The Coolidge examiner., 1937-10-28


and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the
desh.-Galatians SIG.
PRIMARY TOPIC-My Neighbors.
JUNIOR TOPIC-The Greatest Law.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOP
IC-Why Is It Wrong to Drink Alcoholic
Beverages?
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOP
IC-The Moral Issue in the Drink Prob
lem.
The title for our lesson is we'll
chosen-"The Moral Issue in the
Drink Problem"
First, let it be clear that there is
an issue. Those who have business,
social, or political connections with
the liquor traffic would like to have
us believe that the repeal of prohi-
bition settled the matter once for
all. But let us be sure of this fact
the liquor problem is at our very
door, and it must be met.
In the second place, many would
have us think that the matter of
drunkenness is a social, political,
or even a physical problem, without
any moral implications whatever.
But those who are informed know
that even the supposedly innocent
beer is inextricably tied up with
vice and crime. A prisoner in fed
eral penitentiary- writing before pro-
hibition was repealed said, "Crimi-
nails hail with delight the re-
turn Of liquor via the beer route and
the greater license that the return
Of the saloon will inevitably bring.
With the return Of beer will come
open prostitution and gambling"
His words were true, and that con-
dition is here now. If you do not
think so you do not know what is
going on in the taverns, night clubs,
and roadhouses in your community.
I. Drunkenness Is Work of Dark
ness (Rom. 13:12-14.
Just as there are darkness and
daylight in the physical universe, so
there are two contrasting spiritual
realms, of darkness and light.
Men loved darkness rather than
light because their deeds were evil"
according to the Lord Jesus. (See
John 3:19) This spiritual realm of
darkness is directed by rulers of
the darkness of this world" (Eph.
6:12), and their purpose is "spiritu-
al wickedness. With the works of
darkness" the believer is to have
no fellowship" (Eph. SID. but is
to ''reprove them" and bring them
into the light where their true ma
ture is made manifest (Eph. SID.
God is light, and in him is no
darkness at ALL" and those who
have fellowship with him walk in
the light" (See John 1:5-7) They
so live that their actions. their
words, their thoughts, can endure
the light.
Drunkenness is a work of dark
ness. 1t separates man from God
and makes him fear the glorious
light of his countenance. The solu-
tion for that awful condition is re-
vealed in v. H. Put ye on the
Lord Jesus Christ" Pledges and
promises have no permanent value,
but regeneration remakes the life
so that no provision is made for the
flesh or its lusts.
III. Drunkenness Is Work of Un-
righteousness Il Cor. 6:9-lD.
No drunkard shall inherit the
kingdom Of Cod ". 10), and the
man who takes his first drink has
put his foot on the path that leads
to the drunkard's grave. Of course
no man plans to go that far, but the
fact is that such is the tragic con-
clusion for hundreds of thousands of
men and women-damned for time
and eternity by drink.
Again in this passage we have the
answer to our problem. Not refor-
nation, not education, not culture
desirable and useful though we
recognize these things to be-, but
being washed" ''Sanctified," and
Justified in 1.-The name of the Lord
Jesus and in the Spirit of God" Try
that on your town drunkard. Thank
God. it works!
iii. Drunkenness Is a Work of the
Flesh (Gal. 5:16-2D.
The fiesh-that is our bodies ruled
over by self-will as opposed to Gods
willis revealed in the Scriptures
to be thoroughly bad, and in opposi-
ton to God. Consider the appalling
list of the works of the flesh in
verses 10 and 20. And note that in
the midst of them stands drunken
ness.
1t is the lowest in man that re-
spends to intoxicants. Little won
der that the Brewers Journal came
out right after the election of 1882
with the statement that mot one
tenth of one-per cent of American
youths know the taste of real beer.
We must educate them" In other
words the normal taste of an in
telligent person would revolt at the
stuff, but once give it chance to
stir the lusts of ''the flesh and the
victim is caught.
Once again, note the antidote-
live in the power of the Holy Spirit,
and the flesh with its lustS is cruel