Which other Bible verses warn against the dangers of excessive indulgence? The Bite Behind the First Sip “Do not gaze at wine while it is red, when it sparkles in the cup and goes down smoothly. In the end it bites like a snake and stings like a viper.” (Proverbs 23:31-32) Scripture describes sin’s allure honestly: smooth going down, venom coming up. That same pattern—enticement, surrender, pain—shows up in many areas of excess. Below are companion passages that echo the warning. Echoes about Alcohol and Drunkenness • Proverbs 20:1 – “Wine is a mocker, strong drink is a brawler, and whoever is led astray by them is not wise.” • Proverbs 23:20-21 – “Do not join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat, for drunkards and gluttons become poor, and drowsiness clothes them in rags.” • Isaiah 5:11-12 – “Woe to those who rise early to chase after strong drink, who linger into the evening to be inflamed by wine… but they do not regard the deeds of the LORD.” • Habakkuk 2:15 – “Woe to him who gives drink to his neighbor… until they are drunk, so that he can gaze on their nakedness.” • Ephesians 5:18 – “Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.” • Romans 13:13-14 – “Let us behave decently… not in carousing and drunkenness… Instead, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the desires of the flesh.” • 1 Peter 4:3-4 – “You have spent enough time… living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry.” • Luke 21:34 – “Watch yourselves, or your hearts will be weighed down by carousing, drunkenness, and the worries of life.” Warnings about Gluttony and Overindulgence in Food • Proverbs 25:16 – “If you find honey, eat just enough—lest you have too much and vomit it up.” • Proverbs 30:8-9 – “Give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the bread that is my portion. Otherwise, I may have too much and deny You, saying, ‘Who is the LORD?’” • Ecclesiastes 10:17 – “Blessed are you… whose princes feast at the proper time—for strength and not for drunkenness.” • Philippians 3:18-19 – “…Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and their glory is in their shame.” • 1 Corinthians 10:6-7 – “These things took place as examples to keep us from craving evil things… ‘The people sat down to eat and to drink and got up to revel in idolatry.’” Material Excess and Self-Indulgent Luxury • 1 Timothy 6:9-10 – “Those who want to be rich fall into temptation and a trap… The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.” • James 5:5 – “You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened your hearts in the day of slaughter.” • Amos 6:4-6 – “You lie on beds inlaid with ivory… you drink wine by the bowlful… but you do not grieve over the ruin of Joseph.” • Deuteronomy 32:15 – “Jeshurun grew fat and kicked… then he abandoned the God who made him.” General Principles of Self-Control • 1 Corinthians 6:12 – “‘Everything is permissible for me,’ but not everything is beneficial… I will not be mastered by anything.” • Galatians 5:19-21 – “The acts of the flesh are obvious… drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you… those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” • Titus 2:11-12 – “The grace of God… trains us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live sensible, upright, and godly lives in the present age.” Living the Antidote Scripture is frank: unchecked appetite is slavery that ends in loss and sorrow. Yet the same Word points to freedom—Spirit-filled self-control, contentment, and purposeful enjoyment of God’s good gifts within His wise boundaries. When the cup, the plate, or the purchase beckons beyond those limits, remember the snakebite hidden in the sparkle and choose the better feast Christ offers. |
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