In reference to a comment about my religion, morals and intelligence.
It is not wise for a person whose statement before their comment begins: "a comment on a web site I ran across when I decided to get drunk".... to bring into question religion, morals and intelligence. Come on man are you kidding me?
For the record I gave up religion a long time ago. The very day I began a relationship with Jesus Christ. You should read the story of Nicodemus in the New Testament. a religious man who found out it was about a relationship with the Savior that makes all things new. My prayer is for you to experience a real relationship with Jesus Christ. Once that happens you won't have to decide to get drunk to forget, justify or make your problems less a burden.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Amazing Grace........
After some heavy discussion about the consumption of alcohol I feel that we must bear in mind that God's Grace covers us all. Sometimes we have to agree to disagree and realize that it is not up to us but God to convict people of sin. No matter what it is.
The combined outreach program with Labor of the Field is growing at a wild rate. Already a second night has been established and this will be the 3rd week at the Tuesday night meetings on US 29.
Soldier of the Cross outreach is working on the establishment of another Friday night outreach this time on the westside of anderson. We will us the facilities of Lakeview Baptist Church to begin the westside friday night program.
This friday night we are to have the guis from "the Lot project" with us as well as newsreporter from Anderson Independent Mail. Remember its about Christ and not personalities. Thanks to Tyus Butler, Billie Earl and others for allowing Soldier of the Cross ministry to have a part in the outreach work.
Stay tuned for more..........
The combined outreach program with Labor of the Field is growing at a wild rate. Already a second night has been established and this will be the 3rd week at the Tuesday night meetings on US 29.
Soldier of the Cross outreach is working on the establishment of another Friday night outreach this time on the westside of anderson. We will us the facilities of Lakeview Baptist Church to begin the westside friday night program.
This friday night we are to have the guis from "the Lot project" with us as well as newsreporter from Anderson Independent Mail. Remember its about Christ and not personalities. Thanks to Tyus Butler, Billie Earl and others for allowing Soldier of the Cross ministry to have a part in the outreach work.
Stay tuned for more..........
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Alcohol consumption, still a hot topic... see this..
Jesus did not drink or make alcoholic wine. Here are ten proofs from Scripture.
THE FIRST REASON IS BECAUSE OF HIS HOLY NATURE. In Heb. 7:26, we read that the Lord Jesus is "holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners." No doubt, the Saviour, being God in the flesh, had an air of holiness about Himself that could be seen by even the most casual observer. For instance, the profane soldiers, who were sent to arrest Him, gave as their reason for returning without Him, that "never a man spake like this man." (John 7:46) The words of Jesus were different; He, no doubt, had a very holy appearance, character, and speech.
Why is this so important? Consider this illustration. The word "cider" may mean an alcoholic beverage, or plain apple juice. Suppose we lived during the 1920s, prohibition days, and were approached by two people offering us a drink of cider. One of the persons, we knew to be one of the holiest men in town, faithful to the house of God, separated from the world, diligent in prayers, always witnessing to others; the other was a known liquor dealer. If each one offered us a drink of "his very own cider," we would assume that the holy person's was no more than apple juice, but there would be no doubt about our opinion regarding the liquor dealer's cider! Obviously, the character of a person influences what that one does.
Since the Lord Jesus Christ was "holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners," we may safely assume that He would not make that which is called in Scripture a mocker and deceiver of man, causing untold misery.
A SECOND REASON: HE WOULD NOT CONTRADICT SCRIPTURE. In Mt. 5:17-18, Christ made this clear, saying, "Think not that I am come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled." Therefore, Christ could not have contradicted Hab. 2:15, "Woe unto him that giveth his neighbor drink, that puttest thy bottle to him, and makest him drunken also, that thou mayest look on their nakedness!"
Certainly, Jesus knew that this verse was in the Bible; He was well-acquainted with Scripture, since it is His Word and was written about Him. He did not come to violate Scripture, but to fulfill it. He could not have done so, if He had made alcoholic wine and had given it to his neighbor.
Some people object to the use of this verse by saying that it would apply only to one who would give his neighbor drink for the purpose of looking on his nakedness. But we must remember: when one gives his neighbor something which will make him drunk, he is putting himself in the very class of those who do so in order to look on their nakedness. And since the Scripture commands us to "abstain from all appearance of evil" (1 Th. 5:22), we can be sure that the Lord Jesus would not have done something that would have been associated with such an evil practice as that described in Hab. 2:15. For the same reason, no Christian should be engaged in the selling of alcoholic beverage.
