Contradictory Texts?
Some diehards still cling to certain texts which appear (to them at least) to condemn wine, but in reality condemn only the wrong USE of alcohol.
One of these is Proverbs 20:1: "Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise."
The simple explanation is that wine certainly does mock and deceive many individuals who have not learned the proper, temperate use of such beverages. Yes, God's way is moderation and temperance — NOT prohibition! And there is a great difference between these, which so-called "temperance" people seem unable to recognize.
Another text which is often twisted and misapplied is Proverbs 23:29-32. Here is a warning to those who "tarry long" at wine. Of course! One who "tarries long" at wine is a "winebibber," or in modern terminology a "barfly" or an "alcoholic."
Such excessive use of wine is bound to bring harm on the person involved and on others. Therefore, it is breaking the spirit of God's Law and is SIN. But this is no condemnation WHATEVER against the moderate, sensible use of wine, following Jesus' example.
The latter part of this passage warns us not to "look" upon the wine when it is "red," when it "moveth itself aright."
In the first place, it is not a sin to LOOK on anything except in lust. Secondly, the terms "red" and "moveth itself" refer to wine when it is in the process of fermentation. This is BEFORE it is fully fermented. And if at this time you "look" on it so as to finally drink it, you will become violently ill and possibly even DIE!
Even today, the term "red" is often applied to wine which is in the midst of the process of fermentation. Again, this has NOTHING to do with the proper use of fully aged wine.
God's Way Is Moderation
There are many other texts which some people will want to argue about. But the principle should be clear to any honest person from the examples we have covered.
Can't we get our BALANCE?
Drunkenness and alcoholism are breaking God's Law and are therefore SIN — which leads to death! (Rom. 6: 23). No drunkard shall inherit God's Kingdom (Gal. 5:21).
But on the other hand, wine has been given as a blessing from God. It can help one relax at a meal or rejoice at a social occasion, and it can be a definite aid in building up one's blood and health — as Paul advised Timothy. It is a thing which glorifies God when it is used sensibly and moderately.
Incidentally, true moderation means drinking a great deal LESS than do many who call themselves "moderate drinkers" today. Overindulgence in drink is NOT to be tampered with! Alcoholism is a growing CURSE in our land today!
(See our article, Alcoholism — A Worldwide Curse)
Nevertheless, God gave us wine and alcoholic beverages to learn to use properly — and to develop CHARACTER by the proper exercise of wisdom and self-control. Prohibition is NOT God's way — and it does not develop character.
This proper use of alcohol and moderation in drinking is a great responsibility to God. But it is only the wrong USE which becomes sin.
The same principle of the right or wrong USE of a thing applies to nearly every action which some consider as "worldly." The real question in each case is "Is this particular thing being used in a way that BREAKS God's Law?"
If so, then it is sin — or "worldliness."
Dancing and Card-Playing
But if any action or pleasure does NOT of itself break God's Law, then it may be quite harmless as long as it is properly used, and only the wrong or "worldly" use needs to be guarded against.
Such is the case with dancing. The Bible is full of examples of dancing. To cite a few, we can turn first to Exodus 15:20, where Miriam and the women of Israel rejoiced in the dance over God's deliverance of their people from Egypt.
In I Samuel 18:6, the women came out singing and dancing to greet Saul as he returned after a military victory. In Psalm 149:3, we read that the saints are to praise God "in the dance."
In the account of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32), we are given an example of how human joy ought to be expressed — for the "father" is obviously typical of God Himself. Here we see that dancing (verse 25) is a natural and RIGHTEOUS way to express human joy.
Certainly, we do not know exactly how the people danced and what particular steps they employed. But the principle is that dancing as such is not evil.
Wrong USES of dancing such as in a lustful manner in a smoke-filled nightclub while half-drunk — these uses of dancing are obviously WRONG. And it is sadly true that these wrong uses characterize the vast majority of dancing situations today!
