Drunkenness

“Drunkenness, the root of poverty and suffering plus”. “Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging - and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise” (Proverbs 20:1). We come across these words often as we do our daily readings but some of us fail to take notice of what they mean in our lives. It has come to light that even brethren and sisters can at times take excessive alcohol, forgetting what the Bible says. We have examples of Noah (Genesis 9:20-21) and Lot (Genesis 19:32-35).

Alcohol deadens self-criticism and lessens self-control; it makes fools of even clever people and undermines real happiness in family lives.

Drunkenness has caused:

a)      Poverty to many. “He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man, and he that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich” (Proverbs 21:17)

b)      Apostasy. “But they also erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way (that is, true Christian behaviour); the priest and prophet have erred through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, and they are out of the way through strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble in judgement” (Isaiah 28:7).

c)       “Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart” (Hosea 4:11).

d)      Violence, Proverbs 4:17.

e)      Sorrow and strife. Proverbs 23:29-30.

Drivers are causing many road accidents world-wide, because of the effect of alcohol on the brain. Its main effect is to slow down the activities of the nervous system. It depresses the higher centres of the brain, making people do everything less carefully, eg: reckless driving, laughing more, walking less steadily, careless at work. The result is a total disturbance of the human control system, even if taken in ‘small’ quantities; as some say, ‘One for the road and one for the memory’ (but that makes two pints of beer!).

Other things caused by strong drink, are such as broken marriages and senseless crime. Drunkenness is not a good habit for those who know the Truth. Why not read these verses as lessons to us all: Romans 13:13-14; Ephesians 5:18; 1 Thessalonians 5:6-7. The Bible warns that such people will not enter into the promised Kingdom to come.

Bro. Ambrose Tanyebana (Bulawayo, Zimbabwe)