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“The virtuous body of Christ” – Part 2

March 13, 2016

with Steven Crook

Each and every time we study scripture we are looking for our Lord and Husband within the written words that the Lord has inspired men to pen down. When we read a proverb about a mother speaking to her son and warning him of the perils of his dangerous behavior we are reading a story that our Father is telling us about His relationship with us.

It might not be readily apparent why a Father would use the example of a mother and son relationship to explain His relationship with us, but as we look into the hidden manna of the Word of Life, we will also see that the end result is eternal life. We will be learning more and more about what it is to get to know God the Father and Jesus Christ whom He has sent.

As we study the scripture today, try not to focus so much on the semantics of what is being said as much as what the end result is that the Lord wants us to apply to our lives today. The semantics will only support the end result to solidify it in your hearts and minds.

Drunkenness

The verses we are going to cover today are very short and concise, but they hold a very important spiritual Truth which which is only apparent once you start to look into the meaning of the phrases and individual words used in the verses being studying today.

The verses being studied are found in Proverbs 31:4-7.

Pro 31:4 It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink:
Pro 31:5 Lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted.
Pro 31:6 Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts.
Pro 31:7 Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more.

Back in 2009 I did a study on what spiritual drunkenness is and what it is compared to being physically drunk. This topic also covers drinking in general. A lot of what I will cover for the verses today will be information that was presented in that study, but we will also be covering some practical aspects to what these verses represent to us.

When we read verses 4 and 5 above, and take them exactly how they are written we can see why some Christian denominations believe a person is not permitted to drink anything. However, is that what is being said above? The answer is simply no, but we also need some scriptures to either verify or deny that as being true.

Most likely, we will all be familiar with the scriptures that I am about to present, but nonetheless I want to quote them here so that we can reference them.
The first famous verse that I will mention is found in 1 Timothy 5.

1Ti 5:23 Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach’s sake and thine often infirmities.

Obviously Paul is instructing Timothy to drink a little wine for his stomach’s health and other infirmities that happen to Timothy, but is that the only time Timothy is permitted to drink wine? If the answer is yes, then we need to consider that the proverbs says kings are not to drink wine or strong drink, but why is that the case?

The answer is discernment. The Lord blesses His children with the gift of discernment to know when it is appropriate to drink wine and when it is not. This point is apparent when we read in verses 6 and 7 that anyone who is ready to perish or anyone with a heavy heart is able to be given wine or strong drink depending on the circumstance.

I have family members who are alcoholic and I will not drink around those particular people because I know it gives the evil appearance that I am okay with the results of them drinking too much, while I know of others who are given to drinking too much but if I chose to drink around them I know that my drinking would not encourage them to drink too much. This is due to me knowing the situation at hand.

Next, I have been told in the past by some in the fellowship that drinking anything is not permitted for a bishop or deacon in the church, but is that true when looking at the sum of the Word of God?

Here are the verses that were given to me as to WHY bishops and deacons and their wives are not permitted to drink wine.

Tit 1:5 For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee:
Tit 1:6 If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly.
Tit 1:7 For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;
Tit 1:8 But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate;
Tit 1:9 Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.
Tit 1:10 For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision:

Other verses that were given are found in 1 Timothy 3.

1Ti 3:1 This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.
1Ti 3:2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
1Ti 3:3 Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;
1Ti 3:4 One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;

In Proverbs we just read that it is not for kings to drink wine nor princes strong drink and here in Titus and Timothy we see a similar admonition but are we REALLY being told that a king, prince, bishop or deacon CANNOT DRINK any wine or strong drink?

Well, if you are believing in the false doctrine that God’s children CANNOT drink or it is a sin, then I must present you with a list of verses and their corresponding applications to ask you to reconsider your doctrine in the Light of the following verses and ideas.

We all have heard that Jesus created wine from water in John 2, but some may argue that He didn’t drink it Himself and that Jesus wasn’t passing judgment on them. Do we think that Jesus would cause others to sin by creating wine for them to drink when there was none left BEFORE Jesus created it?

What about Jesus Himself drinking wine?

Isa 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

If these are appropriate titles for Jesus, what about these titles?

Rev 17:14 These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.

Rev 19:15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
Rev 19:16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.

So then, Jesus is the King of kings and the Lord of lords. We are His body, “the virtuous” body of Christ, and we too are kings AND priests.

Rev 1:5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
Rev 1:6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

Is Timothy included in the group as a king and priest? If he is then how can he be permitted to drink at all? If Jesus is the King of Kings, and He is, how then could He be accused of being a drunkard and lover of food?

Luk 7:31 And the Lord said, Whereunto then shall I liken the men of this generation? and to what are they like?
Luk 7:32 They are like unto children sitting in the marketplace, and calling one to another, and saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned to you, and ye have not wept.
Luk 7:33 For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine; and ye say, He hath a devil.
Luk 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!
Luk 7:35 But wisdom is justified of all her children.

Considering the presented verses, what then is Proverbs 31:4-7 telling us?

Eph 5:17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.
Eph 5:18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;

What excess is being spoken about? There is a difference in drinking and becoming drunk. Anyone that has ever drank alcohol can attest to this. A deacon or bishop must not “be given to wine” meaning, they must not become drunken OR RULED by wanting to drink all the time.