But, if real Christians — young or old — wish to relax or rejoice by dancing with others of godly faith and character in a righteous manner, and in a clean, wholesome atmosphere and surroundings, that is NOT sinful or "worldly."
God says: "There is a time to dance" (Eccl. 3:4). Let's see to it that this time is used properly!
The principle regarding such matters as card-playing or theatergoing ought to be clear by now. The Bible makes no direct statement about either — but the principle is obvious in the light of God's laws and the Biblical examples.
A deck of cards is NOT a sin — and neither is playing with those cards merely for amusement. The only danger is that one might waste too much time in such amusements, and Christians are to use their time wisely (Eph. 5:15-16).
The wrong use of a deck of cards — or any physical object — for the purpose of gambling DOES become sin. God commands: "Six days shalt thou LABOR, and do all thy work" (Ex. 20: 9). As God is the supreme Builder and Creator — so are we to learn to build, to construct, to produce.
Gambling makes one a leech on society and violates this entire principle and thwarts the very purpose of human existence! Also, the very basis of gambling is the idea of getting something for nothing — of desiring material gain at the EXPENSE of someone else. This directly breaks another of the Ten Commandments: "Thou shalt not covet" (Ex. 20:17).
So card-playing as such is not sin. But the wrong USE of this activity does break God's Law and is therefore "worldly" in the truest sense.
Movies and the Theater
The matter of theatergoing revolves around the reason why one goes, and the type of play or movie being offered.
To frequently attend any kind of plays or movies for the purpose of pleasing "self" and of escaping from the responsibilities of life is definitely "worldly." And this very thing is done all too frequently by MOST Americans.
Let's not deceive ourselves about this. We are a nation of escapists!
Also, common sense ought to tell any real Christian that most plays and movies today are simply filled and saturated with scenes of illicit sex, murder upon murder, hate, greed, lying, cheating, gambling, drunkenness and every conceivable type of vice and sin. Indeed, the movies are a living testimony as to why God is going to PUNISH this world. Having one's mind filled with this sort of thing hour after hour is CERTAIN to cause one to break God's laws in his heart, and probably his actions as well.
You cannot vicariously kill, steal, seduce, gamble, and get drunk through the eyes of a movie hero and not have those thoughts affect your character! And what a frightful CURSE television can become by these same means. Let this be a warning against the improper USE of movies and TV!
But on the other hand, the right use of motion pictures, stage plays, or television can certainly be experienced. For instance, Walt Disney has produced a number of full-length feature movies showing the astonishing wonders and beauty of nature as God created it. These are truly educational and inspirational in every sense of the word.
There are a number of plays and movies which have a historical or other type of educational basis, and are not unbalanced in regard to violence and lust. But they are in the minority, and you will have to be alert to find them. Even a clean, wholesome love story or comedy would not influence you to break God's Law.
The right kind of play or movie is hard to find. But God will condemn no one who sincerely uses these means as a proper educational or recreational experience. It is only their wrong USE which becomes sin.
But DO Avoid What Really IS "Worldliness"!
God does want us to have a happy and abundant life. He actually intends any human being who will serve and obey Him to become healthy and prosperous — according to his abilities.
And although the "old-fashioned gospel" preachers of a bygone puritanical Protestant era invented the idea that drinking, dancing, card playing and theatergoing were "wordly," we have seen that they are NOT wrong at all if used in the proper manner. Again, it is simply a matter of what is SIN. And sin is defined as breaking God's Law — the Ten Commandments.
The Ten Commandments — as spiritually magnified by Jesus Christ — reveal a way of life. They teach us how to love, worship and serve our God and how to love and serve our fellowman. Any activity, atmosphere or "system" which tends to break or cause you to break the spirit of the Ten Commandments is, however, real "worldliness." If you are to be a man or woman of God, develop God's character, be finally BORN into His family to help rule this world under Jesus Christ, you MUST avoid this kind of actual worldliness!
