
know secular information about alcohol
when people have a lot of alcohol they
say bad things like this is just what
people do it's not like they go man I
thought I'm gonna give all my money to
the poor like this isn't generally what
they do they their perversities come out
the inappropriate ungodly things come
out to selfish things that the wrong
things come out and so this is this is
the nature of man the sin nature of man
having easier access to control you when
you drink too much so your heart will
letter perverse things yes you will be
like one who listen to this who lies
down in the midst of the sea or like one
who lies at the top of the mast the mast
of a boat saying they've struck me but I
was not hurt they have beaten me but I
did not feel it when shall I awake that
I may seek another drink if you wake up
craving alcohol something's wrong when
shall I awake that I may seek another
drink like I wake up and I already want
it in the morning something something
something is seriously wrong like this
is don't put the name of Jesus on this
and make it try to make it okay like
something's wrong the description of one
who's sleeps in the mass now the mast of
the boats on the top of the boat the
boats Rocking
well nothing moves more than this mast
this thing's just going all over the
place and I think sleeps in the mast why
sleeps in the mast my best guess is that
the guy he sleeps in the masts that's
his position up there and then when he
comes back ashore he has the hardest
time walking on solid ground because
he's used to the constant roiling of the
waves and everything and so that's I
mean there's the drunken person you're
alright do you have a hard time walking
you drank too much no I think I'm fine I
think I'm fine the funny thing about
alcohol is the more of it you drink the
less you think it's affecting you
because it impairs your judgment the
worst person to know if a drunk person
is drunk is the drunk person and so the
advice I think you'll know when you've
drunk too much is actually really
terrible advice because the more you
drink the less you tends to be aware of
it we need we need better rules in our
lives then I feel pretty good about it
good luck living life like that right I
feel pretty good about it
so specifically it says do you not feel
pain they struck me but it did not hurt
so are you at the point where you drank
and you're like right like I'm like like
numb do you think I have more pain
resistance it's not pain resistance
you're just pained um like you just
don't know what's going on they start me
but it didn't hurt if that's you you
drank too much I think that that's
that's a biblical boundary to say yep
you had too much because your your pain
resistance resistance that's fun has
gone up you drink too much are you
saying sinful things you have drunk too
much or is your body unable to balance
and walk properly and normally you've
drunk too much
and again if you crave alcohol in the
morning you've drunk too much that's
based at least I'm trying to look at the
scripture for cues as to what is too
much alcohol because I feel like nobody
talks about this and I want to know what
the Bible says about it proverbs 31
verses 4 through 7 it says it is not for
Kings o Lemuel it is not for Kings to
drink wine this is by the way this is
this is one passage in the scripture
written by a woman pretty cool
interesting passage a mother to her son
and she says it's not for Kings o Lemuel
is not for Kings to drink wine nor for
Prince's intoxicating drink lest they
drink and forget the law and pervert the
justice of all the afflicted again a
negative passage about alcohol
specifically it's like Kings don't drink
wine and the question is does that mean
Kings never drink wine I don't think so
I think specifically it's talking about
not in the discharge of their duties so
for a king they're making judgment calls
on on the entire nation decisions for
the nation you know should we go to war
like do you really want to make that
call after you've been drinking someone
comes before you and they've been you
have to like use your discernment to
figure out who's guilty and who's
innocent who to protect and who to go out
out
and you've been drinking and your
judgments potentially somewhat impaired
even a little bit that's not gonna be
good I I can understand how like as a US
president should probably never have any
moment in their life when they're
drinking while they're president because
like I would hate it if the president
had put back like three or four beers
and then someone asked him if they
should drop a nuke in response to some
crazy thing that just happened and he's
like yeah yeah let's do it like that
scares me to think that someone would be
making judgment calls in a moment of
even just even even appropriate drinking
it could be a little scary to be
thinking making those kinds of judgment
calls so the principle here is that
there may be certain duties that you're
doing where it's like don't even you
