The VPP bottle

Moderate drinking

The Book of Luke and wine drinking. Dr Luke had written in the Gospel about wine drinking. Firstly he talked about John the Baptist, Dr Luke said John will not drink any wine and strong drink.

Luke 1:15 For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb.

Did Paul forbid drinking? What about other disciple? Like Peter and Dr Luke? Matthew Henry expounded about Paul's drinking view, those that would be filled with the Holy Ghost must be sober and temperate, and very moderate in the use of wine and strong drink; for that is it that fits him for this. Be not drunk with wine, but be filled with the Spirit, with which that is not consistent, Matthew Henry said be moderate in drinking, not to be drunk in drunkenness.

Paul's view, he wrote in Eph. v. 18. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; be not drunk. He warns against the sin of drunkenness: And be not drunk with wine, this was a sin very frequent among the heathens; and particularly on occasion of the festivals of their gods, and more especially in their Bacchanalia: then they were wont to inflame themselves with wine, and all manner of inordinate lusts were consequent upon it: and therefore the apostle adds, wherein, or in which drunkenness, is excess. The word asotia may signify luxury or dissoluteness; and it is certain that drunkenness is no friend to chastity and purity of life, but it virtually contains all manner of extravagance, and transports men into gross sensuality and vile enormities.

Note, Drunkenness is a sin that seldom goes alone, but often involves men in other instances of guilt: it is a sin very provoking to God, and a great hindrance to the spiritual life. The apostle may mean all such intemperance and disorder as are opposite to the sober and prudent demeanor he intends in his advice, to redeem the time. Instead of being filled with wine, he exhorts them to be filled with the Spirit. Those who are full of drink are not likely to be full of the Spirit; and therefore this duty is opposed to the former sin.

The meaning of the exhortation is that men should labour for a plentiful measure of the graces of the Spirit, that would fill their souls with great joy, strength, and courage, which things sensual men expect their wine should inspire them with. We cannot be guilty of any excess in our endeavours after these: nay, we ought not to be satisfied with a little of the Spirit, but to be aspiring after measures, so as to be filled with the Spirit. Now by this means we shall come to understand what the will of the Lord is; for the Spirit of God is given as a Spirit of wisdom and of understanding. And because those who are filled with the Spirit will be carried out in acts of devotion, and all the proper expressions of it, therefore the apostle exhorts, To sing unto the Lord, v. 19. Drunkards are wont to sing obscene and profane songs. The heathens, in their Bacchanalia, used to sing hymns to Bacchus, whom they called the god of wine. Thus they expressed their joy; but the joy of Christians should express itself in songs of praise to their God. In these they should speak to themselves in their assemblies and meetings together, for mutual edification. .......v. 20. We are appointed to sing psalms, &c., for the expression of our thankfulness to God; but, though we are not always singing, we should never want a disposition for this duty, as we never want matter for it. We must continue it throughout the whole course of our lives; and we should give thanks for all things; not only for spiritual blessings enjoyed, and eternal ones expected (for what of the former we have in hand, and for what of the other we have in hope), but for temporal mercies too; not only for our comforts, but also for our sanctified afflictions; not only for what immediately concerns ourselves, but for the instances of God's kindness and favour to others also. It is our duty in every thing to give thanks unto God and the Father, to God as the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and our Father in him, in whose name we are to offer up all our prayers, and praises, and spiritual services, that they may be acceptable to God. (Exposition from Matthew Henry)

What about Jesus Christ's comment on drinking?

Luke 3:22 And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.

Jesus Christ is Spirit filled.

Luke 5:33 And they said unto him, Why do the disciples of John fast often, and make prayers, and likewise the disciples of the Pharisees; but thine eat and drink?

Luke 5:34 And he said unto them, Can ye make the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them?

Jesus was defending his disciples in eating and drinking! He explained what kind of their drinking habit is all about! Luke 5:39 No man also having drunk old wine straightway desireth new: for he saith, The old is better. Jesus Christ descripted the taste of Old Wine, because He said and agreed Old wine is better! Taste better! The old is better; Matthew Henry wrote, for, though it does not give its colour so well in the cup, yet it is more warming in the stomach and more wholesome. Christ's disciples, though they had not so much of the form of godliness, had more of the power of it.

Next Jesus is more concerned the inner heart than the old wine!

Luke 6:45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.

The reigning love of God and Christ in the heart denominates a man a good man; and it is a good treasure a man may bring forth that which is good. But where the love of the world and the flesh reign there is an evil treasure in the heart, out of which an evil man is continually bringing forth that which is evil; and by what is brought forth you may know what is in the heart, as you may know what is in the vessel, water or wine, by what is drawn out from it, John ii. 8. Of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks; what the mouth ordinarily speaks, speaks with relish and delight, generally agrees with what is innermost and uppermost in the heart: He that speaks of the earth is earthly, John iii. 31. Not but that a good man may possibly drop a bad word, and a wicked man make use of a good word to serve a bad turn; but, for the most part, the heart is as the words are, vain or serious; it therefore concerns us to get our hearts filled, not only with good, but with abundance of it.

