“Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot...” Let’s study two words in the text that will help us in our Christian life.
Excess: “exceeding, extreme, beyond what is customary, unlimited, more than necessary.” The world teaches her worldlings to live in excess in every area of their lives. Whether it is food, drink, amusements, sex, exercise, etc., they are to go above and beyond what is normal and natural.
Riot: The Bible does not use this term as we think of it today, as in an unruly, uncontrolled mob, but rather, indulging in unrestrained revelry. We say of someone, “You’re a riot,” or “We had a riot.” We mean by these terms that good times were had. The prodigal “wasted his substance with riotous living.” His good times turned into bad times, because it became excessive. This is true of all things that we permit in our lives that are done in excess. But notice that, when he arrived home, he had a legitimate and real riot of a time, because it was done scripturally and properly.
Because the world goes to the extreme in all they do, many of us let that drive us to the place of not enjoying anything associated with them because of their excess. God has given us richly all things to enjoy as long as these things are done in moderation.
“Abstinence in some things; moderation in all things” (Salle Sandlin)
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