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The
"Jesus Drank Wine" Lie
The Bible Exposé You Need to Read
by Pastor John Hamel
Testimonial
"Hello, I am a young woman living in the U.K. I just read your article
on Christians and alcohol. I am a Christian and do not drink but found this
article very informative. I was very confused about this subject and it is
very hard to explain to people as they are convinced Jesus drank wine.
I have been greatly mocked by people for saying otherwise. Thank you for all
this helpful information. God bless you." M.D., Wales, U.K.
Updated: June 2015
Live Table of Contents
Introduction
Taking
Jesus' Miracle Out of Context to Justify Wrongdoing
Believers
Are Now the Tabernacle of Holy God
Pharaoh's
Cup-Bearer's Dream of Unfermented Wine
Jesus
Does Not Perform Miracles by the Power of Satan
Deliberately
Taking Paul's Instruction to Timothy Out of Context
Did
Jesus Have a Magical Refrigerator?
The
Bible Calls God's Born Again Children "Kings"
Bitten
by the Mocking Serpent of Strong Drink
What
Would Jesus Brew?
Introduction
"Jesus saith unto them, Fill the water pots with water. And they filled
them to the brim. And He
saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the
governor of the feast. And they bare it. When the ruler of the feast had
tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (But the
servants which drew the water knew) the governor of the feast called the
bridegroom, and saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth
good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: But thou
hast kept the good wine until now. This beginning of miracles did Jesus in
Cana of Galilee and manifested forth His glory..." (John 2:7-11)
Right out of the
starting gate let us please make one thing perfectly clear. Verse ten
above says, "When men have well drunk." The word "drunk"
is a verb as in "drunk, drink or drank." It is not an adjective
describing someone's intoxicated condition. It does not say, as some have
told me, "When men
were well drunk."
This is a reference
to how much liquid had been consumed. It is not a reference to how
intoxicated someone became by drinking that liquid. Many times over the
course of my life I "have well drunk" of non-alcoholic beverages.
But this does not mean that I was well drunk, or intoxicated with my
facilities impaired, as a result.
Top
Taking
Jesus' Miracle Out of Context to Justify Wrongdoing
One Sunday morning
while preparing for a service, a young Christian man who had previously attended our
services approached me. He explained that he wouldn’t be in Church
that morning because he’d been out drinking alcohol all night. He then
actually attempted to
justify himself by explaining, “Jesus didn’t have a problem with
wine. He drank it Himself.” He even claimed he could prove it from
the Bible. Hung-over and stupefied, he stood there dumfounded as I corrected
this popular lie using the same Bible he referred me to.
I immediately took him
to the following Scripture passage in Isaiah.
“Thus saith the Lord, As the new wine is found in the
cluster, and one saith, Destroy it not; for a
blessing is in it: so will I do for my servants' sakes, that I may not
destroy them all.” (Isaiah 65:8)
I shared with this inebriated
young Christian that when grapes are still on the vine and "in the
cluster" God refers to the non-alcoholic juice contained within the
grapes as “wine.”
“Grape juice still in the cluster is not
fermented
wine,” I explained. “It is unfermented wine. It is grape
juice.
"There are two kinds of ‘wine’ referred to in the Bible. Fermented
and unfermented.”
I explained
that Jesus neither drank nor created fermented, alcoholic wine. That would have
been disobedience to His Father’s Word.
Disobedience is sin and Jesus never sinned.
"...
but (He) was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin." (Hebrews 4:15)
I then took him to
the following passage of Scripture that Jesus, the fulfillment of the
Levitical Priesthood and our High Priest, would have
obeyed. Had He not done so, He would neither be the fulfillment of the
Levitical Priesthood nor would He be our High Priest. He would have
been just another sinner man, like everyone else.
“Do not drink wine
nor strong drink … when ye go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest
ye die: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations: And
that ye may put difference between holy and unholy, and between unclean and
clean;” (Leviticus 10:9,10)
I explained to my
hung-over Brother that unfermented wine, or grape juice, is
“holy” or “clean” while fermented wine is “unholy” and “unclean.”
