BIBLE TEMPERANCE

The 17th study in the series. Studies written by William Carey. Presentation by Michael Salzman. All texts are from the New King James version. All rights reserved.

1 BT BIBLE TEMPERANCE How should we eat and drink? 1 Corinthians 10:31 Therefore, whether you eat, or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

1 BT BIBLE TEMPERANCE Christians are commanded to eat and drink as will please God. The only way we can eat and drink that will be pleasing to God is to be governed in our eating and drinking by the principles laid down in the Word of God. A Christian is to be governed in his eating and drinking by the principles of the Bible, and not merely by appetite or taste.

2 BT BIBLE TEMPERANCE What should we eat and drink? Isaiah 55:2 Why do you spend money for what is not bread, And your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, And let your soul delight itself in abundance.

2 BT BIBLE TEMPERANCE God has commanded us to eat only that which is good, and we learn what is truly good to eat by the teachings of His Word.

3 BT BIBLE TEMPERANCE Who knows what is best for man to eat? Genesis 1:29,31 And God said, “See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree, whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food.

3 BT BIBLE TEMPERANCE 31- Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

3 BT BIBLE TEMPERANCE The God who made man knows what is best for man to eat, and the original diet which God ordained for man was fruits, grains, vegetables, and nuts. God did not permit man to eat the flesh of animals until the time of the flood. To Israel in the wilderness He made it very plain that man is not to eat the flesh of any unclean animal, fowl, or fish.

4 BT BIBLE TEMPERANCE What are we told not to eat? Deuteronomy 14:7,8 “Nevertheless, of those that chew the cud or cloven hooves, you shall not eat, such as these: the camel, the hare, and the rock hyrax; for they chew the cud but do not divide not have coven hooves; they are unclean for you.

4 BT BIBLE TEMPERANCE 8- “Also the swine is unclean for you, because it has cloven hooves, yet does not chew the cud; you shall not eat their flesh or touch their dead carcasses. God told His people not to eat the flesh of swine.

5 BT BIBLE TEMPERANCE What about fish? Deuteronomy 14:9,10 These you may eat of all that are in the waters: you may eat all that have fins and scales. 10- “And whatever does not have fins and scales you shall not eat; it is unclean for you.

5 BT BIBLE TEMPERANCE Creatures in the waters which do not have fins and scales are not to be eaten. God’s people should not eat catfish, eels, crabs, lobsters, oysters, or clams. This instruction cannot be set aside by Christians today on the ground that it is in the Mosaic Law, which has passed away.

5 BT BIBLE TEMPERANCE This prohibition against eating unclean creatures was in force centuries before the Mosaic Law was given (read Gen. 7:2), and this uncleanness is still recognized in the last book of the Bible, long after the ceremonial law had passed away at the cross. (Read Rev. 18:2.)

6 BT BIBLE TEMPERANCE What will happen to those who eat unclean foods at th3e second coming of Jesus? Isaiah 66:15-17 For behold, the LORD will come with fire And with His chariots, like a whirlwind, To render His anger with fury, And His rebuke with flames of fire.

6 BT BIBLE TEMPERANCE 16- For by fire and by His sword The LORD judge all flesh; And the slain of the LORD shall be many. 17- “Those who sanctify themselves and purify themselves, To do to the gardens After an idol in the midst, Eating swine’s flesh and the abomination and the mouse, Shall be consumed together, says the LORD.

6 BT BIBLE TEMPERANCE When the Lord Jesus comes, those who are found eating swine’s flesh will be consumed by the fire of His presence, along with those who eat mice. God is love: He never deprives us of anything that is for our good. So when He tells us not to eat unclean creatures, it is for our good to obey.

7 BT BIBLE TEMPERANCE What kind of people are Christians to be? Deuteronomy 14:2,3 a holy people special treasure “For you are a holy people to the LORD your God, and the LORD has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.

7 BT BIBLE TEMPERANCE 3- “You shalt not eat any detestable thing. God’s people are to be a holy and pure people: they are not to eat any unclean or abominable thing, Lev. 20:25,26; 1 Peter 2:9.

8 BT BIBLE TEMPERANCE What about our drink? Proverbs 23:29-32 Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has Contentions? Who has Complaints? Who has wounds without cause? Who has redness of eyes? 30- Those who linger long at the wine, Those who go in search of mixed wine.

8 BT BIBLE TEMPERANCE 31- Do not look on the wine when it is red, When it sparkles in the cup, When it swirls around smoothly; 32- At the last it bites like a serpent, And stings like a viper.

8 BT BIBLE TEMPERANCE There is plain instruction in the Bible against the use of alcoholic liquors, 1 Cor. 6:9,10. This means that when we drink as will please God, we will not drink beer, wine, whisky, gin, or any alcoholic liquor. Coffee contains a poison known as caffeine, which is injurious to the body. Cola drinks also contain injurious poisons or dope. Tobacco, snuff, and cigars contain a deadly poison known as furfural.

8 BT BIBLE TEMPERANCE When we really eat and drink as is pleasing to God, and as the Holy Scriptures commands us, we will put aside tea, coffee, cola drinks, and tobacco, or any narcotic habit, such as the morphine habit, paregoric or opium habits, etc.

9 BT BIBLE TEMPERANCE Does our body belong to us? 1 Corinthians 6:19,20 is the temple of the Holy Spirit Or do you not that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 20- For ye are bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.

9 BT BIBLE TEMPERANCE Our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, and therefore it is to be kept clean from these harmful things so that it will be a fit place for the indwelling of Jesus by His Holy Spirit, 2 Cor. 6:17,18; 7:1.

10 BT BIBLE TEMPERANCE What happens if we defile our bodies? 1 Corinthians 3:17 If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.

10 BT BIBLE TEMPERANCE If we defile the body temple with these unclean and harmful things, God will destroy us. True Christian temperance is a total abstinence from all that is harmful, and a moderate use of that which is good.

11 BT BIBLE TEMPERANCE Do we need to be like Jesus? 1 John 3:2,3 God Him Beloved, now are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.

11 BT BIBLE TEMPERANCE 3- And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

11 BT BIBLE TEMPERANCE If we really have the true hope in Christ of being made like Him when He comes, we will purify ourselves now, even as Jesus is pure. Jesus never ate pork or any unclean creature. He would not use tobacco, tea, coffee, Coca-Cola, opium, morphine, etc. And if we purify ourselves as He is pure, we will leave off all these things.

11 BT BIBLE TEMPERANCE This is a part of the process of getting ready to meet Jesus at His coming. God will bless you in this.

BIBLE TEMPERANCE Do you wish to be ready for Jesus’ glorious return? Make food, drink, and all you do, part of your preparation for His return. THE END