EXCESS AND THE ANTIDOTES

(Drunkenness, revellings)

THESE two works of the flesh can be dealt with as a pair. Both drunkenness and revellings are symptoms of the abandonment of spirituality and of a retreat from reality.

Many people these days contrarily believe that spirit-uality is an escape from reality. They see it as a refuge for those who can't cope with life, a crutch to lean on for the emotionally weak. The fact that it draws the weak has more to do with the pitying eye of the Father than the nature of spirituality itself. I also believe that it takes an extremely strong person, sometimes, to realise that they need the crutch of spirituality. And many people don't have the strength it takes to break free from their nature, or from the constraints of society to become a committed believer. It takes courage, as well as belief, to stand out among friends and family and colleagues as a practising Christian. They'll all, no doubt, tell you to "Get back to reality".

The truth of the matter is that only spirituality teaches us what is real. Everything about this world seems so permanent: the systems, institutions, customs, the social and political evol-ution, they seem as if they will always be. The Bible opens our minds to the reality of the fragility and impermanence of what we see. God is in control. He is calling out a people for Himself from every generation who will populate a kingdom that will replace all the seemingly permanent kingdoms on this earth: "...it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever" (Dan.2:44).

The world as we know it will be swept aside ("as a scroll when it is rolled up," in the words of Revelation 6:14 NKJV), and "the meek shall inherit" an entirely revised planet earth, as promised. There's no way they could inherit the world as it is—or would want to!

This is reality. It is understood and appreciated only through spirituality. Drunkenness is used in Scripture as a metaphor for being so confused and drugged by the 'reality' of the present world that we cannot see the truth. The Word keeps us sober. It keeps us from being intoxicated by all the mind-numbing stuff of the world. It keeps the door to reality open.

But that's enough about metaphorical drunkenness. What about actual drunkenness? Being drunk affects people differently. It can make us happy or sad, brave or fearful, sleepy or overactive, quiet or brash and foul-mouthed, offensively or embarrassingly truthful, or the biggest brag-gart under the sun. It can also make us physically sick. And if drunkenness becomes a way of life it may rob us of family, friends, home, job, health, wealth, happiness and life. There's not a lot going for it, really, is there?

Like many of the works of the flesh, drunkenness is the misuse of something meant for our good. Alcoholic drinks are good and pleasurable in themselves, making "glad the heart of man" (Ps.104:15). The benefits of 'little and often' are occasionally attested to by the medical profession. I don't know about you, but it seems that every time I hear or read an interview with a person who's over one hundred years old, I hear them say they take a glass of sherry, or red wine, most days!

Drink itself isn't harmful. It's the excess of it that does the harm. In the right modest measure it gives a pleasant conviviality and does the system good. In the wrong measure it can destroy the personality and the body. And if it ever becomes an addiction, then even 'little and often' ceases to be a good idea; total abstinence is reckoned to be the best solution. Wine can indeed "make glad the heart of man" but we are also warned that "Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise" (Prov. 20:1). And let's not forget that any amount can be lethal if taken at an inappropriate time, such as when driving or doing anything potentially dangerous that requires proper attention.

I've met people who have told me that they were teetotal because the Bible forbids the drinking of alcohol. The Bible does no such thing. It warns against drinking too much of it, not against drinking any at all. If we are going to argue that a warning not to drink too much means a complete ban on drinking, then by the same token the Bible's warnings about the misuse of the tongue should prohibit talking. Silence was never that golden.

Excess is the problem, not drinking. Drunkenness takes away our proper awareness of what we're doing. A modest amount of alcohol merely relaxes us, but if we drink too much we reach the point where most, if not all, of our inhibitions vanish. Okay, so some people could do with losing a few inhibitions? Some do need to loosen up and lighten up a bit? Some of the checks on our personality are needless? But with drunkenness we lose those checks on our personality that need to be in place. And once in that state we are going to begin manifesting other works of the flesh. The gate is wide open. Drunkenness drops our guard. That's the worst of it. That's why it's linked with revellings.

Revelling entails brawling and sexual abandon. Peter lumps revelling together with lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, and banqueting. And by banqueting I don't think he had in mind a formal lunch at the Guildhall. Peter follows through with an exhortation to be "sober, and watch unto prayer" (1 Pet.4:7). Drunkenness and revellings are to be a thing of the past, if ever, for believers. There's no way you can be watching and ready for Christ's coming if you drink too much. But these things are obvious and don't need hammering home by me.

The Antidotes to Excess

The antidotes to excess are peace (not surprisingly) and meekness. Excessive drinking and the revelry commonly associated with it are often born of the need to escape real life. Someone who can find no peace will often turn to drink to dull the pain of existence. But when the peace of God rules in the heart, because we know that all our circum-stances are in God's hands, we don't need a bottle, we need a Bible. But it takes the inner strength known as meekness to realise that and put it into practice.

Troubled people seek an escape from reality. They can't handle all the pressures and disappointments of life. With Biblical peace and meekness we know that all we have to do is trust God, let Him take the strain. The solution is to believe that He is in control, and act as if we believe it. Take all your problems to God—and don't forget to leave them there.