Written by: Christopher Sernaque
Dear Reader,
He had every reason to hate them. They had robbed him. Robbed him of home. Stolen his family. These intruders took away everything and everyone, including himself. He walked at the same pace as the rest of them, not exactly skipping, but not exactly crawling. He traveled at the pace one would expect someone to move at as they marched into slavery, as fast as the wipe drove him. His name was Daniel. This young-man of Israel went on to become one of the most respected men in the Babylonian society that had captured him. How is it that Daniel became admired in the nation that had conquered his own? Israel was defeated. Israel was captured. Daniel put His faith in the Almighty. Daniel was captured, but not captivated by Babylon.
Before he found himself in a den full of lion’s jaws, he had a full cup of wine pressed to his lips. Daniel’s captors had the speculation that a diet subsisting of wine and meat would perfect the psychical and mental strength of their newly acquired servants. Along with his companions, Daniel chose to put his life in jeopardy than swallow even one drop of the King’s wine. “But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself…with the wine which he drank: therefore, he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.” (Daniel 1:8-16)
I share Daniel’s goal. I like to hope that, were I in his shoes, I would act just as nobly. Christ Jesus Ministries goal is to teach and preach the Truth because it is only the Truth that saves. An article was released by Christ Jesus Ministries called, “Wine is a Mocker.” Upon the publishing of the article on Facebook, the article was met with grandstanding by a commentator who shamed the author for encouraging sobriety. Ironically, the author of “Wine is a Mocker” was mocked by someone defending the “Christian” practice of the consumption of alcoholic beverages! Intoxicated mocking, perhaps? Nonetheless, even though I wrote a follow up response article, my thoughts are still dwelling on the subject. Why would anyone want to turn away from the council given in the Scriptures regarding the consumption of fermented wine or any other intoxicating liquid? To return to the example of Daniel, his soberness enabled him to experience physical, mental, and Spritual invigoration. (Daniel 1:17-21) Why would anyone cast those blessings to the wayside? That question can be answered in a variety of manners. Some drink because they believe it is a practice that Christ Jesus endorsed. Others drink away their sorrow. Still more drink because they were pressured into doing so by their peer group. There are those who drink socially, habitually, moderately, dependently, addictively, sorrowfully, and hypocritically. Regardless of the reason for drinking, each drop of alcohol tends toward the same end.
Death, the end result of sin, is the very process by which alcohol is made. (Romans 6:23)
Fermentation, essentially a process of decay, is what gives rise to alcohol. Intoxication, mocking intoxication, has roots that go back to hell and death. To continue to tout the benefits of the fermented beverage is to put forth self-deceptive self-destruction. (Proverbs 20:1) Drunken riots can have you caught up in the moment, only to eventually ruin your sense of self-respect for the rest of your life. (Prov. 23:20:21) Imagine how much you could conceivably respect yourself after being violated by your son after getting drunk. That is exactly the scenario that the ark builder found staring him in the face. Noah lost his clothes, sense of modesty, and eventually lost apart of his dignity to his son after partaking of fermented wine. (Genesis 9:21) That is one of the earliest recorded instances of alcohol leaving someone with dissatisfaction and regret when it promised comfort and solace. Alcohol is an impetus to sin. (Isaiah 5:11) Fermented wine causes judgment to blur just as much as the victim’s vision. (Isaiah 28:7) Forgetting why you have a purpose in life goes along with forgetting the law of God after drinking fermented wine. (Proverbs 31:4-5) Broken bottles and broken bank accounts go together. (Proverbs 23:21) Your sorrow and misery will make you want to drag everyone else down with you as you contend. (Proverbs 23:29-30) That is why fermented wine was forbidden, not just to drink, but to even look at. (Ephesians 5:18, Proverbs 23:31) God loves you and He wants you in Heaven. Addiction to alcohol is a jail-cell, a far cry from the mansion that Christ Jesus is preparing for you in Heaven. (1 Corinthians 6:10, John 14:2)
Although sent from Heaven, He found Himself sent away on earth. Unwelcomed by some and persecuted by others, you would think that Christ would do all that He could to retain whoever decided to follow Him. Undeterred by the prospects of becoming unpopular Christ commanded His followers to partake of His blood, both publicly and at the Passover. After His public declaration caused an offense amongst His followers, so much so that many decided to abandon their Christian experience, you would think Christ would not repeat that command. Unashamedly, He did so at the most pivotal moment of His life. He was about to be betrayed and He wanted His disciples to grow closer to Him. Thus, He invited them to drink of His blood, symbolized by grape juice. The wine could not have been fermented, as it was the New Wine which would prepare his disciples, in that upper room, and down through the ages for the New Heaven and New Earth. (Matthew 26:17,26,28,29, John 6:54) The pure grape juice Christ gave to His disciples was the same grape juice regarded as a choice drink. (Deuteronomy 32:14) Unfermented wine gladdens the heart. (Psalm 104:15) Unlike alcohol, which leads to misery, grape juice cheers both God and man and has medicinal qualities. (Judges 9:13, 1 Timothy 5:23) Just as the pure juice of the grape has medicinal properties, Christ bore our infirmities. (Isaiah 53:4-5) Jesus came to heal us from sickness and provide ultimate forgiveness for our sins. (Matthew 8:16-17, 1 Peters 2:24, 3 John 2)
I share Daniel’s goal. I like to hope that, were I in his shoes, I would act just as nobly. Christ Jesus Ministries goal is to teach and preach the Truth because it is only the Truth that saves. An article was released by Christ Jesus Ministries called, “Wine is a Mocker.” Upon the publishing of the article on Facebook, the article was met with grandstanding by a commentator who shamed the author for encouraging sobriety. Ironically, the author of “Wine is a Mocker” was mocked by someone defending the “Christian” practice of the consumption of alcoholic beverages! Intoxicated mocking, perhaps? Nonetheless, even though I wrote a follow up response article, my thoughts are still dwelling on the subject. Why would anyone want to turn away from the council given in the Scriptures regarding the consumption of fermented wine or any other intoxicating liquid? To return to the example of Daniel, his soberness enabled him to experience physical, mental, and Spiritual invigoration. (Daniel 1:17-21) Why would anyone cast those blessings to the wayside? That question can be answered in a variety of manners. Some drink because they believe it is a practice that Christ Jesus endorsed. Others drink away their sorrow. Still more drink because they were pressured into doing so by their peer group. There are those who drink socially, habitually, moderately, dependently, addictively, sorrowfully, and hypocritically. Regardless of the reason for drinking, each drop of alcohol tends toward the same end.
