Do you suppose that abuses are eliminated by destroying the object which is abused? Men can go wrong with wine and women. Shall we then prohibit and abolish women?"
– Martin Luther
"Mmmm . . . beer." - Homer Simpson
Historically, God’s people have greatly enjoyed alcohol. In the European world one of the most Christian drinks was beer. Saint Gall was a missionary to the Celts and renowned brewer. After Charlemagne’s reign the church because Europe’s exclusive brewer. When a young woman was to marry her church made special bridal ale for her, from which we derive our word bridal. Pastor John Calvin’s annual salary package included upwards of 250 gallons of wine to be enjoyed by he and his guests. Martin Luther explained the entire reformation as “…while I sat still and drank beer with Philip and Amsdorf, God dealt the papacy a mighty blow.” Luther’s wife Catherine was a skilled brewer and his love letters to her when they were apart lamented his inability to drink her beer. When the Puritan’s landed on Plymouth Rock the first permanent building they erected was the brewery.
As feminism grew in America during the turn of the 20th century the women’s suffrage and prohibition movements were the practical results of a feminine piety that came to also dominate the church as more women became pastors and the church became more feminine. Some denominations began to condemn alcohol as sinful and the Methodist pastor Dr. Thomas Welch created the very “Christian” Welch’s grape juice to replace communion wine in 1869. The marriage of Christianity and feminism helped to create a dry nation that put out of business all but the largest brewers who were able to survive on near beer and root beer which explains why today American beer is largely mass produced, watered down, light on calories, and feminine in comparison to rich and dark European beers. The resurgence of micro-brews is helping to overcome the great loss and resurrect the art of brewing.
Lastly, some Christians foolishly argue that such terms as new wine and mixed wine in the Bible speak of non-alcoholic wine. But, new wine can still intoxicate according to Scripture (Isaiah 24:7; Hosea 4:11; Joel 1:5), and mixed wine refers to special wines where various wines are mixed together and/or mixed with spices and does not refer to wine cut with water (Psalm 75:8; Song of Songs 8:2). God refers to pouring out the wine of His mixed wine on His enemies which does not mean He will dilute justice (Psalm 75:8). The only time such a practice is mentioned in the Bible is in regards to merchants who cut wine with to rob customers (Isaiah 1:22). The Bible speaks of grape juice (Numbers 6:3) and if God meant to speak of non-alcoholic wine he would have used that word to avoid confusion.
All Bible believing Christians agree that drunkenness is a sin.
The Bible is abundantly clear that drunkenness is a sin (Deuteronomy 21:20; Ecclesiastes 10:17; Matthew 24:29; Luke 12:45; 21:34; Romans 13:13; 1 Corinthians 5:11; Ephesians 5:18; 1 Peter 4:3).
The matter is so serious that no priest was to drink alcohol while performing their duties (Leviticus 10:9; Ezekial 44:21) though they could consume while not working (Numbers 18:12, 27, 30), no king was to drink while judging law (Proverbs 31:4-5), an elder/pastor cannot be a drunkard (1 Timothy 3:3; Titus 1:7), and that no drunkard will inherit the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:10; Galatians 5:21).
Sins associated with drunkenness include incest (Genesis 19:32-35), violence (Proverbs 4:17); adultery (Revelation 17:2); mockery and brawling (Proverbs 20:1); poverty (Proverbs 21:17); late night and early morning drinking (Isaiah 5:11-12); hallucinations (Isaiah 28:7); legendary antics (Isaiah 5:22); murder (2 Samuel 11:13), gluttony and poverty (Proverbs 23:20-21); vomiting (Jeremiah 25:27, 48:26; Isaiah 19:14); staggering (Jeremiah 25:27; Psalm 107:27; Job 12:25); madness (Jeremiah 51:7), loudness combined with laughter and then prolonged sleep (Jeremiah 51:39; nakedness (Habbakuk 2:15; Lamentations 4:21); sloth (Joel 1:5); escapism (Hosea 4:11); depression (Luke 21:34); and staying up all night (1 Thessalonians 5:7).
Prohibitionists wrongly teach that all drinking is a sin and that alcohol itself is an evil.
Psalm 104:14-15 "He God makes grass grow for the cattle, and plants for man to cultivate-bringing forth food from the earth: wine that gladdens the heart of man . . ."
John 2:1-11 is clear that Jesus first miracle was performing over 100 gallons of wine at a wedding party
Matthew 11:19 "The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and "sinners." ' But wisdom is proved right by her actions."
Abstentionists wrongly teach that drinking is not sinful but that all Christians should avoid drinking out of love for others and a desire to not cause anyone to stumble.
Hosea 2:8 "She has not acknowledged that I was the one who gave her the grain, the new wine and oil, who lavished on her the silver and gold-which they used for Baal."
1 Timothy 4:1-5 "The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron. They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth. For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer.
1 Corinthians 10:31 "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God."
Moderationists rightly teach that drinking is not a sin and that Christian conscience must guide each person.
Wine is spoken of as both good and bad in the same verses (1 Samuel 1:14, 24; 25:18, 37; Joel 1:5,10).
Apart from good feasting alcohol in Scripture is rightly used for communion (Matthew 26:29; Mark 14:25; Luke 22:18), medicinal purposes (Proverbs 31:6; 1 Timothy 5:23), and Old Testament worship (Numbers 28:14).
Proverbs 3:9-10 "Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine."
Ecclesiastes 9:7 "Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart."
