The Individual’s Responsibility Regarding Beverage Alcohol

Habakkuk 2:15; Genesis 4:9-12; Mark 9:42-48; I Thessalonians 5:22

GOLDEN TEXT: “Abstain from every form of evil.”—I Thessalonians 5:22

THE lesson for today while designed to emphasize the Christian’s responsibility with respect to protecting others from the temptation of strong drink, in reality covers a much wider scope than this. The various Scriptures cited emphasize one’s responsibility for making straight paths for their own feet as well as the responsibility that is imposed upon every consecrated Christian to do all that he can to safeguard the spiritual well-being of fellow-travelers in the narrow way.

Cain raised the question, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” The Lord’s method of dealing with Cain subsequent to his great sin in murdering his brother, indicates that from the divine standpoint, he was responsible, and that he was held accountable for the selfishness and jealousy in his own heart which caused him to slay his brother.

Jesus’ remarks as recorded in Mark 9:42-48, are very much to the point along this line. While the offending hand and offending eye might well represent any sin on the part of an individual Christian, yet when viewed in the light of Eastern customs, these remarks seem to apply specially to transgressions involving our relationship to others. The eye is quite a common symbol of desire and envy. It is the unspoken but understood language of the East. The eye with its varying shades of light gives expression to the countenance, which in turn is influenced by the heart. This language of the eye is a fearful menace to superstitious Orientals. In the Orient one often hears it said “Cut your eye from my boy,” which means “Do not envy my boy”; or “Do not cut your eye from my family while I am away,” which means “Look after their best interests in my absence.” In the Western world the expression Have an eye on him, means take care of him, or look out for him. The counsel of Jesus is to pluck out the eye of lust, covetousness, envy and greed, so that the life might be clean and wholesome. It is better to lose these things than to acquire habits which would ultimately destroy the entire life.

According to those acquainted with Oriental customs and the use of the Aramaic language, the expression “cut off your hand” is used in conversation but with no reference to actually cutting off one’s hand in the literal sense. People often say to each other “cut off your hand from my vineyard,” which means “do not gather grapes from my vineyard.” The statement “His hand is too long,” means that one is a thief. “Shorten your hand” means, do not steal. Then again, “cut your hand” means cut out a bad habit.

The hand is mentioned because it is the agent by which the mind and body do their work. The Galileans who spoke northern Aramaic were neither puzzled by these remarks which sound so harsh, nor did they require explanation because these terms were of current usage. They are still current in Oriental speech and are the common-places of Oriental thought.

The Revised Version translation of the Golden Text is given rather than the King James Version translation. This we believe is much better. The King James Version reads, “Abstain from all appearance of evil.” This would be quite impossible for a Christian to do. The doing of God’s will on the part of a faithful Christian often appears to be evil in the sight of the unconsecrated. Christians cannot be guided by the opinions and viewpoints of the worldly. Jesus Himself committed no wrong, yet He was accused of wrong-doing and put to death. The servant cannot expect to be above his Master, nor receive any different consideration from the world.

The Christian however should abstain from every form of evil. He should zealously safeguard his own heart and mind against impurities of thought and word and action, and should also be on the alert, lest he be guilty of influencing others to say and do wrong things.

The Christian’s responsibility toward others is a very serious one, and should not be taken lightly.

QUESTIONS:

What is the proper answer to Cain’s question, “Am I my brother’s keeper?”

Explain what Jesus meant by cutting off the right hand and plucking out the right eye?

Do Christians have a responsibility in connection with safeguarding their brethren against temptation?

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