SermonIndex Audio Sermons
SermonIndex - Promoting Revival to this Generation
Give To SermonIndex
Discussion Forum : News and Current Events : Greg Laurie: Is It Acceptable for Christians to Drink?

Print Thread (PDF)

Goto page ( 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 Next Page )
PosterThread
sermonindex
Moderator



Joined: 2002/12/11
Posts: 39795
Canada

Online!
 Greg Laurie: Is It Acceptable for Christians to Drink?

Evangelist pastor Greg Laurie tackled the question of whether it's acceptable for Christians to drink in a recent blog post by pointing out that John the Baptist is a good role model – he drank neither wine nor strong drink.

"John gives us a good model for life: he drank neither wine nor strong drink. Personally, I don't drink at all," Laurie states. "That is due, to some degree, to coming from an alcoholic home and seeing the devastation that drinking can bring."

In his blog post, "Some Thoughts on Drinking in This Holiday Season," Laurie describes how John was set apart by God from the time he was in his mother's womb.

"In Luke 1:15, the angel said of John, 'He will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb' (NKJV)."

Among the sobering statistics about alcohol consumption in the U.S.: In 2010, 211 children were killed in drunk-driving crashes. Out of those 211 deaths, 131 (62 percent) were riding with the drunk driver. Also, adults who drank too much and got behind the wheel amounted to 112 million times, two years ago. That is almost 300,000 incidents of drinking and driving each day, according to the Center of Disease Control and Prevention.

Perhaps one of the most revealing statistics about the harm of alcohol abuse, three out of every four convicted jail inmates were involved in alcohol or drugs at the time of their current offense, according to statistics cited on the faith-based recovery website, MartyAngelo.com.

Read more: http://www.christianpost.com/news/greg-laurie-is-it-acceptable-for-christians-to-drink-86161/


_________________
SI Moderator - Greg Gordon

 2012/12/6 23:33Profile
Sree
Member



Joined: 2011/8/20
Posts: 1953


 Re: Greg Laurie: Is It Acceptable for Christians to Drink?

Coincidentally i happened to see a young TV preacher in a TV channel today talking on this matter. I normally do not believe in these TV preachers and mostly hear them to know how much Satan has deceived people. This guy though I did not like the way he was mocking another preacher who he claimed to have supported Alcohol addiction, made some interesting points against taking alcohol.


_________________
Sreeram

 2012/12/7 1:34Profile
ginnyrose
Member



Joined: 2004/7/7
Posts: 7534
Mississippi

 Re: Greg Laurie: Is It Acceptable for Christians to Drink?

Recently is a conversation with another person I gained a new insight concerning the consumption of alcoholic beverages.

How can the LORD approve the use of people using alcohol when it puts the pregnant woman's child at risk for fetal alcohol syndrome? Consumption of alcohol for anything other then medicinal use puts the imbiber at risk not just for herself/himself but others as well. If we believe in the Golden Rule this should also apply to the consumption of alcohol.

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome is the most awfullest affliction a mother can impose on her unborn child. It is so bad I think that if a woman does it once she should be sterilized! Radical? Yes, but not near as radical as harming another child for the rest of their life! It is all avoidable! Now, some distractor will say "but what if she repents afterwards and wants a child, is it right to rob her of this ability to have another child?" Sorry, but you have harmed one person for life, now go take care of him/her - it will consume you as well. Do not depend on others to care for your child like so many do.

You can tell I have no tolerance for mothers using alcohol - I have two [adopted] nieces who are FAS victims and it angers me because it was all avoidable.


_________________
Sandra Miller

 2012/12/7 4:12Profile









 Re:

At the same, while not condoning the consumption of alcohol, there is no prohibition against it. While we are using John the Baptist as the example here against it... scripture also says In Luke 7:33-35:

“For John the Baptist has come eating no bread and drinking no wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon!’“The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’“Yet wisdom is vindicated by all her children.”

Obviously our Lord was not a drunkard. The Bible clearly states that drunkeness is a sin, and Jesus was sinless. But whatever it was He was drinking it was something that people associated with alcohol. That does not give everyone permission to go out and drink alcohol, but neither does it prohibit it. What I am saying is that there are two sides to this coin.

Like it or not... this is a grey area. Each believer must seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit on such matters as these. To many the Spirit will say "No." To some He may say "Yes".

And we must not judge one another on such matters either. This issue more than any other causes judging. To be honest, the greater sin is the fact that we judge one another on this issue, not whether someone drinks a glass of wine or a beer.

Krispy

 2012/12/7 8:25
MrBillPro
Member



Joined: 2005/2/24
Posts: 3422
Texas

 Re:

Touchy subject here, I don't personally drink, just never liked the taste of any kind of alcohol, but I did spend many years of my 61 years smoking pot, of course I was delivered from that in 1995 when I accepted the King of Kings into my life. I will say this, it's very hard out there going through this life stone cold sober, I know! so I would not condemn anyone if they just drink a little, to take the edge off when needed. Because I don't smoke pot anymore or don't like alcohol, I have to beat my head against the tree out back to take the edge off. :)


_________________
Bill

 2012/12/7 9:12Profile









 Re:

Quote:
I have to beat my head against the tree out back to take the edge off. :)



Ahh... that explains a lot! :-)

Krispy

 2012/12/7 9:30
jimur
Member



Joined: 2012/6/26
Posts: 88


 Re:

Galatians 5:19-21 (KJV)
19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

I have always been of the understanding the word "witchcraft" in vs 20 above translates from the Greek word pharmacia, which refers to mind-altering drugs. Alcohol
is a mind altering drug. Someone want to help me out here? What am I missing apart from possible word usage and differences in minority and majority text? Thanks.