(Darby) Titus 1:7 For the overseer must be free from all charge against him as God’s steward; not headstrong, not passionate, not disorderly through wine, not a striker, not seeking gain by base means;

(ESV) For an overseer, as God’s steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain,

Spiritual Drunkenness

If this is the case and many, many scriptures can be quoted to bring this to Light for what we are being told about drinking physically, what is the spiritual application to Proverbs 31:4-7?

Jer 51:5 For Israel hath not been forsaken, nor Judah of his God, of the LORD of hosts; though their land was filled with sin against the Holy One of Israel.
Jer 51:6 Flee out of the midst of Babylon, and deliver every man his soul: be not cut off in her iniquity; for this is the time of the LORD’S vengeance; he will render unto her a recompence.
Jer 51:7 Babylon hath been a golden cup in the LORD’S hand, THAT MADE ALL THE EARTH DRUNKEN: the nations have drunken of her wine; therefore the nations are mad.

Yes, the wine and strong drink being spoken about in Proverbs 31 is the wine and strong drink of the great harlot “babylon the great”.

Rev 17:5 And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.

Rev 18:2 And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.
Rev 18:3 For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.

The reason a lot of Christians believe wine and strong drink are inherently bad is because they are yet carnal, yet carnal, yet carnal. Yes of course humans abuse alcohol in all its forms, however, humans also abuse everything on the planet in some way or form.

It is with moderation that all things must be used.

Php 4:5 Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.
Php 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
Php 4:7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Tit 1:15 Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.

Php 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
Php 4:9 Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

What things should we be thinking on and DOING according to the spiritual application of Proverbs 31:4-7?

Pro 31:4 It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink:
Pro 31:5 Lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted.
Pro 31:6 Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts.
Pro 31:7 Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more.

Is it possible that kings and drink wine and princes strong drink and then FORGET the LAW and pervert righteous judgment?

Is the law we are concerned with forgetting the law of Moses or is it something different than that?

Rom 3:25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
Rom 3:26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.
Rom 3:27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.

Rom 7:22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
Rom 7:23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
Rom 7:24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

Gal 6:1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
Gal 6:2 Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

Jas 1:22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
Jas 1:23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:
Jas 1:24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
Jas 1:25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

Here then we have arrived at the true spiritual focus and lesson pulled at of our study verses today.

Jas 2:9 But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.
Jas 2:10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.
Jas 2:11 For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.
Jas 2:12 So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.
Jas 2:13 For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.
Jas 2:14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
Jas 2:15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
Jas 2:16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?
Jas 2:17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

I know this may come as a shocker to most Christians, but FAITH does not SAVE ANYONE. Belief, which is what faith is, is a gift of God.

It is by GRACE that we are being saved, THROUGH FAITH.

Eph 2:4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
Eph 2:5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
Eph 2:6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
Eph 2:7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Eph 2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Eph 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

What does that look like in our lives and also in context of Proverb 31:4-7?

Notice that we are told in James 2 that if we have respect of persons we commit sin. It is easy to conclude, and I myself have been extremely guilty of this in the past, that this verse is speaking specifically about having respect for a person based on “good things” which others are lacking.

What if these verses also include having “respect for persons” in regards to believing and ACTING on the notion that when a person commits a sin, treats us unfairly, provides and panders to evil, does drugs, drinks alcohol, prostitutes, launders money, robs banks, rapes men women and children, kill other humans, commit adultery, covets others possessions, and all the many other evils that the human mind can conceive and act upon.

Pro 31:6 Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts.
Pro 31:7 Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more.

The speaking and doing of James 2, so that we are judged by the law of liberty, happens as a result of the spiritual kings and priests of the kingdom of God having the knowledge, wisdom and understanding on how to give strong drink to those who are going to perish from their sins and giving the Words of Life to those who are going through the various trials and tribulations in theirs lives that God alone has put there.

When we need to give STRONG WORDS of admonition to those who will die otherwise (spiritual death), and do not, then this is due to us having become drunken on the false doctrines of the great harlot.

When we are unable to comfort, edify and exhort those who are struggling with life and the things the Lord puts them through, then we are lacking in the ability to give the naked clothing, the poor food, the miserable peace, the blind sight and the wretched hope.

As the virtuous woman that we want to be to our Husband Jesus Christ, we must be SILENT and listen to His instructions on how to deliver His will to His children.

Pro 31:8 Open thy mouth for the dumb in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction.
Pro 31:9 Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy.

Amen, indeed. In order for us to truly be learning and applying the righteous judgment of God in all situations, we must accurately be able to convey the Will of God, His commandments, His love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, temperance, meekness hope, mercy, kindness, salvation and faith.

We will be able to do and live all these things when we are NOT drunken with the doctrines of babylon but rather are full of the spiritual bread and new wine of God.

A priest of God will have this. A king will have these things. The body of Christ and church of the living God will certainly have the new bread (Jesus the Christ) and new wine (doctrine) of God.

Gen 14:18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God.

Joh 6:33 For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.

Be filled with the bread of life and wine from God. All other bread and wine will perish.

Jer 51:7 Babylon hath been a golden cup in the LORD’S hand, that made all the earth drunken: the nations have drunken of her wine; therefore the nations are mad.

In the next study, Lord willing, we will cover how the virtuous woman applies the lessons so far learned and how the mother prophesying to king Lemuel instructs Him and us on how a virtuous woman does the will and work of her Husband, for His heart trust in her because it is His own heart.