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State Street Church of Christ (Bristol, VA)

Drunkenness

Drunkenness
by:  Dan C. Bailey

 

Drunkenness is listed among the works of the flesh in Galatians 5:19-21: "Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God."

Solomon gives ample warning of the consequences of drinking alcoholic beverages. We read in Proverbs 23:29-35:

29 Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes?

30  They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine.

31  Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright.

32  At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder.

33  Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things.

34  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.

35  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."

 

Adam Clarke wrote the following in his commentary about Proverbs 23:35: "Sin makes a man contemptible in life, miserable in death, and wretched in all eternity. Is it not strange, then, that men should love it?"

 

Consider the following questions.

 

Good Questions For "Social Drinkers"

 

1. If Jesus came to your house, would you be embarrassed if you had a six-pack of beer in the refrigerator?
2. Would you offer Jesus a Budweiser?
3. Would Jesus sit down with His apostles and drink a beer or two with them?
4. At what age and in what way should one teach his children that it is just as right to drink a beer as it is to drink a soda?
5. I can drink a glass of water or iced tea and immediately with all clearness of mind and in good conscience pray for wisdom. Can one do the same after a beer or two?
6. Am I more susceptible to temptation after drinking a beer or two, or is there no difference?
7. Can one become drunk with beer, wine or liquor if he or she never drinks a drop of alcoholic beverage?
8. Is there any possibility of our children causing a death in an automobile wreck due to intoxication if they never drink alcoholic beverages?

9. Can a righteous man or a virtuous woman commit fornication due to the influnce of intoxication if they never drink intoxicating beverages?

10. Can one lose his good moral judgment by being intoxicated if he never drinks an intoxicating beverage?

11. How many beers could one safely drink just prior to the final judgment scene?

12. What would one miss if he lived his entire life without drinking one alcoholic beverage?

13. If there are inherent dangers in the drinking of alcoholic beverages, why drink them at all?

14. Should we all bring beer and wine to our fifth Sunday meals instead of soft drinks and iced tea? Or in addition to non-alcoholic drinks?

15. How many gospel preachers do you know who drink beer, wine, and liquor, and teach others to go and do likewise?

God is very clear about the evil effects that are caused by drunkenness. Those who commit this sin "shall not inherit the kingdom of God."

 

"But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.

5  Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.

6  Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.

7  For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.

8  But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation." 1 Thessalonians 5:4-8

 

"Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise." Proverbs 20:1