Where Did All the Drunks Go?
Whatever happened to the sin of drunkenness? Paul warned in Galatians chapter five those who commit “envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” The truth is, the Bible has not changed and neither has the will of God concerning this sin. What has happened? Secular arguments have explained away one of the most common and dangerous sins to ever afflict mankind. Let’s take a look at a few of these justifications.
“As Long As One Drinks In Moderation, It’s Okay”
Some see the solution to alcohol abuse and the problems associated with drinking linked to one’s ability to learn to drink responsibly or in moderation. Others believe the moderate habit of drinking a harmful and addictive drug to be something which cannot be learned. Earl L. Douglas wrote, “the moderate use of a habit forming drug is something that cannot be taught.” The attempt at moderate drinking has led many down the path to alcoholism. Not a single drunk on Skid Row meant to be there when he took his first drink. Every person who has become an alcoholic did so unintentionally by taking his first drink. Dr. A. D. Ivey has said, “When a person starts to drink occasionally, he or she takes a 1 in 9 chance of becoming a heavy or addicted drinker or alcoholic. There is no way of telling in advance which drinker will become an alcoholic.”
Many Christians who advocate moderation of drinking in a social situation, clearly admit that they do not know the limits or at one point one becomes drunk. This is something each individual has to determine. What the Bible is very clear to them about is that it becomes a sin when one is drunk. Exactly what determines drunkenness is also not obvious. Dr. Ralph Overman of the Oak Ridge Institute of Nuclear Studies said, “when you have drunk one drink, you are one drink drunk!” Moderate drinkers are trying to justify light drunkenness or being slightly intoxicated. They are trying to get as close to sin as they possibly can, enjoying it’s pleasures while not being held accountable. The truth is: one is as drunk as he drinks and that begins with the first drink.
Let’s suppose for a moment that one could figure out how to drink in moderation. They still would need to consider the influence they are having on others. This would especially apply to those who are weak and cannot drink in moderation. Is that responsible drinking?
Some even compare over-drinking with over-eating, but have you ever heard of a man having a third piece of cake and then get in his car and wreck, killing an innocent family. One must eat to live. One can live a healthy life without ever drinking a drop of alcohol. One must eat and that eating and drinking of food (alcohol is not a food) must be done in moderation or else it is the sin of gluttony. Drinking alcohol is a sin (1 Peter 4:3). What other sins can one condone if they are done in moderation: adultery, murder, fornication, sorcery, drug abuse?
The responsible drinker often has the self-confidence concerning his ability to drink in moderation that he thinks: “Drunkenness and becoming an alcoholic. That will never happen to me.” Paul warns, “therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall” (1 Cor. 10:12).
“In Our Culture Drinking Has Become Socially Acceptable”
A Dr. Morris Chafetz wrote, “Alcohol is here to stay and people must learn to develop a healthy attitude toward it.” He believes this can be accomplished by giving elementary school children small glasses of a little sherry in water. Lying, stealing, cursing, murder, fornication, and drugs are here to stay, so should we help society develop a healthy attitude toward these. Right and wrong is not determined by culture. It was acceptable in Nazi Germany to abuse and kill Jews, but that did not make it right. It was still murder. If drinking is the sin of drunkenness at what point does it become socially acceptable? At what point does it stop being a sin? Is it right when it comes legal? Again a great many things in history and even in countries of today are legal, but this does not prove they are approved by God.
