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T H U K I N G ' S BTXSIWKSS
January, 1M1
given its appalling impetus by evil mo tives. The passage in Proverbs 31:6 can give no comfort to those who con duct this traffic, but was only intended to authorize a humanitarian act. In a pre-sdentific age, when men knew little or nothing about opiates or sedatives, “strong drink” was used for the pur pose of alleviating suffering in the case of men “ready to perish.” The Bible shows its compassion for human agony in authorizing such a use. Reputable physicians today, however, seem gener ally agreed that there is no use for al cohol as an opiate which is not better and more safely accomplished by other drugs. But certainly, if strong drink were strictly limited to the use of those dying in desperate agony, it would not be the curse to humanity that it has become today. 2. “Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched” (Mk. 9:48). Although the idea of an everlasting hell for the lost is not popular among mod ern churchmen, and Annihilationism and Restorationism are making converts even among those who have had a repu tation for soundness in the faith, it is one good sign of the times that the Les son Committee has chosen for study a passage on this solemn subject. Does it not seem passing strange, however, that the passage should have been in troduced as a warning to the intemper
the Spirit,” but, with the enlightening which He provides, be able to prove the truth or untruth of every teaching, ac cording Jo the Word of God. While ab staining “from all appearance of evil,” or, as better rendered, “from every form of error,” the believer accepts and holds fast whatever is found to be in accord ance with the Word of God. The gold in the quartz is to be extracted and held, while the refuse is cast away as useless. The Christian has a responsibility re garding the neighbor’s property, the brother’s position, and his own portion of truth—a responsibility that cannot be passed on to another but is personal with each Christian. Points and Problems X. "Woe unto him that giveth his neighbor 'drink” (Hab. 2:15). It has been suggested by some that this denun ciation contradicts another Old Testa ment passage which seems to authorize the giving of “strong drink” under cer tain circumstances: “Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish” (Prov. 31:6). I t should be noticed, however, that the former passage is qualified by the latter part of the verse. The writer had in mind one who gave "drink” to his neighbor for an evil purpose—“that thou mayest look on their nakedness” (v. 15). And practically one hundred per cent of the modem liquor traffic is
ate rather than to the rejectors of Christ? I trust that no reader will mis understand what I am trying to say. Certainly the drinking of liquor has helped more than one soul along the road to the hell of fire. Drunkards shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But we should not forget that hell will be peopled with multitudes who were never guilty of drunkenness. Bad as drunkenness is, there are other sins even more deadly in their final effects upon the soul. Self-righteousness and hypoc risy are such sins. Even the harlots, ac cording to our Lord, will go into the kingdom before men guilty of these things. An unholy love of money and the will to be rich can “drown men in destruction and perdition” (1 Tim. 6:9, 10). Let us continue faithfully to warn men of the never-ending “wrath to come,” but let us beware of making the dreadful mistake of conveying any im pression that this wrath will fall only upon those guilty of the grosser sins of humanity.
Golden Text Illustration 1 T hessalonians 5:22
A temperance worker, while address ing a Sunday-school, desired to bring out the fact that the drunkards of the future must come from the boys of today. “Boys,” he said, ¡‘these men that we see about us, on the street, in the 1941 ..INSPIRATION FOR SERVICE .1941
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