God gives us clear instructions on how to conduct ourselves as children of God. Sometimes its hard to understand what he's really saying with so many different views. So lets go to the Bible and sort this out.
Ecc 9:7-8 7Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a cheerful heart, for God has already approved your works: 8“Let your clothes always be white, and never spare the oil for your head.”…
Num 6:20 The priest shall then wave them as a wave offering before the LORD. This is a holy portion for the priest, in addition to the breast of the wave offering and the thigh that was presented. After that, the Nazirite may drink wine.
Ecc. 2:24 Nothing is better for man than to eat and drink and enjoy his work. I have also seen that this is from the hand of God.
In these scriptures we see that it is permissible for God's people to drink 🍷 We can see in these scriptures that after you have done God's work or God approved work which are sometimes two different things, you can enjoy a glass of wine. These scriptures also tell us that he wants us to enjoy life. We don't have to live uptight scared to do anything, but this definitely doesn't give us the go ahead to do everything. I will expound on that shortly.
What is God's Work?
God's work is in ministry in some form. It could be in the assembly of the saints or out in the world. This is usually doing what you are called to do by God. It will most likely include using your predestined gifts that you were enabled with before birth. God approved work could be your regular 9-5 job. A God approved job would be a job that doesn't cause you to disobey him. This also could be work around your home, gardening, taking care the kids, etc. sidenote: Your calling could be to raise your two children or it could be to evangelize the world. Never look down on what God called you to do.
God also warns against excessive drinking. The drinking the Bible speaks of in the scriptures above is moderate drinking. You will notice in Ecclesiastes 9:8 He said let your clothes always be white. We should not drink enough to cause us to act out of character. We are to be a billboard for Jesus at all times which mean we must stay sober minded. Yes it is possible to drink and stay sober minded😀 I was surprised to see that it is so many scriptures on drinking alcohol. We have no excuse to live in error. With that being said let's see what he says about excessive drinking.
Excessive Drinking
Prov. 20:1 Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler, And whoever is intoxicated by it is not wise. intoxicated(of alcoholic drink or a drug) cause (someone) to lose control of their faculties or behavior.
Eph. 5:18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to reckless indiscretion. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. drunk affected by alcohol to the extent of losing control of one's faculties or behavior.
Isa. 28.7 These also stagger from wine and stumble from strong drink: Priests and prophets reel from strong drink and are befuddled by wine. They stumble because of strong drink, muddled in their visions and stumbling in their judgments.(unable to do their God given purpose)
Pro. 23:29-35
29Who has woe?(sorrow or distress) Who has sorrow?(regret, misery)
Who has contentions?(heated arguments, discord) Who has complaining?Who has wounds without cause?
Who has redness of eyes?
30Those who linger long over wine,
Those who go to taste mixed wine.
Those who go to taste mixed wine.
32At the last it bites like a serpent
And stings like a viper.
And stings like a viper.
33Your eyes will see strange things
And your mind will utter perverse things.
And your mind will utter perverse things.
34And you will be like one who lies down in the middle of the sea,
Or like one who lies down on the top of a mast.
Or like one who lies down on the top of a mast.
35“They struck me, but I did not become ill;
They beat me, but I did not know it.
When shall I awake?
I will seek another drink.”
They beat me, but I did not know it.
When shall I awake?
I will seek another drink.”
We see in these scriptures that excessive drinking isn't good in any type of way. I've highlighted what I believe will enlighten you on excessiveness of being impaired in any type of way. 💊🍷🍃
Offices in the Bible not allowed to drink
1Tim. 3:1-31This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop (pastor, elder, overseer), he desireth a good work. 2A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behavior, given to hospitality, apt to teach; 3Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;
Tit. 1:5-95For this reason I left you in Crete, that you would set in order what remains and appoint elders in every city as I directed you, 6namely, if any man is above reproach, the husband of one wife, having children who believe, not accused of dissipation or rebellion. 7For the overseer must be above reproach as God’s steward, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not addicted to wine, not pugnacious, not fond of sordid gain, 8but hospitable, loving what is good, sensible, just, devout, self-controlled, 9holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict.
Pastors/ Bishops/Elders/Overseers should never drink wine. This is instructed by God.
In Conclusion, God calls us to a standard. We are to always show Christ in all we do. Our character should never be questioned because we represent God. The blood that Christ shed should never be in vain. We are permitted to drink but not to the point of intoxication. If you know you are not able to stop at a couple glasses just don't do it. It isn't worth your character. The word says that everything is permissible but is it beneficial for you. We should not be mastered by anything or anyone (1 Cor.6:12). Jesus came to give us freedom from sin. Drinking excessively turns your merriment to a sin. So drink wisely my friend😉
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