know like if a pastors like I'll just
have a beer right before I go teach I'm
like you're gonna go handle the Word of
God and and you're a little bit happy or
whatever like this does not seem right
to me this seems like your judgment is
gonna be a little bit off there's
another verse that talks about this it's
Leviticus 10 9 now the context is this
so here we are Old Testament we have the
the the Israelites and they have the
camp where they have the tent where
there's like the meeting place and all
this other stuff is going on right they
have the tabernacle well we have made a
banana by who these are the sons of
Aaron how they go in to minister to God
and burn incense and they drink too much
or at least drink some but probably were
intoxicated and they go into the
presence of God that way and they bring
burn they burn strange fire is the
statement God fires them destroys them
burns them kills them and then he tells
this to to Aaron it says in Leviticus 10
9 do not drink wine or intoxicating
drink you nor your sons with you when
you go into the tabernacle of meeting
lest you die it should be a statute
forever throughout all your generations
so there are certainly moments in life
where no no alcohol is acceptable in any
regard at this point this is too much of
a holy moment this is too much of an
Ezekiel 44 21 reinforces this it says no
priest shall drink wine when he enters
the inner court
if you find that your worship is just
better when you've had a couple that's
Ephesians five verses 17 and 18 this is
where we get and you might think in the
Old Testament there's these pretty
strong statements about alcohol the
strongest ones are in the New Testament
actually are the strongest statements
about alcohol in the negative sense so
Ephesians 5:17 through 18 it says
therefore do not be unwise but
understand what the will of the Lord is
and do not be drunk with wine in which
is dissipation but be filled with the
spirit now there may be times where no
one should drink at all because they're
in a discharge of some important duty
but there are also simply rules about
drunkenness and the rule is never ever
ever ever is it okay to get drunk as a
Christian that's the general rule of
thumb if people think Oh drunkenness is
like when it's habitual but you know
every once in a while on a Friday nights
a guy you have a really good time he's
okay you're in sin that's that this is
clear the scripture is very clear on
this you're sinning against God in a
very serious sin you know in all reality
in fact I'll put it this way how often
should I as a Christian be filled with
the holy spirit yes every Sunday morning
for two hours nothing all the time I
should always be filled with the holy
spirit so how often should I avoid
drunkenness all the time all the time so
these things are mutually exclusive like
drunkenness means you will not be
controlled by the Holy Spirit you want
to be filled with the Holy Spirit let me
put this into simple simple terms when I
drink too much I hurt my relationship
with Jesus in a very present and
immediate way I'm not gonna be filled
with the spirit when I'm drunk with wine
that's what scripture says or drawn with
anything else for that matter it's a sin
that messes up your walk with God and
this is a pretty serious thing in my
opinion people who feel the Liberty to
drink you have the liberty to drink
biblically you've got it okay now
there's other wrist ripple talk more
about restrictions and things like that
but but you people who drink you have
got to be the most strict about drunkenness
drunkenness
than anybody else people who don't drink
you don't have to worry about it I mean
you know how much in my life how many
hours of my life I spent worrying about
where's the line between not enough and
too much like never because I don't
drink so didn't even come up but if you
drink you better be very serious and
concerned about what is too much versus
too little because it's a serious
relational issue of sin between you and God
God
that hurts your walk Hosea 4 verse 11 it
says harlotry wine and new wine enslave
the heart enslave the heart speaking
here the biblical point is addiction
wine new wine this stuff can it can
cause addiction it can enslave the heart
and if I see that happening that's a bad
thing this is like not a good thing
1st Corinthians 6:12 has this great
principle that applies very much to this
topic it says all things are lawful for
me but all things are not helpful all
things are lawful for me but I will not
be brought under the power of any
meaning if wines bringing you under its
power if you are enslaving yourself to
this issue then that's a real problem
now this is a separate issue which is
this I've known several people who had
drinking problems and very rarely would
they admit it even to themselves all I'm
gonna say is this you've got to deal
with it if it's you like you've got it
you got it
like I don't need to have an
intervention you you need to do this for
