The Church of God (7th Day)
Sede
Salem,West Virginia
Key Verse: What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
[1 Corinthians 6:19]
What are the Church's beliefs
on alcohol and tobacco?
​
The church's belief on alcohol and tobacco is that partaking of and use of intoxicating liquors, alcoholic stimulants, narcotics, tobacco, and any habit forming drug is contrary to the nature of man. While this is not a surprising belief for a church to hold, let us look in the Bible to see why this belief is deeply founded in the scriptures.
In the book of Proverbs we are told one reason why intoxicating drink should be avoided.
It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink: Lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted. [Proverbs 31:4-5]
Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes? They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine. [Proverbs 23:29-30]
Solomon is telling us that it is difficult enough in life to resist Satan and keep God's commandments when one has all of their wits about them. It just makes Satan's job that much easier if we are under the influence of an intoxicating substance.
The Apostle Luke gives a similar warning:
And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. [Luke 21:34]
Besides the obvious health benefits of obstaining from tobacco, strong drink, and drugs, we are given several warnings in the Bible that we cannot inherit the kingdom of God if we partake of these things.
Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. [Galatians 5:21]
Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. [1 Corinthians 6:9-10]
The Bible tells us that everything we eat and drink be sanctified with the Word of God and with prayer, and that it be partaken of in moderation. We are the temple of God in which his Holy Spirit dwells, and we should treat it as such.
Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. [1 Corinthians 3: 16-17]
Let us take steps to cleanse ourselves of all filthiness of the flesh, that we may present ourselves without spot or wrinkle before Jesus when he comes in glory. He is coming soon, and it is hard enough to overcome this wicked world when we live properly. It is many times harder with our bodies and blood streams filled with poison. It takes healthy, vigorous, strong bodies to properly serve our God.