Alcohol

by R.B. Fullarton, Innerleithen, U.K. | Category: Christian Problems In Today's World | Sept 1982

Many things in a Christian's life may be unprofitable. More dangerous are those whose potential is to enslave. When in the thought pattern of day-to-day living a dominating factor recurs, the danger signals should be clearly seen. There is room only for one "dominion" - the Lordship of Christ. If any other power is exercising authority in the redeemed body the situation is irregular and the power a usurper. The question - "Is it right to do this?" or "Should I spend time on that?" are relevant here. The Christian's body belongs to Christ (1 Cor. 6:15). It is the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit, the channel through which the Lord desires to reveal His holiness, love, grace and power. Being brought under the power of outside influences by the surrender of the body to them is a denial of the uniting of the body to the Lord in spiritual consecration. Satan, the Adversary, tries every artifice to prevent and thwart the purposes of God for the sanctification of God's own.

Use and Abuse

The attitude of many in the world to alcohol is an attempt through it to find peace and happiness. These are constantly elusive to the person without Christ. There is a vain search for relief from the turmoil and unrest existing because individuals and nations have not turned to the Lord Jesus Christ. Trends disclose widespread increase of alcohol consumption. It is appreciated that there can be a "conformism" pressure to drink alcoholic beverages. The nature and extent of the problem have resulted in the call for strong preventive action and measures that could take the form of legal controls. There is, in many nations, a growing cause for concern. No longer is it considered as just one of several self-destructive, popular habits affecting a wide age range that will eventually diminish as a problem and be replaced by a new fad. Competent evidence exists of risks involved, not only self-injury to brain tissues and other bodily faculties, but the dangers attendant, especially that of intoxication, in causing injuries to others.

Where does the Christian stand in all this? His responsibility is to test all things by the Word of God and only hold that which is good (1 Thess. 5:21). The Scriptures, while not prohibiting use of the fruit of the vine, amply warn of its dangers in the deceiving appeal of its appearance and its potency to harm when taken habitually or excessively. Medical evidence supports the latter point and the medical profession has many advocates for abstention altogether.

Scripture is emphatic in highlighting the evil capabilities of alcohol. It is personified in Proverbs 20 as a scorner and an aggressor. It can induce features and traits normally alien to the character of a man in sober relations with others. Other passages such as Proverbs 21:17; 23:20, 21 and 29-35 issue solemn entreaties to regard it as a treacherous and malignant foe that deprives, wounds, deceives and causes alarm, sorrow, misery, deformity and hallucinations to its dupes. It anaesthetizes man's awareness of himself and his Creator; especially in matters of law and justice it is to be avoided. Proverbs 31:4, 5 says, "it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes... Indulgence may produce memory-lapse and irrationality of judgement.

However, the parable Jotham gave to the men of Shechem speaks of wine as "cheering God and man" (Judges 9) in the sense of God's creating of the vine as a gift. Similarly, Psalm 104 declares God's work in the earth giving grass for cattle, food for man's labour, wine, oil and bread for man's strength and well-being. There are instances which show the appropriateness of wine as a revitalizing agent, for example in Melchizedek's provision for the victorious warrior, Abraham (Gen. 14:18). It is very often seen as the emblem of God's goodness and blessing as in Isaac and Jacob's mention of God's promises, individually and tribally (Gen. chaps. 27 and 49). The o6tpouring of wine by the offerer symbolized his consecration to God.

Then in the New Testament we have the miracle of the turning of water into wine by the Lord. None would dispute that the Lord's presence there indicated an occasion of due moderation, unspoilt by excess of any kind.

Salutary Warnings.

Old Testament examples are multiplied for our instruction and admonition. It is very sad to read in Israel's time of God's people in disarray through the alcoholic indulgence of their leaders. God prescribes woe on the drunkards of Ephraim - the priests and the prophets. They were the intended teachers and messengers of the nation. Their vision was lost, judgement perverted and probity was changed to wantonness (Isa. 28). The "lack of knowledge" was not ignorance of God's will and revelation, but deliberate antagonism to God's desire by their mode of life. "Let us eat and drink for tomorrow we die," is the motto of the unregenerate, not of His people. Whoredom and wine rob the heart of its affection Godward (Hosea 4:11). God accused those who should have known better of misleading the young men in the families of Israel whom He had nurtured for the roles of prophets and Nazirites. "You gave them wine to drink". Bad example and faulty guidance weakened the young men's separation, sapping their stamina for God's service and leaving them as spoil for the enemy (Amos 2:11, 12 and 15).