yourself like grow up take a look in the
mirror and deal with it if it's you if
it's you you just got to look at it
straight on and deal with it because it
is it is causing problems don't be
brought under the power of anything and
yeah big warning against that and I
could go on for days about statistics
about alcoholism and drinking and car
accidents and you name it but um but the
scripture is clear that's a big issue
Habakkuk 2:15 it says and this speaks of
a different side of the alcohol issue
it's about using alcohol to manipulate
others it's really interesting it how it
cook 215 it says woe to him who gives
drink to his neighbor pressing him to
your bottle even to make him drunk that
you may look on his nakedness or his
shame you want to watch him do something
shameful you want to see him get drunk
he'll do something embarrassing or funny
that she could make him make into a vine
video or whatever it is they don't even
have vine videos anymore sorry that was
like seven seconds ago they're coming
into there's a new one coming out vine -
this is God's judgment woe to them on
those who use alcohol to manipulate
other people or cause other people to
sin or to watch other people's
inhibitions fall away so that they might
be entertained or exhilarated by the
things those people will do now that
they've been drinking
God has judgment for those people lots
daughters did this lost daughters gave
him alcohol so they could do
inappropriate things with him David got
Uriah drunk so that he could get him to
go back to Bathsheba against his vows so
that he could cover up his adultery and
God says woe to you to use this use this
drink to manipulate someone into sin
Isaiah 28 verse 7 says but they also
have erred through wine and through
intoxicating drink are out of the way
that that means that the drinking has
caused their life direction to move away
from obeying God to disobeying God the
priest and the Prophet have erred
through intoxicating drink they are
swallowed up by wine they're out of the
way through intoxicating drink they err
in vision they stumble in judgment
the errant vision they stumble in
judgment these are a couple specific
areas they're airing in some people I've
met have you met this guy he says I'm
not like that man I'm better when I
drink people like me when I drink they
err in vision they stumble in judgment
you're not the best person to make this
judgment call like God's makes it pretty
clear if you think I'm better when I
drink and when I get you know a little
tipsy when I get a little bit drunk
that's when I'm my best person no you're
not you're not you're deceived and
you're insane that's what scripture
would say Isaiah 5:11 says woe to those
who rise early in the morning that they
may follow intoxicating drink who
continue until night to wine and flames
them this would be like a
a shameful thing they get up early and
they drink like all day this is like
what what most people think should
happen at some point when you're in
college but not god not God God's very
much opposed to this sort of thing it's
a shameful thing it's not a college
liberty thing um so my Wild Oats all
right you're insane
like this is pretty simple pretty basic
stuff Isaiah 5:22 says it even stronger
it says woe to men mighty at drinking
wine woe to men valiant for mixing
intoxicating drink the world likes to
boast about how much they can handle in
alcohol if you're a Christian you should
never know how much booze it takes to
take you down if you even know how much
alcohol it takes for you to black out or
not remember the night before then you
were in sit and it's like oh I can
handle that or I can have the drinking
competitions and things like this this
sort of thing is wickedness it's evil in
the eyes of God
no no disagreement about it whatsoever
and if you're gonna have the Liberty to
drink you have to have like some serious
sin radar when it comes to the issue of
drinking and not be casual about those issues
issues
woe to men mighty of drinking wine are
you really great you're really powerful
in your wine drinking you're a great
fool woe to you a godly person shouldn't
even know what they're like when they're
drunk no one should ever know what
you're like when you're drunk because
you should never be drunk easy peasy
so these are severe warnings Galatians
5:21 let me give you it gets stronger
God says to us in Galatians 5:21 that a
list of people who will not go to heaven
they will not inherit the kingdom of God
envy murderers murders drunkenness
revelries and the like of which I tell
you beforehand just as I also told you
in time past that those who practice
such things will not inherit the kingdom
of God if you practice drunkenness we
can assume you're not saved like that's
kind of what it's I mean I'm not sure
how else to interpret this passage 1st
corinthians 6:10 says something similar
it says nor thieves nor covetous nor
drunkards nor revilers nor extortioners
will inherit the kingdom of God I cannot
