Quote:
Originally Posted by Preacher
An interesting scripture that I don't think has referenced yet:
Proverbs 23
31 Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright.
32 At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder.
Now you can go a couple of different direction with this and I welcome others opinions on this scripture. This is strictly my opinion, but I have always felt that this scripture went along with Jesus turning water into wine.
Now it says not to look upon the wine when it's red, so this tells me it's OK to look upon before it's red. Of course, when the wine moveth itself, this is obviously the process of fermentation.
I've always understood this verse to say that wine is OK before it's fermented but not after. This verse has always led me to believe the wine Jesus made was unfermented wine.
Again, only my opinion. |
I had to go through 36 posts to find where somebody referenced this scripture in
Proverbs 23. The Hebrew meaning of the words "Look" is:
Quote:
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary
7200. ra'ah
ra'ah raw-aw'
a primitive root; to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive, intransitive and causative):--advise self, appear, approve, behold, X certainly, consider, discern, (make to) enjoy, have experience, gaze, take heed, X indeed, X joyfully, lo, look (on, one another, one on another, one upon another, out, up, upon), mark, meet, X be near, perceive, present, provide, regard, (have) respect, (fore-, cause to, let) see(-r, -m, one another), shew (self), X sight of others, (e-)spy, stare, X surely, X think, view, visions.
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In other words, this verse is saying "have no experience with" "don't even consider it", etc. I seriously doubt that Jesus would create something He tells us not to have experience with and not to even look at. Also
Proverbs 20:1--Wine is a mocker--don't tell me that Jesus would create something that mocks and deceives. The word "wine" in the Bible is a generic word--it doesn't always mean "fermented"---it can mean "unfermented" (fruit of the vine) depending on the context. "Wine is a mocker" (
Proverbs 20:1) is not the same "wine" which Jesus gave to His disciples at the Last Supper.
I'm new to this forum, but not to forum boards. Every Christian forum board I've posted on has one or more threads about "Should A Christian Drink Alcohol" or "Is Alcohol A Sin", etc. Why do Christians want to hang onto the world in this one area (drinking) and desire not to "conform to this world" in all other areas? Just keep as close to the edge of the cliff without falling off.
I was married to a drunk for almost 20 years before he committed suicide by over drinking--his death certificate said he died of "acute ethanol toxicity"--and he professed Christ and even went to church. He said it was okay to "drink in moderation"---whatever that means. He used all the Bible verses I see around these forum boards to justify his use of alcohol, and I don't need to repeat them, you all know to which ones I refer.
Four times out of the twelve times that the word "sober" is mentioned in the New Testament, the definition is "to abstain from wine" (that would be "fermented" wine). The word "sober" in those four verses is the Greek word "nepho" (
1 Thessalonians 5:6, 8;
1 Peter 1:13; 5:8). It is clear by the Word of God that the Christian believer is to "abstain from all appearance of evil" (
1 Thess. 5:22) ; coupled with the four verses mentioned above and the pattern in which Christ commanded us to walk, it is clear that we are to abstain from alcoholic beverage.
IT ISN"T LEGALISM to desire to live a HOLY and SEPARATED life unto the Lord. I'm not telling anyone what to do--to drink or not to drink. I'm simply sharing what the Holy Spirit has taught me in the matter of drinking alcohol and through much Bible study and self-examination, I believe the Word of God teaches total abstinence from alcohol.