Contentment

This talk is narrow in scope, focused on being content with temporal things.

Contentment

Proverbs 30:8b-9

Perhaps the biggest SCAM in professing Christianity is the health and wealth movement. From ancient times people have associated being healthy and wealthy as having God’s favor and being ill or poor was a sign of His judgment. This was the foundation of Job’s counselors, and it was why Jesus’ disciples responded as they did when Jesus told them it was easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. They were astounded, and asked “Who then can be saved?” (Luke 18:26)

Being healthy and/or wealthy is not sinful, we are to not TRUST in these things but use them in service to God and His people. Contentment with what we’ve been allotted in this world is a goal for each child of God – it takes learning and is often taught with trials and successes.

As He drew near to the end of His earthly ministry, the Lord Jesus began speaking plainly to them about the Father and the trouble this world brings. John 16:20-31. When Paul said he had learned to be content, it was founded on this rock of comfort: in this world we will have tribulation – much trouble – yet we can be of good cheer, we can take heart, be encouraged and comforted by this: Jesus has conquered the world!

If we be in Christ, He is our comfort and fellow saints are given to one another to encourage and care for each other. A most beautiful picture is given by an author of the early part of the second century. He observed:

The Christians are not distinguished from other men by country, by language, nor by civil institutions. For they neither dwell in cities by themselves, nor use a peculiar tongue, nor lead a singular mode of life. They dwell in the Grecian or barbarian cities, as the case may be; they follow the usages of the country in dress, food, and the other affairs of life. Yet they present a wonderful and confessedly paradoxical conduct. They dwell in their own native lands, but as strangers. They take part in all things, as citizens; and they suffer all things, as foreigners. Every foreign country is a fatherland to them, and every native land is foreign. They marry, like all others; they have children; but they do not cast away their offsprings. They have the table in common, but not wives. They are in the flesh, but do not live after the flesh. They live upon the earth, but are citizens of heaven. They obey the existing laws, and excel the laws by their lives. They love all, and are persecuted by all. They are unknown, and yet they are condemned. They are killed and made alive. They are poor and make many rich. They lack all things, and in all things abound. They are reproached, and glory in their reproaches. They are calumniated, and are justified. They are cursed, and they bless. They receive scorn, and they give honor. They do good, and are punished as evil-doers. When punished, they rejoice, as being made alive. By the Jews they are attacked as aliens, and by the Greeks persecuted; and the cause of the enmity their enemies cannot tell. In short, what the soul is to the body, the Christians are in the world. The soul is diffused through all the members of the body, and the Christians are spread through the cities of the world. The soul dwells in the body, but it is not of the body; so the Christians dwell in the world, but are not of the world.

This sounds like something from another world, does it not? I believe it is so easy for us to get accustomed to living in the richest nation on earth and drift into that age-old belief that temporal blessings are the measure of God’s favor.

1 John 3:13-17. The world is set up on a system of using people and things for self-benefit. Capitalism rests on this foundation – and if allowed to operate freely, all things for self-benefit would actually benefit all involved because there would be no coercion. People freely enter into business because they see a way to profit. When people are coerced to do business or kept from doing business, those doing the coercion profit at the expense of others.

The Christian faith has often been described as a volunteer organization; this description to contrast with the state-church which is built on subscription – the coercion of man by man. We know our call by God to become part of His family is irresistible; and yet, once called, we come freely and eagerly. We should not use coercion to get things done. Coercion happens by word and deed, by personality and circumstance. These things reveal a lack of being content – they reveal a selfish heart. Those who are not content are described in Jude 10-16. Always this contrast between two kingdoms, two ways of life, two masters.

We have encouragement from our Master in 1 Timothy 6:3-12. In the midst of warning about who slander and quarrel, are envious of others and promote disputes, Paul reminds us that godliness with contentment is worth much. Some promote godliness as a means to material gain, but our Lord tells us we are to be content with food and clothing, knowing that we brought nothing into this world and we can take nothing out of it. Men who love money are vulnerable to many pitfalls and harmful desires, but the man of God is to run from that, pursuing righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, and gentleness.

This is the good fight we are called to. Not one of carnal weapons of coercion, brought forth by envy or selfishness; but a battle in the spiritual realm, where only the Holy Spirit within us can win the war. 1 Peter 4:1-17. May God give us grace to suffer as Christians and keep us from falling into envy and selfishness. 

Biblical Use of Alcohol

Biblical perspective on Alcohol            

Many folk will tell you the Bible condemns the consumption of alcohol.  Many churches have taught for years that drinking is a sin.  Some teach that the wine in the Bible was really grape juice, not a fermented alcoholic drink.  Right up front, I tell you drinking is sinful – for some, but not for all.  And no, the wine in the New Testament is not grape juice, it’s wine.  Let’s see, in part, what the Bible tells us – as saints of God.

