Alcohol - a world wide phenomena

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Christians should drink alcohol ...

  • Only once in a great long while, and only for special occasions chosen by God.

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • In any amount, at any time, for God placed no restrictions on the drinking of alcohol.

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • ???, I don't know if or when God allows the drinking of alcohol, as I am still studying this out.

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Can only drink alcohol when in God's service or ministry.

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    29
O

Oblio

Guest
Sounds interesting. I remember when I used to fish and that cotton would get on my line. Toronto has a type of cottonwood that also has an oddly sweet smell to it.
 

John146

Senior Member
Jan 13, 2016
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contextually that's clusters that remain long after the harvest when people are thinking about pruning back the vines.
so those are grapes which have naturally begun to ferment, being unplucked, being partially exposed to oxygen from broken skin, and containing natural yeast.


it's not fresh, ripe grapes - overripe ones that have been previously overlooked.
That’s in the context? I missed it.
 

posthuman

Senior Member
Jul 31, 2013
37,844
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My brother tried to take his own life with a steak knife, cutting his wrist vertically, and then tried to fight off the cops and medics who were called in to help him, all the while he was under the evil influence of alcohol. He was forcibly detained and bleeding out, but they managed to save him, and emergency stitch up a shredded artery at the ER. He still bears the scar, and had to go to physical therapy to regain muscle control. I find absolutely nothing funny about alcohol, at all.

He isn't the only anecdotal story I could share either.
probably every single one of us have stories like this, and if we don't, we either haven't lived long enough or paid enough attention.

but you can't blame that on the alcohol.
things like drugs and alcohol do not cause a person's heart to sin - they only remove inhibition to sin, and cloud judgement.

alcohol is not root cause. it is a contributing factor to things in people's hearts being openly expressed that they may have otherwise only expressed internally, but the root cause is in the heart. have a good look again at Matthew 5.

certainly it is worse to commit murder than it is only harbor hatred in your heart, but it is still sin even if it is not physically manifest in the deed.
 
O

Oblio

Guest
probably every single one of us have stories like this, and if we don't, we either haven't lived long enough or paid enough attention.

but you can't blame that on the alcohol.
things like drugs and alcohol do not cause a person's heart to sin - they only remove inhibition to sin, and cloud judgement.


alcohol is not root cause. it is a contributing factor to things in people's hearts being openly expressed that they may have otherwise only expressed internally, but the root cause is in the heart. have a good look again at Matthew 5.
certainly it is worse to commit murder than it is only harbor hatred in your heart, but it is still sin even if it is not physically manifest in the deed.
"Nothing that enters a man from the outside can defile him; but the things that come out of a man, these are what defile him.” - Mark 7:15
 

posthuman

Senior Member
Jul 31, 2013
37,844
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That’s in the context? I missed it.
yes

As the new wine is found in the cluster,
and one says, ‘Do not destroy it,
for a blessing is in it,’
so will I do for My servants’ sake,
that I may not destroy them all.
(Isaiah 65:8)
someone says, 'do not destroy it'
why would anyone say vines full of fresh grapes at the time of harvest should be destroyed?


and in the context of the whole chapter, in the opening stanza God says He is found by those who did not seek Him - a reference to the bringing in of the Gentiles. then we have much written about the sin & idolatry of Israel, which is 'bad fruit' - i.e. He has gone out to harvest from them, and found only things that have rotted on the vine, or produced nothing.
then the chapter closes by speaking of the new creation


so contextually, we are overall talking about after Israel has been examined and found without good fruit. i.e. after harvest time.
and we are talking about a vinedresser having in mind to destroy or at least cut back the vine - not something done while it is full of fresh grapes.
and we are talking about a certain situation, not an everyday occurrence, when the state of a cluster of grapes makes one consider throwing them away. when does that situation occur? certainly not when they are fresh and full.
when they have begun to ferment on the vine.


it is that 'new wine' being found in the grapes that one man says 'destroy it!' but another says 'no, it is a blessing'
this makes zero sense if we're talking about fresh ripe grapes.
it makes perfect sense if we're talking about grapes which are beginning to naturally ferment into alcoholic wine.
 

tourist

Senior Member
Mar 13, 2014
42,598
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69
Tennessee
it's true that little is a relative term

for the folks who are under the untenable impression that Biblical wine has zero or nearly zero alcohol content, i suppose the recommendation is to be read as a great number of liters -- tho i am thinking that would result in bladder pain?

perhaps Paul's advice is just to give young Timothy a different problem, so he forgets the first :unsure:
It would be a good thing to be able to forget the things of the past and it would be even a great thing to learn from mistakes, seek forgiveness and then start moving forward in humble service of the Lord. Apparently, the advice given to Timothy would result in numbing the pain. That would not be an altogether bad thing either depending on the circumstances.
 

Magenta

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2015
60,349
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Yeah the Jews were never known to meticulously wash things ... Oh, wait a minute ...
"Now then," said the Lord, "you Pharisees clean the outside of the
cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness."


Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the
cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee!
First clean the inside of the cup and dish, so that the outside may become clean as well.


Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs,
which look beautiful on the outside, but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones
and every kind of impurity. In the same way, on the outside you appear to be righteous,
but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.
 

