Tag: abstinent

For Stomach Sake

Many people like to use 1 Timothy 5:23 as justification to drink alcohol. After all, Timothy is being told to drink wine by the Apostle Paul. To those who use this line of thought, it makes no difference how much wine is being drank or the reason for its use; all that matters is the sanction being given to Timothy to drink an intoxicating beverage. First of all, we should point out again that the word wine ...

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“Not Given to Much Wine”

A favorite passage that is used to support the moderate use of alcoholic beverages is 1 Timothy 3:8. One of the qualifications for the office of a Deacon is “not given to much wine.” It appears the wine is not condemned but the quantity of wine consumed. However, abstinence from alcoholic beverages is required of the Eldership (1 Tim. 3:2-3; Tit. 1:7). Is this a sanction of intoxicating wine for Deacons as long as they ...

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Temperance

Definitions of words change over time. For example, the word “gay” has always meant to be happy. However, its definition presently includes the relationship between homosexual people where half a century ago no such reference could be found in any dictionary. Ironically, according to the first edition of the Webster Dictionary that was published in 1828, the word “gay” use to be a term of derision for drunks. The third definition under the word “gay” ...

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Drink No Wine

Many people contend that the Bible does not condemn the drinking of an alcoholic beverage; rather, it condemns drunkenness.  To them the drink is not wrong but the quantity of alcohol consumed.  In truth, the Bible does condemn the drinking of fermented beverages. The warnings against the consumption of alcohol are found throughout the Bible.  A well-known passage in Proverbs 23:31-32 states “Do not look on the wine when it is red, when it sparkles ...

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