Writing to the ancestors of the British Commonwealth and the American peoples the Apostle James stated under inspiration: "Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God" (James 4:4). What does this mean — we are not to "love the world"? Does this mean we are to hate our fellowman?
Certainly not.
For James had just written that we should keep the royal law: "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself" (James 2:8).
The "World" Defined
To understand the meaning of this and similar passages we need to know the definitions for the Greek word translated "world" in the New Testament. One of these — the one used in James 4:4 — is cosmos, which means the society or system of things men have set up on this earth. So, this passage simply means that true Christians are not to love the system or society that men have set up here on earth. This system is based on corn-petition, greed, selfishness and vanity. At the present time this system is bringing more and more wars, total corruption of morals, and soon — unless Almighty God intervenes — WORLD SUICIDE.
And yet it is so easy to get wrapped up and want to be part of this vanity-filled, competitive and, humanly speaking, "exciting" system! This is perhaps the greatest danger to most sincere believers.
It just seems natural and "right" to get into the clubs, lodges, activities and social life of the people and society around us. To think and talk and dress and act like they do. To have our minds on what is simply more blatant VANITY — keeping up with the Joneses, drinking too much alcohol, getting involved with this world and its politics, backbitings, wars, etc.
No matter how sincere, people who watch many hours of television and movies each week are simply FILLING their minds and hearts with "worldliness"! Because they cannot escape the effect of having their minds bombarded by countless examples of wrong emphasis on sex and various implications involving the MISUSE of God's gift of sex; plus fantastic amounts of violence, bloodshed and rebellion against authority; and endless scenes or commercials concerned with interest on "self, self, self" and blatant appeals to build the ego and great swelling VANITY of the viewer or listener!
The world of television and the motion pictures is a fake, a fraud, a false world in every way. It is not truly "realistic" in any sense of the word. It presents a completely UNBALANCED view of violence, sex, family, home, religion and almost anything else you care to name!
The true Christian simply cannot live and walk in this kind of make-believe world. Nor can he live in the world of cut-throat competition, shady deals, dirty jokes and paid women; or in the cocktail lounge or "jet set" world of lust and vanity. And the weird world of the "hippies," the "swingers," the "wife swappers," the wild, hedonistic marijuana and "pot" users — this is "worldliness" to the TOTAL EXTREME and must be avoided.
Prepare for Tomorrow's World
The man who would avoid what the Bible really does describe as "worldly," the man who would dedicate himself to his God and yet at the same time live a happy and balanced life — this man must have definable values, definable goals and a WAY OF LIFE to achieve these. He must, therefore, be a man who carefully studies, meditates on and LIVES BY every word of God (Matt. 4:4:). He must be a man who, following Christ's example, gets up early in the morning and PRAYS on his knees to his God for help, wisdom, love and guidance. He must be a man who is carefully and diligently studying and FOLLOWING the inspired example of Jesus Christ as revealed in the Bible — not in someone's human imagination of what they think Christ would be like.
Such a man will be building real balance and character to qualify him to live forever in Tomorrow's World. Therefore, he will NOT allow himself to get overly involved in the passions, politics and petty stupidities of this present evil world (Gal. 1:4).
If this goal rings true to you, then you should write immediately for your free copy of our vital booklet, "The Wonderful World Tomorrow — What It Will Be Like." Also, for an in-depth understanding of how to apply God's Law to your daily life in every way — how to WALK WITH GOD — write also for our important free booklet entitled, "The Ten Commandments."
Then, keep reading and studying every issue of TOMORROW'S WORLD.
Get the right balance on how a man of God should love his wife and build a happy home, train his children, glorify God in his body, get the right kind of recreation, keep God's financial laws and prosper. Yet, at the same time, he should have his real GOAL as the Kingdom of God and be building his mind, his life and his character toward that goal even as he learns the right and happy way of life here and now.
Do this and, through Christ's help and mercy, you will surely qualify to live forever in what this very magazine represents — TOMORROW'S WORLD.