This verse of Scripture clearly differentiates between the two and makes
clear that all
alcoholic beverages are unholy and unclean!
I further explained how
Bible-illiterate Believers misuse Jesus’ miracle of turning
water into wine as an excuse to drink alcohol without making any effort
whatsoever to learn what we just discovered from Scripture.
When
reading Bible verses that include the word "wine" one must
determine whether they are reading about fermented or unfermented wine. It
is very easy to do so. All one must do is open a Bible concordance and look
the word up.
If
you don't have a Bible concordance you can borrow one at a public library or
from your local Church.
The Old Testament
was originally written in Hebrew. The New Testament was originally
written in Greek. A Bible concordance is divided into two sections.
The first section has word definitions for every Hebrew word in the Old
Testament. The second section has word definitions for every Greek
word in the New Testament. Every English word in the Bible is number
coded to its original Hebrew or Greek word.
It is so simple to look up
original word definitions in a Bible concordance that any child who can read
is able to do so. In today's high-tech world, Bibles with concordances are
available both online and as software. All one must do is left click
the English Bible word in question and instantly the Hebrew or Greek
definition appears in a window.
One
must never refuse to employ the use of a concordance when there is a
question about which type of wine one is reading about - fermented or
unfermented.
Top
Believers
Are Now the Tabernacle of Holy God
Over the years many
have written to me or confronted me directly over this "Jesus drank
wine" lie teaching. They have pointed out to me that Leviticus 10:9
says, "Do not drink wine nor strong drink ... when you go into the
tabernacle of the congregation." They argue that even the Priests
were allowed to drink fermented wine and strong drink as long as they were
outside and not inside the Tabernacle.
My
answer is always the same. "First, verse ten states that fermented wine
and strong drink is unholy and unclean whether inside or outside of the
Tabernacle. Therefore, they were not
allowed to drink unholy and unclean substances whether inside the Tabernacle or
outside of the Tabernacle.
"Second,
you say you believe that the prohibition
on fermented wine and strong drink existed only within the tabernacle. Following
that line of reasoning, doesn't the Bible say that YOU are now the Tabernacle of God?
Wouldn't that mean that you should never partake of what God refers to as
unholy and unclean?
"In the Old Covenant
the Tabernacle was a man-made structure and a place where God visited
occasionally. Because God visited there occasionally He particularly forbade the use of
fermented wine and strong drink by any of the Priests while they were
present there. Why? Because fermented wine and strong drink are unholy and
God is Holy.
"However,
today the Tabernacle of God is not a man-made structure where God visits
only occasionally. Today, the Tabernacle of
God is compromised of Born Again human beings, which God indwells
permanently. This is all the more reason
to not partake of fermented wine and strong drink under the New
Covenant."
"What?
Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you,
which ye have of God and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a
price: therefore, glorify God in your body and in your spirit which are
God's." (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)
Here
the Apostle Paul makes it perfectly clear that the body of every Born Again
human being is a component in the new Temple of God.
"In
whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in
the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God
through the Spirit." (Ephesians 2:21-22)
The
Apostle Paul further confirms to the Ephesian Believers that we are all components
of the Holy Temple of God and that the Spirit of God inhabits us
permanently.
"Ye
also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood,
to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ."
(1 Peter 2:5)
I
tell my detractors, "You insist that the Priests of the Old Covenant
were only forbidden to use fermented wine and strong drink when they were
inside the Tabernacle, correct? Well, how much more true is it that New
Covenant Believers should never use fermented wine or strong drink seeing
that we actually ARE the Temple of the Lord? Simple stuff!"
Again, Jesus did not
disobey Leviticus 10:9-10 by creating "unholy" and
"unclean" alcoholic wine to be consumed by Himself or anyone else against His Father’s will.
Jesus created
"holy" and "clean" unfermented wine, or premier quality grape
juice in its freshest, most unfermented state.
Top
Pharaoh's
Cup-Bearer's Dream of Unfermented Wine
One
of the clearest examples in Scripture of the use of the term
"wine" referring to unfermented grape juice is found in Genesis
40:9-15. There we read the narrative of Joseph's interpretation of Pharaoh's
Cup-Bearer's dream while in prison.
