There are constant exhortations in the Bible for the Christian to be “sober.” This is not an optional piece of advice; it is a clear warning and a pointed command. The Christian’s life is to be marked by sobriety. The Christian’s walk is also to be continually protected by the same sobriety.
There are five different Greek words in the New Testament which are used to speak of sobriety. One of them is the Greek word nēphō. It is normally translated into English as “sober” although the word “watch” is used as well.
The literal translation of this Greek word nēphō means ‘to be free from the influence of intoxication’ or ‘to abstain from wine.’ Those who are nēphō do not drink wine. The other four words for “sober” have a wider application which include freedom from wine’s influence but this one is specifically applied to abstaining from wine.
The Jewish historian Josephus who lived in Rome and the Jewish philosopher Philo who lived in Alexander both defined nēphō and its associate words in their writings as specifically being abstinent from alcoholic wine. Both of these men lived at opposite ends of the empire during the first century when the New Testament scriptures were written.
This verifies that nēphō was a generally understood term in the Greek language within the Roman Empire for total abstinence from any drink that would make a man drunk
This word nēphō is mentioned six times in our New Testament and was used by the apostles to instruct the churches concerning their lifestyle. For your own wise consideration and study you will find this word nēphō translated twice as "sober" in I Thess.5:5-8; as "watch" in II Tim.4:5; as "sober" in I Peter.1:1:13; as "watch" in 4:7; and finally as "sober" in 5:8.
Those who say that there is no clear command or teaching in the NT concerning abstaining from alcohol could not be more wrong.
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