overstate this warning it applies to all
of the topics we mentioned it applies to
thieves it applies to covet
it applies to revilers extortioners but
it also applies to drunkenness will not
inherit the kingdom of God I cannot
overstate this morning drunkenness is a
great sin it's kind of like you know you
have you God invented marital relations
for the marriage bed but you do this
outside of that environment and it's a
great in terrible sin and alcohol seems
to be very much the same kind of thing
in its right context in its right way
it's a blessing it's meant to be there
to encourage your heart bring joy
outside of that context it's a great
wickedness that God's very serious about
Psalm 75 verse 8 it says for in the hand
of the Lord there is a cup and the wine
is red it is fully mixed and He pours it
out surely it's dregs shall all the
wicked of the earth drain and drink down
and we have lots of verses like this in
the Bible where God uses wine to
symbolize judgment so wine is like
getting their just desserts now and now
what some pastors will do I've heard
this is they'll take all these bad
passages but they'll ignore the positive
ones I mentioned earlier we want to take
them all get the full teaching of God's
Word on the topic
Luke 1:15 this is about John the Baptist
properly called John the Baptizer
actually the word Baptist it's actually
a verb in the Greek he's a Baptizer he's
not a Baptist like Southern Baptist or
something like that so it says for he
will be great in the sight of the Lord
and he shall drink neither wine nor
strong drink he will also be filled with
the Holy Spirit even from his mother's
womb John did not drink ever in his life
that was the rule for him Jesus did
that's an interesting idea isn't it you
got one person who never drinks wine at
the command of God and someone else who
does and there's no sin in it whatsoever
and this describes some of the church
doesn't it some of you you don't you
have a conviction I don't touch this
stuff I will not touch it good for you
but don't put that piety on someone else
as though that's piety for them John
honoring God didn't drink wine others
can drink it to the Lord and honor God
in it and I think that's the balanced
thing don't make it a rule for everybody
if it's a rule for you in Titus 2 we
have recommendations for
the older men and the older ladies of
course back then we're talking like you
know your past like 18
I can't maybe not 18 but but yeah old
back then was a little probably
considered a I'm old compared to them so
but as for you speak the things which
are proper for sound doctrine that the
older men be sober reverent temperate
sound and faith and love and patience
the older women likewise that they be
reverent and behavior not slanderers not
given to much wine teachers of good
things of course if wine was we were to
completely abstain that it would say not
given or no wine at all basically over
here says not giving a much wine
there's instructions given to leaders
and we have strict instructions given as
requirements for bishops or elders same
term there and then deacons in first
Timothy chapter 3 so in first Timothy
chapter 3 the bishop or the elder is
told not given to wine not violent not
greedy for money gentle not quarrelsome
not covetous so these are character
qualities meaning this if you are given
to wine if wine is an area where you
compromise in your life on some sort of
regular basis you are disqualified for
this position of Christian leadership
not because everyone else can compromise
there but because it's not much more
important that the leaders in the church
have godly character not just speaking
skills now first Timothy 3:8 it says
likewise deacons must be reverent not
double-tongued and not given to much
wine not greedy for money not greedy for
money so they're told to not have these
qualities and not not given over to this
sort of thing if there's the old story
about the pastor who he gets drunk like
he's disqualified like this is a serious
issue in the scripture I don't say that
callously I just say it to get us
serious I want us to realize a couple
things for one wine intended bite or
alcohol intended by God for a blessing
abused by the sinfulness of mankind and
the abuse is far more serious than most
people admit they just think well maybe
I had a little bit too much to drink
that was Grievous sin in the sight of
God that Jesus had to die for it was
pretty serious so we want to put these
bookends together and
have like a full scoped understanding
let me give you a couple other
first Timothy 5:23 talks about this
first Timothy 5:23 this is where Paul
tells Timothy many of you are thinking
his passage already he says no longer
drink only water but use a little wine
for your stomach's sake and your
frequent infirmities he's actually
implying a little used a little wine
he's implying taking wine and mixing it
into the water so this is like a mixture
in order for it to probably kill some of
