Abstinence

Saying No with a Purpose

Abstinence is the voluntary, self-imposed, and deliberate denial of certain pleasures, such as food, drink, and sex. The noun “abstinence” is found only once in the kjv (Acts 27:21), where the apostle Paul is described as having experienced “long abstinence.” The verb “abstain” is found six times in the kjv (Acts 15:20, 29; 1 Thess. 4:3; 5:22; 1 Tim. 4:3; 1 Pet. 1:11).

Abstinence is basically of two kinds: (1) a total abstinence involving an absolute renunciation of a forbidden thing, such as in a Nazirite vow; and (2) a temporary abstinence as, for example, the mutual consent of husband and wife to give up sexual relations for a time, in order to give themselves “to fasting and prayer” (1 Cor. 7:5).

The Israelites were commanded to abstain from eating meat that contained blood (Gen. 9:4). They were to refrain from eating certain animals (Leviticus 11). Priests could not drink wine while exercising their holy ministries (Lev. 10:9). Others abstained from drinking wine (Jer. 35:6).

The apostle Paul taught that Christians live by the laws of love and freedom—and that they should voluntarily abstain from food sacrificed to idols if it caused a weaker brother or sister in Christ to stumble (Rom. 14:1–23; 1 Cor. 8:1–13). The believer's body, said Paul, is the “temple of the Holy Spirit” (1 Cor. 6:19) and should not be polluted by unclean things.

Paul also exhorted the church of the Thessalonians to “abstain from sexual immorality” (1 Thess. 4:3); indeed, they were to “abstain from every form of evil” (1 Thess. 5:22).

The Christian is called to live a life of unselfish and sacrificial love. Abstinence should always seek to glorify God and to build up fellow believers in the faith.