THE THIRD REASON IS THAT LEV. 10:9-11 COMMANDS THE PRIEST OF GOD, "DO NOT DRINK WINE NOR STRONG DRINK ... That Ye May Put Difference Between Holy And Unholy, And Between Unclean And Clean; and that ye may teach the children of Israel all the statues which the Lord hath spoken..." Now, since Heb. 2:17 calls Christ "a merciful and faithful high priest," we would expect Him to obey all Scriptures pertaining to that office. If He had made or drunk alcoholic wine, He would have disobeyed these verses and would have been disqualified from teaching the children of Israel the statues of the Lord.
THE FOURTH REASON IS FOUND IN A PASSAGE WHICH WE HAVE ALREADY CONSIDERED: PR. 31:4-5 PROHIBITS KINGS AND PRINCES FROM DRINKING ALCOHOLIC WINE OR ANY OTHER STRONG DRINK. IF THEY HAD DONE SO, THEIR JUDGMENT WOULD HAVE BEEN PERVERTED. It was necessary for Christ to obey these verses also, since He was Prince of Peace (Is. 9:6) and King of Kings (Rev. 19:16). In Mt. 27:11, He admitted to being the King of the Jews. He rode into Jerusalem on a donkey's colt, to fulfill Zec. 9:9, which prophesied that Israel's king would enter the city in just that way. Undoubtedly, He was king, and as such, would have had to obey Pr. 31:4-5.
REASON FIVE: CHRIST DID NOT COME TO MOCK OR DECEIVE PEOPLE, yet Pr. 20:1 says that wine does both. Rather than coming to mock or deceive he came to save!
REASON SIX: HE DID NOT COME TO SEND PEOPLE TO HELL. We have already seen that Is. 5:11-14 teaches that Hell had to be enlarged because of the drinking of alcoholic beverage. Christ did not come to send people to Hell; listen to Jn. 3:17: "For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved."
REASON SEVEN: CHRIST DID NOT COME TO CAST A STUMBLINGBLOCK BEFORE ANYONE; yet, Rom. 14:21 teaches that a person who gives another alcoholic wine does just that. "It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak." Everyone who has studied the problem of alcoholism has learned that some people cannot handle any amount of alcohol, while others may drink one or two "social" drinks and stop. Experts do not know why this is true; various theories have been propounded, but nothing has been proved to be true regarding every person. Some say it is chemical; others insist that it must be psychological. The fact is, we do not know for certain. In any given group of people, there would be several potential alcoholics. What a shame it would be for a person, who is a potential slave to it, to get his first taste at the Lord's table in church, then proceed down the road of misery to an alcoholic's grave!
I certainly would not want my children to get their first taste of alcohol at the family meal; nor would I want them to get it at church. One or more of them could well be potential alcoholics. As evidence that this is possible, we should consider that some denominations which serve alcoholic wine in their religious services also operate homes for alcoholic priests!
But we can be absolutely sure that Christ did not come to cause others to stumble!
THE EIGHTH REASON: JOHN 2, THE MIRACLE OF TURNING WATER INTO WINE, DOES NOT REQUIRE THAT IT BE ALCOHOLIC. Many insist that it was, on the basis of verse 10, which says, "Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse; but thou hast kept the good wine until now." They would say that, in those days, it was common to serve the best alcoholic wine at first, saving the worst until later, when men's tastes have been dulled by much drinking. But the point is just the opposite here! These people could definitely recognize that the wine which Jesus made was much better than what they had been served at first. This could not have been possible if they were already well on their way to becoming intoxicated! The fact is, neither the wine which they had at first, nor that which Christ made, was alcoholic.
REASON NINE IS FOUND IN THE SAME PASSAGE: THE LORD JESUS CHRIST WOULD NOT HAVE GOTTEN GLORY FROM MAKING DRUNK PEOPLE DRUNKER. Verse 11 is most important when it states that, by this miracle, Jesus "manifested forth his glory." Verse 10 indicates that the people had drunk quite a bit of whatever kind of wine they were drinking. If it had been alcoholic, they would have been intoxicated, or nearly so. Had Christ made alcoholic wine, He would have made drunk people drunker, or almost-drunk people completely drunk! Such a deed would certainly not have manifested any glory to Him!
This chapter also gives us the tenth reason: making drunk people drunker would not have caused his disciples to believe more strongly on him, yet verse 11 says that, as a result of what He did in turning the water into wine, "his disciples believed on him." Jn. 1:41 shows that they had already believed on Him as Messiah; this was a deepening of their faith and a proof that they had not been wrong. Would making drunk people drunker inspire such faith? The opposite would be likely! They were not looking for a Messiah who would pass out free booze! Thus, because of the description of this miracle and its result, we can not conclude otherwise than that this wine was non-alcoholic.
