Posts Tagged ‘alcohol’
Much Wine?
by Tracy Dugger In giving the qualifications of elders, the Holy Spirit inspired Paul to write that an elder is not to be, “…given to wine…” (I Timothy 3:3). Then in I Timothy 3:6, Paul stated of deacons, “Likewise must the deacons be grave, not double tongued, not given to much wine…” This alleged difficulty…
Read MoreYour lesson on wine was excellent
Question: Hello, I came across your website while preparing some lessons on alcohol and the Bible. I wanted to say your lesson on wine was excellent and very detailed. Thank you for your research. Answer: I’m not certain which lesson you are referring to as the site contains several, but I’m glad you found the…
Read MoreDoes nothing defiles a man include things like alcohol?
Question: Hello! I’ve been having difficulty connecting the dots with a verse in Mark 7 and thought you might be able to help. In verse 15, Jesus says that there is nothing coming from the outside that can defile a man. Does this include alcohol? Obviously, the Bible condemns drinking in any capacity in other…
Read MoreHow can I help my brother save his marriage?
Question: Hello, My brother and his wife are having problems in their marriage. I don’t know what else to do or tell them, and talking to my brother can sometimes feel like talking to a child. My brother is nearly 30, and his wife is about the same age. They have two little children and…
Read MoreDo I leave my alcoholic husband?
Question: Hello, I have been reading and following your website for several years and found it very helpful and edifying. I am writing to you for some scriptural guidance on my marriage. I have been married to my husband for many years. I am a member of the church, but he is not. As with…
Read MoreWhen the Guests are Drunk?
by Terry Wane Benton Does John 2:10 say and mean “when the guests are drunk” as the NET so renders, or does the verse have a different connotation? My Interlinear renders this “have well drunk,” which is a far different meaning than “are drunk.” The interlinear rendering means only that they had a lot of…
Read MoreDissipation
by Terry Wane Benton Paul mentions that drinking wine involves dissipation and that instead of doing that which dissipates good moral judgment, one should instead be “filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:17-18). Being filled with the Spirit is the opposite of what alcohol or drugs do to the sober thinking part of our brains. One…
Read MoreAlexander the (not-so) Great
by Jefferson David Tant If you have ever studied world history, you have probably become acquainted with the world conqueror named Alexander the Great. Alexander was born in Pella, Macedon in 356 B.C. His parents were King Philip II and Queen Olympias. He was well educated under the tutelage of one of the best-known philosophers…
Read MoreThe Direction of Your Life
The Direction of Your Life – Part 1The Direction of Your Life by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Matthew 6:19-24 I. Whenever I taught someone to drive, I was reminded that people have a tendency to go in the direction they are looking. A. When a person first learns to drive, they tend to look at things…
Read MoreWhen Is One Drunk?
by Terry Wane Benton We knew when we were children that when we spun around a little while and then stopped, but the world seemed to keep moving, we were “drunk.” When we lost our balance, we were “drunk.” No, we were not drunk by drinking liquor, but we were unstable due to the motion…
Read MoreDo I need to be baptized again after finally quitting alcohol?
Question: I searched for an answer to a question and happily ran into a church of Christ site. I saw your question and answer section, and I need more specific information. As briefly as possible I will explain. I was baptized at the age of 12. I went way off course in my life. and…
Read MoreAm I being judgmental?
Question: I had a dear friend who used to preach in the Lord’s Church. When his daughter was married, he had an open bar at the reception. I was so upset and shocked. I was told I was judging. Is this something we should warn those we love about? The appearance of evil? Answer: “Do…
Read MoreHow do we best handle customers bringing alcohol to our restaurant?
Question: We recently inherited a business in Mexico. It’s a hotel and restaurant. We are looking into the possibility of selling it. But our trips to Mexico to tend to the estate of our father have led us to preach in the area and started a congregation. We do not sell or allow alcohol on…
Read MoreChallenges for the Year
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Challenges-for-the-Year.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Romans 1:28-32 I. Toward the end of each year, people tend to review the year and record the trends that are evident A. I’ve been collecting several articles in the last few months dealing with moral trends B. We are not of the world, but we must live in it -…
Read MoreShould we abstain from the Internet and TV?
