Alcohol
Thinking About Drinking
Current Statistics in America
Alcohol Use---------165 million use alcohol each month
Alcohol Abuse-------17 million drink to the point of causing harm
Alcohol Addiction---10 million people drink 50% of the alcohol
One in every 6 drinkers deals with alcoholism during their life
Alcohol is the 3rd leading cause of preventable death in North America
The alcohol industry spends $1 Billion on advertising each year
Society pays $170 Billion dealing with alcohol related illnesses
87% of High School Seniors report having used Alcohol
28% of High School Seniors report having abused Alcohol
35% of all traffic deaths are alcohol-related
40% of all suicide attempts are alcohol-related
55% of all violent crimes are alcohol-related
60% of all emergency room admissions are alcohol-related
80% of all reported domestic disputes are alcohol-related
7 Biblical Principles
1. Don’t get drunk (Ephesians 5:18)
Noah (Genesis 9:20-25) Lot (Genesis 19:30-38)
Nabal (1 Samuel 25:1-38) Uriah (2 Samuel 11:1-13)
Absolom (2 Samuel 13:28) Belshazzar (Daniel 5:1-6)
Israel (Joel 1:5, 3:3) Israel (Habakuk 2:15-16)
2. Don’t drink for bad reasons (Some Bad Motives for Drinking)
--A. Don’t drink just to fit in (Proverbs 23:17, Isaiah 5:22, 1 Peter 4:3)
--B. Don’t drink to deal with stress (1 Peter 5:7)
--C. Don’t drink to rebel (1 Peter 5:6)
--D. Don’t drink to erase inhibitions (Ps. 69:12, Hab. 2:15, Matt. 10:28)
3. Don’t forget you have a borrowed body (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)
4. Don’t forget the devil is prowling around (1 Peter 5:8)
5. Don’t forget you have a purpose (1 Corinthians 10:31-33)
6. Don’t forget to set your standards high (1 Corinthians 6:12)
7. Don’t forget that your life touches others (Romans 14:21)
*Outline above courtesy of Rev. John Bray (Heritage Wesleyan Church)
*Reasons below for abstaining courtesy of Keith Drury (Indiana Wesleyan)
Does the Bible have Examples of Abstaining?
1. Nazarites during their seperation (Numbers 6:1-4, 20)
2. Priests when on duty (Leviticus 10:8-9)
3. Daniel when in Babylon (Daniel 1:8)
4. John the Baptist (Luke 1:15)
5. Jesus on the cross (Mark 15:23)
6. Stronger brother (Romans 14:19-22)
Does the Bible Command us to Abstain?
1. No
Proverbs 20:1
Wine is a mocker and beer a brawler; whoever is led astray by them is not wise
Proverbs 21:17
He who loves pleasure will become poor; whoever loves wine and oil will never be rich.
Proverbs 23:20-21
Do not join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat, for drunkards and gluttons become poor, and drowsiness clothes them in rags.
Proverbs 23:29-31
Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has strife? Who has complaints? Who has needless bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes? Those who linger over wine, who go to sample bowls of mixed wine. Do not gaze at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly!
So why does the Wesleyan Church teach complete abstinence?