Thanks to Bruce Lackey and his article, Did Jesus Make Alcoholic Wine?
Ken Boatwright wrote: The miracle of Jesus turning the water into wine is found in John 2:1-11. Some people try to justify the drinking of alcohol by saying that Jesus made alcoholic wine. But was the wine Jesus created alcoholic? When they ran out of wine at the wedding feast at Cana, Jesus had them fill six water pots to the brim, each of which held about 20 gallons. This would make a total of about 120 gallons. When it was taken to the master of the wedding feast to taste, he was surprised and said, "Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior. You have kept the good wine until now" (John 2:10). The good wine in those days was grape juice that had not yet fermented.
The Greek word "OINOS" which is translated wine in the Bible can be either fermented or unfermented wine. We see in Isaiah 65:8, "Thus says the Lord, ‘As the new wine is found in the cluster, and one says do not destroy it’". What is the alcoholic content in the new wine in a cluster of grapes? Zero. There is no alcohol in a cluster of grapes. Also God says in Isaiah 16:10, "No treaders will tread out wine in the presses; I have made their shouting cease." Again we know the alcoholic content of the new wine that is being treaded out in the grape presses is zero. This wine is only fresh grape juice.
Jesus says in Matthew 9:17, "Nor do they put new wine into old wineskins, or else the wineskins break, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But they put new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved." New wine, which is unfermented wine as we have seen in Isaiah 16:10, 65:8, is not placed into old wine skins because the old wine skins probably have been contaminated with fermentation bacteria which will ferment the new wine. If new wine is placed into old wineskins, then the new wine will become fermented and the fermentation gasses will break the wineskins and the wine will pour out. But Jesus says that you put new wine (fresh grape juice) into new wineskins (which have not been contaminated with fermentation bacteria) "and both are preserved".
Jesus did not create an alcoholic wine. God’s word forbade giving alcoholic wine to someone else. Habakkuk 2:15 says, "Woe to him who gives drink to his neighbor, pressing him to the bottle, even to make him drunk, that you may look on his nakedness." Jesus would have disobeyed God's word as found in Habakkuk and sinned if he had made an alcoholic wine, which was drunk by others. But Hebrews 4:15 says that Jesus "was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin." Jesus never sinned or He could not have died for us. If He sinned He would have had to die for His own sin.
We have seen in the above scriptures that the wine Jesus made was not fermented. It was fresh grape juice, which is also referred to as wine (OINOS). To say that Jesus made 120 gallons of fermented wine is blasphemy. God’s word says "Wine is a mocker, strong drink is a brawler, and whoever is led astray by it is not wise" (Proverbs 20:1).
Christian advocates of social drinking are however very reluctant to support drunkenness, because they know full well the Bible condemns drunkenness (1 Corinthians 5:11; 6:9-11; Gal. 5:19-21).. But if this text is used to support moderate drinking, it must also be admitted that drunkenness is acceptable for the text says that the guests were “well drunk” before the Lord made the extra 160 gallons wine (John 2:10)
Unbelievers have no problem with the context supporting drunkenness because they picture Christ as “one of the boys” and the wedding feast like one today (i,e, a drunken feast), with people starting to lose their inhibitions and begin to be rowdy and flirt with the women at the feast, with some of them staggering around in a drunken stupor, eventually either passing out on the road outside, or vomiting all over the floor. This picture is realistic if the wine He made was alcoholic. The author of this article however does not believe that this is the case. The wine the Lord made was without a doubt non-alcoholic wine (ie. grape juice)
“WINE” IN THE BIBLE COULD BE EITHER ALCOHOLIC OR NON-ALCOHOLIC. Vineyards were extremely prevalent in Palestine, and the wine from them was a part of the staple diet of the Hebrews. Generally when wine is mentioned it has no sinful connotations. Wine could be drunk freely by the Israelites. It was to be offered to the Priests as drink offering, and abundance of wine was considered to be a great blessing (Deut. 7:13). The prosperity of the Land of Canaan was measured by the size of its grapes (Numbers 13:23). In His parables, Christ often likened the church (kingdom) to vineyards (Luke 20:9; Matt 21:28). He even likened Himself to a vine, and His father to a vine dresser (John 15:1-4) Non alcoholic wine (grape juice) is referred to in many contexts It made the heart glad and face shine. (Psa 104:15). It was among the “first fruits” Neh 10:37, it was even called “wine” while still in the cluster (Isa 65:8), and was “gathered” with summer fruits (Jer 40:10). It was "wine" while it was in the wine press (Isa 16:10). In these examples it is clear that the wine was non-alcoholic.