The
Jewish scholar and historian, Titus Flavius Josephus lived from 37 AD to 100
AD. For centuries his works were more widely read in Europe than any
book other than the Bible.
Author of "Josephus' Antiquities of the
Jews," finally published in English in 1737, Josephus refers to Joseph's interpretation of
Pharaoh's Cup-Bearer's dream as follows.
"He
therefore said that in his sleep he saw three clusters of grapes hanging
upon three branches of a vine, large already, and ripe for gathering; and he
that squeezed them into a cup which the King held in his hand and when he
had strained the wine, he gave it to the King to drink... Thou sayest that
thou didst squeeze this wine from three clusters of grapes with thine hands
and that the King received it: know, therefore, that the vision is for thy
good."
Here
in Flavius Josephus' translation of the Cup-Bearer's dream "wine" (gleukos)
is used as a proper rendering for fresh, unfermented grape
juice.
Quite
obviously in Flavius Josephus' day it was understood "wine" could mean either fermented or unfermented grape juice. It was also understood
one needed to take pains to discover which of the two were being addressed
while one was reading the Scripture.
This was done by looking carefully at the original Hebrew word, which is exactly what
Flavius Josephus
did as a scholar.
In
this case Flavius Josephus makes it clear that it was fresh grape juice, unfermented
"wine," that was squeezed into Pharaoh's cup in the dream and not
fermented "wine."
Flavius
Josephus'
proper translation also offers further significant insight. That being that it was
customary hundreds of years before Israel was released from Egyptian
captivity to squeeze the juice from grapes, drinking it immediately in its
fresh, unfermented state and referring to it as "wine."
This is what Moses, the author of Genesis, and
Flavius Josephus referred to as "gleukos."
This strongly supports the
conclusion that fresh, unfermented grape juice was called "wine"
as far back as Genesis, the Book of Beginnings.
When
the King James version of the Bible was produced (1604-1611) its translators
also understood that "wine" is a reference to both fermented
and unfermented grape juice for they used the word "wine" to refer
to both. Therefore, simple, proper research is necessary to determine
which definition is proper when reading the King James Bible.
Today,
however, "wine" is always assumed to mean only the fermented juice of
grapes.
Unfortunately, modern translations of the Bible do not indicate
whether the text refers to fermented or unfermented grape juice. By
their failing to provide proper clarification and word usage, today's Bible readers are
easily misled into believing that all references to "wine" in the
Bible are references to fermented, alcoholic grape juice when they are
not.
Top
Jesus
Does Not Perform Miracles by the Power of Satan
The
fermentation of wine is an aging process that happens over an
extended period of
time. It is a process of decay, which is rooted in death. Satan is the
author of death, not Jesus or His Father.
First, at the
wedding feast of Cana Jesus created
premier quality grape juice
instantly, not over time - without decay, without death and without the help
of Satan.
Second, as
stated, death and decay do not come from God. Death and decay come only from
Satan. To say that Jesus created fermented, decayed wine is to say He did so
with the help of Satan, for Satan alone is the author of death and decay.
"The
thief (Satan) cometh not, but for to steal and to kill, and to destroy: I
(Jesus) am
come that they might have life and that they might have it more
abundantly." (John 10:10)
"...that
through death He (Jesus) might destroy him that had the power of death,
that is, the devil:" (Hebrews 2:14)
"And
I looked, and beheld a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death,
and Hell followed with him." (Revelation 6:8)
To
say that Jesus performed a miracle of turning water into
"fermented" wine is to say that He did so by the destructive,
decay-producing power of Satan, not by the constructive power of the Holy
Spirit.
When
they accused Him of performing miracles by the power of Satan, Jesus warned
the Pharisees that they were actually blaspheming the Holy Spirit Who was
performing the miracles through Him.
"Wherefore
I say unto you, all manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men:
but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto
men." (Matthew 12:31)
Without
meaning to, those who insist that Jesus miraculously created fermented wine
are actually accusing Him of doing so by the power of Satan - the author of
death and decay. Some have written to me insisting that God can produce
decay and fermentation "if He wants to." They insist,
"With God all things are possible."
