Overcoming Worldliness Alcohol and Drugs 1 Cor 6

Overcoming Worldliness: Alcohol and Drugs 1 Cor. 6: 19 -20; 2 Cor. 6: 167: 1 Ephesians 5: 15 -18; 1 Peter 4: 1 -3

SUBSTANCE USE AND ABUSE · In 2000, 46. 6% of Americans ages 12 and older reported being current drinkers of alcohol · In 2000, about 14 million Americans were illicit drug users · Drug & alcohol abuse contributes to the death of more than 120, 000 Americans annually U. S. Dept. of Health and Human Services Fact Sheet October 4, 2001 2

SUBSTANCE USE AND ABUSE · Drugs & alcohol cost taxpayers more than $294 billion annually in preventable health care costs, extra law enforcement, auto crashes, crime and lost productivity · The past 10 years have shown an increase in drug use by adolescents · Annual average of 28. 3% of underage drinkers (10. 8 million

“Wine” and “Strong Drink” · “Wine” does not always or necessarily mean fermented drink in the Bible · yayin (wine), 134 vss: Juice of the grape, whether fermented or not, Isa. 16: 10 · tirosh (new wine), 38 vss: The weight of scholarship and contextual usage means grapes, cf. Isaiah 65: 8 4

Intoxicating Drink is Always Condemned in the Bible · Prov. 20: 1: Wine is a mocker, Strong drink is a brawler, And whoever is led astray by it is not wise. 5

Intoxicating Drink is Always Condemned in the Bible · Prov. 23: 29 -32: 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; At the last it bites like a serpent, And 6

Intoxicating Drink is Always Condemned in the Bible · Hosea 4: 11: Harlotry, wine, and new wine enslave the heart. · Gal. 5: 21: …envy, 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. 7

Intoxicating Drink is Always Condemned in the Bible · 1 Pet. 4: 3: For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles—when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties… 8

Sinful Problems 2 Pet. 2: 19; Rom. 6: 17 -18 · Intoxication Eph. 5: 15 -18; Gal. 5: 21 -The process of intoxication destroys… · Soberness (Prov. 31: 4 -7); 1 Ths. 5: 6 -8 · Self-control (temperance, KJV) (Prov. 23: 29 -35); Gal. 5: 23; 1 9

The Effects of Alcohol on Physical Health SAME AMOUNT OF ALCOHOL 12 oz. beer = 5 oz. wine = 1½ oz. hard liquor · Decreases body’s resistance to infection · Impairs reason, will, self-control, judgment, physical skill and endurance · Lowers longevity and increases mortality · Effects brain, nerves, muscles, digestive system, heart, liver, kidneys, etc. · One beer or cocktail destroys some brain cells Dr. Haven Everson, Alcohol: Its Effects on Man and Dr. Melvin H. Knisley

Sinful Problems 2 Pet. 2: 19; Rom. 6: 17 -18 · Willfully harms body, 1 Cor. 6: 13 -20 · Damaged and dangerous influence, 1 Pet. 2: 11 -12 (4: 2 -4) · Hurts those we are to love, Matt. 22: 39 (7: 12) (Prov. 31: 5) 11

Social Drinking and Recreational Drug Use · Stand or fall together, Prov. 23: 29 -35 · All stages prohibited in 1 Peter 4: 3 · Drunkenness [“excess of wine, ” KJV] · Revelries [“revellings, ” KJV] -The riotous conduct associated 12

Social Drinking and Recreational Drug Use · Stand or fall together! Prov. 23: 29 -35 · All stages prohibited in 1 Pet. 4: 3 · Drinking parties (potos) [“banquetings, ” KJV; “tippling, NEB” ] The Devil’swithout Invitation Lit. , “a drinking” reference to “Have(Matt. a drink…just one!” amount 10: 42) 13

