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| In Praise of Wine |
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We are probably all familiar with the passages of the Bible that forbid drunkenness. They are often quoted by those who abstain from alcohol completely. But, did you realize there are actually passages of the Bible that praise the right, moderate use of wine? I'm sure some passages would be shocking to those who have never read their Bibles. Here are just a few examples: -
Genesis 14:18 And King Melchizedek of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was priest of God Most High.
Genesis 27:28 May God give you of the dew of heaven, and of the fatness of the earth, and plenty of grain and wine.
Exodus 29:40 and with the first lamb one-tenth of a measure of choice flour mixed with one-fourth of a hin of beaten oil, and one-fourth of a hin of wine for a drink offering.
Numbers 15:7 and as a drink offering you shall offer one-third of a hin of wine, a pleasing odor to the LORD.
Deuteronomy 11:14 then he will give the rain for your land in its season, the early rain and the later rain, and you will gather in your grain, your wine, and your oil;
Deuteronomy 14:23 In the presence of the LORD your God, in the place that he will choose as a dwelling for his name, you shall eat the tithe of your grain, your wine, and your oil, as well as the firstlings of your herd and flock, so that you may learn to fear the LORD your God always.
Deuteronomy 14:26 spend the money for whatever you wish-- oxen, sheep, wine, strong drink, or whatever you desire. And you shall eat there in the presence of the LORD your God, you and your household rejoicing together.
Deuteronomy 33:28 So Israel lives in safety, untroubled is Jacob's abode in a land of grain and wine, where the heavens drop down dew.
Psalm 104:14-15 You cause the grass to grow for the cattle, and plants for people to use, to bring forth food from the earth, and wine to gladden the human heart, oil to make the face shine, and bread to strengthen the human heart.
Proverbs 31:6 Give strong drink to one who is perishing, and wine to those in bitter distress;
Ecclesiastes 10:19 Feasts are made for laughter; wine gladdens life, and money meets every need.
Isaiah 36:17 until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of grain and wine, a land of bread and vineyards.
Amos 9:13 The time is surely coming, says the LORD, when the one who plows shall overtake the one who reaps, and the treader of grapes the one who sows the seed; the mountains shall drip sweet wine, and all the hills shall flow with it.
Matthew 9:17 Neither is new wine put into old wineskins; otherwise, the skins burst, and the wine is spilled, and the skins are destroyed; but new wine is put into fresh wineskins, and so both are preserved.
Luke 7:33-34 For John the Baptist has come eating no bread and drinking no wine, and you say, 'He has a demon'; the Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, 'Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!'
John 2:3-9 Jesus turned water to wine
I Timothy 5:23 No longer drink only water, but take a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments.
I think that is a good verse to end on -- a "little" being the operative word. |
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| To add a comment to "In Praise of Wine" |
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| March 15, 2008 |
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Nothing wrong with wine, but the abuse & excessiveness thereof.
I personally do not touch any form of alchohol, drugs or those type of substances as l used to drink excessively & was a drug user in the past. He has made me free!
I do not propogate the use of alchohol for the sake of those that stumble or had problems with alchohol in the past!
Much love in Christ! |
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| March 15, 2008 |
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I understand where you are coming from. The old school of thought was that abstinence is the only right answer to the abuse of alcohol. However, that has been brought into question the past few years. Modern research seems to indicate that a personal discipline of moderation is a better cure of alcoholism than total abstinence. That may be borne out by cultural background too, where for instance, Italian and Jewish children are taught from childhood to just take a little wine, whereas children of teetotalers see no such example, and when they reach their later teens often tend to go out of control.
In our home, we always gave the children a taste when they were growing up. It was never taught as a scary thing, but a simple part of the meal, to be controlled just like a car or one's temper. Each in turn has turned out to be a moderate drinker. Even though some of their friends are binge drinkers, they are not really interested in that. |
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| March 16, 2008 |
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Our culture does not lend to moderate drinkink, as the previous regime kept our people enslave by paying their wages in wine. This kept them bound to alcholhol & to their "masters". They were exploited making their masters rich & keeping them enslaved. That mind set is still relevant as we are only past our first decade into democracy.
Today, the people of the previous regime, still want to apply the same principle, as they want to pay our people pittance for hard work, thus keeping them living in squatter camps and they live in the prime properties of our country.
Based on our history of alchohol abuse and miss-use, I do not even discuss the possibility of alchohol use publicly, unless it is asked by individuals. I would then take the merit of the case into consideration, before giving my opinion, or conclusion.
Scriptures like: Beer is a brawler & wine is a mocker / Woe unto him who gives strong drink unto his neighbour. etc.are also strong arguments against alchohol use.
I expose my children to the evils of alchohol abuse in our communities, so they also have a view of the destructive force of alchohol abuse and bondage.
As a disciple of Christ, I do not see how close I can walk to the edge, but how close I can walk to Him.
Regards |
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| March 16, 2008 |
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| It's just too bad that that which God created to be a blessing in plenty, to gladden the heart, where mountains drip with sweet wine has been so abused that people go to the other extreme. |
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| March 17, 2008 |
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Hi Grant,
I have a friend of mine who owns a winery in Missouri. we met at an ecumenical class on church development. I sent him that last passage and I think he now has it posted at his winery:
I Timothy 5:23 No longer drink only water, but take a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments. |
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| March 18, 2008 |
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| Thank you Gene. I think that it's time the Christian community saw the balance on this topic instead of making abstinence the legalistic rule that the Bible does not. In fact the Bible praises the right use of wine, sex, food, and a whole host of other things. What do we do in the Christian community? Ancient ascetics turned sex into a dirty sin and so proclaimed abstinence even from marriage. Of course their sect died out, for obvious reasons. LOL. Some today have turned wine into a sin, but the Bible does not. Cultural misuse of guns, cars, and even alcohol does not make any of those things an automatic thing to ban for all use. I personally believe, quite contrary to many Christians, that the best example is not always abstinence from alcohol, but moderation. I purposefully will drink around an alcoholic, because I believe that he needs to see an example of moderation and self-control, not the see-sawing from one extreme to the other. Why do I believe that? Some quote Paul, but Paul's comment on not offending with food or drink is not the central example, but a side example. The central example on any topic is Jesus', and his example was to turn water into wine, indiscriminately, without regard as to whether or not some at the wedding were alcoholics or not. Hence, I believe that abstinence people are not using Paul's example, but misusing it's intent and purpose. Just my faith and I respect the faith of those who think differently. What I do not like is being subtely labeled a sinner or lesser Christian for my faith stance on this issue, when the Bible nowhere labels this a sin. |
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| March 18, 2008 |
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Grant,
I agree wholeheartedly. It is balance that is the key to a Christian life - not extremism.
Peace! |
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