7 For a bishop must be blameless, as a steward of God, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money,
not given [addicted] to wine,
Bishops must not allow addiction to wine to capture them. This is an issue with control. A drunkard should not lead others because he cannot lead himself. We cannot overly interpret this phrase to mean total abstinence.
PRINCIPLE:
No Christian leader should allow himself to be addicted to anything.
APPLICATION:
Leaders who abdicate personal control to substances are not good guides for others. The principle of the “strong” and “weak” of First Corinthians 8-10 and Romans 14 should come to play in the issue of alcohol or any addiction. Although we might have the right to partake of these things, we do not do it because of how it may influence others. Nothing that may offend believers should be a part of leadership.
Ro 14: 21 It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak.
No godly leader will allow anything to affect his judgment or distort his sense. God demands that leaders have higher standards than non-leaders.
Pr 31: 4 It is not for kings, O Lemuel, It is not for kings to drink wine, Nor for princes intoxicating drink; 5 Lest they drink and forget the law, And pervert the justice of all the afflicted.