Yes,
with God all things are possible, but only within the boundaries of His written Word.
God can and will do anything to accomplish His will, but only according to
what is written in His Word. He will not violate His Word.
"...
for Thou hast magnified Thy Word above all Thy Name." (Psalm
138:2)
God's
written Word reveals that Satan alone is the author and producer of death -
including the death and decay process known as
"fermentation."
God's
written Word says that God and Jesus are the authors of life and only life,
not death.
"In
Him was life; and the life was the light of men." (John
1:4)
"The
thief cometh not, but for to steal and to kill, and to destroy: I (Jesus) am
come that they might have life and that they might have it more
abundantly." (John 10:10)
"Jesus
said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth
in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:" (John 11:25)
"But
ye denied the Holy One and the Just ... and killed the Prince of Life
Whom God hath raised from the dead:" (Acts 3:14-15)
It
is not possible for Jesus to have created fermented wine because He is not
the author of death and its resulting process of decay. He is the Author of Life and
Life alone.
Jesus
would never utilize the assistance of the author of death to
bring about a creative miracle. That would be to divide His Kingdom, which
Jesus said would ultimately result in the desolation of His Kingdom.
When
the Pharisees quietly accused Jesus of casting out demons by Beelzebub, the
prince of demons, Jesus picked up on it in His Spirit and informed them of
the foolishness of their accusation.
"And
Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, every kingdom divided against
itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against
itself shall not stand." (Matthew 12:25)
In
clear terms Jesus let the Pharisees know that He was not in league with
demon powers in the performing of any miracle, for that would result in the
fall of God's Kingdom.
All of Jesus’ miracles are rooted in Life and
Love - God’s Life and God’s Love.
People who use the
Jesus turning water into wine excuse to consume alcoholic beverages of any
sort are simply being deceived by one Bible narrative taken completely out of
context. They need to have their minds properly
renewed on the written Word of God and in some cases they actually need to be delivered from
religious thinking and religious spirits.
This is why Jesus said we must
always have two or three confirming passages
of Scripture, in context, to verify all doctrine or behavior. Otherwise, those unbiblical doctrines or
behaviors are to be rejected. (Deuteronomy 17:6; Matthew 18:16; 2Corinthians
13:1)
Top
Deliberately
Taking Paul's Instruction to Timothy Out of Context
Often, after
sharing the revelation that Jesus did not drink or create fermented wine with shocked,
even offended. alcohol-drinking Christians, they respond with, “Well, Paul told Timothy to take a little wine for his
stomach. I’m just doing it for my
stomach. It's good for what ails me. Plus it also helps me to sleep at
night.”
First,
any Bible believing Christian suffering from insomnia
will find their solution in Psalm chapter four, not in a bottle of wine.
"I
will both lay me down in peace and sleep: for Thou, Lord, only maketh me to
dwell in safety." (Psalm 4:8)
God
expects His children to obey Him and claim this promise of sleep by faith.
He does not expect them to disobey Him and use alcohol as a sedative.
Second, looking for Biblical
support in their wrongdoing, some Christians mistakenly take Paul's instruction to
Timothy completely out of context.
"Drink
no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and thine
often infirmities." (1Timothy 5:23)
I explain to them
how Paul,
a Bible scholar, knew the difference between fermented and unfermented wine and
that he most definitely obeyed the Bible here as well. He was not
instructing Timothy to stop drinking water and to start drinking fermented
wine. He was simply instructing Timothy to be sure and mix unfermented
wine with his water to prevent the negative effects of water-borne
bacteria.
It was common in
Paul's day to mix unfermented wine, the juice of fresh grapes, with water
from cisterns or other open water systems, to kill such water-borne
bacteria. Bacteria which caused stomach, intestinal and other ailments such as
Timothy experienced.
Paul was simply
telling Timothy to remember to neutralize the effects of the bacteria in his
drinking water by mixing it with the juice of unfermented grapes.
The
Apostle Paul was not
telling Pastor Timothy that it was acceptable to use fermented wine, or any other
kind of alcohol, for any of the reasons Christians worldwide wrongly justify its use
today.