 2012/12/7 22:11Profile









 Re:

The fact that Jesus' first miracle was changing the water into wine... the fact that Paul recommended a little wine to Timothy for what ailed him...

Drunkeness is a sin. Plain and simple. But there is no prohibition against alcohol, albeit there are a LOT of warnings about the abuse of it. Which is why for most believers it is a great idea to just avoid it all together. But we can not, using scripture, condemn any and all use of alcohol. It simply isnt there.

If we are going to apply a prohibition to any use of alcohol then we need to also condemn cough medicine or any other medications that contain alcohol.

Mind altering drugs like morphine serve a purpose. We can not say someone dying of cancer who is being given morphine is practicing witch craft.

Common sense must be exercised when discussing grey areas like this. Unfortunately in the church... often times common sense is in short supply. (Not accusing you of that, jimur! Just speaking in general)

Krispy

 2012/12/8 8:44









 Re: Greg Laurie: Is It Acceptable for Christians to Drink?

Quote:
I have always been of the understanding the word "witchcraft" in vs 20 above translates from the Greek word pharmacia, which refers to mind-altering drugs. Alcohol is a mind altering drug. Someone want to help me out here? What am I missing apart from possible word usage and differences in minority and majority text? Thanks. jimur



As you say brother the word translated in verse 20 is pharmakia (φαρμακεία). It comes from the root magia (μαγεία). So the word (φαρμακεία) is a conjunctive of φαρ and μακεία.

φαρ is used to denote isolation of individuality or separateness. This is the effect of using drugs such a morphine etc. To get high means what it ought to mean “to go into another realm of thought in which one feels isolated either fearfully (paranoia) or else euphorically (egotistical well being) ”. The same idea is carried with the word (φάραγξ) which is used for the word valley or ravine. It is implicit and figurative of danger and isolation. Again the same prefix is used in the word (Φαρισαι̂ος) which means Pharisee. The root of the aramaic word means to separate. Reflect on how separate were the pharisees both in real physical life and in the end being cut off from life itself.


When μακεία is prefixed with φαρ the result is a meaning which spiritually carries the value of the root semantic expression magia (μαγεία) and literally means to use drugs for the purposes of enhancing the natural desire to practise magic. The consequence of taking this course as opposed to simply behaving demonically is the true meaning of sorcery. It cannot be entered into by accident, it must be desired and wilfully sought. It is worth noting that sorcery is quiet natural to the flesh and not just a product or sense of desiring to take drugs for a reason of mental health issues. Be they self administered or else prescribed; the difference is semantic. The real deeper meaning lies in the very physiology of the body itself which being in a fallen state can achieve psychosomatic or sympathetic releases of endorphins which when attended to by a wilful rebellious heart produces a form of witchcraft which passes easily for spirituality. This kind of release fuels the mind and stimulates the body to produce more wilful and deliberate egotistical outbursts or else curses or even prayers. It is all witchcraft regardless.

Alcohol at a certain point of imbibing produces a similar effect because it provokes the mind to act foolishly or else violently and has the effect in such circumstances as does any drug which stimulates the natural mind. How often has it been said of a man "he is fine when sober but violent when drunk". Blessings.

 2012/12/8 9:58









 Re: Greg Laurie: Is It Acceptable for Christians to Drink?

In this current age of revelry, we should abstain from alcohol.

A few years ago I would have fought for the right to drink as a Christian because we have the freedom to do so. I still think we have that freedom, but I don't think it's proper now in our day and age. We have so many people going to AA, committing suicide, families are ruined, children separated, divorce, abortion to be frank this list can be long.

If we never had a bible to read to know if it's okay or not, our own eyes should tell us that this world is having tremendous problem with controlling it in their lives.

My sister drinks nothing but Vodka. She is or at least was a Christian. Many things had happened that lead up to her breakdown, the main one was divorce and the inability to be in control. Recently she lost custody of her children. What she misses the most is not being in control of their lives and this is basically why she drinks. Her house is in ruins, she sits in her own pee, can barely walk, heart trouble, eye trouble, organ failure, and it's hard to believe that she was once a successful business woman running her own business. Can't talk to her on the phone anymore, drunk and crying all the time, totally obnoxious. And yet when she wants a drink, she can get ready, and drive down to the liquour store and get her fix. When it comes to going to the doctor, going to get help forget it.

If we had a liquor problem before, it's wise that we do not tempt ourselves.

If we know of brethren that had this problem before, it's wise that we do not have it in the house.

If you want to drink wine, buy the 0.05%. One thing it won't do is cause you get tipsy, and won't offend your weak brother.

 2012/12/8 10:18





©2002-2024 SermonIndex.net
Promoting Revival to this Generation.
Privacy Policy