What about Smoking? l. Addictive, harmful nature and its bad influence shows it is of the world, 1 Cor. 6: 19 -20; Eph. 5: 29 – 435, 000 deaths each year in the US from smoking-related illnesses. One out of every six deaths each year is due to smoking. (National Institutes of Health) – Name one good thing about 14

Compromising and Condoning Alcohol l“The Bible approves the use of wine in several passages. ” –Must define “wine” in its context –Can be unfermented or fermented 15

Compromising and Condoning Alcohol l“Jesus turned water into wine. ” John 2: 1 -11 – Wine (oinos) can grammatically refer to either fermented or unfermented beverage – Jesus made 120 -180 gallons and approved its consumption after guests had already drunk a large amount of wine (oinos) 16

Compromising and Condoning Alcohol l“Jesus turned water into wine. ” -If fermented, then… – Jesus approved drunkenness – Jesus approved bartending – Jesus sinned in regards to soberness, drunkenness, unholy influence! – This interpretation is not consistent with the character and 17

Compromising and Condoning Alcohol l“Timothy was told to take wine. ” 1 Timothy 5: 23 – Timothy was a teetotaler…Paul urged him to “no longer drink only water” – Medicinal: For stomach and ailments • Which is better for stomach: Juice or alcohol? 18

Compromising and Condoning Alcohol l“Romans 14: 21 allows use of alcohol when there is no offense. ” – Romans 14 addresses liberties – Wine is analogous to meats eaten in good conscience (14: 3) – But, why would unfermented wine cause others to stumble? • Just like meats offered to idols, unfermented wine was used in the 19

Compromising and Condoning Alcohol l“Wine is a natural creation of God, so He allows us to enjoy it. ” – God’s creation: Grapes, yeast and the process of fermentation – Requires man’s deliberate control to produce drinkable wine (prevent spoiling) – That something is natural does not mean it is for human 20

Compromising and Condoning Alcohol l“Red wine cleans arteries of plaque. ” – Debate over whether alcohol or a substance in the skin of the grape is beneficial – Doctors admit the cadavers of drunks have clean arteries…but they have diseased livers! – Shall we do evil, that good may 21

Compromising and Condoning Alcohol l“What about cultures where it is considered impolite not to socially drink? ” – More concerned with offending God! Matt. 10: 28; Gal. 1: 10 – Non-alcoholic alternatives are available and are not offensive 22

Compromising and Condoning Alcohol l“What is wrong with one drink to take the edge off? ” – What edge does a Christian need to take off with alcohol instead of prayer, Bible reading and/or medical treatment? Phil. 4: 6 -8; Jas. 5: 13 (Matt. 9: 12) – Alcohol dulls the senses and one typically puts off dealing with 23

Compromising and Condoning Alcohol l“There is simply no harm in drinking wine. ” – Tell that to Lot, whose daughters got him drunk, raped him and bore his children – Tell that to Noah, whose shame of nakedness was observed by Ham – Tell that to the millions whose 24

Compromising and Condoning Alcohol l. The Christian who supports or condones social drinking must ask himself: –Why do I support it? (What good and godly reason is there for drinking alcohol? ) 25

Compromising and Condoning Alcohol l. The Christian who supports or condones social drinking must ask himself: –How do I reconcile this with the Bible’s condemnation of wine and strong drink? 26

Compromising and Condoning Alcohol l. The Christian who supports or condones social drinking must ask himself: –Have I thoroughly studied the subject or have I just assumed social drinking is OK because I enjoy it (or others I know do it)? 27

Live Soberly and Honor God Titus 2: 11 -12 “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age…” 28

Live Soberly and Honor God 1 Cor. 6: 19 -20 “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you…and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; there glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are 29

Alcohol and Drugs l. Enslavement to sin (2 Pet. 2: 19) l. Addictive, lose self-control, harmful to physical and mental health, damages your godly influence and causes you to be eternally lost! l. Crucify the flesh, Gal. 5: 24 -25 30