The Bible tells us to drink a little wine, why then do some Christians nag us when we do?
Back to the question of the day: "The Bible tells us to drink a little, why then do some Christians nag us when we do?"
Let's start off with the Bible verse itself:
1 Timothy 5:23
Don't drink only water. You ought to drink a little wine for the sake of your stomach because you are sick so often. (NLT)
I have heard that Paul advised Timothy to do so only because Timothy had been attacked by worms which made his stomach sick, yet wine would help kill the worms. Just like in the current COVID-19 situation where some people have now resorted to taking warm water with lemon and ginger every morning to boost their immunity; that is why Paul continues and says, "...because you are often sick."
However, you have 100% liberty to choose what you want for your life and no one ought to nag you about your decision. It is okay for you choose whether to join the army or not, even though your family will forever be afraid because in most cases, they'd consider you to be as good as forever gone. It is therefore okay for you to choose whether or not to drink.
Painful as it is for me to say that, I am learning to respect everyone's decisions as much as to reduce my participation in the consequences of other people's decisions.
Before we conclude on whether to drink "a little" or not at all, let's first take a look at a few scenarios below:
1 Corinthians 6:12
You say, "I am allowed to do anything"—but not everything is good for me. And even though "I am allowed to do anything," but I must not become a slave to anything.
Apostle Paul is saying that it's simply wise to avoid anything that can so easily enslave you. The NIV Bible version uses the word "mastered". In asking why Christians don't let you drink in peace yet you are allowed to drink a little, 1st Corinthians 6:12 is answering you by simply saying that, "Even though you are allowed to do anything you want, be wise not to do that which will end up enslaving you or controlling you."
"I only drink a little, I am not like some people, I know when to stop. As a matter of fact, I only drink wines." some might defensively say.
You see, I highly doubt if anyone starts drinking with the thought of, "Well, let me start drinking so that I can ruin my life, so I can drink myself to the grave, so I can drink away all my little wealth and my family's well-being." I seriously doubt.
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I imagine many drunkards started out drinking a little, just "for the good of their stomach", or only drinking at a party or just to try to fit in a given group of people. This is the very reason the Bible warns us not to give the devil a foothold (Ephesians 4:27) because that's all the devil needs to own the entire land. All he needs is a place to put his foot.
The devil is not too stupid to come dressed in a scary black-and-red-colored gown with horns on his head, he perfectly knows how to disguise himself as an angel of light. That's why we need to always ask God to help us distinguish between what is right and what is almost right; to help us see and tell a cub from what looks like a cute little cat, or to differentiate a real trap from actual fun. Because when that cub grows, it will surely become a lion and eventually have us for dinner.
This may not sound true because to be fair, you still feel in control, you still control yourself when you are about to get drunk. Now, that is the trick; feeling in control doesn't actually mean you are in control. Remember that all the devil needs is a foothold, and that little we are drinking is more than enough for him to gain permanent ground.
God made man to rule over everything, but isn't it sad if the ruler now gets ruled or mastered by mere substance? Meaning that the ruler no longer rules but has given his power to the substance to an extent that even when he (the ruler) is sober, he still centers his plans around satisfying his "master".
As a cub will surely become a lion one day, so will drinking a little turn into drunkenness if not killed early. If you can't kill a lion in its cub-stage, you might not be able to kill it in its lion-stage. It's much easier to kill a habit today than it will be tomorrow.
A caliber of people
An amazing financial teacher was answering why sports betting is not as wise an investment as some people thought, since they once saw someone win millions of dollars through sports betting. They figured out that they could also devote their time doing so for that one-in-a-billion chance to win that kind of fortune.
He said, "When you look at the people in the sports betting line, do you find your role models there?" There is a reason why a certain caliber of people don't do certain things or be in certain places or even hold certain conversations.
This hit me so hard that I am now applying it in almost every sector of my life. So no, I haven't found my role models in a bar getting drunk. In fact, personally my role models are out there busy getting filled with the Holy Spirit.
Let us look at the kind of people who drink or not, according to the Bible:
1. Those who are perishing and those who are very sad - Proverbs 31:6
"Let beer be for those who are perishing, wine for those who are in anguish!"
2. Those who are poor and miserable - Proverbs 31:7
"Let them drink and forget their poverty and remember their misery no more."
3. Not for God-honoring Kings, rulers or presidents - Proverbs 31:4
"It is not for kings, Lemuel— it is not for kings to drink wine, not for rulers to crave beer..."
Remember, all men are rulers because that is why man was created in the beginning; to rule and govern the earth and everything in it. To lead organizations, nations, families, teams and enterprises.
4. Not for good leaders 1 Timothy 3:3-4
"...not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him, and he must do so in a manner worthy of full respect."
5. Not for those set apart to be used by God to deliver nations, like Prophet Samuel or the strong Samson - Judges 13:4
"Now see to it that you drink no wine or other fermented drink and that you do not eat anything unclean."
So after reading this and you realize that actually your role models are those who drink i.e. poor and very sad, not rulers, not leaders not CEOs, not organisation heads, then you are on the right path when you choose to drink.
"My actual role model," one might argue, "Doctor so-and-so or entrepreneur-so-and-so drinks!" That's when I get to wonder if they started drinking at the level you are at right now, or if they are really winning at all levels of their life (including family and other responsibilities), apart from wealth or success alone.
"Don't be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit"
-Ephesians 5:18
-Ephesians 5:18
To drink a little surely depends on who you have pre-decided to become. Think about it and decide if you want to be a drunken mother or father. If you don't want to, then you have no business massaging that cat-looking cub!
Thank you so much for yet another amazing Wednesday we have shared.
Good bless you!
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