Congregation Book Study, April 17-23, 2023, Lesson: 43, Answers.
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Congregation Bible study (30 min.): lff lesson 43.
1. Is it wrong to drink alcohol?
It is not, what is prohibited is excessive drinking to the point that the person reaches a state of drunkenness. Obviously, each person has more endurance than another, and no one knows himself better than himself, which is why each person knows when he should stop drinking alcohol.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
It is not wrong to drink alcohol nor does the Bible prohibit it, almost the opposite, in Psalm 104:14,15, it tells us that it is a gift of so many that Jehovah has given us, like enjoying his creation, wine, from the vine it is part of his creation and he has given it to us as a gift that we appreciate by making good use of it.
Apart from a gift from God as we have seen, 1 Timothy 5:23 tells us that alcohol can even be good and recommended for health and not get sick very often. And it is that many doctors currently recommend the intake of a glass of wine alcohol a day for the bacterial flora of the stomach
The Bible does not say that it is wrong to drink alcohol. Rather, it speaks of wine as one of the many gifts that God has given us. On the other hand, 1 Timothy 5:23, the apostle Paul advised Timothy to drink wine for his stomach ailments. So when used well, wine can even be considered a provision from God.
2. What does the Bible advise those who decide to drink alcohol?
He advises them to use it in moderation, because drunkenness is obviously condemned by God, but excessive drinking in a way that affects our sensitive abilities and continuously is also condemned, which is why Galatians 5:21 tells us not to be among those who they drink a lot of wine.
ADDITIONAL COMMENT
The Bible advises against excessive drinking. In other words, do not drink beyond what can be tolerated, since this can mean losing control of our actions and our good judgment, and because it is also harmful to health.
3. How do we show respect for the decisions of others?
Being respectful people, respect implies accepting the decisions of others, whether they want to drink wine or not. In no case can we judge or pressure for one thing or another.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
We show respect for the decisions of others, when we do not judge those who choose to drink alcohol in moderation, and when we do not pressure someone to drink alcohol when they have chosen not to.
We cannot judge the decisions of other people, and even less with something that the Bible does not prohibit or force such as drinking alcohol or deciding not to do so. Now, if a brother or sister drinks excessively or gets drunk, we should not judge them either, but we should help them, always through the Bible and in the hands of Jehovah and the elders.
4. Decide whether or not to drink
What does this account teach us about how Jesus views alcohol and those who drink it?
Jesus, as the Bible says, considers wine a gift from God that you have to know how to use. Not like the people at the banquet, who first tasted the good wine and then, already drunk, they drink anything because they don't notice it. Therefore, we see how it is valued to consume alcohol in a respectful way.
ADDITIONAL COMMENT
In this story we are taught that Jesus does not see bad alcohol consumption. Hence, his first miracle was to turn water into good quality wine at a wedding.
Since Jesus did not condemn the consumption of alcohol, what should a Christian think of someone who decides to drink?
A Christian who decides to drink alcohol must keep in mind that God is only honored by making good use of alcohol, not allowing it to affect our sensory abilities.
ADDITIONAL COMMENT
We should not judge who decides to drink. As we have seen, as long as alcohol is drunk in moderation, it will not be frowned upon by Jehovah or Jesus. Doing it that way is also not something the Bible condemns.
Now, just because a Christian can drink alcohol doesn't mean it's always wise to do so. Read Proverbs 22:3 and discuss whether it would be safe to drink in the following situations:
You are going to drive a vehicle or machinery.
In both cases, it is not prudent because accidents can be caused that affect ourselves or other people. There is even a risk of loss of life or serious injury.
It is a pregnant woman.
Pregnant women should not consume alcohol, because they put their health and life at risk, and especially the health and life of the baby they are carrying.
The doctor recommended that he not drink alcoholic beverages.
In this case it is not prudent to drink alcohol either, because you put your health at risk by disobeying this medical recommendation.
It is difficult for you to control how much you are going to drink.
In this case, it is not only imprudent to drink alcohol, but it is also dangerous to do so, since you can easily fall into excesses or get drunk.
