drunkenness – Ministry of Grace Church

Tag: drunkenness

Romans 13:13 – Light or Dark?

Posted on November 7, 2018 by Will

Let us live decently, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and lust, not in quarreling and envy.

Truth to Learn

Our words and deeds should show forth the light of Christ.

Behind the Words

The word “live” is from peripateō, which literally means “to walk around.” Figuratively, it refers to how a person lives his or her life (walking the road of life).

“Decently” is translated from a form of euschēmōn which is made up of eu, meaning “good or well” and schema, referring to “the external form or condition.” Thus, euschēmōn refers to something that is “well formed” or that has a good external appearance. It is often translated as honorably, decently, or honestly.

“Revelry” is from the Greek word kōmos, referring to conduct involving “feasting, drunkenness, impurity (especially sexual), and gross obscenity.”

The word translated “drunkenness” is methē, which specifically refers to drunkenness brought on by too much wine.

“Sexual immorality” is translated from koitē, which generally refers to lying down in bed. It implies lying down in bed with someone else, as in sexual immorality.

The word “lust” is from aselgeia, which refers to uncontrolled or insatiable desire for pleasure.

Meaning Explained

In the previous two verses Paul told us to wake up, lay-aside the works of darkness and put on the weapons of our spiritual warfare.

Now, having put on the weapons of our warfare, we should walk properly or honorably, and Paul tells us to do this “as in the day.” A literal translation of this expression would be, “as if in the daytime.” The point he is making is that it is not daylight yet; it is still nighttime and we are surrounded by the works of darkness, but we need to wake up and perform the deeds of righteousness as if we were fully exposed to the world by bright light, knowing that our Lord and His “light” are coming to destroy darkness. That is, we should be behaving as if Christ had already come. The Apostle John recorded a similar message in the following words of our Lord:

And this is the verdict, the light has come into the world, but men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his works may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God. (John 3:19-21)

Paul now goes on to make a short list of the types of activities that go on in darkness by those who love the darkness. These include partying, drunkenness, sexual immorality, insatiable desire for pleasure, arguing, and jealousy or anger. These are the things that unsaved people do because they don’t have any way of restraining themselves. We, on the other hand, have the Holy Spirit, and we should be beacons in the night showing forth the light of our good deeds as an example of godliness.

Application

Do you yearn for the Light of Life, or do you prefer darkness? Are your words and actions a light to those in darkness around you? Or, do your actions resemble the deeds of darkness?

In God's service, for His glory,

1 Peter 4:3 – Wasted Pleasure

Posted on January 31, 2017 by Will

For the time of life having passed is sufficient for us to have worked out the will of the Gentiles, having lived in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and lawless idolatries.

Truth to Learn

We’ve wasted enough time; now let’s focus on serving God.

Behind the Words

“Lewdness” is translated from the Greek word aselgeia, which literally means “not having control.” It is used primarily with regard to sexual appetite and is sometimes translated as “wantonness.”

We saw the word “lusts” in the previous verse. It is the Greek word epithumia, meaning “excessive or uncontrolled desires.”

“Drunkenness” comes from the Greek word oinophlugia, which literally means “overflowing wine,” but by application it means “excessive drinking of alcoholic beverages.”

“Revelries” is translated from the Greek word kōmos, which means “carousing” or “reveling,” implying a “letting loose of control.”

The word translated “drinking parties” is from the Greek word potos, which means “getting together for the purpose of getting drunk.”

And finally, “lawless idolatries” comes from the Greek, athemitois eidōlolatreiais, which literally means “illegal image worship.” It refers to “the worship of anything other than God.”

Meaning Explained

Peter has just told us that we should no longer live for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. He now tells us that it’s time for change. We’ve spent enough time living like the ungodly to know that’s not the will of God. We did these things in the past enough to know that they don’t give us true happiness and certainly don’t give us peace. All they really do is produce amnesia, headache, and heartache.

We could probably sum up Peter’s description of these activities as illicit sexual activity, drunkenness, partying, and the worship of things instead of God. That’s how many of us lived before we were saved. Peter is saying that our past indulgences are to be put behind us so we can live unto God. None of these things is what God wants of us.

However, it’s easy for many of us to say, “I never committed any illicit sexual activity. I never got drunk, and I never went to wild parties, so this doesn’t apply to me.” What we often fail to see in this verse is that Peter groups “the worship of things other than God” in the same category as those other things.

Have you ever possessed anything that was so important to you that you would do anything to hang on to it, or that you spent so much time on that it made you forget about your commitments to God? These are all idols. I once had a car that was like that to me, and God had to tarnish my idol for me.

Application

As a Christian your life should not be characterized by the “party scene.” But remember, anything that distracts us from our focus on God is an idol, and our Heavenly Father considers that just as horrific as wild, sexual, drunken partying. Ouch!

In God's service, for His glory,

1 Peter 4:3 – Wasted Pleasure

Posted on February 9, 2009 by admin

1 Peter 4:3

For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles—when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries.

Truth to Learn

We’ve wasted enough time; now let’s focus on serving God.

Behind the Words

We saw the word “lusts” in the previous verse. It is the Greek word epithumia, meaning “excessive or uncontrolled desires.”

“Drunkenness” comes from the Greek word oinophlugia, which literally means “overflowing wine,” but by application it means “excessive drinking of alcoholic beverages.”

“Revelries” is translated from the Greek word kōmos, which means “carousing” or “reveling,” implying a “letting loose of control.”

The word translated “drinking parties” is from the Greek word potos, which means a getting together for the purpose of getting drunk.

And finally, “abominable idolatries” comes from the Greek, athemitois eidōlolatreiais, which literally means “illegal image worship.” It refers to “the worship of anything other than God.”

Meaning Explained

Application

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

If this message or this link was forwarded to you by a friend and you wish to receive future verses directly to your inbox, you can call the church phone (618) 614-3070 and leave a message telling us your name and e-mail address or you can send an e-mail to: