Expert: Thurman C. Petty, Jr. - 12/18/2007

Question
What do the bible say about temperance?

Answer
Dear Van,

Thank you for your question about temperance. Perhaps the basic rule would be this: Total abstinence from that which is harmful, and moderate use of that which is good.

This is based upon the Biblical principle that God created us, and therefore owns our bodies. The only thing that God does not own is our power of choice, and that’s our responsibility.

Notice the following texts:

1 Cor 6:19  Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;
1 Cor 6:20  you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.

1 Cor 10:31  So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

Let’s talk specifics:

Prov 20:1  Wine is a mocker and beer a brawler; whoever is led astray by them is not wise.

Prov 23:20  Do not join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat,
Prov 23:21  for drunkards and gluttons become poor, and drowsiness clothes them in rags.

"Whisky is a good thing in its place. There is nothing like it for preserving a man when he is dead. If you want to keep a dead man, put him in whisky; if you want to kill a live [man] put whisky in him." Thomas Guthrie


Deu 29:5  During the forty years that I led you through the desert, your clothes did not wear out, nor did the sandals on your feet.
Deu 29:6  You ate no bread and drank no wine or other fermented drink. I did this so that you might know that I am the LORD your God.

Prov 23:29  Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has strife? Who has complaints? Who has needless bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes?
Prov 23:30  Those who linger over wine, who go to sample bowls of mixed wine.
Prov 23:31  Do not gaze at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly!
Prov 23:32  In the end it bites like a snake and poisons like a viper.
Prov 23:33  Your eyes will see strange sights and your mind imagine confusing things.
Prov 23:34  You will be like one sleeping on the high seas, lying on top of the rigging.
Prov 23:35  "They hit me," you will say, "but I'm not hurt! They beat me, but I don't feel it! When will I wake up so I can find another drink?"

"It seems to drunks that alcohol lifts them above the cares of reality into a world of happiness, strength, and intelligence. In truth, the opposite takes place. Just one ounce of alcohol retards muscular reaction by 17.4 percent, increases the time required to make a decision by 9.7 percent, causes an increase in errors due to a lack of attention by 35.3 percent, and accelerates errors due to a lack of muscle coordination by 59.7 percent. Proverbs 31.4, 5, especially warns leaders that alcohol will destroy their capacity to make good judgments and administer wisely." SSLQ October 23, 2000

I could spend a lot more time about alcoholic beverages, but you get the point.

Cigarettes, drugs, and every other thing a person uses that will lead to disease and or premature death would be classified with alcohol as that which will not bring glory to God. We need to avoid all such things.

Another area not usually considered in the area of temperance is the kinds of foods we eat. It has been shown, of course that flesh food can pose risks to the heart and other organs of the body to those who eat it. However, there is no Biblical prohibition to eating it, because the sacrifices and feasts commanded by God included the requirement to eat mutton  on various occasions.

However the Bible does list a group of animals that are not good for human consumption:

Lev 11:1  The LORD said to Moses and Aaron,
Lev 11:2  "Say to the Israelites: 'Of all the animals that live on land, these are the ones you may eat:
Lev 11:3  You may eat any animal that has a split hoof completely divided and that chews the cud.
Lev 11:4  "'There are some that only chew the cud or only have a split hoof, but you must not eat them. The camel, though it chews the cud, does not have a split hoof; it is ceremonially unclean for you.
Lev 11:5  The coney, though it chews the cud, does not have a split hoof; it is unclean for you.
Lev 11:6  The rabbit, though it chews the cud, does not have a split hoof; it is unclean for you.
Lev 11:7  And the pig, though it has a split hoof completely divided, does not chew the cud; it is unclean for you.
Lev 11:8  You must not eat their meat or touch their carcasses; they are unclean for you.
Lev 11:9  "'Of all the creatures living in the water of the seas and the streams, you may eat any that have fins and scales.
Lev 11:10  But all creatures in the seas or streams that do not have fins and scales--whether among all the swarming things or among all the other living creatures in the water--you are to detest.
Lev 11:11  And since you are to detest them, you must not eat their meat and you must detest their carcasses.
Lev 11:12  Anything living in the water that does not have fins and scales is to be detestable to you.
Lev 11:13  "'These are the birds you are to detest and not eat because they are detestable: the eagle, the vulture, the black vulture,
Lev 11:14  the red kite, any kind of black kite,
Lev 11:15  any kind of raven,
Lev 11:16  the horned owl, the screech owl, the gull, any kind of hawk,
Lev 11:17  the little owl, the cormorant, the great owl,
Lev 11:18  the white owl, the desert owl, the osprey,
Lev 11:19  the stork, any kind of heron, the hoopoe and the bat.
Lev 11:20  "'All flying insects that walk on all fours are to be detestable to you.
Lev 11:21  There are, however, some winged creatures that walk on all fours that you may eat: those that have jointed legs for hopping on the ground.
Lev 11:22  Of these you may eat any kind of locust, katydid, cricket or grasshopper.
Lev 11:23  But all other winged creatures that have four legs you are to detest.
Lev 11:24  "'You will make yourselves unclean by these; whoever touches their carcasses will be unclean till evening.
Lev 11:25  Whoever picks up one of their carcasses must wash his clothes, and he will be unclean till evening.
Lev 11:26  "'Every animal that has a split hoof not completely divided or that does not chew the cud is unclean for you; whoever touches the carcass of any of them will be unclean.
Lev 11:27  Of all the animals that walk on all fours, those that walk on their paws are unclean for you; whoever touches their carcasses will be unclean till evening.
Lev 11:28  Anyone who picks up their carcasses must wash his clothes, and he will be unclean till evening. They are unclean for you.
Lev 11:29  "'Of the animals that move about on the ground, these are unclean for you: the weasel, the rat, any kind of great lizard,
Lev 11:30  the gecko, the monitor lizard, the wall lizard, the skink and the chameleon.
Lev 11:31  Of all those that move along the ground, these are unclean for you. Whoever touches them when they are dead will be unclean till evening.
Lev 11:32  When one of them dies and falls on something, that article, whatever its use, will be unclean, whether it is made of wood, cloth, hide or sackcloth. Put it in water; it will be unclean till evening, and then it will be clean.
Lev 11:33  If one of them falls into a clay pot, everything in it will be unclean, and you must break the pot.
Lev 11:34  Any food that could be eaten but has water on it from such a pot is unclean, and any liquid that could be drunk from it is unclean.
Lev 11:35  Anything that one of their carcasses falls on becomes unclean; an oven or cooking pot must be broken up. They are unclean, and you are to regard them as unclean.
Lev 11:36  A spring, however, or a cistern for collecting water remains clean, but anyone who touches one of these carcasses is unclean.
Lev 11:37  If a carcass falls on any seeds that are to be planted, they remain clean.
Lev 11:38  But if water has been put on the seed and a carcass falls on it, it is unclean for you.
Lev 11:39  "'If an animal that you are allowed to eat dies, anyone who touches the carcass will be unclean till evening.
Lev 11:40  Anyone who eats some of the carcass must wash his clothes, and he will be unclean till evening. Anyone who picks up the carcass must wash his clothes, and he will be unclean till evening.
Lev 11:41  "'Every creature that moves about on the ground is detestable; it is not to be eaten.
Lev 11:42  You are not to eat any creature that moves about on the ground, whether it moves on its belly or walks on all fours or on many feet; it is detestable.
Lev 11:43  Do not defile yourselves by any of these creatures. Do not make yourselves unclean by means of them or be made unclean by them.
Lev 11:44  I am the LORD your God; consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy. Do not make yourselves unclean by any creature that moves about on the ground.

The word “unclean” was one which the Israelites understood as “unfit.” Some will say that this is the “old law” and that it was done away with at the cross. However, Jesus didn’t come to die in order to do away with the “old law.” He came to die to save mankind from their sins. The only parts of the “old law” that have come to an end are those things that pointed forward to the first coming of Christ.

However, the instruction given in Lev. 11 (and again in Deut 14) have to do with health, and there is no difference between the Jew and anyone else in that respect. These laws are important precepts that will keep us healthy. They are included in “Temperance.”

It goes without saying that we can be intemperate in exercise, work, play, sex, and many other things. But if we follow the principle: total abstinence from that which is harmful and moderation in that which is good, we will live temperate lives.

Thank you again for your question.

You will find more information on this subject and many more on my website www.PettyPress.com, where I’ve posted 18 of my books, 40 Bible lessons, and much more.

Always be ready for Jesus to come,
Thurman C. Petty, Jr.
Thurman@PettyPress.com