1. Abstaining shows that we don’t need alcohol
2. Abstaining shows that we protest the social effects of alcohol
3. Abstaining provides a clear line
4. Abstaining shows that we know how to submit to authority
5. Abstaining allows us to model what we want our kids to practice
6. Abstaining allows us to use our money for better purposes
The Godly Alternative
Be so filled filled with God, that your actions stand out
1. Hannah (1 Samuel 1:12-14)
2. Jesus (Matthew 11:18-19)
3. Apostles (Acts 2:1-13)
Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. (eph. 5:18)
Current Statistics in America
Alcohol Use---------165 million use alcohol each month
Alcohol Abuse-------17 million drink to the point of causing harm
Alcohol Addiction---10 million people drink 50% of the alcohol
One in every 6 drinkers deals with alcoholism during their life
Alcohol is the 3rd leading cause of preventable death in North America
The alcohol industry spends $1 Billion on advertising each year
Society pays $170 Billion dealing with alcohol related illnesses
87% of High School Seniors report having used Alcohol
28% of High School Seniors report having abused Alcohol
35% of all traffic deaths are alcohol-related
40% of all suicide attempts are alcohol-related
55% of all violent crimes are alcohol-related
60% of all emergency room admissions are alcohol-related
80% of all reported domestic disputes are alcohol-related
7 Biblical Principles
1. Don’t get drunk (Ephesians 5:18)
Noah (Genesis 9:20-25) Lot (Genesis 19:30-38)
Nabal (1 Samuel 25:1-38) Uriah (2 Samuel 11:1-13)
Absolom (2 Samuel 13:28) Belshazzar (Daniel 5:1-6)
Israel (Joel 1:5, 3:3) Israel (Habakuk 2:15-16)
2. Don’t drink for bad reasons (Some Bad Motives for Drinking)
--A. Don’t drink just to fit in (Proverbs 23:17, Isaiah 5:22, 1 Peter 4:3)
--B. Don’t drink to deal with stress (1 Peter 5:7)
--C. Don’t drink to rebel (1 Peter 5:6)
--D. Don’t drink to erase inhibitions (Ps. 69:12, Hab. 2:15, Matt. 10:28)
3. Don’t forget you have a borrowed body (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)
4. Don’t forget the devil is prowling around (1 Peter 5:8)
5. Don’t forget you have a purpose (1 Corinthians 10:31-33)
6. Don’t forget to set your standards high (1 Corinthians 6:12)
7. Don’t forget that your life touches others (Romans 14:21)
*Outline above courtesy of Rev. John Bray (Heritage Wesleyan Church)
*Reasons below for abstaining courtesy of Keith Drury (Indiana Wesleyan)
Does the Bible have Examples of Abstaining?
1. Nazarites during their seperation (Numbers 6:1-4, 20)
2. Priests when on duty (Leviticus 10:8-9)
3. Daniel when in Babylon (Daniel 1:8)
4. John the Baptist (Luke 1:15)
5. Jesus on the cross (Mark 15:23)
6. Stronger brother (Romans 14:19-22)
Does the Bible Command us to Abstain?
1. No
Proverbs 20:1
Wine is a mocker and beer a brawler; whoever is led astray by them is not wise
Proverbs 21:17
He who loves pleasure will become poor; whoever loves wine and oil will never be rich.
Proverbs 23:20-21
Do not join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat, for drunkards and gluttons become poor, and drowsiness clothes them in rags.
Proverbs 23:29-31
Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has strife? Who has complaints? Who has needless bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes? Those who linger over wine, who go to sample bowls of mixed wine. Do not gaze at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly!
So why does the Wesleyan Church teach complete abstinence?
1. Abstaining shows that we don’t need alcohol
2. Abstaining shows that we protest the social effects of alcohol
3. Abstaining provides a clear line
4. Abstaining shows that we know how to submit to authority
5. Abstaining allows us to model what we want our kids to practice
6. Abstaining allows us to use our money for better purposes
The Godly Alternative
Be so filled filled with God, that your actions stand out
1. Hannah (1 Samuel 1:12-14)
2. Jesus (Matthew 11:18-19)
3. Apostles (Acts 2:1-13)
Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. (eph. 5:18)
posted by matthew at 6:47 PM
2 Comments:
ha, the one that got me was that abstinance shows we can submit to authority. I have never had alcohol (except in an episcopal church and in my tirimisu), but this was a big issue that I fought with my last boyfriend over, and he said I had issues with authority!!!
:-)
yeah, to be honest, I'm not real big on giving spiritual authority to someone or some group unnecessarily (like a denomination). I understand the 'principle' that we should be willing to submit to authorities, but when the authority goes beyond what the Bible says, it starts to become un-worthwhile
That was very carefully worded, but I'd imagine most people have an issue with authority...we're a very autonomous culture.
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