“NEW WINE”

 

 

Many of the Laodicean groups or “churches” today are introducing “new truth” or “new revelation” which is contrary to some or all of the truth and doctrines that God gave and revealed to us through Mr. Armstrong.  Some call this “NEW WINE”.  But is it really new wine or new truth? And WHAT does your Bible really say about “new wine” especially in the spiritual context of receiving “truth”?

 

To save some time and space in this article, I will just mention that in other articles on this website it is made very clear through WHOM new truth or doctrines may be introduced into God’s Church. Just as Jesus Christ says Himself in His Word, it is through the APOSTLES and ONLY through the apostles. Mr. Armstrong confirmed this himself many times in his writings and sermons. There are NO apostles today or since the death of Mr. Armstrong. So that in itself should clearly show us that there should be NOBODY trying to introduce “new truth” or “new wine” to God’s people during this Laodicean era. No one has the AUTHORITY to do so at this time!

 

So with that, we can now concentrate on what some have called “new wine”. Is “new wine” really new truth? Let’s look at the scriptures some have used to try to indicate this, THEN look at other scriptures in the Bible (here a little and there a little) and see what GOD says in His Word about it.

 

First notice Luke chapter 5. But before this it should be said that there are two parallel scriptures in the other gospel accounts. In Mark 2 and Matthew 9 there are simular accounts, BUT they leave out a very important verse found here in Luke chapter 5. Notice verses 37-38 which state:

 

 “And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine will burst the wineskin and be spilled, and the wineskins will be ruined.  But new wine must be put into new wineskinds and both are preserved.”

 

And this is where the two other accounts in Mark and Mathew stop. BUT notice now verse 39 of Luke 5! It says:

 

“And no one having drunk old wine, immediately desires new; for he says, ‘The old is better’ ”.

 

It should be noted here as well that the original Greek omits the word “immediately” in this verse. But the point being made here is that the OLD WINE is better!  In the previous two verses Christ points out what happens when you put “new wine” into OLD wineskins—They can burst! If we (as members) are the “wineskins”, He must be referring to those who have been established in the Truth already and have also stood the test of time, because we are considered to be “old wineskins”. That is why an “old” wineskin (or seasoned member) will or should NOT desire “new wine” because he or she knows that the OLD IS BETTER, just as it says there in verse 39!

 

Anyone who is familiar with physical wine knows that the BEST wine is AGED and left untouched. It has stood the test of time. In other words, the OLD wine is the BEST! So if there is a parallel between physical and spiritual wine, shouldn’t that tell us something?

 

Now let’s look at a few Old Testament scriptures that do show that wine and “new wine” indicate what one is being taught, but also show what it is. Hopefully we can see what is being fulfilled today in many of the Laodicean churches!

 

First notice Micah 2:8 which says:

 

“Lately My people have risen up as an enemy-”

 

Now notice verses 10-11:

 

“Arise and depart, For this is not your rest; Because it is defiled, it shall destroy, Yes, with utter destruction.  If a man should walk in a false spirit and speak a lie, saying I will prophesy to you of wine and drink, Even he would be the prattler of this people.”

 

Those are strong words from God! Now notice what God says about NEW WINE in Hosea 4:11!

 

“ Harlotry, wine, and new wine enslave the heart.” 

 

This whole chapter is about the Laodicean condition here in the end time!

 

Now notice what God says about this Laodicean condition and how we have “erred through wine”. And how does that happen? We were already given the truth we needed DURING the Philadelphia era. But many were not happy with that, they wanted something “new”. It reminds me of what it says in Eccl. 1:8 – “The eye is not satisfied with seeing, Nor the ear filled with hearing.” But verse 9-10 say: “...And there is nothing new under the sun. Is there anything of which it may be said, See, this is new? It has already been in ancient times before us.”

 

 

Therfore concerning this Laodicean condition in Isaiah 28:7-8 God says:

 

“But they also have erred through wine, and through intoxicating drink are out of the way. The priest and the prophet have erred through intoxicating drink; they are swallowed up by wine, They are out of the way through intoxicating drink; They err in vision, they stumble in  judgment. For ALL TABLES are full of vomint and filth. No place is clean.”

 

Notice also what it says in Isaiah 29. God is showing here what the “wine” actually is. Of course it is not real wine, but the wine or “new wine” represents something far more dangerous. The Laodicean condition is explained well here.  Notice verses 9-10:

 

“Pause and wonder!  Blind yourselves and be blind! They are drunk but not with wine; they stagger but not with intoxicating drink.  For the Lord has poured out on you The spirit of deep sleep, and has closed your eyes, namely, the prophets; and He has covered your heads, namely, the seers.”

 

And what is the result of this? It causes confusion. It causes us to DEPART from the TRUTH and “Faith once delivered”. It causes us to NO LONGER UNDERSTAND the scriptures the way they were revealed to us by Jesus Christ through His end time servant. When you do away with the truth that God gave us through Mr. Armstrong, confusion reigns! Things get all turned around as it says in verse 16!

 

The result is shown here in verse 11 which says:

 

“The whole vision has become to you like the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one who is literate, saying, “Read this, please”.  And he says, “I cannot for it is sealed”. Then the book is delivered to one who is illiterate, saying, “Read this please”. And he says, “I am not literate.”

 

These are indeed sad and sobering times in the Church of God! Yet the vast majority are BLINDED to this miserable condition. That’s why Christ says to Laodicea to ANNOINT YOUR EYES, THAT YOU MAY SEE (Rev. 3:18).

 

So is there any NEW WINE today in God’s Church, or SHOULD there have been any introduced since the death of Mr. Armstrong? The scriptures clearly state:  NO!.

 

But we see “men” attempting to do just that. And they are striving AGAINST God! Their “works” will come to naught, as the Bible says.

 

Can we begin to see more clearly now, WHY Christ commanded us to HOLD FAST to what was given us DURING the Philadelphia era? It SHOULD be very clear.

 

Indeed the OLD WINE is better!

 

A final scripture to meditate on concerning new wine or old wine or TRUTH is found in Jeremiah 6:16-18. It says:

 

“Thus says the Lord; Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; Then you will find rest for your souls.  But they said “We will not walk in it.”  Also, I set watchmen over you, saying “Listen to the sound of the trumpet!”  But they said, “We will not listen.”  Therefore hear, you nations, and know, O congregation, what is among them.  Hear, O earth! Behold, I will certainly bring calamity on this people—The fruit of their thoughts, Because they have not heeded My words Nor My law, but rejected it.”