Sometimes wine was a blessing, other times it was a curse. Intoxicating wine is never used in a good sense in Scripture. Evil is always associated with it Wine is a mocker and deceiver, (1 Prov 20:1) . It is a deadly poison that men of God should not even look upon. “ “biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder” ( Prov 23:31-32)The death penalty was imposed upon the priest who drank any of it before entering the Tabernacle (Lev 10:9-10.) The priests and prophets erred in judgment and vision because of wine. (Isa 28:7). Israel were not even permitted to give their neighbour a drink of wine (Hab 2:15.) Notice in all the above verses it is the consumption of the wine itself that is condemned, not just the amount.
It is not suggested in this article that God's people in the Bible never drank wine. It is only claimed that drinking alcohol is never condoned.. Man of God's people erred through wine. Noah displayed his nakedness (Gen 9:21), and Lot committed incest (Gen 19:32-38), and the context of Leviticus 10:1-10 indicates that wine was most probably the cause of Nadab and Abihu offering “strange fire before the Lord” and being consumed by fire by God, for it was immediately after this incident that the Lord made drinking wine before religious duty in the Tabernacle punishable by death.
Many sincere Christians abstain from drinking alcohol themselves, but say they cannot teach that the Bible condemns consumption of alcohol. This philosophy comes from a misunderstanding of Scripture, makes it impossible to stop the drinking problems in the church. Let us look at some Scriptural reasons why we as Christians should abstain from drinking alcohol.
ALCOHOLIC WINE ASSOCIATED WITH EVIL “Abstain from all appearance of evil.” --- 1 Thessalonians 5:22. It is undeniable, and statistically proven that alcohol is the root cause of the majority of crimes against society: such as road accidents, rapes, murders, broken homes, poverty, and divorces. It brings misery and shame to all those who become addicted to it. “abstain” means “hold ones self from”. Since alcohol is associated with evil, the Christian must abstain from it.
ALCOHOL IS WHAT CAUSES ONE TO GROW DRUNK Eph. 5:18 “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;” (“Drunk” in this verse is the Greek word METHUSKO which “signifies to make drunk, of grow drunk (an inceptive verb which marks the process of the state of being drunk” (Vine). The the New Testament not only forbids drunkenness, but also beginning the process of becoming drunk. It therefore forbids drinking, even in “moderation”, because the first glass is the beginning of the process.
IT DESTROYS YOUR HEALTH. Overwhelming evidence is available from various sources to show that alcohol does irreparable damage to the body. Especially affected is the brain and liver. Pregnant women are advised by many sources to totally abstain during pregnancy lest they send toxic (poison) to their baby. A Christian's body belongs to God (1 Cor 16:19-20). Thus a Christian who wilfully destroys his body is robbing God!
ALCOHOL DESTROY the CHRISTIANS INFLUENCE FOR GOOD. The disciple of Christ is to be “the salt of the earth” and “the light of the world” (Matt 5:13-16). What would others think of our “Christianity” if they knew we partook of alcoholic beverages? Even those in the world can see the inconsistency of a Christian drinking alcohol.
ALCOHOL INTOXICATES YOUR BRAIN. The Bible commands us to be “sober” (1 Thessalonians 5:6,8; 2 Tim 4:5; 1 Pet 1:13). The Greek word for “sober” is “Nepho”. which means “to be, sober, temperate, abstinent, especially in respect of wine), sober minded, watchful, circumspect.” (Bullenger's lexicon). We can see by this that God wants us to be clear headed at all times. If therefore you cherish your health, your home, your influence, your soul, and your life, stay away from alcoholic beverages!!!|
let us notice in conclusion that the miracle “manifested His glory” and had the primary purpose of causing His disciples to believe in Him (John 2:12). If the wine made by Christ had been alcoholic, it could not have done this. Christ was sinless, and He is is the perfect example for us to follow. It is inconceivable that he made an abundance of alcoholic beverage for a feast already “well drunk” with wine.
Recently I saw a sign in a restaurant, stating the Australian law which places a heavy fine on anyone serving alcohol to anyone who appears to be drunk. I could not help but think how those who contend that Jesus made alcoholic beverage are making charging him with this offence.
Are you among those who have assumed that Jesus made Alcoholic wine for the feast at Cana? If so, then perhaps this article has helped you to see this in a different light. May God bless you in the further study of His word.
