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Alcohol: Difference between revisions
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Alcohol refers to a fermented or distilled intoxicating beverage containing ethanol. During the period known as Prohibition, from 1919 to 1933, it was illegal to manufacture, transport, or sell alcoholic beverages in the United States. | Alcohol refers to a fermented or distilled intoxicating beverage containing ethanol. During the period known as Prohibition, from 1919 to 1933, it was illegal to manufacture, transport, or sell alcoholic beverages in the United States. | ||
The State of Indiana had already declared prohibition in 1916 when William Branham's father started operating a moonshine still. As a child, William Branham witnessed the drunken actions of the men and women who | The State of Indiana had already declared prohibition in 1916 when William Branham's father started operating a moonshine still. As a child, William Branham witnessed the drunken actions of the men and women who frequented his father's speakeasy. William Branham claimed that a voice spoke to him as a child, while he was hauling water used to cool the still, and said: ''"Don't ever drink, or smoke, or defile your body in any way. There will be a work for you to do when you get older."'' | ||
Throughout his recorded sermons, William Branham spoke harshly against drinking - especially against Christians engaging in these activities. | Throughout his recorded sermons, William Branham spoke harshly against drinking - especially against Christians engaging in these activities. | ||
So is drinking really "defiling your body" as William Branham preached? | |||
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|''Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days'' (Colossians 2:16)|- | |- | ||
|''Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days'' (Colossians 2:16) | |||
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Note of their instructions asked the Gentile Christians to abstain from alcohol. | Note of their instructions asked the Gentile Christians to abstain from alcohol. | ||
William Branham said, ''"Cussing, swearing, drinking, that's not sin; that's the attributes of sin."'' <ref>March 26, 1953, William Branham </ref> However, Jesus was a king and a priest, and he drank and created wine. Jesus was also the sinless, spotless lamb of God. If drinking is a sin, then Jesus was not a perfect sacrifice. So William Branham was wrong and drinking is not sin or an attribute of sin. Drinking just means you are drinking, just like driving means you are driving. It is the purpose of what you are doing that defines your actions. | |||
===A Separated People=== | ===A Separated People=== | ||
William Branham said that he was "born under a Nazarite birth", similar to how John the baptist was instructed to "drink neither wine nor strong drink" (Luke 1:15). However, William Branham did not observe the strict rules of a Nazarite in his lifestyle. Some examples of this include: | William Branham said that he was "born under a Nazarite birth", similar to how John the baptist was instructed to "drink neither wine nor strong drink" (Luke 1:15). However, William Branham did not observe the strict rules of a Nazarite in his lifestyle. Some examples of this include: | ||
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As such, William Branham simply shunned alcohol and did not live under a Nazarite vow. | As such, William Branham simply shunned alcohol and did not live under a Nazarite vow. | ||
Some people in the Bible who did shun alcohol include: | |||
#The Children of Israel in the wilderness, who did not have any wine or strong drink so that they would know that "I am the Lord your God" (Deuteronomy 29:5-6). | |||
#The prophet Daniel also abstained from wine, so that he would not "defile" himself, (Daniel 1:8). | |||
#The prophet Jeremiah then brought wine to the sons of Jonadab, and instructed them to drink (Jeremiah 35). They refused because of a vow they had made to their father, and Jeremiah blessed them for keeping their vow. | |||
#John the Baptist did not drink wine. | |||
===Communion and Restoration=== | ===Communion and Restoration=== | ||
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===Immorality and Perversion=== | ===Immorality and Perversion=== | ||
Innocence and wine do not go hand in hand. Which is why Hosea says ''Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart.'' (Hosea 4:11) | Innocence and wine do not naturally go hand in hand. Which is why Hosea says ''Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart.'' (Hosea 4:11) | ||
*''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.'' (Deuteronomy 32:32-33) | *''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.'' (Deuteronomy 32:32-33) | ||
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*''Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; that continue until night, till wine inflame them! And the harp, and the viol, the tabret, and pipe, and wine, are in their feasts: but they regard not the work of the LORD, neither consider the operation of his hands.'' (Isaiah 5:11-12) | *''Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; that continue until night, till wine inflame them! And the harp, and the viol, the tabret, and pipe, and wine, are in their feasts: but they regard not the work of the LORD, neither consider the operation of his hands.'' (Isaiah 5:11-12) | ||
*''And they have cast lots for my people; and have given a boy for an harlot, and sold a girl for wine, that they might drink.'' (Joel 3:3) | *''And they have cast lots for my people; and have given a boy for an harlot, and sold a girl for wine, that they might drink.'' (Joel 3:3) | ||
Alcohol can lead to despair just like driving a car can lead to an accident. | |||
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===Summary=== | ===Summary=== | ||
Drinking is not a sin, or Jesus could not have been the spotless lamb. If you were raised in the prohibition of the Message, that sentence may take some time to process. What is condemned in the scriptures is drinking to excess (getting drunk) because it leads to actions that could negatively impact you and others. So any caution in the scriptures not to get drunk is for your benefit. | |||
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