Topical Bible: Injustice: Intemperance Leads To

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Injustice, as a concept, is deeply rooted in the moral and ethical teachings of the Bible. It is often depicted as a deviation from God's righteous standards, leading to the oppression and mistreatment of others. One of the pathways to injustice is intemperance, which refers to a lack of self-control or moderation, particularly in one's desires and actions. The Bible provides numerous examples and teachings that illustrate how intemperance can lead to unjust behavior.

Biblical Examples and Teachings

1. Intemperance in Desires and Actions:
The Bible warns against the dangers of intemperance, particularly in the form of greed, lust, and excessive indulgence. Proverbs 28:25 states, "A greedy man stirs up strife, but he who trusts in the LORD will prosper." Here, greed, a form of intemperance, is directly linked to strife and discord, which are forms of injustice.

2. Drunkenness and Its Consequences:
Drunkenness is a specific form of intemperance that the Bible frequently condemns. In Isaiah 5:22-23, the prophet laments, "Woe to those who are heroes in drinking wine and champions in mixing beer, who acquit the guilty for a bribe and deprive the innocent of justice." This passage highlights how intemperance in alcohol consumption can lead to corruption and the perversion of justice.

3. The Example of King Ahab:
The account of King Ahab and Naboth's vineyard (1 Kings 21) serves as a poignant example of how intemperance can lead to grave injustice. Ahab's covetous desire for Naboth's vineyard, fueled by his intemperate nature, led to the false accusation and murder of Naboth. This narrative illustrates the destructive power of unchecked desires and the resulting injustice.

4. Warnings Against Intemperance:
The New Testament also addresses the issue of intemperance. In Galatians 5:19-21, Paul lists the "acts of the flesh," which include "drunkenness, orgies, and the like," warning that "those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God." Intemperance is thus portrayed as incompatible with a life of righteousness and justice.

5. The Role of Self-Control:
The Bible advocates for self-control as a virtue that guards against intemperance and its resultant injustices. In 2 Peter 1:5-7, believers are encouraged to "make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love." Self-control is presented as a foundational quality that supports a just and godly life.

Theological Implications

From a theological perspective, intemperance is seen as a manifestation of the sinful nature that leads individuals away from God's will. It disrupts the harmony and justice that God desires for His creation. The Bible's teachings on intemperance and injustice serve as a call to believers to cultivate self-control and righteousness, aligning their lives with God's standards and promoting justice in their communities.

Practical Applications

In practical terms, the biblical warnings against intemperance encourage believers to examine their own lives for areas where lack of self-control may lead to unjust actions. This includes being mindful of one's desires, consumption, and interactions with others. By fostering a spirit of moderation and self-discipline, individuals can contribute to a more just and equitable society, reflecting the justice and righteousness of God.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Proverbs 31:5
Lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Attributes of Selfishness.
... a term of so extensive an import as either injustice or ambition ... in the sight of
God with every species of intemperance, actual or ... This leads me to remark that. ...
/.../finney/systematic theology/lecture xviii attributes of selfishness.htm

Upon Human Nature.
... no such thing as love of injustice, oppression, treachery ... which respects self, and
which leads them to ... as also the miserable intervals of intemperance and excess ...
//christianbookshelf.org/butler/human nature/sermon i upon human nature.htm

Sunday after Ascension Day
... sake of lessening the evil of intemperance, to restrain ... the prevalence of pernicious
hate, which leads to anger ... you have to suffer great pain and injustice. ...
/.../luther/epistle sermons vol ii/sunday after ascension day.htm

Imprisonment and Death of John
... lips makes himself responsible for all the injustice he may ... guilty of a crime when
they yield to intemperance. ... God never leads His children otherwise than they ...
/.../white/the desire of ages/chapter 22 imprisonment and death.htm

The Same Necessary and Eternal Different Relations
... deprived himself of his reason by intemperance or passion ... and necessary difference
between justice and injustice is made ... Yes, says he, because it leads men to a ...
/.../i proposition i the same.htm

Homilies on the Epistles to Timothy, Titus, and Philemon.
... Injustice, bitterness of, to those who practice it, [3478]494. ... Intemperance,
horrors of, [3480]452. ... Sensuality leads to hatred, [3819]539. ...
/.../homilies on the epistles to.htm

Treatise v. An Address to Demetrianus.
... prodigal with gambling, or flushed with intemperance, or envious ... proportion to the
greatness of the injustice of our ... brings us back to paradise; He leads us on ...
/.../cyprian/the treatises of cyprian/treatise v an address to.htm

Exposition of the Moral Law.
... the Law teaches, that justice and rectitude are a delight, injustice an abomination ...
the fathers under the Law was little else than hypocrisy, and leads us away ...
/.../calvin/the institutes of the christian religion/chapter 8 exposition of the.htm

Man Now Deprived of Freedom of Will, and Miserably Enslaved.
... to each, but according as he leads them day ... Intemperance (ajkolasiva), again, is
not extinguished or diminished by a ... a sense of justice and injustice, in order ...
/.../calvin/the institutes of the christian religion/chapter 2 man now deprived.htm

Preface by the Editor.
... Injustice, however, has been done to the Protesters, by ... of temptation fall away."
This leads him to ... of enforcing his arguments against intemperance, chose to ...
/.../binning/the works of the rev hugh binning/preface by the editor.htm