The English word "wine" occurs 37 times in the New Testament (KJV). 33 of those (scattered throughout the 4 Gospels, Romans, Ephesians, 1 Timothy, Titus, 1 Peter, Revelation) are the Greek word oinos, which is a direct derivative of the Hebrew word for intoxicating wine, yayin. 2 more occurrences are found in Paul's pastoral epistles to Timothy and Titus, wherein the qualifications of Bishop are given -a double use of a Greek word, paroinos, which is a compound word taken from para (to be near) and oinos. One of the other 2 occurrences of the English word is inferred by the scribes to make the sentence make sense in English - Luke 5:39 and the other is in Acts 2:13, where the term "new wine" refers to a more intoxicating wine (gleukos) than oinos. 

Note – all of the New Testament references to wine warn about being drunk and advise us not to abuse it nor our freedom to consume it.  These warnings are because our Maker knows our frailties.  How many people do you know who “can’t handle their liquor”?  Many people abuse alcohol and don’t think they do – just like folks who swear.  But that’s a whole ‘nother topic.

Note also that in John 2, where Jesus performed His first recorded miracle, people were getting drunk when the wine ran out. They weren't drinking grape juice. When He turned the water into wine, it was declared by the wine steward to be the best wine of the evening - whereas most hosts served cheap stuff once people were under the influence.

Thirdly, note that folks had no refrigeration and grape juice would ferment quickly if left in its natural juice state. Wine, fermented on purpose, would keep much longer.

Here are some scripture passages that reveal God's will on this topic, based on a review of the word, "drink":

Leviticus 10:8 - 11 God forbids priests who are performing ministry to drink wine or strong booze during the time they are ministering. The big unspoken implication is that they could drink these when not performing their ministerial duties; else the Word would not have made this specific prohibition.

Judges 13:1 - 7 God details the prohibition of drinking alcohol for Nazerites. Again, if the non-abusive drinking was prohibited to all God's people, He would not have made this specific prohibition.

Song of Solomon 8:1 - 3 In this love song, God shows the proper use of alcoholic wine. Note the Hebrew word for wine in this verse is yayin, which means "wine (as fermented); by impl. intoxication:--banqueting, wine" and not merely grape juice as some say.

Isaiah 5:21 - 22 and 29:9 - 14 God shows that drinking booze can be a trait of proud, arrogant men.

Amos 9:11 - 15 God promises to bless His people and one of the blessings bestowed upon them is the wine of the vineyards He will give them; and they will drink the wine.

Romans 14:19 - 23 God shows us to be careful in what we do - including drinking - as regards our weaker brothers and sisters in Christ. But this is not a general prohibition against drinking alcohol.

1 Timothy 5:23 This is the famous verse where Timothy is advised to drink a little wine (goes back to the same Hebrew word used in the Song) for his stomach.

Now here are some more scripture, based on the word, "wine" (always using yayin):

Genesis 9:20 - 24 God shows how wine can be abused and man suffers the consequence.

Genesis 14:17 - 20 The high priest Melchizedek set forth bread and wine (yayin) before weary travelers.

Exodus 29:38 - 41 God prescribes the use of wine (yayin) as part of a required sacrifice. He would not use something in this manner if the thing (wine) was sinful in all its use.

Leviticus 23:10 - 14 God again requires wine be a part of a sacrifice.

Numbers 6:18 - 21 Once a Nazerite has completed his service, he may drink wine.

Numbers 28:7 God requires wine and strong drink be used in sacrifice.

Psalms 104:14 - 15 God gives us wine to give us happiness.

Proverbs 20:1 Booze is to handled with great care, as many will be taken into excess.

Ecclesiastes 9:4 – 7 Wine is to be enjoyed as part of the fruit of our work.

John 2:1 - 10 Jesus creates wine for a wedding celebration. Why would He do this if the reasonable consumption of wine was sinful?

Ephesians 5:17 - 21 The famous verse tells us not to be drunk with wine, but filled with the Holy Spirit. This shows that it is being drunk that is sinful, rather than merely drinking a glass of wine.

1 Timothy 3 Qualifications for bishops and deacons - don't be a drunkard. Again - not a word about "do not drink".

There are many verses that warn about the dangers of excessive drinking. These ought to make every saint careful about drinking. But it's the heart - have a drink to enjoy life, don't drink to excess nor allow the alcohol to influence you or make a brother stumble.  See Romans 14:14 – 23.  And back up to Romans 14:1 – 13 to see how we should not look down on a brother who has a different view on eating or drinking.  A shorter view of this point is found in Colossians 2:16 – 17. 

Let the Word of God be your guide about this – and every subject; not the word of any man.  Life is too important to rest on man’s opinion.  We have the word of God and the mind of Christ.  Let us live in such a way as to make this present world know we don’t belong to it – we belong to Jesus!