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The usual
conception among Christians is that a Christian should be an teetotaller,
i.e. completely avoiding drinking wine, beer and liquor. Read the bible
quotation below.
On
the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee,and the mother
of Jesus was there. Now both Jesus and His disciples were invited
to the wedding. And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus
said to Him: "They have no wine." Jesus said to her, "Woman,
what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come."
His mother said to the servants. "Whatever He says to you, do
it." Now there were set there six waterpots of stone, according
to the manner of purification of the Jews, containing twenty or thirty
gallons apiece. Jesus said to them, "Fill the waterpots with
water." And they filled them up to the brim. And He said to them,
"Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast."
And they took it. When the master of the feast had tasted the water
that was made wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants
who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the
bridegroom. And he said to him, "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 2:1-10
Jesus obviously
accepted drinking of wine, since he made wine from water for the wedding
guests. He probably still accepts it. It was not exactly juice he made
from the water in the pots.
No
longer drink only water, but use a little wine for your stomach's
sake and your frequent infirmities.
1 Tim 5:23
And
do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled
with the Spirit.
Eph 5:18
The later
quotation only implies that you should not drink a lot of wine. So far
the headline shows an established misunderstanding. The only exceptions
from this is priests, Nazirites, kings and princes, according to the
following four quotations.
Then
the Lord spoke to Aaron, saying: "Do not drink wine or intoxicating
drink, you, nor your sons with you, when you go into the tabernacle
of meeting, lest you die. It shall be a statute forevere throughout
your generations, that you may distinguish between holy and unholy,
and between unclean and clean."
Lev 10:8-10
No
priest shall drink wine when he enters the inner court.
Ezek 44:21
Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: "When either
a man or woman consecrates an offering to take a vow of a Nazirite,
to separate himself to the Lord, he shall separate himself from wine
and similar drink; he shall drink neither vinegar made from wine nor
vinegar made from made from similar drink; neither shall he drink
any grape juice, nor eat fresh grapes or raisins."
Num 6:2 - 3
It
is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, Nor
for princes intoxicating drink Lest they drink and forget the law,
and pervert the justice of all the afflicted. Give strong drink to
him who is perishing, and wine to those who are bitter of heart. Let
him drink and forget his poverty, And remember his misery no more.
Prov 31:4 - 7
Bishops
should not drink wine, though, according to the quotation below.
A
bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate,
sober-minded, of good behaviour, hospitable, able to teach; not given
to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome,
not covetous;
1 Tim 3:2 - 3
God encourages
though the others of us to drink wine, due to the following two quotations.
Go,
eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart; For
God has already accepted your works.
Eccl 9:7
The
Lord will answer and say to His people, "Behold, I will send
you grain and new wine and oil, And you will be satisfied by them;
I will no longer make you a reproach among the nations.
Joel
2:19
As an example
of another misconception, sanctioned by usage, might be mentioned that
in the 1960's the Pentecostalists considered watching TV as a sin. These
days it is not considered so. Now it seems to be completely accepted.
These days that is probably considered to be one of misconceptions of
the sixties' considering watching TV as a sin. Now it seems that the
misconceptions of the 2000's should count. The misconception in the
headline has been present for a very long time though. At the feast
in the mountain of Zion, for all peoples, we will be offered wines,
according to Is 25:6. Furthermore Luke 22:15-18 implies that we will
be offered wine in heaven. What will the attitude of those who now are
teetotallers, be towards that matter?
And
in this mountain, The Lord of hosts will make for all people A feast
of choice pieces, A feast of wines on the lees, Of fat things full
of marrow, Of well-refined wines on the lees.
Is 25:6
Then
He said to them, "with fervent desire I have desired to eat this
Passover with you before I suffer; for I say to you, I will no longer
eat of it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God. Then He took
the cup, and gave thanks, and said, "Take this and divide it
among yourselves; for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit
of the wine until the kingdom of God comes."
Luke
22:15-18
It is far-fetched
stating that Jesus did not share the wine with the disciples.
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