ALCOHOL: ADDICTION VERSUS MILD CONSUMPTION

Harry’s been working all day, too exhausted to eat his dinner so he slouches on the sofa as though he’s caught some fever; fatigue is taking a toll on him! The next moment his mobile buzzes, he picks the phone to see it’s Tony calling, he becomes keen all of a sudden one could almost think it was some promotional good news. Tony says “I’m headed to the bar, would meet you there” Harry jumps off like he’s been suddenly called for a long anticipated interview! He would drive off 6 miles away just to booze! His wife insists on knowing where he’s going, he says he’d be right back before she knows it. It’s now quarter past 7 in the evening, she keeps quiet and stares helplessly, it’s not the first time he’s doing this, it would be 1 the early hours of the morning before he gets home in a half imbecilic state, making Mr Bean look like Einstein! Then the drinking-to-stupor cycle would begin all over by the setting of the morrow. His is a hopeless case she thinks to herself. His is sheer addiction!
Josh is far too decent and disciplined, he’d drink only occasionally; only at a friend’s party or at the traditional marriage feast. He would never have more than a bottle chilling in the refrigerator to which only once in a while does he take a gulp. He never gets pass being tipsy. He always knows how to hold his liquor and when to shut out the bottle. He’s the ideal man when it comes to taking alcohol; he’s only a mild consumer at that!
Two painted scenarios of Harry and James gives us an idea of the upper and lower limits of alcohol consumption by those who indulge.
The 1 million dollar question is;
“IS ALCOHOL COMPLETELY BAD OR IS IT A MATTER OF THE DEGREE OF INTAKE?”
The question has been as controversial as it gets as far back as I can remember till I was tired of hanging in-between lines, those who told me it was bad seem to have just accepted the dogma without any convincing reason as to why I shouldn’t take alcohol. Those who said I should take alcohol but only mildly, couldn’t convince me pass a shabby interpretation of “Proverbs 1 vs. 20”so I decided to ask the Holy Spirit for His own interpretation. The KJV of the scripture makes it clear in:
Matthew 7 vs. 7 “…seek and you shall find…” in:
Jeremiah 33 vs. 3 “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.”
Here’s the truth I found in the scriptures:
TRUTH 1
The Levites were among the first group of persons given the instruction to abstain from alcohol as it is not for Priests to take strong drinks.
Leviticus 10 vs. 9 “Do not drink wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: [it shall be] a statute for ever throughout your generations:”
The bible also made it clear in;
Proverbs 31 vs. 4 “[It is] not for kings, O Lemuel, [it is] not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes’ strong drink:”
From the instructions given to the Levites who are priests and the advice given to king Lemuel, it therefore becomes imperative that strong drinks are not for Priests’ or for Kings to consume or meddle themselves with. The grey area is “but I’m not a Priest or a King or at the least, it doesn’t appear so!” Well, here’s what the bible says in First peter 2 vs. 9;
“But ye [are] a chosen generation, a Royal Priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people…”
The phrase “Royal Priesthood” clearly indicates that all Christians to which you are a part of, are Kings as in ‘Royal’ and Priests as in ‘Priesthood’. It therefore applies that Alcohol (strong drinks) is not for you if you are to enjoy the spiritual benefits of being a King and a Priest. If this scripture doesn’t still appeal to you, then let us look at Revelations 5 vs. 10;
“And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.”
Here in this verse of scriptures, it appears clearly that Jesus by His dead in the cross has redeemed us to be Kings and Priests, so if we were once alcoholics of any degree before our salvation, we would have to stop if we are to enjoy that reign on earth!
Some say if that’s the case, then why did Jesus change water to wine? Grape wine comes in two forms; fermented and non-fermented. Fermented wine appears lots of time in the bible sometimes called strong drink and at other times merely as wine. The non-fermented wine which could clearly be called grape juice is what ensues when fresh grapes are pressed before fermentation is carried out. If we agree that Jesus Christ was in the beginning with God as John 1 vs. 1 state, then Jesus would clearly be in agreement with the code given to the Kings and Priests. How would Jesus in all His holiness break the very code He created by converting water to alcoholic wine? Would it be that He did that because He didn’t want to fall-the-hands of those present in the marriage or because He wants to ingratiate the celebrities?! Of cause not, Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever! Glory to God!
TRUTH 2
The bible says in James 5 vs. 10;
“Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example…”
If I was to ask you to walk up to a man of God you respect for his fruits be he a brother, a pastor, a prophet or whatever title and ask him to advise you on whether to consume alcohol or not, what do you sincerely think he’d say? Let’s come home and make reference to the prophets we know, if you were to walk up to Pa Adeboye (Daddy G.O) or Bishop Oyedepo (Papa) and ask their advice on the matter, what would they suggest to you? I bet you know the answer already!
Let us follow the examples of these ones who are ahead of us in the faith should in case we find ourselves in a controversial situation. At the worst case; if taking alcohol will not get me to hell, not taking it will also definitely not get me to hell, but I can’t say so for the reverse so it’s better to stick to the safe side! Glory to God!