Yesterday I wrote about drinking alcohol as it relates to the Bible and regardless of the fact that I asked folks who disagreed not to waste their time or mine writing, I could have predicted that someone would write and take me to task. I was not disappointed. I’ve been receiving letters taking me to task for over fifteen years and I think it kind of goes with the territory. Not everyone will agree with me and vice versa.
One guy wrote (in part):
“I look at all the scriptures, not just one that might support my beliefs. Of course I disagree with your interpretation. I implore you to look at the scriptures below before deciding if it’s scriptural for a believer to drink alcohol:
- I Corinthians 10:31
- Romans 14:21
- I Corinthians 6: 19-20
- Proverbs 20:1
- Et al
Bottom line is that if any believer can drink alcohol and it glorify God, or not cause a brother to stumble, or not harm your body, then they can do so . . . but I believe that when they stand before the judgment seat of Christ they will find that they were in violation of scripture . . . but if you want to advise believers otherwise . . . then go for it!”
Hmmm . . . If I ate a “Twinkie”, it might put a smile on my face, but undoubtedly it would not glorify God, it might cause some obese person with a weakness for Twinkies to stumble, and according to all of my health nut friends would harm my old body. So I will go on record right here and now and say, DO NOT EAT TWINKIES!
Geez!
Now I could get angry and hurl insults at the brother who wrote me and call him a Southern Taliban Convention – radical – fundamentalist. But I’m not going to do that. He is entitled to his interpretation of the Bible even if it is that women should not wear make-up, or be seen by men in a swim suit, and they must cover themselves to the ankles when out in public so men cannot see them and lust. And as far as I care he can shout from the rooftop that there should be no dancing, drinking alcohol, smiling, shouting, or lifting of hands in church, or listening to the devil’s music, rock and roll.
I think he is entitled to his belief that anything that does not bring honor and glory to God, might tempt a weaker brother or sister to stumble, or could conceivably harm one’s health are sins and we will no doubt answer for them to God Himself at judgment. The Bible does say all of those things. But whether my brother realizes it or not, I’ve read the Bible many times myself and have studied it for forty some odd years. We cannot isolate certain verses and take things out of context to prove points. We must look at some things in their entirety just as he recommended that I do.
A good friend of mine is a pastor of a church down in Texas and his sermons are something to behold. He wrote yesterday about the same WFTD that upset the others and said, “Good word!! I have argued the same point for years. If Jesus turned water into wine and it did not ferment in the heat of that region that might be a bigger miracle. The bigger problem in the church today is gluttony and mental attitude sins, but as long as you don’t drink alcohol you get a pass on those I guess”.
Personally I have read about the first miracle of changing water to wine for years and wondered why God did such a thing. Remember God has the ability to see into the future. He knew that people would wonder about this miracle especially in light of the devastating consequences of drinking to excess.
Many things in the Bible are very clearly defined such as the Ten Commandments, but some are not. Some are left for our interpretation and are not so black and white. In my opinion drinking is one of them. If God did not want us to drink period, then why didn’t He include it in the Ten Commandments? Why make it the first miracle? Why not just plainly spell it out as a sin like lying, stealing, murder, adultery, homosexuality, or whatever? Thou Shalt not drink alcohol!!!!!!!
Hmmm . . . Maybe He wanted to let us know that sin is not what we eat or drink that is the problem, but as my preacher friend eluded the sin lies in our mental attitudes and dark hearts.
I don’t think any fair-minded person would say I endorsed drinking yesterday. I wrote that I’ve lived through the horror of alcoholism and I described many of its terrible effects. I wrote that I don’t drink anymore, nor do I advise someone to take it up. I don’t see much upside and if it progresses out of control, I see a whole lot of downside. With that said, hundreds of millions of people are capable of drinking in moderation and I don’t condemn them for it and neither does the Bible.
In the end we are told not to waste our time arguing about ambiguous points in the Bible. We should work together as a team to fight the evil in this world and I suppose that means if it is a point that is open to debate, then pass on it . . .
Titus 3:9
“But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.”