Not All Things are Beneficial

NOT ALL THINGS ARE BENEFICIAL OR EXPEDIENT FOR BELIEVERS

By Ezekiel Kimosop

Is it permissible for a believer to indulge in alcoholic beverages or gambling? I have repeatedly come across this question on Facebook.

We have also extensively discussed on this forum in the past about dangers of addictive substances and ungodly practices.

Gambling is definitely not listed in the Bible as sin. However we can discern from our study of Scripture that its practice is ungodly. Those who choose to indulge in the practice are inviting Mammon, the god of money, to rule them. God expects us to earn our living from the work of our hands (cf. 1 Thess. 4:9-12). Someone said that the only place where success comes before work is in the English dictionary. How true!

My view is that gambling is decidedly evil. Every child of God should keep away from this addictive habits!

Now turning to alcohol and narcotics...

My view is that the consumption of any addiction substances is ungodly. They ultimately destroy our bodies which God gifted us and which are the temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 6:12-20).

I would classify alcoholic beverages, tobacco and narcotics in the same range.

I know someone will quickly cite several passages of Scripture to defend alcoholic consumption but that would amount to sheer proof texting rather than a faithful interpretation of Scripture. The illustrations of drunken people in the Bible are nothing to be proud about.

Noah drunk wine and in his drunken stupor he was unaware that he was naked! This is utterly shameful!

Elsewhere in Scripture, the daughters of Lot used strong wine to get their father into a drunken state and we all know what followed thereafter (Genesis 19).

The Bible condemns the brewer of wine because of the consequence of the business. It is a cursed trade. This condemnation extends to all ungodly businesses including sports companies that are daily luring young people into gambling addiction.

CONCLUSION

There are several practices we can observe from Scripture which should be avoided by believers.

For instance, the practice of polygamy is identified with some key biblical characters including Lamech, David and Solomon. Does this justify its practice? Of course not! God's idea of marriage is one man and one woman. Period. (Genesis 2:24; Malachi 2:16; Matthew 19:6).

The Bible admonishes us to judge all things and to cling to that which is good (1 Thess. 5:21). Paul taught that not all things are beneficial for our spiritual well-being. He chides "Food is for the stomach and the stomach is for food but God will destroy both" (1 Cor. 6:13).

Any substance or practice that results in addiction is therefore evil. It does not matter how appealing it is.

Think again...


Shalom





© Ezekiel Kimosop 2020