THE FIRST REASON IS BECAUSE OF HIS HOLY NATURE. In Heb. 7:26, we read that the Lord Jesus is "holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners." No doubt, the Saviour, being God in the flesh, had an air of holiness about Himself that could be seen by even the most casual observer. For instance, the profane soldiers, who were sent to arrest Him, gave as their reason for returning without Him, that "never a man spake like this man." (John 7:46) The words of Jesus were different; He, no doubt, had a very holy appearance, character, and speech.
Why is this so important? Consider this illustration. The word "cider" may mean an alcoholic beverage, or plain apple juice. Suppose we lived during the 1920s, prohibition days, and were approached by two people offering us a drink of cider. One of the persons, we knew to be one of the holiest men in town, faithful to the house of God, separated from the world, diligent in prayers, always witnessing to others; the other was a known liquor dealer. If each one offered us a drink of "his very own cider," we would assume that the holy person's was no more than apple juice, but there would be no doubt about our opinion regarding the liquor dealer's cider! Obviously, the character of a person influences what that one does.
Since the Lord Jesus Christ was "holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners," we may safely assume that He would not make that which is called in Scripture a mocker and deceiver of man, causing untold misery.
A SECOND REASON: HE WOULD NOT CONTRADICT SCRIPTURE. In Mt. 5:17-18, Christ made this clear, saying, "Think not that I am come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled." Therefore, Christ could not have contradicted Hab. 2:15, "Woe unto him that giveth his neighbor drink, that puttest thy bottle to him, and makest him drunken also, that thou mayest look on their nakedness!"
Certainly, Jesus knew that this verse was in the Bible; He was well-acquainted with Scripture, since it is His Word and was written about Him. He did not come to violate Scripture, but to fulfill it. He could not have done so, if He had made alcoholic wine and had given it to his neighbor.
Some people object to the use of this verse by saying that it would apply only to one who would give his neighbor drink for the purpose of looking on his nakedness. But we must remember: when one gives his neighbor something which will make him drunk, he is putting himself in the very class of those who do so in order to look on their nakedness. And since the Scripture commands us to "abstain from all appearance of evil" (1 Th. 5:22), we can be sure that the Lord Jesus would not have done something that would have been associated with such an evil practice as that described in Hab. 2:15. For the same reason, no Christian should be engaged in the selling of alcoholic beverage.
THE THIRD REASON IS THAT LEV. 10:9-11 COMMANDS THE PRIEST OF GOD, "DO NOT DRINK WINE NOR STRONG DRINK ... That Ye May Put Difference Between Holy And Unholy, And Between Unclean And Clean; and that ye may teach the children of Israel all the statues which the Lord hath spoken..." Now, since Heb. 2:17 calls Christ "a merciful and faithful high priest," we would expect Him to obey all Scriptures pertaining to that office. If He had made or drunk alcoholic wine, He would have disobeyed these verses and would have been disqualified from teaching the children of Israel the statues of the Lord.
THE FOURTH REASON IS FOUND IN A PASSAGE WHICH WE HAVE ALREADY CONSIDERED: PR. 31:4-5 PROHIBITS KINGS AND PRINCES FROM DRINKING ALCOHOLIC WINE OR ANY OTHER STRONG DRINK. IF THEY HAD DONE SO, THEIR JUDGMENT WOULD HAVE BEEN PERVERTED. It was necessary for Christ to obey these verses also, since He was Prince of Peace (Is. 9:6) and King of Kings (Rev. 19:16). In Mt. 27:11, He admitted to being the King of the Jews. He rode into Jerusalem on a donkey's colt, to fulfill Zec. 9:9, which prophesied that Israel's king would enter the city in just that way. Undoubtedly, He was king, and as such, would have had to obey Pr. 31:4-5.
REASON FIVE: CHRIST DID NOT COME TO MOCK OR DECEIVE PEOPLE, yet Pr. 20:1 says that wine does both. Rather than coming to mock or deceive he came to save!
REASON SIX: HE DID NOT COME TO SEND PEOPLE TO HELL. We have already seen that Is. 5:11-14 teaches that Hell had to be enlarged because of the drinking of alcoholic beverage. Christ did not come to send people to Hell; listen to Jn. 3:17: "For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved."