“Prohibition Did Not Work”
Even Christians have argued that buying alcoholic beverages should be legal “because if people can’t get it legally, they will find a way to get it illegally.” But there was a time in this country when very strict laws were in effect. In December the Eighteenth (Prohibition) Amendment passed both houses of Congress and became a part of the United States Constitution when 75% of the forty-eight states ratified it by January 1919. After thirteen years in February 1933 the Prohibition Amendment was removed by the ratification of the Twenty-First Amendment known as the Prohibition Repeal. This is often given as proof that laws cannot be made against drinking alcohol or drug use. It is assumed all Prohibition accomplished was more deaths and drunkenness and crime. However the truth from the pages of history tell a different story. During the thirteen years of prohibition crime decreased 54%; the death rate due to alcohol decreased 43%; 97 of the 98 “Kelly Alcoholic Clinics” closed; insanity decreased 66% and all sixty “Neil Cure Clinics” closed for lack of patients afflicted by alcoholism. Now consider what happened after the repeal of Prohibition: drunkenness increased by 350%; crime increased rapidly; and today 60% – 70% of all traffic accidents are alcohol related. Legalization did not solve the problem. It only made the problem more available. Ed Harrell use to tell his history class at the University of Arkansas that he knew how to make it stick. “Execute everyone who makes, sells, and drinks it.” Keep in mind that regardless of whether man-made laws are effective in holding individuals accountable for their actions and encouraging good choices of behavior, God will hold everyone accountable on the Day of Judgment (2 Cor. 5:10).
“Alcoholism is a Disease”
The sin of drunkenness, which is found and condemned throughout the scriptures from Genesis to Revelation, has disappeared. In it’s place is a sickness or disease causing individuals to drink irresponsibly – alcoholism. So, how can any descent human condemn another person just because he is suffering from a disease?
Where is the proof of this disease? It is a physical malady which leads to many diseases of the body. Have they found a alcoholic gene in the DNA of humans? Have they developed a test to show which drinkers will become alcoholics and those who will be able to drink it moderately? Have they found a virus or a mutation or a bacteria or a certain brain chemistry that is the cause? God is all knowing. He would have known of these. Why didn’t He just treat it like a sickness instead of a sin? Cancer is a disease, but if you cause it by smoking then you are guilty of bringing it upon yourself. Alcoholism is also a self-inflected disease.
Many today are rejecting the idea that alcoholism is a disease. In the article, “Alcoholism – A Disease of Speculation” by the Baldwin Research Institute, the following observations are made: History and science have shown us that the existence of the disease of alcoholism is pure speculation. Just saying alcoholism is a disease, doesn’t make it true. Nevertheless, medical professionals and American culture enthusiastically embraced the disease concept and quickly applied it to every possible behavior from alcohol abuse to compulsive lecturing and nail biting. The disease concept was a panacea for many failing medical institutions and pharmaceutical companies, adding billions of dollars to the industry and leading to a prompt evolution of pop-psychology. Research has shown that alcoholism is a choice, not a disease, and stripping alcohol abusers of their choice, by applying the disease concept, is a threat to the health of the individual. The disease concept oozes into every crevice of our society perpetuating harmful misinformation that hurts the very people it was intended to help. Remarkably, the assumptions of a few were accepted as fact by the medical profession, devoid of any scientific study or supporting evidence. And soon after, the disease concept was accepted by the general public (see http://www.baldwinresearch.com/alcoholism.cfm ). Alcoholism can be easily be avoided by everyone. That is, if everyone chooses never to drink alcohol. Solomon in his great wisdom, warned, “do not look on the wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it swirls around smoothly; at the last it bites like a serpent, and stings like a viper” (Proverbs 23:32,33). Do you hear what he said? Do not even look at it! Solomon is not saying it is okay to drink alcohol so long as you are blindfolded.
– Daniel R. Vess
News & Notes
● Morning’s Lesson: Astonishing Rejection of Jesus Texts: Matt. 13:54-58; Mk. 6:1-6
● Contribution Scripture: John 3:16
● Tonight’s Lesson: The Myth of the Jesus Myth
● Children’s Bible Drill tonight after services.
● Gabe is out of town this week for work in San Antonio.
● Arthur is in Jamaica visiting family.
● Jarrett Fontenot come forward last Wednesday night requesting prayers.
● Martha Fontenot has taken London to Minnesota to leave her with her family. Martha will return toward the end of the week.
● Sign up sheets for Communion Prep and Building Clean-up are in the foyer
● A wrongdoer is often one who has left something undone, but always one who has done something wrong.
● Some people spend a whole lifetime developing one part of their body – their wishbone.
● How much a man knows is of no importance; what matters is what he knows, and what he does with what he knows.