own. In the secular world psychia trists are hard pressed to find any real “bonafide cures” of alcoholics. They readily see, however, what such groups as Christian clinics and min istries are doing to rescue these poor souls from the blight of hell. Let us never forget that the only power we have to help an alcoholic, and the only power one can have who is addicted to liquor, is through Christ. The Sav iour is the One who in loving compas sion can say, “I love you, my son, re gardless of what you have done or of how you have failed. I died for you, my child. Your sins have been atoned for through my shed blood. If you turn the burden over to Me I will cleanse you. I will give you My life and My fellowship.” Let us remind our children, as we read in the first Psalm, “Blessed is the man who walketh not in the coun sel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.” It is easy to become ensnared when one doesn’t have the right kind of companionship. Many young mothers and fathers are laid waste because they erroneously think that drinking is sociable and fashion able. They don’t want to be looked down upon. When I was J>ut a lad I took a WCTU pledge which was a sacred vow before the Lord. It has helped me through the years. It is important to have such firm convic tions based on our desire to serve the Saviour in a manner pleasing to Him. It is clearly seen that the world has a guilty conscience about drinking. If one turns down mushrooms nobody says anything. The same is true with almost any other food or beverage. But let a young person refuse a drink and he is branded as “a holy Joe” or some such title. This shows that the crowd has a guilty conscience! We need to show our young people that alcohol is not only sinful but also that it is positively damaging and devas tating to the physical well being. Out side of man, alcohol can be a great blessing, as God intended it should be, however, inside it will bring financial, physical, mental and spiritual destruc tion. 4
ences related to me about husbands who may have been kind and gentle when they are sober, but even bestial when th ey become “liquored-up.” There can be no generalization on these matters of counselling, how ever, and every case should be in dividually weighed and prayerfully considered. While such treatment does not necessarily mean divorce, or pro vide a scriptural grounds for such a final action, yet living separated for a time may bring the matter into the open and force the issue. The Lord Jesus Christ pointed out that the only basis for divorce is “except for fornication.” The apostle Paul in the seventh chapter of I Corinthians sug gests the approach through living apart yet remaining married or else being reconciled. Let us consider the plight of an al coholic who needs help. By the grace of God he has been able to give up liquor and is now on the way to re cuperation. The problem comes when he goes back into a home where there is unfriendliness, untidiness, disorder, and bickering. Records reveal that such things often cause him to fall back into his old ways. Therefore the first need is try to find out why the individual drinks. There may be a number of reasons some of which could be only superficial. Without the Lord Jesus Christ and His Holy Spir it to help him, a man has no real de fense against the devil. Some men drink to forget their problems. One may have a wife who looks at TV all day long. The dishes aren’t done, the food isn’t well prepared and there is no warmth or adequacy in the home at all. He may feel trapped, that he will never have those things which he feels will bring him joy or satisfac tion. He drinks to forget his problems. Other men drink (and we refer to women as well in all of these in stances) when they start going with the wrong crowd. This is so often true with our young people who be come trapped before they know it. It is a very evident fact that no person can overcome alcoholism by himself or through any efforts of his
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