Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach’s sake and thine often infirmities.
Timothy suffered from recurring infirmities and frequent illnesses, and he was advised to drink no longer water only but to use a little wine for his stomach's sake. The wine so advised was unfermented grape juice rather than intoxicating wine, for what God has prohibited would not have been recommended.
Christians were not always healed by faith, and Paul did not heal every sick Christian, for God could have healed Timothy yet healing was not always best. God did not intend in any age for there to be no sick Christians. God manifests His healing power when it serves the good of the afflicted person and His own glory.
The verse does not justify indulgence or making concern for the stomach the governing concern of life. It was misapplied by a man who wanted Fannie to cook for him because he enjoyed her food, while his overeating was already harming his digestion, memory, and health. Concern for the stomach in that selfish sense exposes a misuse that turns appetite into the ruling motive.
Timothy suffered from recurring infirmities and frequent illnesses, and he was advised to drink no longer water only but to use a little wine for his stomach's sake.
The wine so advised was unfermented grape juice rather than intoxicating wine, for what God has prohibited would not have been recommended.
Christians were not always healed by faith, and Paul did not heal every sick Christian, for God could have healed Timothy yet healing was not always best.
God did not intend in any age for there to be no sick Christians.
God manifests His healing power when it serves the good of the afflicted person and His own glory.
The verse does not justify indulgence or making concern for the stomach the governing concern of life.
It was misapplied by a man who wanted Fannie to cook for him because he enjoyed her food, while his overeating was already harming his digestion, memory, and health.
Concern for the stomach in that selfish sense exposes a misuse that turns appetite into the ruling motive.