The law does not allow you to consume alcohol.
If the law does not allow the consumption of alcohol, we must obey. Otherwise, we are ignoring a law of Jehovah that indicates that we must respect the authorities that he himself has set.
You are with someone who has decided not to drink alcohol because they had a drinking problem in the past.
In these circumstances it would not be prudent to drink alcohol in front of this person, since we could become a stumbling block for him and cause him to relapse.
Should you serve alcoholic beverages at a wedding or other social event?
As we saw in the video, we have to be balanced people and analyze the situation in a broad context. It is not prohibited to serve alcoholic beverages, but perhaps establishing certain limits could be appropriate, or depending on the people who attend, it should be removed or restricted. The search for Biblical principles discussed in the video must revolve around the question: “What could happen if I serve alcoholic beverages, will it be a happy event or will we disappoint Jehovah?
Read Romans 13:13 and 1 Corinthians 10:31, 32. After reading each text, discuss the following:
How can this principle help you make a decision that will make Jehovah happy?
Romans 13:13 gives a clue, and that is that every Christian has to behave decently. If I use alcoholic beverages, will I be able to maintain this behavior or is there a chance that I won't? If there is even the slightest doubt, the decision to make is clear.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
1 Corinthians 10:31,32. All we have to do is to glorify God. We know that God does not like drunkenness or excessive drinking, if there is a possibility that consuming alcohol will make us fall into one of the above situations, the decision is clear.
Jehovah's servants, no matter where we are, must behave decently and do everything in a way that gives honor and glory to Jehovah. That is, we must not allow him to tarnish his holy name because of our conduct.
5. Decide how much to drink
Read Hosea 4:11, 18 and discuss the following:
What can happen when a person drinks too much?
Excess wine or alcohol as Hosea 4:11 says can take away the desire to do what is right. That is, it can cause us to not be in our normal mental faculties and the tendency to natural human sin can lead to worse consequences than excess alcohol.
ADDITIONAL COMMENT
What can happen is that this person's judgment is clouded and they begin to do things that are bad in the eyes of Jehovah, they could even fall into serious sins.
Read Proverbs 11:2 and discuss the following:
Why is it a good idea to set a clear limit on the amount of alcohol you will drink?
This is very important and we are going to divide it in two. First, we must not drink or do what someone else does. Because, Two, each person has their own limit to withstand alcohol in the blood. And nothing better than ourselves to know how far to go and when one more drink means an excess of alcohol for our body.
ADDITIONAL COMMENT
Jehovah asks us to be modest. And among modesty is being clear about our limitations. So setting a limit to the amount of alcohol we are going to drink is not only a good idea, but also a demonstration of wisdom. The reward will be having a clear conscience and not having to repent later for what we have done.
6. Escape from the clutches of alcohol
VIDEO: “I came to hate the life I led” (6:32)
What effect did alcohol have on Dimitri's behavior?
Dimitri, when he was drunk, was a totally different person, his character changed and he was always angry instead of how cheerful and happy he was. Even with aggressive behavior.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
Alcohol affected Dimitri's behavior in such a way that it made him change completely. His wife mentions that he would get angry and pay no attention to her.
Did you manage to stop drinking on the first try?
No, such a habit is difficult to break and there may be relapses along the way, which does not mean that all is lost. The Bible helped him, although at first he rejected its help, in the end he resorted to it and little by little the Word of God took effect on him to such an extent that he set the goal of not drinking alcohol until he read the entire Bible, it lasted 7 months.
ADDITIONAL COMMENT
Although he set out to stop drinking, he failed on the first try. His wife says that every time he stopped reading the Bible he started drinking again, and whenever this happened it was very difficult for him to start again.
How did you manage to quit drinking once and for all?
He had relapses where he stopped reading the Bible and drank alcohol and found it difficult to read it again. Until he came to understand that he could only cope with this situation with Jehovah in his life, and for that, he has to approach God and constantly seek him as he finally did.
