You know, as you read the title under which this article is written, you may be thinking, “We do have but one life to live!” The thought is, so many folks live as though they believe that they have many lives to live! In other words, if we do not get it right this time, if there is such a thing as right, we will get it right the second or third time; “So eat drink and be merry!”
Of course, the truth is we have but one life to live! It is not that we don’t have opportunities, however. For the most part we all have days, weeks, months, and years, and these all give us the opportunities to improve and correct mistakes we make. However, James did write to those who so thought otherwise: “Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain” (James 4:13). James then wrote these sobering words: “Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away” (verse 14). Clearly, we have no promise of tomorrow; therefore, James would have us know: “For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that” (verse 15). The fact is, we do not know what tomorrow holds, or if there is going to be a tomorrow for us! This puts a new light on, “If I only had one life to live!”
More than likely you have read or heard, “eat, drink, and be merry.” We may not know who said them nor where we may have read them; but most have heard them. Generally the word that gets all the attention is the word “drink” and it is read as though it refers to alcohol. However, the Greek word used here is “pinō,” not “methuskō.” The difference in these two words may be seen in the following: “And be not drunk (methuskō) with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit” (Eph. 5:18). This word means: “1) to intoxicate, make drunk 2) to get drunk, become intoxicated.” On the other hand, the word “pino” means “to drink” and has nothing to do with alcohol. Give thought to the following: “For John came neither eating nor drinking (pino), and they say, He hath a devil” (Matt. 11:18); this was said of John, the one who baptized. Now, consider the following, and the same Greek word is used: “The Son of man came eating and drinking (pino), and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children” (Matt: 11:19). What was the difference between John and Jesus? John did not socialize and his “meat was locusts and wild honey” (Matt. 3:4); while Jesus was in and out among the people and he did socialize even with “publicans and sinners” as the Jews regarded them! Yet, the text does not mean that either was drinking alcohol. Therefore, the words “eating and drinking” refer to life in general!
Now, let us take up these words: “And he saith unto them, Ye (the apostles, frw) shall drink (pino) indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father” (Matt. 20:23). Here the word “drink” is used figuratively and is related to the figurative “cup.” Jesus is pointing to his death and yes some of them would “drink indeed of” that cup. James is the first that comes to mind, as Herod had him put to death, and is recorded in Acts 12. Tradition of men has all the apostles, other than John, being put to death. Therefore, the word “drink” (pino) is used to refer to death!
For the most part the words “eating and drinking” just refer to everyday life! This is the context of Jesus’ words as he addresses his second coming: “For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking (pino), marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark” (Matt. 24:38. Jesus is not speaking of the moral state of the time, as so many think. He is just saying that at his second coming people will be doing what people generally do, “eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage!” So, what are people doing today? It is understood that some generations are more immoral than others, certainly this was true of those in the time of Noah. It is generally regarded that the 1920’s were highly immoral and known as the “roaring twenties!” We think of our time as a very immoral time; we generally start this time with the 1960’s.
So, this brings us back to our question, “If you only had one life to live?” Of course, we all know that we do have “only one life to live!” Question, what would you do different? Would you do anything different? Or, would your life be summed up in these words: “they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage?” Or, would we live more closely to this: “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God” (Matt. 4:4)?
One thing for sure, we must be aware of this truth: “Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth” (Pro. 2:1). Keep in mind, you have but one life to live! So, how are you living it?
Frank R. Williams