Holiness and Temperance: Why We Abstain

At LAPC, we believe that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Ghost. Because we have been bought with a price—the blood of Jesus Christ—we are called to glorify God in our bodies and our spirits. We choose to abstain from alcohol and mind-altering drugs based on the biblical principles of holiness, soberness, and stewardship.

The Temple of God

The New Testament teaches us that the believer is no longer their own. When the Holy Ghost dwells within us, our physical bodies become a sanctuary for God’s Spirit. We believe it is our responsibility to keep that temple clean and undefiled by substances that are harmful or addictive.

• 1 Corinthians 6:19-20: "What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's."

The Command to be Sober

The Word of God repeatedly warns us to be "sober" and "vigilant." Alcohol and drugs impair a person's judgment, dull their spiritual sensitivity, and open the door for the enemy to gain an advantage. To walk in the Spirit, we must maintain a clear and sound mind.

• 1 Peter 5:8: "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour."

• Proverbs 20:1: "Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise."

Avoiding the Appearance of Evil

We believe in living a life that is "set apart" from the world. Beyond the personal danger of addiction, we abstain from these things to ensure our testimony remains blameless and that we do not become a stumbling block to others who are seeking a way out of a lifestyle of bondage.

• 1 Thessalonians 5:22: "Abstain from all appearance of evil."

• Ephesians 5:18: "And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit."

True Fulfillment in Christ

We believe that the "high" and the "peace" that the world seeks through substances is a counterfeit for the joy of the Holy Ghost. Where drugs and alcohol bring temporary escape followed by sorrow, the Spirit of God brings lasting peace and true liberty.

We choose to be "intoxicated" only by the presence of the Lord, finding everything we need in Him.

Habakkuk 2:15 "Woe unto him that giveth his neighbour drink, that puttest thy bottle to him, and makest him drunken also..."