BY TIM ARNOTT, M.D.

We live in most solemn times. Human probation is about to close. Thus, we must understand three facts. Namely, God is particular. [1] Satan is sneaky. [2] The Bible is our greatest weapon. [3] The devil knows this verse. “For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.” [4] We’ve got that covered. We keep the Seventh-day Sabbath. True. So, Satan will trip up Seventh-day Adventists with alternatives to Sabbath-breaking.

Let’s explore a few. First, caffeine. “You’re legalistic.” Serious? Let’s consult our owner’s manual. The Bible. God told our first parents how to retain eternal life. It’s still critical information. Journey back to Eden. Jesus is speaking. Listen! “but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it, you shall surely die.” [5]. What does that have to do with caffeine? The key idea is mixture. Fruits from Satan’s tree are mixtures of good and evil. To gain eternal life, we also must abstain from all such mixtures.

What mixtures? One of the most common is coffee. It’s a mixture of good and evil. It’s a bean, rich in antioxidants. [6] That’s good. Scientific studies show how good. [7] However, coffee has caffeine, [8] a mild, but highly addictive drug. [9, 10] That’s bad. Caffeine blocks your adenosine receptors. [11] When caffeine blocks these, coronary artery blood flow decreases. [12, 13] That’s bad. Also, the adenosine neurotransmitter system is part of your willpower, your frontal lobe, the great brake pedal, keeping drives, passions, appetites, and your words in check. [14] “So, if I drink a caffeinated beverage, I have difficulty controlling my words?” Correct. [15, 16] Who would design a drug to do that? Jesus? Never! This very question was posed to Christ. Notice His answer. “Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?” (Jesus) said to them, “An enemy has done this.” What enemy? Satan. Here’s the point. If you want eternal life, release everything Satan has created and embrace all Christ has provided. [17] Christ always offers something better. [18] So, abstain from all mixtures of good and evil. Satan designed them all!

Understand this principle, and it’s simple. You’ll see mixtures popping up all around. For example, wine. It has color, rich in antioxidants. [19] That’s good. However, it has alcohol, a poison, a known human carcinogen. [20] In fact, it’s so toxic, after one glass you can’t safely fly a commercial airliner. [21] What about green or black tea? These are good. They contain potent antioxidants. [22] However, both contain caffeine, with all its negative effects. [23] For instance, people are stressed. After drinking caffeine, they are more stressed. Caffeine markedly increases levels of the stress hormones, epinephrine, norepinephrine, cortisol, glucose, and insulin. [24] Thus, caffeine promotes diabetes and hypertension. Who would do that to you? Not Christ.

There are many of these mixtures. I’ll discuss one more. Chocolate. “What! Now, you are crazy! What’s wrong with a little chocolate now and then?” Well, first, let’s establish the fact it’s another mixture. Dark chocolate contains powerful antioxidants. [25] That’s good. Scientific literature shows how good. [26] However, chocolate contains caffeine. [27, 28] That’s bad. It also contains theobromine, a bitter alkaloid. That’s also bad. [29, 30] Note this principle. Christ taste-coded poisons bitter. If it’s bitter, it’s a poison. Why do they put so much sugar and milk in chocolate? To cover up bitter poisons! Now, who would put poisons in cocoa beans? Christ? Hardly. Theobromine also blocks adenosine receptors, [31] weakening will power as previously discussed with caffeine. Chocolate contains brain-altering chemicals such as anandamides, stronger cousins of which are found in marijuana. It contains addiction-promoting components such as phenylethylamine, related to amphetamine. Chocolate is chemically designed to hinder appetite control. Who would design that? Chocolate contains tryptamine, which interferes with serotonin metabolism. In short, despite the antioxidants, Chocolate is full of carefully crafted poisons with sinister intent. [32] A mixture of good and evil. What master chemist would put such concoctions together?

Here’s a principle. If something is popular, it likely did not come from Christ. Christ told Adam and Eve not to eat mixtures of good and evil. His message hasn’t changed. They didn’t listen. It cost them the garden and put Christ on the cross. If we learn from their mistake, we eat from the tree of life forever. If we repeat their mistake, we don’t. It’s that simple. If you struggle, ask Christ for help; seek Him with all your heart every morning. God is calling us to something better. Carob, in place of chocolate. Pomegranate juice, in place of red wine. Red hibiscus tea, in place of green tea. So, Christ makes it very simple. What He told Adam and Eve, He tells us - abstain from all mixtures of good and evil. This decision puts you on the narrow road to eternal life. This is not my idea. It’s His. “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” [33]

References

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