“WE ENGAGE…to abstain from having any part in the use of, sale of, or promotion of alcoholic drinks or drugs in any way” (It is understood this is not referring to medications prescribed by doctors.)
Many people are using alcohol and drugs today, causing much damage to individuals and society. The Bible everywhere condemns drunkenness, and that which contributes to it. If three drinks make you drunk, then one drink makes you one-third drunk. Drugs were not a problem in Bible days, so they are not mentioned by name, but categorically are the same, or even worse than alcohol.
THE BELIEVER’S BODY IS THE TEMPLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. “What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.”Since the Bible condemns drunkenness, all who glorify God will abstain from alcoholic beverages.
ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES ARE DEGRADING: “Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.” Proverbs 20:1 “It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink.” Proverbs 31:4Drunkenness inflames passions, impairs judgment, leading to foolish decisions and irresponsible actions.
THE BIBLE DESCRIBES A DRUNK AS LOSING HIS MORAL JUDGMENT: “But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way; the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they are out of the way through strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble in judgment. For all tables are full of vomit and filthiness, so that there is no place clean.” Isaiah 28:7-8 Thus, God made it a capital offense for the priests: “Do not drink wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations.” Leviticus 10:9 Consider how ungodly it is today for clergymen to lead their congregations to drink fermented wine in the observance of the Lord’s supper! God declared this to be punishable by death for His priests.
GOD SENT HIS WRATH UPON ISRAEL BECAUSE OF THEIR DRINKING ALCOHOL. “Woe to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim, whose glorious beauty is a fading flower, which are on the head of the fat valleys of them that are overcome with wine! Behold, the Lord hath a mighty and strong one, which as a tempest of hail and a destroying storm, as a flood of mighty waters overflowing, shall cast down to the earth with the hand. The crown of pride, the drunkards of Ephraim, shall be trodden under feet: And the glorious beauty, which is on the head of the fat valley, shall be a fading flower, and as the hasty fruit before the summer; which when he that looketh upon it seeth, while it is yet in his hand he eateth it up.” Isaiah 28:1-4 “Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; that continue until night, till wine inflame them! Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink.” Isaiah 5:11,22.
AVOID THOSE WHO USE ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES: “Hear thou, my son, and be wise, and guide thine heart in the way. Be not among winebibbers, among riotous eaters of flesh.” Proverbs 23:19-20.
DO NOT KEEP COMPANY WITH THOSE THAT DRINK. “But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.” 1 Corinthians 5:11
THE BIBLE COMMANDS US TO LIVE RIGHT AND TO AVOID STRONG DRINK. “See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit.” Ephesians 5:15-18
THE BIBLE TEACHES TOTAL ABSTINANCE FROM ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES: “Who hath woe? Who hath sorrow? Who hath contentions? Who hath babbling? Who hath wounds without cause? Who hath redness of eyes? They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine. Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright.At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder. Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things. Yea, thou shalt be as he that lieth down in the midst of the sea, or as he that lieth upon the top of a mast. They have stricken me, shalt thou say, and I was not sick; they have beaten me, and I felt it not: when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.” Proverbs 23:29-35
WE BECOME A PARTAKER OF THE SINS OF OTHERS IF WE SELL, OR PROMOTE ALCOHOLIC DRINKS OR THE USE THEREOF: “Woe unto him that giveth his neighbor drink, that puttest thy bottle to him, and makest him drunken also, that thou mayest look on their nakedness!” Habakkuk 2:15
ALL THE SCRIPTURES AGREE – CHRISTIANITY AND ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES DO NOT MIX!
SHARING