Psalm 104:14-15 "He makes grass grow for the cattle, and plants for man to cultivate-bringing forth food from the earth: wine that gladdens the heart of man, oil to make his face shine, and bread that sustains his heart."
Deuteronomy 14:26 "Use the silver to buy whatever you like: cattle, sheep, wine or other fermented drink, or anything you wish. Then you and your household shall eat there in the presence of the Lord your God and rejoice."
At Mars Hill Church, we ask that everyone act according to their conscience when it comes to alcohol consumption. Because of past sin, some who have had problems with alcohol may need to abstain for fear of stumbling into old sinful habits. For those who enjoy alcohol with biblical moderation, we recommend using discernment when providing hospitality for others who may have conscience or addiction issues. Best of all, we look forward to the day when our Lord and Savior will prepare for us a redeemed feast with wine:
"On this mountain the LORD of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine, of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined. And he will swallow up on this mountain the covering that is cast over all peoples, the veil that is spread over all nations. He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the LORD has spoken. It will be said on that day, "Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us. This is the LORD; we have waited for him; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation." - Isaiah 25:6-9
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
11 comments:
what a wonderful world it would be without alcohol
What a wonderful world it will be with alcohol (Matt 26:27-29)
What a wonderful world it is with alcohol.
What I find interesting is- when you decide for yourself, to stay within your convictions not to drink- you get made fun of by your "christian" friends who call you a legalist. It's ridiculous. I have personally decided not to drink for my own reasons, but I am always backed into a corner by christian "well meaning" friends who have to know all of my reasons why, and start a debate. It's dumb. Just respect me, I'll respect you. And please don't drive home after you've had 2 margaritas as big as your head while you talk about spirituality.
The question I have is why drink? What can you get from drinking that you can't get from God the Holy Spirit in your life?
When you consider the long term health of Christians I believe the type of food we eat (just look at the stuff laid out on the fellowship hall banquet tables!)is more harmful than the alcohol consumed.
No wonder so many brethren have heart disease, high cholesterol, diabetes and obesity. Sadly this circumstance is not just tolerated but humerously celibrated by both the leadership and laity.
There is nothing wrong with, and no biblical justification for completely prohibiting, moderate drinking.
If a person has an addiction issue they of course must avoid all drink and no alcohol should be served in their presence
To the person who said "Why drink?" I say "Why eat cookies?" "Why wear a blue shirt instead of a red shirt?" Neither of those things is important in the grand scheme of life, or betters us in any way spiritually, but we still do them. I mean, is consuming alcohol some be all end all that life would be worthless without? Of course not! Does it replace God, or the Holy Spirit in our lives? No! Enjoying something isn't sinful. Like Mark said, just because something has the potential of being sinful or causing you to sin, that doesn't make the item in question sinful. Many people have huge self control issues with food, causing heart disease and death. That doesn't mean they shouldn't eat. That doesn't even mean they shouldn't ENJOY their food. Just that they need to exercise self control. It's the same with alcohol. Alcohol can relax you, and cheer you. (Don't get all super spiritual and act like there's something wrong with consuming something to relax you or cheer you...must I go back to the cookie analogy again?) And I always think about this-Jesus drank wine. (And it was wine, it wasn't grape juice!) Are we better than Jesus? Are we more spiritual?
Alcohol in moderation? Can you define for me what moderation is? Alcohol, even in "moderation", can destroy. It can destroy testimonies, lives, families. Because my son has chose to drink in "moderation", it has caused heartache in many, many people.....those whom he has had a long-term relationship. People who looked up to him, no longer do so. It has caused me to stumble....not liking certain people who may have influenced him to drink. My heart might as well have been ripped from my chest....it would have been less painful.
Anonymous,
As many of the posts above state, moderation is difficult to define. I really doubt that the root concern of Christians opposed to drinking is the inability to define moderation. But for the sake of argument let’s say that defining it will add clarity. Society has defined acceptable alcohol consumption "moderation", if you are going to operate a motor vehicle, as 0.08 BAC. So by that definition, is alcohol consumption within those limits now acceptable to those opposed to drinking? Is the act wrong just because it can be practiced in excess? The Bible also condemns a few other acts in excess such as excessive eating, excessive relaxation, excessive possessions, and excessive desire. How do we define excess in those things? Should we avoid them completely because we cannot define them? The true root of this argument is whether alcohol consumption is Biblically wrong. As the article stated, the consumption of alcohol was normal not only in Biblical times but throughout the Christian church and by Christ himself. It is not something forbidden by the Bible but warned against using excessively (as were many other things). So please go out and make amends with your son, send this article to all of those who have lost respect for your son because they are ill informed. And in the future, filter the thoughts of men through the Bible not the Bible through the thoughts of men. Questioning what your pastor says is a healthy practice as is questioning the core beliefs of your church. We are to follow God with a childlike faith, not church leaders. We need more thinking Christians out there.
I am a 25 year old male, who recently came to the knowledge of the joy of salvation. My only concern with drinking is the fact that many people my age, younger, and older are drinking for one reason... to get drunk. I understand it not being wrong to drink "moderately" at home, but what about going to a sport's bar or going with non-christian friends to have a drink in public? Sure you know you are a christian and you will only have a beer or two in the time span that you are there, but what if someone sees you in a public place, consuming alcohol and assumes you are getting drunk? Should we avoid public drinking altogether?
miley cyrus nude miley cyrus nude miley cyrus nude
Post a Comment