One
English Pastor, an admitted social drinker, actually accused me of writing
this article because I had been wrongly influenced by America's Prohibition
Laws of 1920 to 1933. He stated that American Christians, such as myself, do
not believe in social drinking because those Laws still wrongly affect the
thinking of Christian America when it comes to the casual use of alcohol.
This
American author was not even alive during America's Prohibition Period and
comes from a family of heavy drinkers who defied America's Prohibition
Laws.
I
have not written this article because I have been wrongly influenced by
America's Prohibition Period. I have written this article because I
have been rightly influenced by Almighty God's Written Word.
The
precious, Holy Written Word of God refers to fermented wine and all strong
drink as raging mockers. The Written Word of God also refers to those who
use fermented wine and strong drink, casually or otherwise, as
"deceived" and "not wise."
"Wine
is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is
not wise." (Proverbs 20:1)
No,
I have not been influenced by America's Prohibition Period.
I
have been influenced by Holy God's Written, Eternal Prohibition.
Top
Did Jesus Have a Magical Refrigerator?
One
Christian man daringly wrote to inform me what a ridiculous fool I am for
teaching that Jesus did not create or drink alcoholic wine.
He
did not care what the Bible had to say. His argument was based totally on
natural things. He informed me that there was no way to keep grape juice
from fermenting in Jesus' day. He put me on notice that the Last Supper
occurred in the winter which could only mean there was no fresh grape juice
available, thus limiting Jesus and His disciples to the use of fermented
grape juice only.
He
very pridefully and mockingly asked me if I believed that Jesus had "a
magical refrigerator" where He could have stored unfermented grape
juice for use during the Last Supper.
What
fools we make of ourselves when we speak without knowledge. This is why the
Apostle James advised that we be quick to hear and slow to speak. (James
1:19)
In
Jesus' day the Hebrew people were extremely adept at preserving fruits,
vegetables and grains for long periods of time without fermentation
occurring. The art of preserving produce and grains was well-known to
the Hebrews of Jesus' day and well before His day.
In
his book, "On Agriculture and Trees," Columella, a very popular
agriculturalist in the 1st Century A.D., reveals many unique methods for
preserving all types of produce and grains, including unfermented grape
juice. One method was by boiling fruit juices down to half or
one-third of their original volume, replacing the liquid with water and
adding a small amount of vinegar and salt to keep away worms and
fermentation for an extended period.
Grapes
and other fruits were also submerged in watered-down honey, because honey
has a natural tendency to stop and/or prevent corruption from spreading.
This would keep the grapes from decaying, thereby extending what we today
would call their "shelf-life."
This
not only made the uncorrupted grapes available for many months after the
harvest, but also made the squeezing of fresh grape juice possible over the
same length of time. Today we use a similar method to prevent
corruption and fermentation when we can fruits in heavy sugar syrup.
Another
method of preservation was to alternately layer fresh fruits with sawdust in
a barrel and seal the barrel with clay.
Fruits
were also individually, or in bunches, dipped repeatedly in a mixture of
watery clay, similar to candle-making, to preserve their freshness for long
periods of time. The fruit was then hung in a cool, dry place and when
needed, plunged in water for the clay around the fruit to dissolve.
Yet
another method of preserving grapes for future use was as follows. Lengthy
vines full of grapes were cut and the cut end was sealed with pitch. The
branches were then placed in alternating layers of dried chaff in
clay-sealed vessels. Green grapes stored in this manner would last for
up to one full year. Some would use alternating layers of barley bran
and grapes also sealed in clay vessels.
Different
methods were used in different areas of the world, all based upon local
conditions.
Many
other historical writings confirm these and a multiplicity of other methods
of fruit, vegetable and grain preservation without fermentation over
extended periods of time.
Pliney
the Elder, a greatly trusted Roman scholar and naturalist, includes many
methods of fruit, vegetable and grain preservation without fermentation as
does the Talmud.
Josephus,
the very popular Hebrew historian, tells us that the fruits and grains found
by the Romans in the Fortress of Masada were still fresh although they had
been in storage for some years. "When the Romans got possession of
those fruits that were left, they found them not corrupted all that
while."
