Ephesians 5:17

Wherefore be ye not foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is, And be not drunken with wine, wherein is riot, but be filled with the Spirit.

Be not foolish ... Cited here as persons falling into the classification of "foolish" are the drunken. Who are they? Our current society recognizes no drunkards, only "alcoholics"; but persistent indulgers in alcohol receive no comfort from what Paul declared here. It is not even "the drunkard" who is condemned in this place, but the person who "gets drunk," or becomes intoxicated. While true enough that the New Testament does not forbid the use of wine (see below), the person who becomes intoxicated (even once) has violated the admonition here.

The overseer (elder) therefore must be above reproach ... not one (who lingers) beside (his) wine (1 Timothy 3:2; Titus 1:7). Deacons similarly (must be) dignified, not ... addicted to much wine (1 Timothy 3:8); and urge aged women similarly (to be) reverent in demeanor ... not enslaved to much wine (Titus 2:3).

Wherein is riot ... Alcohol is the greatest single killer in the United States today. It produces more sorrow than may be attributed to any other single source on earth. It corrupts government, aggravates poverty, destroys spirituality and eventually destroys any society stupid enough to indulge the unrestrained use of it.

But be filled with the Spirit ... Not spirits, but the Holy Spirit is the true watchword. "Satan is ever substituting the bad for the Good. Getting drunk is associated with unrestrained living ... it marks the person who, if he so continues, cannot be saved."[16]

It has been asked, "If the Holy Spirit indwells us, why does Paul command us to be filled with the Spirit?" Bruce answers this question thus:

Being filled with the Spirit implies more than being indwelt by him. In some believers' lives he has little more than a foothold, being almost crowded out by a number of concerns. Paul is eager that his converts should be under the undisputed control of the Spirit.[17]

[16] William Hendriksen, op. cit., p. 239.

[17] F. F. Bruce, Answers to Questions (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1972), p. 107.