Can you imagine a New Testament Christian saying this? Hopefully not, however, denominationalists have normalized and approved social drinking for generations. A growing number of brethren have already yielded to this pressure, and alcohol’s temptation. Other brethren (including elders and preachers) say they cannot condemn “having a drink or two in the privacy of one’s home.” (If not, then why not have three or four, or a half-dozen? Who sets the limit? In such cases, it is no longer God’s word that is defining the sin, but man.) They have relegated this to a matter of personal judgment (misusing Romans 14). Make no mistake; Drinking at home, at parties and at other social events is beginning to be accepted by brethren. Being wise in their own eyes, evil is being called good, and good is being called evil (Isa. 5:20-21).

Here are just some of the reasons not to take the first drink of alcohol (or ingest any other mood-altering, mind-numbing drug), must less defend doing so:

• Scripture says the drinking that leads to excess is one of the sins of our past life without Christ, not an approved action of the will of God in the present. “Drinking parties” in 1 Peter 4:3 (from potos, which literally means, “a drinking,” Thayer, 533) is named along with “drunkenness” and “revelries” as sins of our past. Not only is drunkenness sin, but so also is the drinking that leads to it. The drinks that produce drunkenness are also designated as sin.

• Wine and strong drink produce a lack of moral restraint. “Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler, and whoever is led astray by it is not wise” (Prov. 20:1). Just one drink begins to affect the brain and loosen one’s self-control. Can you think of anything that has an evil outcome with which saints are to even begin to become comfortable with (cf. 1 Cor. 15:33; Eph. 5:3, 7, 11)?

• The purpose of social drinking is to loosen inhibitions and lessen self-control. This kind of drinking also damages the body, as well as the soul. USA Today reports on a just-published British study in the medical journal BMJ that shows moderate drinkers are more likely to develop brain problems as they age. Wisdom says not to touch the stuff! “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 stings like a viper” (Prov. 23:31-32).

• A drinking Christian is not being sober-minded (1 Cor. 15:34; 1 Pet. 5:8). Satan wants you to take that first drink; it invariably leads to more. 

When asked about certainty in life, Benjamin Franklin said, “Certainty? In this world, nothing is certain but death and taxes.” While this quote is humorous and is an attempt to mock taxes, what was spoken about death is true. We are certain that death is inevitable, inescapable, and typically unpredictable. This topic is one that I have found many people are afraid to talk about, have many questions about, and also can have an inaccurate understanding about. As with any topic regarding spiritual things, it is absolutely essential to use God’s words to define what is true, and accept them for what they are; the truth (Psalm 119:160).

Let us look at an example of a recorded death in the Bible and make some applications from it. In John 11, we have an account of Lazarus, who became very ill (vs. 1). After some time, Jesus had an exchange with His disciples and said, “Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him. Then His disciples said, ‘Lord, if he sleeps he will get well.’ However, Jesus spoke of his death, but they thought He was speaking about taking rest in sleep. Then Jesus said to them plainly, ‘Lazarus, is dead. And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, that you may believe. Nevertheless let us go to him” (vs. 11-16). We then read that Lazarus had been dead for four days (vs. 17). There is no doubt that Lazarus was dead, because ultimately, our Lord Jesus said so. Additionally, Martha, the sister of Lazarus said there was a stench because he had been dead for four days (vs. 39). In the account, Jesus and His disciples proceed to the city of Bethany, and Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead, by demanding “with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth!” (vs. 43). This account of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead is not a story. It is not fiction. It is a miracle performed by Jesus, and it is true. It is history. If we deny that Christ raised Lazarus from the dead, do we also deny that He Himself arose from the dead?

What then, do we learn from this account, as well as from other parts of the Bible addressing death and what comes after?

We learn in 1 Corinthians 15:20-28 that Christ also has risen from the dead and “has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” (vs. 20). We also learn that, “in Christ all shall be made alive” (vs. 22). This idea is also presented in John 11:25, when Jesus says, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.” Even though our flesh will be put to death, we will live again when Christ returns. Christ is referring to the comparison between dying in Him while here on earth, and the future resurrection of the body from the dead. We also read that the last enemy which will be destroyed is death (1 Cor. 15:26). We know that Christ has authority over death.

We learn in John 5:28-29 that those who are dead already, will hear the voice of our Lord upon His return. There will be one resurrection that will occur that we read of in the Scriptures. In this resurrection, two outcomes are presented, as John writes. The resurrection of life, for “those who have done good,” and secondly, the resurrection of condemnation to “those who have done evil…” Good and evil, of course, are clearly defined by God in His inspired word to us; not defined by what we feel is good or evil.

(To be continued in next week’s bulletin.)

Scripture Reading: 1 Thessalonians 2:13-16

Opinion-Driven Morality
Joe R. Price

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Created by Chuck Sibbing, last updated.  06/11/2017