YOU HAVE TO READ
THIS!
Christ said: “But I say unto you, I will not
drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new
with you in my Father's kingdom” (Matt. 26:29). I find this thing about
‘fruit of the vine’ interesting...He
did not call it alcohol. More so, Jesus turned water to wine and not alcohol.
Wine does not necessarily mean alcohol. We all know there are fruit wine as
well as alcoholic wine...it’s choice! But certain choices can mar.
The
Old Testament was not completely abolished. I will try and explain briefly.
There have been several dispensations, and lately the dispensations of the law
and then now the dispensation of grace. The law itself was not perfect and had
flaws, and that was one reason Jesus came, to make right the flaws of the laws
of the Old Testament. It is written, “For what the law could not do in that it
was weak...God did through Jesus” (Romans 8:3). Reading through Hebrews 7:9, it says: “For
the law made nothing perfect; on the other hand, there is bringing of a better
hope, through which we draw near to God”. We have a better covenant in
Jesus and not the old law.
Agreed,
alcohol might have been allowed in the Old Testament and as a component of the
law which allowed people to drink and then bring animal sacrifices for
cleansing afterwards. Hebrews 10:8: “Sacrifice and offering, burnt offerings,
and offerings for sin You did not desire, not had pleasure in them (which are
offered according to the law)”.
But when Jesus came and died, He offered His life...“He had offered one sacrifice for
sins forever” (Hebrews 10:12). We were born into a new covenant of life
by His death: “By a new and living way which He consecrated for us” (Hebrews
10:20), and therefore the days of the acceptability of alcohol passed away.
It looks complex, but it is the mystery of a new life in Christ Jesus, where
old things (including alcohol) have passed away, and all things become new.
I’ld
like you to understand that Jesus lived in the era of the dispensation of the
law...it was at His resurrection that the power and influence of the law
ceased, and a new life of grace was birth. Jesus lived while the law was still
operational and things were acceptable. And that was why issues like the
attempted stoning of the adulterous woman, eating with unwashed hands, etc came
up...and even perhaps the issue of alcohol and others. But after resurrection,
the law ceased and grace took effect! And it is under this dispensation of
grace that me and you became “kings and
priests”.
In
the Old Testament (and the dispensation of the law), not everyone was a king or
priest, only some few selected had the privilege. And it was very specific that
those who were kings and priest should not drink wine or strong drink. There is
no dispute about that. So, it could have been permissive for other people who
were not kings and priests. This was the life of the law. Why should kings and
priests not drink alcohol? It was unholy and unclean. It thus means that those
who drank were unclean and unholy, but they had the privilege under the law to
be made clean once they go to the priest and offer a sacrifice for sin. Indeed,
the law allowed sin to thrive.
But
Jesus came; He made perfect the flaws of the law (of the Old Testament), and
offered his life for sin once and for all. And if He left us in our former
estate, then we could make an argument for alcohol and other things permissible
under the law, but He made us “kings and
priests”: “And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be
glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen” (Revelation 1:6; 5:10). And
on this note, many things (including alcohol) that were hitherto characteristic
of the old life (of the Old Testament and the law) have become such that they
should not be mentioned among us as becometh saints: “But fornication, and all
uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh
saints” (Eph. 5:3). Alcohol is unclean and has no place in the new life
that we have in Christ Jesus.
If
truly we say we are kings and priests (except we deny our new status in God),
then the instructions are there: ‘kings and priests should not ingest alcohol’,
quantity irrelevant here.
Finally,
it sounds more like a personal conviction thing, and that is the prayer, that
God will give individuals personal convictions and encounters. Many of us have
our stories and testimonies. I was a victim (of alcohol) as a teenager who had
met Christ but went back into the world living in backsliding. There are others
whom I also know. But one thing is real, Jesus broke that yoke in our lives
many years ago, and it is over forever!
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