the bacteria or something like that
because Timothy is a true is a guy who
traveled with Paul and he knows that man
I'm just gonna guess here that his
stomach and his issues couldn't handle
the different water as he went from
place to place like if you go to New
Mexico you're you the waters you know
yep they're coming water it's gonna come
out water like that's what its gonna happen
happen
and so they'll say like in Mexico you
know you could drink the alcohol down
there but not the water if you're from
California yeah well that's what he's
told so I think this is an essential it
really is it's just a purification thing
is being told yeah you know what Timothy
obviously Timothy's normal policies I
don't drink wine I don't drink alcohol
at all that's Tennessee's normal policy
but because of a medical issue he says
you know go ahead and have mix in some wine
wine
I don't think Tennessee what Timothy was
ever gonna even probably get buzzed or
anything off of this that was just for
him to be medically taken care of but
there's one of the really intriguing
passage and I kind of saved this towards
the end here because I thought it was so
interesting proverbs 31
turn back to proverbs 31 we read it
earlier where it's the king's mother
saying oh lemme well it's not for kings
to drink wine you know it's not you'll
feel lose judgment you'll forget justice
don't do it but then it goes on so let's
um let's hear like a proverbs 31
I'll just read from verse 4 again it's
not for kings Oh lemme well it's not for
kings to drink wine or for princes
intoxicating drink lest they drink and
forget the law and pervert the justice
of all the afflicted and then it has
this really to some very strange
statement give strong drink to him who
is perishing and wine to those who are
bitter of heart
let him drink and forget his poverty and
remember his misery no more
is this just exaggeration and they don't
really mean it you know gods like I
don't really mean give drink to people
that are poor like give jury if you oh
you're poor have a bottle of vodka or
something like that like that's but if
you read the passage carefully that's
not exactly what it says it says give
strong drink to who him who is perishing
pairs they're dying someone's on their
deathbed isn't that interesting
now I'm just curious raise your have you
been at someone's deathbed before
would you have withheld any medication
that would make it easier for them I
wouldn't and that's what they do at the
end they say we're just trying to make
them comfortable and at that point the
family's like you don't need to be
sober-minded right now buddy like we
just want to help you through this and I
think there's a biblical precedence for
this in Proverbs give strong drink to
him who is perishing but it also implies
something else when is it really okay to
so it's it really is God understands
he's giving us I think medicinal use of
not only alcohol but whether I don't was
morphine or whatever it is you're gonna
give this person to help them through
this incredibly bad time incredibly hard
time there's no u-turn here they're
dying let's help them out and I think
there's a biblical precedence I don't
think I should feel guilt I don't think
a Christian should feel like oh I'm no
I've stayed sober my whole life and now
I'm not going under the influence of
this it's like no this is I think that
this is the exception to the rule and
it's in the text which I think is kind
of exciting that God gave us such a
rounded teaching in his word I think
this is a case for hospice or for making
them comfortable in those moments now
obviously this can be misused
oh my back really hurts so I have to
drink to feel better or I have to take
these drugs and but there is such a
thing as medicinal use or taking even a
painkiller that you normally would stay
away from under all conditions because
of this particular situation easily abused
abused
frequently abused just like alcohol but
I don't want to take away the baby with
the bathwater there may be I believe
there is an appropriate time and I think
that the scripture gives us the the room
for that in this passage so what are
some conclusions well let me let me to
round this all out let me go back to
Romans 14 which we've been in Romans we
deserve a little pause to talk about the
issue of alcohol because it's been
coming up in the passage so Romans 14 21
it says it is good neither to eat meat
nor drink wine nor do anything by which
your brother stumbles or is offended or
is made weak this is the the clause
where you say it least temporarily at
least in the presence of this brother I
wouldn't touch the stuff because I don't
want to hurt her offend them entirely appropriate
appropriate
I've told I've taught a lot about that
recently so I won't get into great
detail and then if you would turn to
first Corinthians 10 first Corinthians
10 one of our last verses for tonight
this is really a great balanced passage
for us there's the person who drinks and
