Sound strange? Maybe, but it is true. Recently, an article brought this to my attention. It is something that I had known already. The article was entitled, "Tequila Helps Actress Take Her Clothes Off" (Reuters, May 14, 2001). It seems actress Rebecca Rominin-Stamos is required to strip in her next film. According to her, "It was the scariest thing I've ever done... practice and a couple of shots of tequila got me through it." Just a couple of shots of tequila helped this actress take her clothes off. There are other things alcohol can help do.

Other Things Alcohol Can Help Do

Noah "drank of the wine and was drunk, and became uncovered in his tent" (Gen. 9:21). This led to his son Ham seeing his father's nakedness (Gen. 9:22-27). Lot committed sexual immorality with his daughters while in a state of drunkenness (Gen. 19:30-38). After "drinking himself drunk," Zimri killed Elah king of Israel (1 Kings 16:8-10). Alcohol helped Zimri murder. These biblical examples show the powerful influence alcohol can have on an individual. Alcohol still has a powerful influence in the lives of men today.

How many shots of alcohol will it take to help a girl take her clothes off on a date? How much alcohol will it take to help her into bed? How much alcohol does it take to help a woman commit sexual immorality? Is it any wonder that some women have raised from drunken stupors to regret activities committed while uninhibited by the help of alcohol? It only took a couple of shots of tequila to get this actress' clothes off. Who knows how far a few more shots can take a person?

How many shots of alcohol will it take to help a man come home to verbally, emotionally, physically, and sexually abuse his wife? Have you ever noticed that alcohol helps a grown man put small children through the nightmares of physical and sexual abuse?

How many beers does it take to help one drive his automobile into another vehicle? How many shots of alcohol are needed to help a person kill himself and others by drunk driving?

Alcohol is a tremendous help. It helps in many ways. Just think how difficult it would be to find people willing to do these things without the help of alcohol.

Why Does Alcohol Help

It helps because it perverts one's judgment.  "It is not for kings, O Lemuel. It is not for kings to drink wine, nor for princes intoxicating drink; lest they drink and forget the law, and pervert the justice of all the afflicted" (Proverbs 31:4-5). Alcohol causes a person to forget and pervert the law and justice. Individuals will forget common sense, the laws of the government, the instructions of parents, and more importantly God's law.

It helps because it is a mocker. "Wine is a mocker, strong drink is a brawler, and whoever is led astray by it is not wise" (Prov. 20:1). Alcohol causes one to cease to be a master of himself. For example, the actress was nervous, uncomfortable, and reserved about stripping. After a couple of shots of tequila, those emotions and feelings were removed. One under the influence of alcohol is likely to do things he normally would not do. It may be having sex. It may be abusing a child. It may be killing, stealing, or any other number of things. Natural inhibitions are numbed and sedated. Alcohol becomes master over one's desires, feelings, and senses.

It helps increase desires. "Woe to those who rise early in the morning, that they may follow intoxicating drink; who continue until night, till wine inflames them" (Isa. 5:11). Why do you think David made Uriah drunk (2 Sam.11:6-13)? David knew it would only increase Uriah's natural desire for his wife. Why do you think casinos will give those gambling free alcohol? It helps inflame their covetous desire for money. Anger, hatred, sorrow, lust, and all other emotions are only inflamed when using alcohol. Add to this the other ways alcohol helps and the results can be deadly.

God Condemns Using Alcohol

Since alcohol helps the way it does, it is no wonder the word of God condemns its use. Drunkenness is condemned as a work of the flesh and will cause one to lose his inheritance in the kingdom of God (Gal. 5:19-21). It is an act of unrighteousness (1 Cor. 6:9-10).

Peter instructs Christians to be of the same mind as Christ by arming themselves against the flesh (1 Pet. 4:1). One must cease from the sins of the flesh. What do these sins include? "For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries" (1 Pet. 4:3). In this verse, Peter condemns three forms of the use of alcohol. Each form involves a different degree of consumption. Drunkenness, revelries, and drinking parties cover everything from the alcoholic down to the social sipper. All three forms are included as sins of the flesh.

Conclusion

There are some things we simply do not need help doing. Stripping naked for a film is one of them. Sexual immorality, murder, and violence are others. Those things are neither beneficial for the welfare of one's soul or for his life. Alcohol is really no help at all.

The actress mentioned in the article above teaches us a couple of things that even some of God's children try to deny. First, she teaches us alcohol affects one's behavior. Some brethren deny the influence alcohol has on a person's behavior. Second, she teaches us that it only takes a small amount of alcohol to influence one's behavior. Some brethren see nothing wrong in social drinking. They argue that the Bible condemns drunkenness, not drinking altogether. This actress only confirms what the word of God teaches. It is shameful that an actress who wants to take her clothes off acknowledges the influence that alcohol can have when some brethren, who are supposed to be professing godliness, deny its influence.

We need to see alcohol as God sees it. Let us recognize alcohol as a sin and an evil. "But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts" (Rom. 13:14).

- Truth Magazine, 9/6/01