Dr Luke continue in writing the drinking habit with the Son of Man!

Luke 7:34 The Son of man is come eating and drinking; and ye say, Behold a gluttonous man, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners!

By this it appears that the ministers of Christ may be of very different tempers and dispositions, very different ways of preaching and living, and yet all good and useful; diversity of gifts, but each given to profit withal. Some even called Him as a winebibber!

Luke 7:35 But wisdom is justified of all her children.

Does Jesus Christ drinks? Dr Luke did not wrote about His drinking directly, or heard from Jesus Christ, that He forbid drinking totally, neither wine or strong drink! What Dr Luke focus next is about the kingdom of God.

Luke 9:11 And the people, when they knew it, followed him: and he received them, and spake unto them of the kingdom of God, and healed them that had need of healing.
Luke 10:34 And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.

Dr Luke continue in writing on his finding about wine in his culture and living. Wine is used to wash the wound of the wounded, it is normal on those days, even a Samaritan brings along a bottle of wine! Strong wine can be a antiseptic for the fresh wound.

Dr Luke continue in his writing about all things are cleansed! Luke 11:41 But rather give alms of such things as ye have; and, behold, all things are clean unto you.
And He continue in rebuking some lawyers lade men with burdens. Luke 11:46 And he said, Woe unto you also, ye lawyers! for ye lade men with burdens grievous to be borne, and ye yourselves touch not the burdens with one of your fingers.

Here in Luke 13:26, Jesus expounded the drinking habit in his time.
13:26 Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. 13:27 But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity.

They drink even in front of Jesus Christ, in His presence they drunk, but Jesus did not rebuke them at that moment! He allowed it. But Jesus know every one of them throughout. Like Judas ate bread with Christ, dipped with him in the dish. Hypocrites, under the disguise of their external profession, receive the Lord's supper, and in it partake of the children's bread, as if they were children. They had been Christ's hearers, had received instruction from him, and were well acquainted with his doctrine and law: "Thou hast taught in our streets--a distinguishing favour, which few had, and surely it might be taken as a pledge of distinguishing favour now; for wouldest thou teach us, and not save us?"
The point is Jesus was requesting them to follow morale laws. Not to become a drunkard at last and then losing the heaven at great cost!

Luke 16:17 And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail. The moral law is confirmed and ratified, and not one tittle of that fails; the duties enjoined by it are duties still; the sins forbidden by it are sins still.
He did not preach to us, asking us to pursue a perfect Bible, or a perfect underlying texts, but here He is requesting us to keep the morale law, the VPP theologians misquoted this verse to support their Verbal Plenary Preservation view. "Jot and title" actually referring to the morale laws in Old Testament.
Luke 20:9 Then began he to speak to the people this parable; A certain man planted a vineyard, and let it forth to husbandmen, and went into a far country for a long time. Jesus used the parable, He said even God is compared to an owner of vineyard.
21:34 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.

In suffering do not drink until you are drunk! Simple!

Take heed lest you be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness, the immoderate use of meat and drink, which burden the heart, not only with the guilt thereby contracted, but by the ill influence which such disorders of the body have upon the mind; they make men dull and lifeless to their duty, dead and listless in their duty; they stupid the conscience, and cause the mind to be unaffected with those things that are most affecting. (2.) The inordinate pursuit of the good things of this world. The heart is overcharged with the cares of this life. The former is the snare of those that are given to their pleasures: this is the snare of the men of business, that will be rich. We have need to guard on both hands, not only lest at the time when death comes, but lest at any time our hearts should be thus overcharged. Our caution against sin, and our care of our own souls, must be constant. ........Do not drink too much wine until getting drunk, and live like a drunkard!

Luke 22:18 For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come. ...Jesus preferred wine than tea?
The kingdom of God is now so near being set up that you will not need to eat or drink any more till it comes.

Luke 23:36 And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar..

They made sport with him, and made a jest of his sufferings; and when they were drinking sharp sour wine themselves, such as was generally allotted them, they triumphantly asked him if he would pledge them, or drink with them. Jesus tasted that sharp sour wine on the cross!

Paul rebuked those who fallen in drunkenness continually. 1 Corinthians 5:11 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.

Titus does not encourage people in taking much wine, Titus 2:3 The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things;

Peter was angy with a drunkard, 1 Peter 4:3, For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:

These disciples all has a same point, moderate in drinking!

Paul draw out the conditions in eating and drinking:
Romans 14:21 It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.

One day a young man met a pastor from a Bible Presbyterian Church, he told the old pastor, "I have backache, i am very weak." The old pastor told the young man, a Chinese remedy, buy a few bottles of gin and some Chinese herds, and then put the herds into the gin, and keep it for some time, and drink it, and then go and serve the Lord, work diligently, and evangelize the world with it!

Some theologians are saying at the noon day, "I am getting drunk with these false theology. Oop...my VPP bottles...where are they? Every step you take... I am watching you..."

Conclusion:

Moderate in drinking.
Bible warns against the sin of drunkenness.
Be considerate of other in drinking and eating.
Do not drunk with false theology.