ADDITIONAL COMMENT
He was only able to achieve this when he became aware that he could not achieve it on his own, and that instead he needed Jehovah's help. In this way he was how the Bible changed his life and now he can say that he is a happy person.
Read 1 Corinthians 6:10, 11 and discuss the following:
Is it so bad to get drunk? Because?
Yes, because as we have seen, drunkenness makes us lose control of our lives, and not only ourselves and Jehovah suffer, but all the people around us.
ADDITIONAL COMMENT
Yes, getting drunk is very serious because the Bible clearly says that drunkards will not inherit the Kingdom of God. That is, the drunkards will be destroyed forever.
How do we know that someone who has a drinking problem can change?
If Dimitri could, we all can, because if we do our part, God's will accompanies us and will be the support, the outstretched hand that we need through the Word of God and the Bible to stop and fight against this habit.
ADDITIONAL COMMENT
We know this because from the past we have examples of Jehovah's servants who before knowing him had many vices, including drunkenness and excessive alcohol consumption. But the Bible tells that they changed. So today, someone who has a drinking problem can also change.
Read Matthew 5:30 and discuss the following:
With this example of cutting off a hand, Jesus wanted to teach that sacrifices must be made to have God's approval. If you are trying to quit drinking, what steps can you take?
We have to cut the drink as the text tells us to cut a body member. How do you do this? Ending everything that reminds us of drinking, the environment, relationships, conversations that revolve around it, any iota that can return us to drink.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
A good measure is to fully adapt to situations that may lead us to drink alcohol again. If the situation is very serious, then the measure is to seek professional help.
Read 1 Corinthians 15:33 and discuss the following:
What effect might hanging out with people who drink too much have on you?
If a person is not spiritually strong and already has a tendency to like drink, they can fall into the same trap as these people and end up drinking excessively or getting drunk.
ADDITIONAL COMMENT
We know that bad companies damage good customs. So hanging out with someone who drinks too much can be harmful. This bad company could make us stumble and even without realizing it we could end up copying bad drinking habits.
WHAT SOME ASK: "What's wrong with drinking?"
What would you say?
There is nothing wrong with drinking alcoholic beverages as long as it is in moderation and with respect for ourselves and others. In this way we value the gift that God gave us through wine, for example.
ADDITIONAL COMMENT
Although the Bible does not forbid the consumption of alcohol, it does forbid excessive drinking and getting drunk. Falling into these excesses is harmful to us in many ways and is also considered by Jehovah as a serious sin.
Review
Jehovah has given us alcohol to enjoy, but he condemns drunkenness and excessive drinking.
What does the Bible say about alcoholic beverages?
The Bible tells us, especially about wine, that it is a gift from God and that alcoholic beverages are not bad and can even be beneficial for our health, but it does not force us to drink wine either, but it does prohibit excess intake of alcohol.
ADDITIONAL COMMENT
The Bible does not say that it is wrong to drink alcohol. Furthermore, he speaks of wine as a gift from God. Even the apostle Paul advised Timothy to drink a little wine to improve his stomach problems. But the Bible advises that we should not drink too much in order not to lose control of our actions and our good judgment.
What are the consequences of drinking too much?
The consequences can be very serious because we lose control of our lives, we will not only hurt ourselves but everyone around us due to multiple factors, from character and behavior to health problems and the most serious, spiritual health. that can be completely lost.
ADDITIONAL COMMENT
Health is lost, the well-being of others is put at risk and bad things can be done in the eyes of Jehovah. Even serious sins can be committed.
How do we show that we respect the decisions of others about alcoholic beverages?
Not judging their decisions, whether they want to drink alcohol in moderation or choose not to. We should not force either one situation or the other, because both are fine and it is the decision of each person. Likewise, we respect others who have a problem with alcoholic beverages if we don't drink at the time or don't talk about it if it might cause a stumbling block.
ADDITIONAL COMMENT
Each person is free to decide whether to consume alcohol or not. If you choose to consume it in moderation, we won't judge. And if you choose not to drink alcohol, we won't pressure you to do so. In this way, we will be showing that we respect the decisions of others about alcoholic beverages.
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