OUR Creator, who wants what is best for us,
does not prohibit the moderate use of alcohol. On the contrary, he has given
man “wine to make him happy, olive oil to make him cheerful, and bread to give
him strength.” (Psalm 104:15, Today’s English Version) On one occasion,
Jesus Christ contributed to the enjoyment of a wedding by turning water into “the
best wine.”—John 2:3-10, New Jerusalem Bible.
It stands to reason that the Creator knows
precisely how alcohol affects the function of the body and the brain. Through
the pages of the Bible, our heavenly Father ‘teaches us to benefit ourselves,’
and he strongly cautions us against the abuse of strong drink. (Isaiah 48:17)
Notice these frank warnings:
“Do not be getting drunk with wine, in which
there is debauchery.” (Ephesians 5:18) “Drunkards . . . will never
inherit the kingdom of God.” (1 Corinthians 6:9-11, Jerusalem Bible)
God’s Word condemns “getting drunk, wild parties, and things similar to these.”—Galatians
5:19-21, Byington.
Let us now consider some of the dangers of
drinking too much alcohol.
Dangers of
Overdrinking
While alcohol can do some good, it contains
potent ingredients that alter how the mind and body function. Overuse of
alcohol can cause any of the following problems:
Heavy drinking impairs the drinker’s
judgment, so that he ‘will not be able to think clearly.’ (Proverbs 23:33, TEV)
Allen, the heavy drinker mentioned in the preceding article, explains: “Alcoholism
is not just a disease of the body; it’s a disease of one’s thinking and
attitudes. You block out the hurt that it causes other people.”
Drinking too much alcohol can also result in
lowered inhibitions.
The Scriptures warn: “Wine and sweet wine are what take away good motive.”
(Hosea 4:11) How so? Under the deceptive influence of alcohol, thoughts and
desires that we normally suppress can begin to seem quite acceptable—if not
inviting. Our resolve to stick to what is right can be weakened. Alcohol can
undermine our moral defenses, resulting in spiritual disaster.
John, for example, had argued with his wife
and had stormed off to the bar. He had already had a few drinks to calm down
when a woman approached him. After a few more drinks, John left with her and
committed adultery. Afterward, John deeply regretted doing something he would
never have contemplated had his inhibitions not been lowered by alcohol.
Drinking too much alcohol can result in
uncontrolled speech and actions. “Who is always in trouble? Who argues and
fights?” asks the Bible. “Everyone who stays up late, having just one more
drink.” (Proverbs 23:29, 30, Contemporary English Version) Overdrinking
can make you “feel as if you were out on the ocean, seasick, swinging high up
in the rigging of a tossing ship.” (Proverbs 23:34, TEV) A man who has
overindulged can wake up “bruised all over, without even remembering how it all
happened.”—Proverbs 23:35, CEV.
Overdrinking can damage physical health. “In the end
[alcohol] bites like a snake and poisons like a viper.” (Proverbs 23:32, New
International Version) Medical science has confirmed the wisdom of that
ancient proverb. Alcohol in large quantities is a potentially lethal toxin that
can lead to various cancers, alcoholic hepatitis, cirrhosis of the liver,
pancreatitis, low blood sugar in diabetics, fetal alcohol syndrome, stroke, or
heart failure—to name but a few consequences. And even one instance of
overdrinking or bingeing can result in coma or in death. The most serious
consequences of overindulgence, though, are not described in medical textbooks.
The greatest danger. Even though a person
may not get drunk, immoderate drinking poses spiritual dangers. The
Bible plainly says: “Woe to those who are getting up early in the morning that
they may seek just intoxicating liquor, who are lingering till late in the
evening darkness so that wine itself inflames them!” Why? Isaiah explains the
spiritual consequences of immoderate drinking: “The activity of Jehovah they do
not look at, and the work of his hands they have not seen.”—Isaiah 5:11, 12.
God’s Word advises us not “to be among heavy
drinkers of wine.” (Proverbs 23:20) Aged women are cautioned not to be “enslaved
to a lot of wine.” (Titus 2:3) Why not? Slowly—often imperceptibly—people
start consuming a little more alcohol with increasing frequency. Eventually,
the drinker may “lie awake asking, ‘When will morning come, so I can drink some
more?’” (Proverbs 23:35, CEV) Drinkers cross a perilous threshold when
they crave an eye-opener, a drink in the morning to recover from the previous
night’s excesses.
The Bible warns that those who engage in “excesses
with wine, revelries, drinking matches . . . will render an
account to the one ready to judge those living and those dead.” (1 Peter
4:3, 5) And regarding the crucial times in which we live, Jesus warned: “Pay
attention to yourselves that your hearts never become weighed down with
overeating and heavy drinking and anxieties of life, and suddenly
[Jehovah’s] day be instantly upon you as a snare.”—Luke 21:34, 35.
[Footnote]
In this article, “alcohol” and “drink” refer
broadly to beer, wine, and other spirits.
For more informative articles please see WATCHTOWER magazine at www.jw.org
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