The Rechabites did well in honouring the commandment of Jehonadab

who accompanied Jehu and shared his zeal for the Lord. Jehonadab's early promise found fulfilment in a life of righteousness while Jehu's enthusiasm soon waned.

The abstention from alcoholic drink was a marked feature of the Nazirite (Numbers 6) in his consecration to God and separation from the common interests and pursuits of men. His call to walk before God in integrity was to be matched by his testimony before men. The slaking of Samson's thirst in Lehi was by water provided by God.

Thoughts and Actions that Unify

The New Testament pattern is precious and simple. The believer on the Lord Jesus cannot have the same associations, interests, pursuits and pleasures as the world which crucified His Saviour. He is not to cut himself off from the world of people loved by God, but must keep himself from aping the world's appetites detested by God. This separation is not pedantic or narrow-minded. It is the only possible course. While the Lord Jesus is being dethroned from many hearts, attachment to Him comes from separation from the world. Conversion has meant a change of character. In 1 Thess. 5:15-22 encouragement is given to follow after that which is of benefit and will create oneness among the saints. These characteristics enable resistance to the inroads of the spirit of this age. Earlier the apostle Paul reminded his readers of their need for alertness: "let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that are drunken are drunken in the night". There must be no indifference and insensibility to the will of God. "Thou God seest me" is a searching fact and the nature of our reaction will reveal our true character. Glad response or resentful avoidance will show a regard to or refusal of the controlling power and influence of the Spirit of God in our lives.

Those who shepherd the flock of God have an "earnest care" (2 Cor. 8:16), a real heart for the saints' welfare. At the same time, every man has to take heed how he builds on the foundation (1 Cor. 3:10). The dangers of alcohol cannot be overstated - the possibility of obsession and addiction, its intoxicating effect and not least its commercial exploitation. "Let no man deceive himself". God desires acknowledgement of the Headship and Lordship of Christ and the purity of the spiritual priesthood. The democratic spirit is not to be asserted in the house of God. God enjoins self-rule (Pro. 16:32), home-rule (1 Tim. 3:4) and assembly-rule (1 Tim. 5:17). In many cases these have become irksome, and wholesome restraint is discarded.

A Final Plea

The strong appeal of Romans 14:13-21 brings to each saint the need to weigh all matters which might affect others detrimentally. We are each accountable to the Lord as servants and to one another in our calling to the

service of God. We cannot judge the conscience of a brother or sister in the Lord unless their way of life is opposed to the teaching of Christ. Refraining from criticism is to be allied with a paramount care that no obstacle is put in the path of a fellow-saint whose conscience does not permit a certain action or mode of conduct. Sensitivity is required: "destroy not ... him for whom Christ died". The case of Timothy illustrates this principle. His delicate health condition and convalescence from a recent illness would have been helped by the restorative effect of wine as a natural resource in that day, and so Paul counselled him accordingly in its limited use for the benefit of his health. Probably~ he would have restricted it to the privacy of the home. "Overthrow not for meat's sake the work of God... It is good not to ... drink wine ... whereby thy brother stumbleth" (Rom.

14:20, 21).

To many onlookers and former companions of those in the churches to whom Peter wrote it must have been a strange phenomenon that lives could be changed to such a degree that the wine-parties, drinking bouts and reckless behaviour that once occupied the time were no longer the in-thing for those who professed Christ (1 Peter 4:2-4). The Christian's responsibility now, as then, was not to socialize, but to evangelize.

The end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore of sound mind, and be sober unto prayer: above all things being fervent in your love among yourselves.

R.B. Fullarton, Innerleithen, U.K. | Sept 1982
Christian Problems In Today's World