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| BLESSING IN THE CLUSTER |
Be Sober!
> BE SOBER! (1/4)
From replies to-- Subject: Drank, Drunk, Drunken
>Curious Questioner> In I Corinthians 11:21 Paul says that during the Corinthian communion "one is hungry and another is drunken." Not to say that Paul was condoning drunkeness, which the Bible prohibits. It is clear that the Corinthians used fermented wine at the communion supper.It is clear that Paul REBUKED them for their sinful wickedness and obviously many of them were drinking "the cup of devils" instead of "the cup of the Lord." Be not deceived, as were some of them.
>CQ> Paul said that he "recieved from the Lord that which also I delievered unto you." So obviously Paul had taught them what to drink.The -good- example in his epistle was of those that "did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ." (see Deut.32:4,14,31)
>CQ> Why did Paul not then tell him in his letter not to use fermented "fruit of the vine?New wine does not ferment in the CLUSTER. True disciples ABIDE in the True Vine to bring forth much fruit. So many many illustrations throughout the scriptures of the true uncorruptible pureness of the new wine that is a blessing, but wicked men rather choose the old wine leavened with alcoholic spirits of corruption of fermentation.
"For their rock is not as our Rock, even our enemies themselves being judges. For their vine is of the vine of Sodom, and of the fields of Gomorrah: their grapes are grapes of gall, their clusters are bitter: Their wine is the poison of dragons, and the cruel venom of asps." (Deut.32:31-33)
The CORRUPTION of alcoholic wine has NOTHING to do with the PURE blood of the grape which is the true type of the blood of Christ, for he never saw corruption. His blood is pure & holy & PRECIOUS!
Ye were not redeemed with corruptible things: But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. God help you to see the difference. Gird your loins with the truth. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your heart. Amen. --Richard
> BE SOBER! (2/4)
>>>>RC> "Now the works of the flesh are manifest... drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which DO such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God." (Gal.5p)
>>>CQ> But, in those days they drank alchohol. I do not see how one can refute it honestly.>>RC> You see that many people since the time of Noah have given themselves over to spirits of alcohol. Christians are supposed to "be sober."
>>RC> "Wherefore be ye 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; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." (Eph.5:17-20)
>CQ> Look at Jewish tradition. Haven't the Jews used real wine in the Passover for thousands of years?From the beginning it was not so, for you will find no mention of wine at the first passover, for they were to gird up their loins and be sober, ready to -depart- at a moment's notice. When there were drink offerings with their sacrifices, they were POURED OUT, not drunken; and that was sweet wine for a "SWEET savour" offering.
>CQ> Did Jesus alone drink juice?At the last passover: "And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves: For I say unto you, I will -not- drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come." (Lk.22:17,18)
Even at the well of Jacob, although he asked drink of the Samaritan, you can NOT find where he received any drink. They talked briefly, and he told her of the living water that he gives, and she left her waterpot, and went to bring the men of the city out.
When he was crucified, they offered him vinegar mingled with gall, but after he tasted it, he refused to drink it. At the last, he was given a cup (spunge) full of vinegar, and he RECEIVED it and died. ("The cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?")
The Lord Jesus -never- allowed himself to be possessed by the evil spirits of alcohol: Trust in the Lord and the power of his might! The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen. --Richard
> BE SOBER! (3/4)
>CQ> But Paul did exhort Timothy to drink wine for his stomach's sake.Both Paul and Timothy understood that total abstinence was an essential qualification for the ministry. The fact is plain that Timothy, in strict accordance with the direction, "not given to wine," was an abstainer. The recommendation to "-use- a little wine", is an exceptional case, and strictly medicinal as is evident. (Unlike cane sugar, grape-sugar does not need to go through any conversion process in the body to gain the healthful benefit, and was a common cure for stomach problems in those days.)
Pliny, Columella, Philo, and others, state that many of the wines of their day produced "headaches, dropsy, madness, and STOMACH COMPLAINTS", so obviously that is -NOT- the kind of wine that Paul was recommending. On the other hand, NonAlcoholic wine (grape juice) is good for stomach ailments, as Athenaeus says: "Let him take sweet wine (glukus), either mixed with water or warmed, especially that called protropos, as being very good for the stomach."
According to Pliny, protropos was: "Mustum quod sponte profluit antequam uvoe calcentur." (The must which flows spontaneously from the grapes.) Or as it is defined in 'Greek and Roman Antiquities', "That which flowed from the clusters, in consequence of their pressure upon each other, to which the inhabitants of Mytelene gave the name protropos."
Immediately before Paul gave Timothy that instruction, he had said, "keep thyself pure."(1Tim.5:22p) Obviously then, Paul was exhorting him to use the PURE blood of the grape, not alcoholic wine which causes stomach problems. (Shame on any drunkard who would stoop so low as to twist Paul's words to justify your own wickedness.)
>CQ> Ok. Suppose you were in a foreign country. You were among Christians in a church. They offer you communion. You do not know whether the wine is fermented what do you do?Taste and see. ("Cannot my taste discern perverse things?") When they offered Jesus vinegar mingled with gall, he "tasted", but did NOT receive it (Matt.27:34). When they offered him wine, he did NOT receive it (Mark 15:23). He refused "the cup of devils", but did receive the non-alcoholic cup that the Father gave him (John 19:30).
"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world." (1Pet.5:8,9)
> BE SOBER! (4/4)
>>RC> The new wine which is found in the cluster is non-alcoholic.
>Curious Questioner> If new wine is not alcoholic, why were the apostles at Pentecost accused of being drunk on new wine?"Others -mocking- said, These men are full of new wine." (Act.2:13)
Well, Friend, do you see why? They were mocking! You can NOT get drunk on new wine anymore than you can get drunk on fresh milk.
"Thus saith the LORD, As the new wine is found in the cluster, and one saith, Destroy it not; for a blessing is in it: so will I do for my servants' sakes, that I may not destroy them all." (Isa.65:8)
>>RC> "Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise." (Prov.20:1)
>CQ> "...wine maketh glad the heart of man..." Ps 104:15Friend, Look at the context: "He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth -food- out of the earth; And wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and oil to make his face to shine, and bread which strengtheneth man's heart." (Psm.104:14,15 - Author's Version - AV1611)
The glucose and vitamin G in pure grape juice, and the vitamins in whole wheat bread, are necessary for a healthy heart. The passage is speaking not only of literal food, but spiritual food as well. (But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God.)
>CQ> It is the *misuse* of wine, not its use which is condemned.Wine is a generic word that means juice of the vine. In the Bible, that word is used for grape juice and for corrupt fermented wine. (SPICY -sweet- juice of the pomegranate is "wine" too! SOS.8:2p :)
Proverbs 23:29-35 describes the evil fermented wine and the text says plainly: "Look -not- thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright." Even LOOKING upon it is not only misuse, but clearly forbidden.
Remember that Jesus is the Lord and receive the love of the truth. The grace of the Lord Jesus be with your HEART. Amen. --Richard
(-15 Please see MILK of the GRAPES! next. Thanks. :)
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