All
of the above trusted historical writers and many others clearly reveal the
art of preserving all types of produce over extended periods of time was not
only well-known to the Jews of Jesus' day, but by many other cultures for
centuries before Him.
Therefore,
in response to my comical but uneducated critic, I say, "No, I do not
believe Jesus had a magical refrigerator. But I do believe in the
produce and grain preservation technologies of His day. All of these
technologies would have made freshly squeezed, unfermented grape juice
available any season of the year, including at the Last Supper."
Top
The
Bible Calls God's Born Again Children "Kings"
In
the Apostle John's revelation, which he received while confined to the Isle
of Patmos, he made the following statement.
"From
Jesus Christ, Who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the
dead, and the prince of the kings of the Earth. Unto Him that loves us, and
washed us from our sins in His own blood, and hath made us kings and priests
unto God and His Father:" (Revelation 1:5-6)
John's reference to
Jesus being "the Prince of the Kings of the Earth" is not a
reference to political sovereigns and monarchs. In verse five John is
referring to those who accept Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior
as "Kings." This is again confirmed in verse six where John
said Jesus "hath made us Kings and Priests unto God and His
Father."
All of God's Born
Again children, male and female, have been granted Divine authority and
power to rule as Kings and Priests in the Earth. This is a reference to the
Believer's authority over Satan and demon powers. If you are Born
Again, man or womb-man, you are a King in God's eyes.
"There
is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither
male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ's,
then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." (Galatians 3:28-29)
Now
notice something King Lemuel, one of the Holy Spirit inspired writers of the
Book of Proverbs, had to say about Kings. This is a
revelation taught to him by his mother who was also inspired of the Holy
Spirit.
“It is not for
kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong
drink: Lest they drink and forget the law and pervert the judgment of any of
the afflicted." (Proverbs 31:4-5)
Christians
have been made Kings and Priests unto God through the redemptive work of the
Lord Jesus Christ. It is not for Kings to drink fermented wine and strong drink for it
distorts the human mind, impairs human facilities and perverts
judgment. It grieves the Holy Spirit of God and quenches His voice, as
well.
It takes much discipline and effort to develop sensitivity to the
voice and leadings of the Holy Spirit. Alcohol serves only to impair that
sensitivity and to hinder those leadings.
The
Scripture is quite clear. King Jesus did not create nor drink fermented wine or strong
drink and He is our example in all things. For sure, to
consume fermented wine and strong drink as "Kings and Priests unto
God" is not to follow in the footsteps of King Jesus.
Before
moving on, let's look at something else King Lemuel said about the use of
fermented wine and strong drink.
"Give
strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto those that be
of heavy heart." (Proverbs 31:6)
Under
the Old Covenant fermented wine and strong drink were allowed for someone
who was dying. God is compassionate and allowed for comfort when someone was
perishing. He is the Great Physician and is not
opposed to medications or sedatives when someone is sick or dying.
Neither
was He opposed to the use of fermented wine or strong drink "unto those
that be of heavy heart."
This
is a reference to permitting the use of fermented wine or strong drink by
someone who is grieving the death of a loved one.
Even
today under the New Testament the God of compassion would not be opposed to
the use of sedatives when someone is dying or grieving the loss of a loved
one.
However, once the grieving process has passed, it would be unwise
to push the envelope and unnecessarily continue the use of any type of
sedation.
Top
Bitten
by the Mocking Serpent of Strong Drink
You
will recall my
intoxicated friend who wrongly insisted that Jesus was a fermented wine
drinker and that made it acceptable for everyone.
Within weeks
of rejecting my Scriptural, loving correction, he
raped a 13-year-old child while intoxicated. He was sentenced to a lengthy prison term
and will pay for that drunken mistake for the rest of his
life.
He was bitten by the mocking
serpent of strong drink.
"Look
not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his color in the cup,
when it moveth itself aright. At the last it biteth like a serpent and
stingeth like an adder." (Proverbs 23:31-32)
Invariably someone always
boasts, “Something like that would never happen to me. I can handle my alcohol.”
