Can Wine be Habit Forming? (Eph. 5:18)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 7/4/2019 9:29 AM

 

My Worship Time                                                                              Focus: Is it Habit Forming?

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                 Reference:  Ephesians 5:18a

 

            Message of the verse:  “Don’t get your stimulus from wine (for there is always the danger of excessive drinking)” (Philips). 

 

            We have to think about habit forming addictions as we continue looking at the drinking of wine for believers, and in this case for all people.  We can form good habit forming additions like taking the time each day to read and study the Word of God, or perhaps having a prayer time each day with the Lord.  Perhaps exercising your body each and every day is another good habit to get into.  However there are additions that people can get into that are not at all good for them, such as alcohol or drugs as both of them can even cause one to go to an early grave.

 

            Paul writes on what we could call additions in 1 Corinthians 6:12b “but I will not be mastered by anything.”  This clearly can be applied to the dangers of alcohol addiction.  MacArthur adds: “In addition to the alcohol’s direct clouding of the brain and disruption of bodily functions, the dependency itself distracts the attention and interferes with the judgment of the one who is addicted.

 

            “A Christian not only must avoid the sin but must avoid the potential for sin.  We should not allow ourselves to get under the influence or control of anyone or anything that leads us away from the things of God even to a small extent.  The safest and wisest choice for a Christian is to avoid even the potential for wrong influence.

 

            When we look at what Paul wrote in 1 Corinthian 6:12b I believe that we can take from that short passage that Paul did not want to set any bad examples that perhaps weaker believers would think were okay to follow.  Paul may be able to handle things like having a glass of wine from time to time, but he would probably not do it because a new or weaker believer my try this and then become addicted to it.  As believers we must not do things that could cause another believer to stumble.

 

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  I have a friend of mine who has stated a number of times that he at times fears doing something that could cause a young believer to fall, and I would agree with him on this point for myself.

 

My Steps of Faith for Today:  I continue to trust that the Lord will teach me humility.

 

Scripture verse that goes along with yesterday’s quotation from Corrie Ten Boom is from John 16:33 “Theses things I have spoken to you, that in Me you have peace.  In this world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”   

 

7/4/2019 10:00 AM