Again, the inceptive verb shows drunkeness is a process. A process has a beginning point, inception point and with the process of drunkeness it is the first drink.
There is not any verses in the NT of Jesus or Apostles saying social drinking is acceptable. Again, in Eph 5:18 Paul is condemning the PROCESS of drunkeness which includes the frist drink one takes as much as the last drink and every drink inbetween. Drunkenness is a matter of degree not a destination one eventually reaches after having some number of drinks.
1 Peter 4:3 Peter is referring back to the former life the old man of sin lived who indulged in "
lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries". Peter is condeming drinking in 3 varying degrees/amounts. Excess of wine means just that where a person drinks so much maybe in passed out. Revellings refers to a wild party where one drinks and loses his inhibition acting foolishly. At the time of King James a banquet was something they would have after eating a meal sitting/standing around conversing while sipping on drinks. There is no set amount, it can refer to small amounts up to large amounts. The verb form of banquet (poto) is in Matthew 10:42 (to drink) and is associated with an amount small as a cup:
I Peter 4:3 and 'Social Drinking'
Christians are commanded to be sober (as in 1 Peter 5:8). The Greek word for sober is nepho with "ne" meaning not and "pho" meaning drink so nepho literally means "not drink".
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The Greek word nepho literally means “drink no wine” (The Complete Biblical Library). Vines Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words says it means “to be free from the influence of intoxicants.” The Theological Dictionary of the New Testament says it is the opposite of intoxication. Liddell and Scott’s Lexicon says it means “to be sober, to live soberly, especially to drink no wine.” Stephanus’s Thesaurus says “he who abstains from wine.” Bretschneider defines it as “I am sober, I abstain from wine.” The Greek Dictionary of Byzantius says nepho means “one who does not drink wine.” The Greek-French Lexicon says “abstinence from wine, sobriety.” Robinson’s New Testament Lexicon defines it as “to be sober, temperate, abstinent, especially in respect to wine.” Younge’s English and Greek Lexicon says it means “without wine.” Even Strong’s Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries admit nepho means “to abstain from wine, keep sober."
Drinking in the New Testament
Drink No Wine | Battle Creek Church of Christ
You said you "would vote no on that measure" yet you have no problem with social drinking. Why then vote no?
But back to my question for those that approved. Did their vote send the signal that their "right" to drink is more important than the death of 1000's of innocent men, women & children slaughtered/murdered at the hands of a drunk driver on the highways, the domestic violence and abuse at the hands of those who are drink/drunk, the deaths caused by alcohol are all
acceptable consequences? Drinking is more important to them than the consequences? I am to believe God is supposedly satisfied with these consequences?
