When it comes to Christians and drinking I think my perspective is a little different than most. But in order to explain why, I think I should give a little background.
I’ve been a Christian my whole life. My testimony is that I realized you don’t have to fall into a world of sin in order to understand the grace of God. I’ve only been drunk once in my life. I’ve never done drugs. I am smoking a tobacco pipe as I type this. I have a degree in theology from a conservative college. I turned 28 today.
Once while I was in Bible school I went to a venue with some Christian friends to see a band play. I didn’t realize that the venue was also a bar. I confessed this to the dean of men and was asked to write a report regarding why Christian leaders are to remain above reproach in the area of drinking and going to bars. I did all the research I could but in the end that’s all I could turn in. Nothing really conclusive came of it.
Fast forward a few years later when it dawned on me that the whole issue of drinking is really a non issue. As Christians in America we are taught to believe that drinking is wrong. But why? Folks will cite sub-par scriptural evidence that is mostly isagetical (relying on extrabiblical interpretation) in nature like “the body is a temple of the Holy Spirit”, and “the wine Jesus drank was different than wine today.” But when you put scripture in its proper context and remove the conjecture about the type of wine Jesus may or may not have been drinking the only thing you’re left with is dogma and preference.
I recommend we start from scratch here. Let’s try and detach ourselves from our cultural norms and think about this from a fresh perspective.
I’ve been to a couple of bars in my life. I never really liked them but they were a decent place to sit down and have some good conversation with my wife. Rather, I prefer to sit down with my friends and family either at home or at a restaurant. A totally different environment for sure. But have I sinned by going to a restaurant? Nope. Have I sinned by staying at my house? Nope. Have I engaged in drunkenness? Nope. Have I engaged in a revelry of any sort? Nope. So what then is wrong about drinking?
You tell me. But do me a favor and try doing it without citing the two examples I gave above. If you come up with something I’d be happy to consider it.
4 Comments
Hooray for the new website. Although I miss my internet neighbor, I’m happy for you!
This topic really ruffles my feathers. (I’ve been hanging out with the chickens too long)
I agree with you that the whole thing is a non issue. From all that I’ve read in the bible, I’ve decided that drinking is fine for me. I don’t get drunk. I’m careful to not even get buzzed and I always think about my intentions when I sit down with a beer. If I’m doing it because I’ve had a rough day, I feel that’s wrong and an emotional crutch, but if I am enjoying the drink just for the enjoyment of it, like a diet coke, then I think it’s ok. As Christians we are not to let anything control us except the Holy Spirit, that’s what it comes down too. That’s why we were advised not to get drunk..because we’d be controlled by outside influences and do things that may not be pleasing to God or fitting as someone who is trying to mirror Christ.
The one place in scripture that always hangs me up is where it talks about not drinking in case you may lead someone else to stumble. I tried to look up what verse it was, but couldn’t find it. I often wonder if I should not drink at all in front of others that I’m unsure of their stance on the issue or where the heart is because of our situation with that friend from church that had an alchohal problem, but saw us drinking and thought that if he could do it in moderation like us he could continue to drink as well. Moderation doesn’t work for an achoholic and I think the whole think confused him. I felt like we hindered his spiritual walk rather than help him. I’d like to see you take up that verse for discussion
In a society that equates having “fun” to be accompanied with booze, should not Christians, who are supposed to be living holy lives, think twice about the witness they portray to others by even being slightly intoxicated?
Far too many youth, about 5,000 each year, are killed on our Nation’s highways because of booze. More than will be ever killed in Iraq or Afghanistan.
Perhaps if we used the millions of dollars that “Christians” spend on booze each year, to give to our churches, ministries, or missions, we would not have the spiritual decline we have in America and churches, missions, and ministries would have better funding?
While all things are permissible to the Christian, not everything is beneficial.
How can we sense the Holy Spirit when we are even slightly inebriated? Are we not to be filled with Him instead?
While wine was seen as a blessing of God in the Bible, it was because it was seen as a food and crop, and not a source whereby you were to drink just to drink.
More families and children are harmed by alcohol in America than all other drugs combined. If this is true, why then should Christians support an industry that is not truly necessary in the life of a believer and causes so much more harm than good?
Want more examples?
Dustin…I enjoy an alcoholic beverage on occasion. But I want to be very careful to protect my witness. Some Christians who may have a weakness towards alcohol addiction may see me have a drink and use it as an excuse to embibe. I think the argument that Biblical wine was not real alcohol is bunk. Remember, after the ark landed, one of the first thing Noah did was get drunk! So, for me, I try to live a prayerful life when it comes to buying any alcohol.
This is something I have thought about recently. We have a new neighbor who insists we have a beer the moment we walk onto his property. Being a good Southern Baptist girl form the midwest(and dry county I might add), everything screams inside me “Don’t take it!” But I take the beer, as does my husband, and we enjoy ourselves. Maybe I am wrong, but I think taking the beer and enjoying his company is a better witness than if we said “No, we are Christians, we don’t drink” The latter seems a bit snobbish to me. But maybe I am just afraid to take a stand.