Sipsey

Well-known member
Sep 27, 2018
1,481
695
113
It would be a good thing to be able to forget the things of the past and it would be even a great thing to learn from mistakes, seek forgiveness and then start moving forward in humble service of the Lord. Apparently, the advice given to Timothy would result in numbing the pain. That would not be an altogether bad thing either depending on the circumstances.
That was one of my favorite things said by Paul in Philippians 3;

13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,

14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

I don’t think it means to literally forget, but to place those memories in their proper place, for them not to have have undue influence, but only serve to mark our progress.
 

tourist

Senior Member
Mar 13, 2014
42,598
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69
Tennessee

posthuman

Senior Member
Jul 31, 2013
37,844
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"Winebibbers" = alcohol drinkers
every definition i can find says a 'winebibber' is specifically someone who habitually drinks a lot of wine, akin to 'lush' or 'toper' or 'sot' -- while it may technically mean 'one who drinks wine' there is a very clear insinuation attached.
it's not referring to anyone who simply drinks any amount of alcohol, ever.

it would not be correct to call you a glutton because you ate a small meal, just like it would be inaccurate to say someone who had 2 glasses of champagne at a wedding two years ago qualifies as a functional alcoholic.

when they called Jesus a winebibber, the implication was '
He's always drunk!'
not '
we saw him sip a glass of wine one time!'
 
O

Oblio

Guest
If need be, easing physical pain is a good thing. However, numbing emotional pain is what I call the definition of addiction. That's how I see it, but I'm far from knowing everything.
 
O

Oblio

Guest
It wasn't until I was in my 40s that I learned that I could eat a lot to get a glow that numbed inner pain. In a short time, I put on 60 pounds.
 

John146

Senior Member
Jan 13, 2016
17,131
3,689
113
yes

As the new wine is found in the cluster,
and one says, ‘Do not destroy it,
for a blessing is in it,’
so will I do for My servants’ sake,
that I may not destroy them all.
(Isaiah 65:8)
someone says, 'do not destroy it'
why would anyone say vines full of fresh grapes at the time of harvest should be destroyed?


and in the context of the whole chapter, in the opening stanza God says He is found by those who did not seek Him - a reference to the bringing in of the Gentiles. then we have much written about the sin & idolatry of Israel, which is 'bad fruit' - i.e. He has gone out to harvest from them, and found only things that have rotted on the vine, or produced nothing.
then the chapter closes by speaking of the new creation


so contextually, we are overall talking about after Israel has been examined and found without good fruit. i.e. after harvest time.
and we are talking about a vinedresser having in mind to destroy or at least cut back the vine - not something done while it is full of fresh grapes.
and we are talking about a certain situation, not an everyday occurrence, when the state of a cluster of grapes makes one consider throwing them away. when does that situation occur? certainly not when they are fresh and full.
when they have begun to ferment on the vine.


it is that 'new wine' being found in the grapes that one man says 'destroy it!' but another says 'no, it is a blessing'
this makes zero sense if we're talking about fresh ripe grapes.
it makes perfect sense if we're talking about grapes which are beginning to naturally ferment into alcoholic wine.
What's the difference between wine and new wine? Are they both fermented? Or is just one older than the other...;)
 

John146

Senior Member
Jan 13, 2016
17,131
3,689
113
every definition i can find says a 'winebibber' is specifically someone who habitually drinks a lot of wine, akin to 'lush' or 'toper' or 'sot' -- while it may technically mean 'one who drinks wine' there is a very clear insinuation attached.
it's not referring to anyone who simply drinks any amount of alcohol, ever.


it would not be correct to call you a glutton because you ate a small meal, just like it would be inaccurate to say someone who had 2 glasses of champagne at a wedding two years ago qualifies as a functional alcoholic.

when they called Jesus a winebibber, the implication was 'He's always drunk!'
not '
we saw him sip a glass of wine one time!'
There is no doubt that God...scripture...calls wine a mocker. Scripture calls strong drink raging. Why put something in your body that God calls a mocker? Wine will mock you. Wine brings deception. I've never known anyone who could control it, not one.
 

Magenta

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2015
60,349
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Why put something in your body that God calls a mocker?
It is somewhat amazing how many times someone can be shown
something plainly, yet they remain steadfast in their inability to see it.
 
May 22, 2020
2,382
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no.

we cannot blame our sin on something we have eaten or drank -- it is not what goes into a man that defiles him.
we have culpability and are worthy of condemnation, because of what is in our hearts. not because of coca-cola.


no one suddenly gains a wicked heart because they eat potato salad, and no one becomes righteous by outwardly avoiding it.
Are you sure?
There is a world of difference in potato salad and alcohol. What a suggested contrast. One sided...isn't it?
Alcohol is not what Christ meant in His statement about food.
 

posthuman

Senior Member
Jul 31, 2013
37,844
13,558
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He makes grass grow for the cattle, and plants for people to cultivate— bringing forth food from the earth:
wine that gladdens human hearts, oil to make their faces shine, and bread that sustains their hearts.
just want to point out the chiasm here, because everyone loves symmetry:

three good things not processed:

  • grass
  • plants
  • food
three good things processed:
  • wine
  • oil
  • bread
trying to make 'wine' here mean simple grape squeezings does not fit. it's pattern-breaking.
 
May 22, 2020
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I saw a video awhile back where a woman had a gasoline-drinking problem. That, I'd imagine, would qualify as sin. I thought that would kill you! I remember as a kid siphoning gas out of the car for the lawnmower and getting a mouthful. I never imagined someone would do that on purpose!

There must be different gases, because vehicle gas in a small amount swallowed will kill you.