#113 BEVERAGE ALCOHOL DESTROYS

The Bible says, "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 seek mixed wine.  Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his color 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) Few products have caused as much trouble as alcohol, the "choicest product of the brewer’s art".

There are more than 10,000,000 alcoholics in the United States today; 5,000,000 problem drinkers.  Six out of every ten drink socially, or regularly.  Every alcoholic was once a social drinker.  About one in three people that you meet is potentially an alcoholic.  The amount of alcohol necessary to make one drunk may vary widely.  Beer is about 4.5% alcohol content.  Wine is about 12%, and liquors will vary from 40% to 50%.  Beverage alcohol destroys internally, externally, and eternally.

First, alcohol destroys the body.  Alcohol is our nation's third most pressing health problem.  Only cancer and heart disease claim more victims.  Yet this alcoholic threat to the health of Americans is receiving little attention from the government, and virtually none from those getting rich through the manufacture and sale of this poison.

How does alcohol do its damage to the human body?  First, let's consider the brain and the nervous system.  Many people believe that alcoholic drinks, other than hard liquor, do little harm to the nervous system because they contain a lower percentage of alcohol.  This is exactly what the brewing industry wants you to believe.  The idea that beer, ale, and wine are harmless has hoodwinked many intelligent people and a great amount of advertising has built up this delusion.  Beer and light liquors can be as harmful to the nervous system as the hardest whiskey if a sufficient amount is consumed.  Nearly two-thirds of those admitted to an alcoholic clinic in an Eastern city were treated for alcoholism due to drinking beer.  A common effect of the heavy use of alcohol is deterioration of the brain and the nervous system.  Ethel alcohol is a poison and will cause instant death if the concentration in the body is high enough.  The cells in your brain and nervous system are very delicate and easily damaged -- the most easily damaged of all the cells in your body.  It is natural that they would be the ones affected first and most seriously by alcohol.  Any damage to the nervous system affects every organ of the body, even your skin, toenails, and the hair of your head.  Yes, alcohol destroys externally as well as internally.  It also has a great deal to do with your personality and your emotions.  Solomon said, "Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging, and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise." Solomon was right.

Secondly, it destroys externally.  It is a major cause of divorce.  Listen to Judge Benson Trimble, judge of the Domestic Court in Davidson County, Tennessee: "In at least 90% of the cases that come before my court each day, one or both of the marriage partners will be guilty of excessive amounts of alcoholic beverages in one form or another.  There is seldom a day that goes by in court without one party or the other complaining of this problem.  Without a doubt, the shortest route from a happy marriage to the unfortunate termination by divorce in court is by the use of an alcoholic beverage to excess." And then Judge Trimble added a candid personal comment, "There is one way, and only one way, to rid oneself of this habit, and that is, of course, to turn to God in prayer, earnestly and without reservation, and ask His help in overcoming the problem."

The use of alcohol is a major contributor to the neglect of children.  Many of the children in orphan's homes today are there because of drinking parents.  A study in a large Eastern city showed that alcohol contributed to the crimes of at least two-thirds of the people arrested for felonies.  Approximately one-half of all fatalities on our highways are caused by drinking drivers.  Imagine 28,000 people killed each year by drinking drivers!

One-third of all suicides are related to alcohol.  One-half of all homicides involve alcohol.  On a national average, it costs the state $3.18 for every dollar gained in tax revenue.  Although there are no state-wide studies available on the cost of alcohol related problems, if we were to apply the national formula to Tennessee, for example, this would mean that the State spends $212,058,000 annually for alcohol related problems.  Now, $66,685,000 in public revenue results from the sale of alcoholic beverages, and when you subtract the income from the out-go, the net loss is $145,373,000.

Thirdly, beverage alcohol destroys eternally.  Isaiah wrote, "Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning that they may follow strong drink.  'That continue until night that wine inflame them." And the Apostle Paul wrote, "Be not drunk with wine wherein is excess, but be filled with the spirit."(Ephesians 5:18) Paul said, concerning ones body, "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God and that the spirit of God dwelleth in you" If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy, for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are."(1 Corinthians 3:16-17) One pays an extremely high price, both in this life and in the world to come, when he uses alcoholic beverages.  Beverage alcohol destroys, internally, externally, and eternally.