REASON SEVEN: CHRIST DID NOT COME TO CAST A STUMBLINGBLOCK BEFORE ANYONE; yet, Rom. 14:21 teaches that a person who gives another alcoholic wine does just that. "It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak." Everyone who has studied the problem of alcoholism has learned that some people cannot handle any amount of alcohol, while others may drink one or two "social" drinks and stop. Experts do not know why this is true; various theories have been propounded, but nothing has been proved to be true regarding every person. Some say it is chemical; others insist that it must be psychological. The fact is, we do not know for certain. In any given group of people, there would be several potential alcoholics. What a shame it would be for a person, who is a potential slave to it, to get his first taste at the Lord's table in church, then proceed down the road of misery to an alcoholic's grave!
I certainly would not want my children to get their first taste of alcohol at the family meal; nor would I want them to get it at church. One or more of them could well be potential alcoholics. As evidence that this is possible, we should consider that some denominations which serve alcoholic wine in their religious services also operate homes for alcoholic priests!
But we can be absolutely sure that Christ did not come to cause others to stumble!
THE EIGHTH REASON: JOHN 2, THE MIRACLE OF TURNING WATER INTO WINE, DOES NOT REQUIRE THAT IT BE ALCOHOLIC. Many insist that it was, on the basis of verse 10, which says, "Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse; but thou hast kept the good wine until now." They would say that, in those days, it was common to serve the best alcoholic wine at first, saving the worst until later, when men's tastes have been dulled by much drinking. But the point is just the opposite here! These people could definitely recognize that the wine which Jesus made was much better than what they had been served at first. This could not have been possible if they were already well on their way to becoming intoxicated! The fact is, neither the wine which they had at first, nor that which Christ made, was alcoholic.
REASON NINE IS FOUND IN THE SAME PASSAGE: THE LORD JESUS CHRIST WOULD NOT HAVE GOTTEN GLORY FROM MAKING DRUNK PEOPLE DRUNKER. Verse 11 is most important when it states that, by this miracle, Jesus "manifested forth his glory." Verse 10 indicates that the people had drunk quite a bit of whatever kind of wine they were drinking. If it had been alcoholic, they would have been intoxicated, or nearly so. Had Christ made alcoholic wine, He would have made drunk people drunker, or almost-drunk people completely drunk! Such a deed would certainly not have manifested any glory to Him!
This chapter also gives us the tenth reason: making drunk people drunker would not have caused his disciples to believe more strongly on him, yet verse 11 says that, as a result of what He did in turning the water into wine, "his disciples believed on him." Jn. 1:41 shows that they had already believed on Him as Messiah; this was a deepening of their faith and a proof that they had not been wrong. Would making drunk people drunker inspire such faith? The opposite would be likely! They were not looking for a Messiah who would pass out free booze! Thus, because of the description of this miracle and its result, we can not conclude otherwise than that this wine was non-alcoholic.
Thanks to Bruce Lackey and his article, Did Jesus Make Alcoholic Wine?
Ken Boatwright wrote: The miracle of Jesus turning the water into wine is found in John 2:1-11. Some people try to justify the drinking of alcohol by saying that Jesus made alcoholic wine. But was the wine Jesus created alcoholic? When they ran out of wine at the wedding feast at Cana, Jesus had them fill six water pots to the brim, each of which held about 20 gallons. This would make a total of about 120 gallons. When it was taken to the master of the wedding feast to taste, he was surprised and said, "Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior. You have kept the good wine until now" (John 2:10). The good wine in those days was grape juice that had not yet fermented.
The Greek word "OINOS" which is translated wine in the Bible can be either fermented or unfermented wine. We see in Isaiah 65:8, "Thus says the Lord, ‘As the new wine is found in the cluster, and one says do not destroy it’". What is the alcoholic content in the new wine in a cluster of grapes? Zero. There is no alcohol in a cluster of grapes. Also God says in Isaiah 16:10, "No treaders will tread out wine in the presses; I have made their shouting cease." Again we know the alcoholic content of the new wine that is being treaded out in the grape presses is zero. This wine is only fresh grape juice.
Jesus says in Matthew 9:17, "Nor do they put new wine into old wineskins, or else the wineskins break, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But they put new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved." New wine, which is unfermented wine as we have seen in Isaiah 16:10, 65:8, is not placed into old wine skins because the old wine skins probably have been contaminated with fermentation bacteria which will ferment the new wine. If new wine is placed into old wineskins, then the new wine will become fermented and the fermentation gasses will break the wineskins and the wine will pour out. But Jesus says that you put new wine (fresh grape juice) into new wineskins (which have not been contaminated with fermentation bacteria) "and both are preserved".
