|
XVII.
Health and Temperance
Chapter 187
:
Christian Temperance
1. CONCERNING what did
Paul reason before Felix?
"He reasoned of righteousness,
temperance, and judgment to come." Acts
24:25.
NOTE.-Temperance means habitual moderation
and control in the indulgence of the
appetites and passions; in other words,
self-control.
2. Of what is
temperance a fruit?
"But the fruit of the Spirit
is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness,
goodness, faith, meekness, temperance."
Gal. 5:22,23.
NOTE.-"Temperance puts wood on the fire,
meal in the barrel, flour in the tub, money
in the purse, credit in the country,
contentment in the house, clothes on the
back, and vigor in the body."-
Benjamin Franklin.
3. Where in Christian
growth and experience is temperance placed by
the apostle Peter?
"Add to your faith virtue; and to
virtue knowledge; and to knowledge
temperance; and to temperance patience; and
to patience godliness; and to godliness
brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness
charity." 2 Peter 1:5-7. See Chapter 118 Growth
in Grace.
NOTE.-Temperance is rightly placed here as
to order. Knowledge is a prerequisite to
temperance, and temperance to patience. It
is very difficult for an intemperate person
to be patient.
4. What is said of
those who strive for the mastery?
"And every man that striveth for the
mastery is temperate in all things." 1
Cor. 9:25.
5. In running the
Christian race, what did Paul say he did?
"But I keep under my body, and
bring it into subjection: lest that by any
means, when I have preached to others, I myself
should be a castaway." Verse 27.
6. Why are kings and
rulers admonished to be temperate?
"It is not for kings to drink wine;
nor for princes strong drink: lest they drink,
and forget the law, and pervert the judgment
of any of the afflicted." Prov. 31:4,5.
7. Why were priests
forbidden to use intoxicating drink while
engaged in the sanctuary service?
"And the Lord spake unto Aaron,
saying, Do not drink wine nor strong drink,
thou, nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into
the tabernacle: . . . that ye may put
difference between holy and unholy, and between
unclean and clean." Lev. 10:8-10.
8. Why is indulgence in
strong drink dangerous?
"And be not drunk with wine, wherein
is excess; but be filled with the Spirit." Eph.
5:18.
NOTE.-The danger in the indulgence of
stimulating foods and drinks is that they
create an unnatural appetite and thirst,
thus leading to excess. Both food and drink
should be nourishing and non-stimulating.
9. For what should men
eat and drink?
"Blessed art thou, O land, when thy
king is the son of nobles, and thy princes eat
in due season, for strength, and not for
drunkenness! " Eccl. 10:17.
10. Why did Daniel
refuse the food and wine of the king?
"But Daniel purposed in his heart
that he would not defile himself with the
portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine
which he drank." Dan. 1:8. See Judges 13:4.
11. Instead of these,
what did he request?
"Prove thy servants, I beseech thee,
ten days; and let them give us pulse to eat,
and water to drink." Verse 12.
12. At the end of the
ten days' test, how did he and his companions
appear?
"And at the end of ten days their
countenances appeared fairer and fatter in
flesh than all the children which did eat the
portion of the king's meat." Verse 15.
13. At the end of their
three years' course in the school of Babylon,
how did the wisdom of Daniel and his companions
compare with that of others?
"Now at the end of the days . . . the
king communed with them; and among them all
was found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael,
and Azariah: . . . and in all matters of
wisdom and understanding, that the king inquired
of them, he found them ten times better
than all the magicians and astrologers that were
in all his realm." Verses 18-20.
14. What warning is
given against leading others into intemperance?
"Woe unto him that giveth his
neighbor drink, that puttest thy bottle to him,
and makest him drunken." Hab. 2:15.
15. What kind of
professed Christians are not fellowshipped?
"But now I have written unto you not
to keep company,
if any man that is called a brother be a
fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a
railer, or a drunkard." 1 Cor. 5:11.
16. Can drunkards enter
the kingdom of God?
"Neither fornicators, nor idolaters,
. . . nor thieves,
nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor
revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the
kingdom of God." 1 Cor. 6:9,10. See Rev. 21:27.
17. For what perfection
of character did the apostle pray?
"And the very God of peace sanctify
you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit
and soul and body be preserved blameless
unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." 1
Thess. 5:23.
NOTE.-For notable examples of total
abstinence in the Bible, see the wife of
Manoah, the mother of Samson (Judges 13:4,
12-14); Hannah, the mother of Samuel (1 Sam.
1:15); the Rechabites (Jer. 35:1-10); and
John the Baptist (Luke 1:13-15).
SONG OF THE RYE
I WAS made to be eaten,
And not to be drank;
To be threshed in the barn,
Not soaked in a tank.
I come as a blessing
When put through a mill;
As a blight and a curse
When run through a still.
Make
me up into loaves,
And your children are fed;
But if into drink,
I'll starve them instead.
In bread I'm a servant,
The eater shall rule;
In drink I am master,
The drinker a fool. |
