God, The Lord Jesus Christ says: Proverbs 20:1
Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.
So when Paul told Timothy to "Stop drinking only water and use a little wine" (1 tim 6:23), he was telling the Pastor of a church to be a mocker? Was Paul decieved? or is Proverbs talking about one who gets drunk on wine?
Furthermore, was Christ then sinning when He instituted the Last Supper?
I have enjoyed your previous responses, Julie, but you are creating your own doctrine based on one verse, not on Scripture as a whole. Proverbs also says,
"Give beer to those who are perishing, wine to those who are in anguish; let them drink and forget their poverty and remember their misery no more." Proverbs 31:6-7
Was not Christ a king and priest, and did He not drink? then there must be another meaning to the quoted verse.
Leviticus 10:8-11 And the LORD spake unto Aaron, saying, Do not drink wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations: And that ye may put difference between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean; And that ye may teach the children of Israel all the statutes which the LORD hath spoken unto them by the hand of Moses.
Jesus was and is not a levitical priest...he is a priest in the high order of Melchizedek (who also drank wine...see Gen 14:17-19) (Heb 6)
"if perfection could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood, why was there still need for another priest to come--one from the order of Melchizedek,
not in the order of Aaron? foir when there is a change of the priesthood, there must also be a change of law." Heb 7:11
The levitical priests also had to be circumsized (see the entire book of Galatians), had to offer burnt offerings (see Heb 9-10), and had tons of food regulations (see Christ's own words in Matt 5:15)
My sister, you are grossly misquoting Scripture.
Today believers are called priests.
YES! We are priests of the High God in the order of Melchizedek, like our Savior, Christ Jesus! We are not bound by the Jewish ceremonial system (the Old Covenant), as evidenced by the destruction of the Temple by God after Christ's sacrifice made the Old Covenant obsolete. (again, see Heb 10)
1 Peter 2:5-12 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed. But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.
Amen! I love Peter's epistles because he lays it down so hardcore! We can allow no sin to dominate, nor even remain in our lives...and we've been given "the Word of the prophet's made more certain" (2 Peter 1:19) so that we can be certain what is sin and what is not. Alcohol is both uplifted in moderation and condemned in excess by the Bible.
If a Christian decides not to drink, I support their choice. Yet, it is false teaching to tell others that the Bible commands otherwise. We who teach will be judged more strictly, so we must be careful to watch our doctrine closely, lest we be proved liars by the Word of God.
As to marijuana...amen VOW. Our bodies our the temple of God...to pollute our bodies is to disregard their value. Inhaling smoke which ruins the lungs and distorts the mind semi-permanently is hardly keeping oneself pure for the day of judgment. (For those who want to say alcohol pollutes the body, they need to clarify...it only harms us when used in excess (when it's abused), and used moderately has been shown to be healthy.)
Good question...tough answers...can we accept Scripture whollistically?
Peace to all who seek it,
<><