Solomon’s Witness

A coworker’s eating choices changed my life!

I first met Solomon at work. The church elder of my Assemblies of God Church was our boss, and one evening at the close of the workday, he served us a special meal of pork and alcohol. Curiously, Solomon stepped aside and touched nothing. “My brother,” I asked him, “you worked hard today. Why don’t you eat?” 

Solomon smiled and quietly said, “The Bible forbids eating and drinking these things.” 

“Really?” I asked. “I am a Christian, and I have never heard of that.” Fascinated with his convictions, I continued conversing with Solomon until he asked me if I would be willing to study the Word of God with him. I eagerly accepted. 

At our first Bible study, I asked Solomon to show me where the Bible speaks about unclean foods. I had been taught that Jesus’ death on the cross had purified all meats, and His followers, therefore, could eat anything. After a few studies, I came to understand that my church had been mistaken in this teaching. 

I then asked about alcohol, because, as with the issue of meats, my church leaders taught that we may freely drink. They said that Jesus’ act of turning water into wine proved that drinking alcohol is perfectly okay as long as we don’t make a habit of drinking daily. For corroboration, they pointed to a text of Scripture where Paul told Timothy that wine is good for the stomach. Yet, in my Bible studies with Solomon, I learned that the Bible speaks of two types of wine: fermented wine and pure grape juice. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that Jesus would never make wine and get everyone drunk at a wedding—not with the horrible acts that drunk people commit. 

My studies with Solomon convinced me that alcohol is forbidden in both the Old and New Testaments. Proverbs 23:29–33 (NKJV) solidified it: “Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions? Who has complaints? Who has wounds without cause? Who has redness of eyes? Those who linger long at the wine, Those who go in search of mixed wine. Do not look on the wine when it is red, When it sparkles in the cup, When it swirls around smoothly; At the last it bites like a serpent, And stings like a viper. Your eyes will see strange things, And your heart will utter perverse things.” 

Solomon and I studied many topics together. He told me about the Sabbath being on Saturday and not Sunday, and, by comparing Scripture with Scripture, he proved to me that Saturday is the true Lord’s Day. I had never heard of a church that worships on Saturdays, but after many Bible studies on the subject, I am convinced. I am happy to have discovered the real day the Lord made for us to worship Him as our Creator!

I am also happy to have learned what it means to give glory to God. I was destroying my health with unclean meats and alcohol, but by the grace of God, I have given these up! Now that I know the truth, I tell everyone around me about the soul-destroying habits of tobacco and alcohol. I have been urging my friends to allow God to give them the power to quit for good! Thanks to Solomon’s witness, the Three Angels’ Messages have transformed my life. I want my witness, also, to transform the lives of those around me!  


Location
Togo

Author
Told by Potobassi Georges to Agamah Balakibawi, a pastor in the northern district of Togo. 

How You Can Help
Pray for the work Pastor Agamah and his team of Bible workers are doing throughout the country of Togo. 

Pray for Potobassi as he begins his new journey in Christ!

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