Alexander 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…

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The 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…

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When 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…

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Do 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…

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Am 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…

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How 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…

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Challenges 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 -…

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Should 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…

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Study 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…

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Wine 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…

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The 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,…

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Elders, 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…

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No 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…

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“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…

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Should 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…

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How 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…

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Was 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…

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Does 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…

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How 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…

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How 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…

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Alcohol 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…

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I 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…

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Did 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…

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Moderate 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…

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Not 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

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Not 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…

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I 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…

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I 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…

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I 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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The Value of Taking a Drink

by Kent Heaton Alcohol has always been a demon that plagues man with its sparkle and alluring appeal to the desires of the flesh. Noah planted a vineyard and “drank of the wine and was drunk, and became uncovered in his tent” (Genesis 9:21). The children of Israel did not take long to fall head-long…

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Why do Christians think they can sin and not go to hell?

Question: Hi sir, I am Muslim, and I have some questions. Please do not ignore them. In Pakistan, where I was brought up, I had a lot of Christian friends. I use to visit their homes and I always felt comfortable with them. I have been to their churches and always stared at the beautiful…

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Can a Christian be addicted to alcohol?

Question: I am a professed Christian and an ordained minister of 30 years. In the last several years I became addicted to alcohol. My question is: Can a saved man, a Christian, be addicted to a substance, such as alcohol? Answer: Being a Christian does not make a person immune to sin. “If we say…

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