Question: The congregation where I attend was discussing the book of Joshua the other day. We were talking about the conquest of the promised lands. While the Israelites conquered the land, they did not destroy all like they were told to do. Later these people that were not destroyed about every 20 years came back…
Read MoreProverbs Sometime Overlooked
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Proverbs-Sometime-Overlooked.mp3 by Raymond Warfel
Read MoreStudy Finds Alcohol Use Is Dangerous to the Heart
Source: European Society Of Cardiology, “New Research Finds Drinking Alcohol More Dangerous to the Heart Than Previously Thought,” SciTechDaily, 22 May 2022. “Levels of alcohol consumption currently considered safe by some countries are associated with the development of heart failure, according to new research …” ” “This study adds to the body of evidence that…
Read MoreWine in the Bible – How Fermentation Was Prevented
by Ryan Hasty Wine in the Bible is spoken of as a blessing in its unfermented state and as an intoxicant in its fermented state. Many do not realize that those living in biblical days were able to keep their wine from fermenting and in fact did so regularly. How did they accomplish this in…
Read MoreThe Cost of Drinking Alcohol
by Dennis Abernathy I recently read that alcoholism is costing our society around twenty-five billion dollars annually, including millions yearly just to arrest, try, and jail drinkers. Furthermore, alcohol is to blame for nearly half of all traffic fatalities and homicides, and a fourth of all suicides in the state of Texas. By the way,…
Read MoreElders, Deacons, Timothy, and Wine
by Dave Miller, Ph.D. via Apologetics Press Paul’s instructions pertaining to the qualifications of elders and deacons have created misunderstandings regarding the use of alcoholic beverages. Elders are not to be “given to wine” (I Timothy 3:3), while deacons are not to be “given to much wine” (I Timothy 3:8). Translations further obscure the matter…
Read MoreNo Safe Level of Alcohol Consumption
Source: Anya Topiwala, “No safe level of alcohol consumption for brain health: observational cohort study of 25,378 UK Biobank participants,” medRxiv, 12 May 2021. “No safe dose of alcohol for the brain was found. Moderate consumption is associated with more widespread adverse effects on the brain than previously recognised. Individuals who binge drink or with…
Read More“Wine” Has Not Always Implied Alcohol
by Jeff Belknap “Wine Defined,” Sentry Magazine, December 2002 “whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise” (Proverbs 20:1). Today we have a serious problem in our society with drinking alcoholic beverages. Unfortunately, it even seems to be a perplexing issue in the body of Christ. There is a great deal of ignorance (lack of knowledge) concerning…
Read MoreShould I give a gift that I disapprove of?
Question: Greetings brother, I recently asked a family member (unfortunately, not now nor never a Christian, and openly disinterested in any discussion of the topic) for a list of items that she might want for a Christmas gift. The response was a list of alcoholic beverage types. I immediately asked for other ideas, as I…
Read MoreHow does God forgive besetting sins?
Question: Hello, I have a question on how God forgives besetting sin. I have given my life to Christ about a year ago, and it has been the best thing I could have ever done with my life. However, I’m finding myself with a pattern of committing sin. I have gone through some periods of…
Read MoreWas Timothy a Nazirite?
Question: Was Timothy a Nazirite? It appeared that he was reluctant to take the wine ( grape juice) so I know that if he was a Nazirite he would not take even grapes or grape juice for medicine. I was told that it had to be alcohol because he could drink grape juice if he…
Read MoreDoes Colossians 2:16 prove that drinking alcohol is permitted?
Question: The church of Christ uses Colossians 2:16 to teach against Sabbath-keeping and dietary laws. But the same verse says to not let anyone judge us regarding what we drink as well. This New Testament verse proves the drinking of alcohol is not a sin. Answer: “When you were dead in your transgressions and the…
Read MoreHow do I deal with my parents’ drinking?
Question: I moved to another city in order to finish the last phase of my graduate studies. My parents are still supporting me financially. My older colleagues said that I will receive a scholarship, but nowhere near enough to make a living, especially in this city. Thus, I will depend on my parents for at…
Read MoreHow to deal with an alcoholic husband?