Interestingly enough,
that is exactly what my young friend said as well. Exactly.
Those
who refuse to understand what is plainly written in Scripture, but rather
choose to scorn and despise the truth of God's Word, will ultimately drink
from another cup - a bitter cup. A cup of unnecessary suffering.
"Woe
unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!
Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle
strong drink;" (Isaiah 5:21-22)
In
both the Old and New Testaments, the word "woe" is used to
indicate that judgment is soon to follow individuals or nations who disobey
God's spoken or written warnings through His Prophets or His written warnings in His
Word.
Jesus Himself used
the word "woe" thirty-one times in the Gospels to warn
individuals, cities and nations of pending
judgment for insisting upon their own ways.
Top
What
Would Jesus Brew?
For
many years there has been a movement amongst Christian young people called
WWJD. It means whenever you find yourself in a challenging situation, ask
yourself this question, "What would Jesus do?"
I
would like to alter that just a bit and ask you this question based upon
what we have just studied from Scripture.
"What
would Jesus brew?"
You
now have your Scriptural answer.
"Absolutely
nothing!"
Just
because our Lord Jesus was falsely accused of being a
"wine-bibber" does not mean that He was a wine-bibber. Just
because Jesus dined with sinners in an effort to reach them with
Righteousness does not mean He was a sinner. (Matthew 11:16-19)
Dr.
Lester Sumrall, the great 20th Century Apostle and Champion of Christ, once
made the following statement. I paraphrase.
"I have met and
personally known many great men and women of God over the course of my life.
I always made a point of asking them the question, 'What do you believe made
you great in the things of God? To what would you say you owe your success
in God?'"
He
then said, "I noticed that they all had one thing in common. Not one of
them ever answered, 'Alcohol! I owe my greatness in the things of God to
alcohol.'"
Top
The
Rock Solid Bottom Line for Christians
All
argument is dispelled by the realization that condoning the Christian's drinking of
alcoholic beverages of any sort is ultimately going to cause many, very
many, to stumble and to fall. Rebellious spiritual leaders and Christian
laypersons alike will answer to Almighty God for the part they played in the
stumbling and falling of these precious individuals.
Jesus
said, "But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in
Me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and
that he were drowned in the depth of the sea." (Matthew 18:6)
It
is not only inaccurate scholarship to teach Believers in Jesus Christ that
the consumption of alcoholic beverages is acceptable, even in moderation,
but it is ignorance gone to seed.
Teaching
Believers that wine and strong drink is acceptable in any form is a severe
lack of wisdom.
"Wine
is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is
not wise." (Proverbs 20:1)
How
unfortunate that Christian America and the Christian nations of the world have become so Bible
illiterate that to them premier wine is that which is more aged,
rotten and decayed than the premier wine of the Bible, which is
the freshest, most recently squeezed.
Everything
a Bible illiterate Christian thinks and does in their unenlightened state is
180 degrees reciprocal of the way God thinks and the way He does
things.
"I
beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your
bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your
reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye
transformed by the renewing of your mind (on the Word of God), that ye may
prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God."
(Romans 12:1-2)
This
is why we always say, "It is impossible for a Christian to walk with
God apart from proper knowledge of His Word."
If you have been
misled by the "Jesus drank wine" lie, say, “Jesus, I choose You and Your Word. Forgive me. I'll do
things Your way from this day forward.” (Romans 10:13)
He will forgive you for what you did not know.
However, now you do
know and you will be held accountable for what you have learned.
I
like to say, "It's okay to be wrong, but it's not okay to stay wrong
once you see you are wrong."
"Wherefore
be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. And be not
drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; speaking
to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making
melody in your heart to the Lord; giving thanks always for all things unto
God and the Father in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ." (Ephesians
5:18-20)
For
a more in-depth study see "Wine in the Bible: A Biblical Study on the
Use of Alcoholic Beverages," Samuele Bacchiocchi, PhD., Andrews
University.
Be wise. Be blessed.
Be strong. ... John and Barbara
Hamel
How
to Be Born Again (Receive Christ as Your Savior)
How
to Receive The Holy Spirit & Power
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