“Be Sober”

by Micky Galloway

In Titus 1:8, Paul lists one of the qualifications of elders as “sober-minded.” In Titus 2:1-8 the apostle Paul instructs Titus to “speak thou the things which befit the sound doctrine: that aged men be temperate, grave sober-minded … that aged women … train the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be sober-minded … the younger men likewise exhort to be sober-minded: in all things showing thyself an ensample of good works.” The apostle Peter commanded, “Wherefore girding up the loins of your mind, be sober and set your hope perfectly on the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (I Peter 1:13). He continues in I Peter 5:8, “Be sober, be watchful: your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.” Again Paul wrote, “so then let us not sleep, as do the rest, but let us watch and be sober” (I Thessalonians 5:6).

As we are commanded to “be sober” a number of times in the Scriptures, we would do well to know what it means. The word, nepho means, “to be calm and collected in spirit; to be temperate, dispassionate, circumspect” (Thayer); to “show sound judgment in all things” (Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament). Christians should live with such vigilance and soberness as to be always prepared to meet the Son of God. To illustrate this, Paul pictured two groups of people: one group was drunk and asleep, while the other group was awake and alert. Danger was coming, but the drunken sleepers were unaware of it. Those who were alert were ready and unafraid.

What are some things that might impair our judgment and cause us to fail to exercise soberness?

Drinking. Did you know that a standard drink contains 0.6 ounces (14.0 grams or 1.2 tablespoons) of pure alcohol? Generally, this amount of pure alcohol is found in 12-ounces of beer (5% alcohol content), 8-ounces of malt liquor (7% alcohol content), 5-ounces of wine (12% alcohol content), 1.5-ounces of 80-proof (40% alcohol content) distilled spirits or liquor (e.g., gin, rum, vodka, whiskey) (CDC Alcohol & Public Health Fact Sheets Alcohol Use and Your Health). Why is that important? The Bible says, “Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler; And whosoever erreth thereby is not wise” (Proverbs 20:1). The beers and wines of our day would qualify as Biblical “strong drink.” Certainly, alcohol impairs judgment. This is why kings and princes were to abstain. “It is not for kings to drink wine; Nor for princes (to say), Where is strong drink? Lest they drink, and forget the law, And pervert the justice (due) to any that is afflicted” (Proverbs 31:4-5). That is why police officers give a sobriety test to see if one’s judgment is impaired. We are to walk as “children of light” (Ephesians 5:8), and must look “carefully how ye walk …” (verse 15), “Be not foolish …” (verse 17), “Be not drunken …” (verse 18). Do you want to make good judgments? Instead of resorting to wine to cheer you, the Christian is to “be filled with the Spirit.” However, drinking is not the only thing that affects our sobriety.

Illicit Drugs. As we read Galatians 5:19-21 we are impressed with the fact that “sorcery” is grouped with a category of sins that share identical condemnation, “… they who practice such things shall not inherit the kingdom of heaven.” The Greek word for sorcery pharmakeia means literally “the act of administering drugs and then of giving magical potions” (International Standard Bible Encyclopedia). It is from this word that we get our word “pharmacy.” Thayer tells us that pharmakeia is “the use or the administering of drugs … poisoning … sorcery, magical arts” and then adds the comment “often found in connection with idolatry and fostered by it.” It means in general, the illicit use of drugs. Such use of drugs has entered the mainstream of America, with the glorification of dependence on hallucinogens and narcotics. Marijuana is now legal in California. Some say, “Pot does not lead to hard drugs.” Still others say, “there are no lingering adverse effects of the use of marijuana.” Please consider the following, “The main active chemical in marijuana is delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC for short … When someone smokes marijuana, THC rapidly passes from the lungs into the bloodstream, which carries the chemical to the brain and other organs throughout the body … marijuana intoxication can cause distorted perceptions, impaired coordination, difficulty with thinking and problem solving, and problems with learning and memory. Research has shown that, in chronic users, marijuana’s adverse impact on learning and memory can last for days or weeks after the acute effects of the drug wear off. As a result, someone who smokes marijuana every day may be functioning at a suboptimal intellectual level all of the time” (https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/marijuana). To be sober one must be of sound mind, rational, one who is “free from the influence of intoxicants” (W.E. Vine). Drinking and drugs does not exhaust the list.

Anger. In anger, how do we behave? Anger’s emotion easily clouds the judgment; it ignores truth, makes it easy to over step the bounds of right. Consider just a few illustrations. In Cain’s anger, he refused to listen, even to God (Genesis 4:7-8). He lied to God (Genesis 4:9). Saul sought to kill David (I Samuel 18:7-9). Haman in anger sought to kill all the Jews throughout the kingdom because Mordecai would not bow down to him (Esther 3:6). Do you throw a tantrum? Scream and holler? Do you stomp and kick? Throw things? Slam doors? Seethe and pout? Do you do and say things you know will hurt, often for a lifetime? Consider: Proverbs 14:17, “He that is soon angry will deal foolishly”; Proverbs 29:11, “A fool uttereth all his anger; But a wise man keepeth it back and stilleth it”; Proverbs 29:22, “An angry man stirreth up strife, And a wrathful man aboundeth in transgression”; Ecclesiastes 7:9, “Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry; for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.” When we lose our temper, we usually do and say things that we later regret. The Bible calls us a “FOOL.”

There are many other things to add to the list, but we are limited by space. In this present world, the grace of God instructs us to refrain completely from ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to live SOBERLY (cf. Titus 2:12). This includes all self-restraint, moderation, and the sober control of all mental, physical, and emotional faculties of self. We must if we are to avoid the lusts of this present age and the lures of the “god of this world” (II Corinthians 4:4).