“Be not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is…and be NOT DRUNK with wine, wherein is EXCESS, but be FILLED with the Spirit” Eph. 5:17-18. Filled means “totally controlled”. How does one accomplish being totally controlled by the Spirit of God, when one has some of the other “spirit” in them???
I shudder to think of those weak folks, whom having read the OK for alcohol, will fall.
Lord help us to abandon all for Him in these last days.
In Deut. 14:22-27, the Lord instructed the Israelites on using their tithe to celebrate what would be called the Feast of Tabernacles when they got into the Promised Land. They were to bring their tithe the place He would name (Jerusalem) and hold a giant festival to celebrate His bountiful provision. In verse 24 He gave them permission to exchange their tithe for silver in their local towns if the tithe was too heavy to carry and if Jerusalem was too distant.
Then in verse 26 He said, “Use the silver to buy whatever you like: cattle, sheep, wine or other fermented drink, or anything you wish. Then you and your household shall eat there in the presence of the LORD your God and rejoice.”
The Lord clearly authorized the purchase and consumption of wine and other “fermented or intoxicating liquor” (according to the original language) for the purpose of celebration.
If, as I assume, you’ve been following this series of questions on the consumption of alcoholic beverages you’ve seen how Jesus created wine for an entire wedding banquet, (John 2:1-10) how He admitted to being a drinker of wine (Luke 7:34), and how he offered wine to His disciples to drink (Luke 21:17-18). You’ve read that Paul advised Timothy to take some wine for his stomach (1 Tim 5:23)
Now you see that God authorized the Israelites to buy and drink intoxicating beverages at the Feast of Tabernacles.
You’ve also read my repeated comments on the dangers of excessive drinking, which is the subject of your quote from Ephes. 5:17-18. And you’ve heard me say that the overuse of alcohol can lead to sin, that we shouldn’t use alcohol at all in the presence of anyone who would be tempted into overuse by our example, and that leaders should be especially circumspect in their use of alcoholic beverages.
What you haven’t heard me say that the Bible forbids it, because it doesn’t.