Jesus did not create an alcoholic wine. God’s word forbade giving alcoholic wine to someone else. Habakkuk 2:15 says, "Woe to him who gives drink to his neighbor, pressing him to the bottle, even to make him drunk, that you may look on his nakedness." Jesus would have disobeyed God's word as found in Habakkuk and sinned if he had made an alcoholic wine, which was drunk by others. But Hebrews 4:15 says that Jesus "was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin." Jesus never sinned or He could not have died for us. If He sinned He would have had to die for His own sin.
We have seen in the above scriptures that the wine Jesus made was not fermented. It was fresh grape juice, which is also referred to as wine (OINOS). To say that Jesus made 120 gallons of fermented wine is blasphemy. God’s word says "Wine is a mocker, strong drink is a brawler, and whoever is led astray by it is not wise" (Proverbs 20:1).
Christian advocates of social drinking are however very reluctant to support drunkenness, because they know full well the Bible condemns drunkenness (1 Corinthians 5:11; 6:9-11; Gal. 5:19-21).. But if this text is used to support moderate drinking, it must also be admitted that drunkenness is acceptable for the text says that the guests were “well drunk” before the Lord made the extra 160 gallons wine (John 2:10)
Unbelievers have no problem with the context supporting drunkenness because they picture Christ as “one of the boys” and the wedding feast like one today (i,e, a drunken feast), with people starting to lose their inhibitions and begin to be rowdy and flirt with the women at the feast, with some of them staggering around in a drunken stupor, eventually either passing out on the road outside, or vomiting all over the floor. This picture is realistic if the wine He made was alcoholic. The author of this article however does not believe that this is the case. The wine the Lord made was without a doubt non-alcoholic wine (ie. grape juice)
“WINE” IN THE BIBLE COULD BE EITHER ALCOHOLIC OR NON-ALCOHOLIC. Vineyards were extremely prevalent in Palestine, and the wine from them was a part of the staple diet of the Hebrews. Generally when wine is mentioned it has no sinful connotations. Wine could be drunk freely by the Israelites. It was to be offered to the Priests as drink offering, and abundance of wine was considered to be a great blessing (Deut. 7:13). The prosperity of the Land of Canaan was measured by the size of its grapes (Numbers 13:23). In His parables, Christ often likened the church (kingdom) to vineyards (Luke 20:9; Matt 21:28). He even likened Himself to a vine, and His father to a vine dresser (John 15:1-4) Non alcoholic wine (grape juice) is referred to in many contexts It made the heart glad and face shine. (Psa 104:15). It was among the “first fruits” Neh 10:37, it was even called “wine” while still in the cluster (Isa 65:8), and was “gathered” with summer fruits (Jer 40:10). It was "wine" while it was in the wine press (Isa 16:10). In these examples it is clear that the wine was non-alcoholic.
Sometimes wine was a blessing, other times it was a curse. Intoxicating wine is never used in a good sense in Scripture. Evil is always associated with it Wine is a mocker and deceiver, (1 Prov 20:1) . It is a deadly poison that men of God should not even look upon. “ “biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder” ( Prov 23:31-32)The death penalty was imposed upon the priest who drank any of it before entering the Tabernacle (Lev 10:9-10.) The priests and prophets erred in judgment and vision because of wine. (Isa 28:7). Israel were not even permitted to give their neighbour a drink of wine (Hab 2:15.) Notice in all the above verses it is the consumption of the wine itself that is condemned, not just the amount.
It is not suggested in this article that God's people in the Bible never drank wine. It is only claimed that drinking alcohol is never condoned.. Man of God's people erred through wine. Noah displayed his nakedness (Gen 9:21), and Lot committed incest (Gen 19:32-38), and the context of Leviticus 10:1-10 indicates that wine was most probably the cause of Nadab and Abihu offering “strange fire before the Lord” and being consumed by fire by God, for it was immediately after this incident that the Lord made drinking wine before religious duty in the Tabernacle punishable by death.
Many sincere Christians abstain from drinking alcohol themselves, but say they cannot teach that the Bible condemns consumption of alcohol. This philosophy comes from a misunderstanding of Scripture, makes it impossible to stop the drinking problems in the church. Let us look at some Scriptural reasons why we as Christians should abstain from drinking alcohol.
ALCOHOLIC WINE ASSOCIATED WITH EVIL “Abstain from all appearance of evil.” --- 1 Thessalonians 5:22. It is undeniable, and statistically proven that alcohol is the root cause of the majority of crimes against society: such as road accidents, rapes, murders, broken homes, poverty, and divorces. It brings misery and shame to all those who become addicted to it. “abstain” means “hold ones self from”. Since alcohol is associated with evil, the Christian must abstain from it.
