Responsibility Matters

Responsibility Matters

The Responsible Way For A Christian To Handle Alcohol

Be Sober

1 Thess. 5:6, 8, Titus 2:2, 1 Peter 1:13, 5:8

Sober – NEPHO “to be free from the influence

of intoxicants” (Vine’s)

How Does Alcohol Work?

• Alcohol is metabolized extremely quickly by the body. Unlike foods…alcohol needs no digestion and is quickly absorbed. Alcohol gets “VIP” treatment in the body… can reach the brain within one minute.

• Alcohol acts primarily on the nerve cells within the brain.

Lowers Inhibitions

• Noah - Gen. 9:20-21• Lot - Gen. 19:32-35

Christians are to operate with a sense of restraint.

Addictive

• Hosea 4:11• One in every 10-15 who try alcohol

will become alcoholics• 1 Cor. 6:12

Work of the Flesh

Work of the Flesh

• Galatians 5:19-21

Work of the Flesh

• “…when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries”

1 Peter 4:3

Influence

“It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak.”

Romans 14:21

The Alcohol Industry

• Each year, at least 13.8 million Americans develop drinking problems.

• 75,000 die of alcohol problems each year.• In 2009, 10,839 deaths occurred as a result of

alcohol-related motor-vehicle crashes. • Statistically, one alcohol-related death

occurs every 31 minutes.• 50% of homicides are alcohol related.• 40% of assaults are alcohol related.• Alcohol abuse cost $220 billion in 2005.

The Alcohol Industry & Youth• 480,000 children are mistreated each year by

a caretaker with an alcohol problem. • Alcohol is a leading cause of death.• Contributes substantially to adolescent

motor vehicle crashes, traumatic injuries, suicide, date rape, family & school problems.

• Young people who begin drinking before age 15 are four times more likely to develop alcoholism than those waiting until age 21.

• Every day, more than 13,000 children and teens try alcohol for the first time.

Is The Alcohol Industry Acting Responsibly Towards

Our Youth?

• Underage drinkers consume 19.7% of all alcohol consumed in U.S.

• The top 20% of alcohol consumers account for about 87-89% of all the alcohol consumed in the U.S.

• The average 18-year-old has seen 100,000 TV commercials encouraging him to drink.

• In 2001, for every ad that discouraged underage drinking, there were 87 product promotion ads. For every ad emphasizing the legal drinking age, alcohol companies showed 179 product promotion ads.

Can A Christian Support…

• An industry that is responsible for one death every 31 minutes.

• An industry whose product is a common factor in tragedies such as car crashes, rape, child abuse, neglect, crime, etc.

• An industry that profits off of causing misery.

• An industry that proposes to advocate responsibility while purposely targeting our youth in an effort to get them addicted to their product.

What is the responsible way for a Christian to handle alcohol?

What is the responsible way for a Christian to handle alcohol?

• Proverbs 23:29-35

What is the responsible way for a Christian to handle alcohol?

• Proverbs 23:29-35

• “Do Not Look On It”

What is the responsible way for a Christian to handle alcohol?

• Proverbs 23:29-35

• What is the responsible way for a Christian to handle a viper?