Question: Good morning and God bless you and this ministry. My wife and I have a wonderful sister in Christ who has been married to her husband for over 40 years. Her first husband left her when their son was born because the child was born with autism. Our friend was abandoned at a young…
Read MoreAlcohol Causes More Deaths than Opioids
Source: Dr. Barbara Krantz, “Behind the Numbers: Alcohol is Killing More People Than the Opioid Epidemic. Why Aren’t We Talking About It?”, Caron, 28 May 2019. “According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), over 77,000 people died of a drug overdose in 2017. Around 44,800 of those died from an opioid overdose, a nearly five-fold increase…
Read MoreI want to become a Christian, but I still like to party
Question: Hi, I had a saving experienced with Jesus, but I have not been baptized to be forgiven for my sins. I find myself in a predicament. I was in an abusive relationship and there where acts of pure evil being committed. I came away from that turmoil into the house of God and things…
Read MoreDid Jesus drink wine at parties?
Question: Brother Hamilton, I have a brother in Christ who keeps trying to get me to believe that Jesus turned the water into alcoholic wine. He keeps trying to suggest that it’s not a sin to drink, but it’s a sin to get drunk, which is why Jesus turned that water into alcoholic wine. The…
Read MoreModerate Drinking Is Not Healthy
Source: Kate Kelland, “Major study debunks myth that moderate drinking can be healthy,” Reuters, 4 April 2019. “Blood pressure and stroke risk rise steadily the more alcohol people drink, and previous claims that one or two drinks a day might protect against stroke are not true, according to the results of a major genetic study.” “The…
Read MoreWhat if someone wanted to bring a bottle of wine to the church’s Christmas luncheon?
Question: Hello Minister, I have a hypothetical question. A member of your church of Christ brings a container of fermented fruit juice (grape?) to the annual Christmas lunch in your auditorium. He wants to have it with the meal. What if any is your response to him? Answer: I had to chuckle because your question…
Read MoreNeither of us has been good, but now that my girlfriend is trying to improve her faith, she is pulling away from me
Question: My girlfriend and I have been together for six months. We have a past as well. We are both believers in the Lord and have been for a while. We both have children from past relationships, prior to becoming believers. We are currently struggling with our relationship, in part because we both have backsliding…
Read MoreNot What They Told You
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Society often justifies sin by not portraying the complete facts and, thus, making dangerous things appear to be minorly harmful or even beneficial. Not What They Told You – Alcohol Not What They Told You – Marijuana Not What They Told You – Opioids Not What They Told You – Pornography
Read MoreNot What They Told You – Alcohol
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/NotWhatTheyToldYouAlcohol.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Galatians 5:16-24 I. There are many factors that led to the downfall of Israel, but one reoccurring theme was the greed of its leaders. A. They were in it for the money – Isaiah 56:11 B. They dealt falsely for money – Jeremiah 6:13 C. Everyone was after money – Jeremiah 8:10…
Read MoreIs it wrong to attend events where people might be drinking or smoking?
Question: I have had some best friends since my school days, years ago. I am the only person among them who is baptized. We all meet twice a year and during that meeting they all drink and smoke. I don’t drink or smoke since I was baptized. They are all good, sincere people and don’t…
Read MoreI repent, but every week I go out, party, and get drunk
Question: Good day in the wonderful name of Jesus Christ, I have a problem. I am saved, well I think I’m saved. I repent every week after drinking and partying with friends. After a night of binge drinking, I wake up the next day feeling very anxious and thinking that God won’t forgive me because…
Read MoreI found your explanation of alcohol very interesting and informative
Question: Hello Minister, As a fellow member of the church of Christ, I found your explanation of alcohol very interesting and informative. I’ve always known the Bible is the living word of God rather than a collection of fables. A salient example of how well you explained it in such a 3-dimensional way was that I could…
Read MoreI am learning quite a bit from the sermons
Question: Thank you very much! I am learning quite a bit from the sermons, and I thought the series on Drinking in the Old and New Testaments was excellent. It provided more clarity on Jesus turning the water into wine than most other things I have seen or heard. I plan on checking into some of the…
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