ALCOHOL IS WHAT CAUSES ONE TO GROW DRUNK Eph. 5:18 “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;” (“Drunk” in this verse is the Greek word METHUSKO which “signifies to make drunk, of grow drunk (an inceptive verb which marks the process of the state of being drunk” (Vine). The the New Testament not only forbids drunkenness, but also beginning the process of becoming drunk. It therefore forbids drinking, even in “moderation”, because the first glass is the beginning of the process.
IT DESTROYS YOUR HEALTH. Overwhelming evidence is available from various sources to show that alcohol does irreparable damage to the body. Especially affected is the brain and liver. Pregnant women are advised by many sources to totally abstain during pregnancy lest they send toxic (poison) to their baby. A Christian's body belongs to God (1 Cor 16:19-20). Thus a Christian who wilfully destroys his body is robbing God!
ALCOHOL DESTROY the CHRISTIANS INFLUENCE FOR GOOD. The disciple of Christ is to be “the salt of the earth” and “the light of the world” (Matt 5:13-16). What would others think of our “Christianity” if they knew we partook of alcoholic beverages? Even those in the world can see the inconsistency of a Christian drinking alcohol.
ALCOHOL INTOXICATES YOUR BRAIN. The Bible commands us to be “sober” (1 Thessalonians 5:6,8; 2 Tim 4:5; 1 Pet 1:13). The Greek word for “sober” is “Nepho”. which means “to be, sober, temperate, abstinent, especially in respect of wine), sober minded, watchful, circumspect.” (Bullenger's lexicon). We can see by this that God wants us to be clear headed at all times. If therefore you cherish your health, your home, your influence, your soul, and your life, stay away from alcoholic beverages!!!|
let us notice in conclusion that the miracle “manifested His glory” and had the primary purpose of causing His disciples to believe in Him (John 2:12). If the wine made by Christ had been alcoholic, it could not have done this. Christ was sinless, and He is is the perfect example for us to follow. It is inconceivable that he made an abundance of alcoholic beverage for a feast already “well drunk” with wine.
Recently I saw a sign in a restaurant, stating the Australian law which places a heavy fine on anyone serving alcohol to anyone who appears to be drunk. I could not help but think how those who contend that Jesus made alcoholic beverage are making charging him with this offence.
Are you among those who have assumed that Jesus made Alcoholic wine for the feast at Cana? If so, then perhaps this article has helped you to see this in a different light. May God bless you in the further study of His word.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Very Busy in 2009
Finishing up class work on upcoming doctorate program at my Alma Mater.
Look for it during the 2010 class load at SVBC.
New Study to begin this spring on the Tabernacle. We will look close at the Tabernacle and all its glory pointing to Christ. It is full of Symbolism and typology all pointing to Christ.
Soldier of the Cross Outreach on Friday nights and Saturday visitation and witnessing is beginning to catch on. Already this year 14 persons have given their lives to Jesus Christ. Looking forward to warm weather and another baptism at the lake.
Several ministry announcements:
Youth Department will be having an outing on March 14th for the kids leaving the church around 10 am. Lunch at Chic-Fila and then to a movie.
Prayer List:
"Aunt Lou" Powell - LBC
Jean Hadley - Stockbridge Ga.
John Stephens - Cataract Surgery - Special Need
Pastor Rey Awatin - Tribes In Asia - on fundraising trip to USA.
Macedonia Baptist Church - Sold their building and are in the midst of moving to a new location off Brown Road near New Springs / Cromer Foods area.
Blackwell family
Wiles Family - Passing of Jerry Wiles
David Blackwell Jr. Special Need
Jessica Maxwell Clark - ALabama National Guard - Preparing for Deployment to Afghanistan
Trey Gump - Deployed in Iraq US-Army
President Obama
Nations Leaders
POW-MIA's - Still serving / Not forgotten
Citizens of and the City of Hartwell Ga.
Nation of Israel
Pastor's Son to Marry in May. (See Photo above)
Dr.& Mrs. Thomas C. Maxwell, D-Min and Mr. & Mrs. Richard Sharpe announce the engagement of their children. Joshua C. Maxwell and Katrina L. Sharpe.
Josh and Katrina were engaged in December and are planning a ceremony set for May 23rd at Anderson's First Baptist Church.
Josh is a graduate of Tri-County Technical College and is the Law Enforcement Co-Ordinator on Staff at NewSpring Community Church in Anderson. Katrina is a 2008 Honors Graduate of Clemson University with a B.A. in nursing. She is an R.N. employed at AnMed Health. They will reside in the Anderson / Clemson Area.
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