says I drink and I thank the Lord for it
and someone else who says I would never
touch the stuff and they really both
need to be able to respect each other
appreciate each other try not to change
each other and and this passage helps so
first we're the ins 10:30 it says but if
I partake with thanks why am i evil
spoken of for the food over which I give
thanks therefore whether you eat or
drink or whatever you do do all to the
glory of God if you can hold this glass
in your hand and drink it and say I will
not I will not cross the line with this
I'll just enjoy it me like Gort you gave
me this and it's a blessing of thank you
for it praise You Lord and then two
houses down there's the other believer
who's in their living room and they're
just like drinking their their glass of
grape juice or whatever milk or or
whatever Martinelli's and they're having
their non alcohol and they're going lord
thank you for this I thank you that I'm
free from having to be in some bondage
to something and they just and they both
are glorifying God and God goes great do
what you're doing do it all for the
glory of God but don't speak evil of the
one who
drinks purely without compromise as unto
the Lord and don't look down upon the
other but then it has this in verse 32
really interesting it says give no
offense either to the Jews or to the
Greeks or to the Church of God give no offense
offense
so he's like yeah you could eat anything
drink anything whatever as unto the Lord
you know with those biblical boundaries
in place but then it adds the issue of
culture he goes ah there's a Jewish
culture there's a Greek culture and he's
and Paul knows because he's been in both
he's done outreach to both I'm over here
with the Jews I don't do anything that's
outside their culture if their culture
sees drinking is wrong what am I gonna
do I am NOT going to drink because I
would not want to offend them it's not
because it's wrong it's because I don't
want to offend them same thing over here
I'm not gonna offend the other culture I
led this teaching to go out and not be a
teaching for Americans but be a teaching
for Christians now we have to apply it
in in our culture and consider where you
live and the people around you and if
it's a cultural issue around you respect
the culture and be wise and honor God
with it and I think like I started out
by saying if your heart is all about
serving Jesus with this stuff then
you're gonna be fine I think you're
gonna be fine but if you're if you're
leaned towards Liberty then you probably
need to come down a little bit and if
you lean towards abstinence you probably
need to relax a little bit at least in
there's a lot of issues I didn't get
into tonight about like the ancient wine
like how percentage proof was it I don't
think that matters because the issue
isn't about how much alcohol you drink
versus how percentage proof it is it's
really issue really one thing the issue
is how it's impacting me am i getting
drunk so whether it's stronger drink
less strong drink I need to stay sober
but I'm still able to enjoy its effects
with God's liberty unto the glory of God
so there there is there's the the Bible
study that I've never heard anyone teach
and I hope it's a blessing to you guys
because in my opinion I really believe
that pastors by and large the pastor's
I've heard the circles I've been in not
not not our pastor my pastor he's never
done this but I've heard many pastors do
this where they literally a my opinion
abuse the body of Christ trying to
steal their liberties from them because
the pastor doesn't trust them with those
liberties well I don't get to trust you
with anything I get to teach you God's
Word I don't want to be the filter who
protects you from the liberties of God
like that's not my job so let's uh let's
take it take it to heart and hopefully
we can see ourselves responding
perfectly in these situations because we
have the balance of Scripture let's pray
father God we ask for wisdom for us for
those who hear this message later
whether it's a tomorrow a week from now
a month from now a year from now we just
pray Lord that every one of us has to
make decisions about whether we should
drink and and win and all that we just
pray for great wisdom to be led of your
spirit to walk in the spirit to be able
to do so for the glory of God always
whether we drink or don't we pray Lord
for unity amongst believers who drink
and who don't drink for clarity I pray
that pastors who get in the pulpit and
out of fully sincere in a sense good
motives but still they misrepresent the
scripture when they give fifty reasons
why no one should drink after casually
acknowledging that the Bible says you
can't Lord we just pray that the church
would grow up on this issue more and it
would not be a cause for division or for
hurts or for wounds and that we can
learn moderation just like the scripture
tells us in Jesus name Amen [Music]
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