Monday, October 15, 2018 - The Truth about Alcohol
A simple but very revealing passage about the attitude and disposition of first century Christians toward intoxicating drinks is 1 Peter 4:3-4. The point of the passage is that in times past the Christians lived as the Gentiles and “pursued a course of sensuality, lusts, drunkenness, carousals, drinking parties and abominable idolatries,” but now that they are in Christ they live such a different life that former friends “are surprised that you do not run with them into the same excess of dissipation, and they malign you.” The contrast is clear, while in the past before conversion we may have lived a life that took in “drinking parties,” but now as Christians we no longer live that way.
The consumption of alcohol violates every biblical passage which views the body as the “temple of the Holy Spirit” (1 Cor. 6:19), as an instrument of righteousness (Rom. 6:12-13), and as a living sacrifice unto God (Rom. 12:1). No devout Christian can bow his head and offer thanks to his Creator before drinking alcohol.
It is the clear teaching of Scripture that Christians are not to just acknowledge a higher standard, but to live to the higher standard. It is a standard of purity and holiness. The standard is convincingly set forth throughout the Word of God.
This mindset is at the heart of this message by Don Blackwell as he discusses the Truth about Alcohol.