ALCOHOLISM AND THE MORAL MODEL
A Paper and Lecture
Presented to
Mr. James Dean
Chemical Use Consultant
Dean of Students
University of North DakotaCOURSE: Alcohol and Drugs: A Systematic Approach
Presented by
Rev. Gordon Silcox, D.D.
[Former] Pastor of Bible Baptist Church
President of Northland Baptist College
East Grand Forks, MN
ALCOHOLISM AND THE MORAL MODEL The American alcoholic scoreboard shows some startling figures. We see
over forty-five million Americans harmed directly or indirectly by alcohol,
over ten million alcoholics or problem drinkers, and thirty thousand of the
more than fifty thousand people killed in traffic accidents had been drinking.
It is time to consider this menace to our society. We are now seeing one-third
of all suicides alcohol related, and one-half of all homicides alcohol related.
It is impossible to truly estimate the human suffering related to this problem.
We will approach this subject from the moral standpoint: Alcoholism
is a sin, not a disease. Truly the alcoholic is sick, but not from a disease.Is alcoholism a disease? ALCOHOL If alcoholism is a disease,
it is the only disease that is bottled and sold:
and it is the only disease that is contracted by the will of man;
it is the only disease that requires a license to propagate it;
it is the only disease that requires outlets to spread it.If alcoholism is a disease,
it is the only disease that produces revenue for the government;
and it is the only disease that provokes crime;
it is the only disease that is habit forming;
it is the only disease that brings violent death on the highways;
it is the only disease that is spread by advertising;
and it is the only disease without a germ for virus cause.It just might be that it's not a disease at all.
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Let us now approach the subject from the moral position.
I. THE CURSE OF ALCOHOLISM
A. It is destroying the lives of our nation's finest and fittest.
According to several reports there are over five hundred thousand
alcoholics between the ages of ten and nineteen.
Joel 3:3 "And they have cast lots for my people; and have given
a boy for an harlot, and sold a girl for wine, that
they might drink."
Over nine thousand young people between the ages of fourteen and
nineteen are killed in drunk driving accidents every year.
B. According to recent releases alcoholism is now the fourth largest
killer in our nation.
C. It is said that one third of all High School students get drunk at
least once a month. God says, "Wine is a mocker, strong drink is
raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise." Proverbs 20:1
Yes, Alcoholism is a sin:
What Alcohol has done?
It has been said;
"Drink has shed more blood, hung more crepe, sold more homes,
plunged more people into bankruptcy, armed more villains, slain
more children, snapped more wedding rings, defiled more innocence,
blinded more eyes, dethroned more reason, wrecked more manhood,
dishonored more womanhood, broken more hearts, blasted more lives,
driven more to suicide and dug more graves than any more scourge
that has cursed the world."II. THE CAUSE OF ALCOHOLISM
Why will anyone begin a life of drinking?
There are many reasons, and they are complex.
A. Peer Pressure
There is social pressure which claims that men of distinction drink.
Those men often become men of extinction instead:
"For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and
drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags." Proverbs 23:21
B. Falsehoods about Alcoholism
Institutions so often approach the subject as a social good instead
of the evil which it is. The Bible condemns alcohol.
C. A Lack of Spiritual Knowledge
Men of the clergy often condone and use alcohol instead of setting
the example of abstinence.
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"Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil;
that put darkness for light, and light for darkness;
that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent
in their own sight!
Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of
strength to mingle strong drink:" Isaiah 5:20-22III. THE CURE OF ALCOHOLISM
The innocent who are trapped by this evil are to be loved and helped,
not condemned. The one who sells alcohol to them has the curse of God on
his life. "Woe unto him that giveth his neighbour drink, that puttest
thy bottle to him, and makest him drunken also, that thou mayest look
on their nakedness!" Habakkuk 2:15
Rehabilitation will never work for these unless we are honest in our
approach to this age-old sin.
A. The Prohibition Myth
All my life I've heard it said prohibition didn't work in the 20's
and it can't work now. Both statements are not only a lie, they are
a stupid lie. AMERICANS DRANK LESS DURING PROHIBITION. 1914 was the
last year of normal drinking before prohibition. The per capita
consumption for that year was 22.8 gallons. In 1920, it was 2.48
gallons. In 1926, Dr. Irving Fisher, in "Prohibition At It's Worst"
concluded non-prohibition consumption ratio was certainly less than
16 per cent.
During that period of time, even though much lawlessness was encouraged
and even financed and publicized by the liquor crowd and their hired help
in political offices; crime, sickness and poverty decreased in paralleled
proportions, to the per capita consumption of alcohol. The fact is that
no legislation has ever worked better than prohibition. This is in spite
of the fact that it was hated, slandered and fought more than any piece of
legislation ever passed. For more facts about the success and failure of
prohibition, get the book "Then and Now." The Truth about Prohibition and
Repeal, by Deets Pickett, LL.D. This can be obtained by writing,
Alcohol Education Foundation of Oklahoma, Inc.,
4317 N. Mac Arthur, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73122
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B. The Answer
Drinkers are enslaved by alcohol and the only genuine answer is found in
Jesus Christ.
1. There must be a change. "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is
a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become
new." II Corinthians 5:17
2. Only God can give the power for complete recovery from alcoholism.
"For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the
law, but under grace." Romans 6:14
"But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have
your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life." Romans 6:22
"Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee,
Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." John 3:3
"But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons
of God, even to them that believe on his name:" John 1:12
"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth
on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into
condemnation; but is passed from death unto life." John 5:24
C. The Woe of Alcoholism
"Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God?
Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor
effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners,
shall inherit the kingdom of God." I Corinthians 6:9-10
The seller of alcohol is a criminal when he knows he is destroying lives,
homes and society itself by selling alcoholic beverages. We must realize
he does it for one reason: financial gain.
"For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some
coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves
through with many sorrows." I Timothy 6:10
1. The Bible says we are not to drink alcohol.
"Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling?
who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes? They that tarry
long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine. Look not thou upon the
wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth
itself aright. At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like
an adder." Proverbs 23:29-32
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2. The Bible tells us how to attain victory over such an evil as booze.
"Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted
out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the
Lord;" Acts 3:19
"That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt
believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou
shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness;
and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture
saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no
difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is
rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the
name of the Lord shall be saved." Romans 10:9-13Conclusion
Alcoholism is a sin, not a disease. The only true deliverance is
personal faith in Jesus Christ. Alcohol has many friends: They are
immorality, poverty, crime, broken homes, hunger, and many other sorrows.
THE PIG AND THE DRUNKARD Oh how well do I remember,
It was early in December,
I was walking down the Avenue
of Pride.
My heart was all a flutter,
As I fell down in the gutter.
And a pig walked up and lay down
by my side.
Our hearts were both a flutter,
As we lay there in the gutter
And a lady passing by was
heard to say,
"You can tell a man who boozes,
By the company he chooses",
And the pig got up, and slowly
walked away.
[Christian Helps Ministry (USA)] [Christian Home Bible Course]