While I will confess my disdain for alcohol the larger question is not whether we should or should not drink but rather why? We can devote much attention towards finding the boundary between grace and sin when our entire focus should be towards pressing into the holiness of God at which time the boundaries become less important.

I taught teenagers at church early Sunday mornings and they were sluggish and inattentive so I decided to invest in Nerf guns and spent the first few minutes warring it out to get the juices flowing which helped but it didn't take long for the question to arise whether it was appropriate to bring Nerf guns into church. I responded "there will be no need for Nerf guns when revival comes. Will you please pray for revival"?

I Cor 13:11
When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

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Rick

Exactly how does recreational use of alcohol bring glory to God? Scripture tells us that "whatsoever we do, do all to the honor and glory of God."

BTW, Scripture does not forbid a person from shooting himself in the foot - I do not know of any, so why not defend it?

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Sandra Miller

Everything is permissable but not everything is profitable, right? :)

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Matthew Guldner

Brothergary said:

So while all things are permissable, not all things are beneficial.

Let me ask you folks... which one of you would stand in the village square and proclaim the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ... with a Bud Lite in your hand?

Just curious.

And if you wouldn't (those who defend your Christian liberty strongly), please explain why not.

Krispy

It maybe wise to define Christian Liberities.

We are we liberated from should be the true question, what did Christ save us from? Hell? No the very beginning of Matthew tells us His purpose and what He saves us from Matthew 1:21 "She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save His people from their Sins."

Pretty clear, If we are risen with Christ aren't we also suppose to have died with Christ on the cross? This includes our selfish ambition and will and our lusts. Would this be so for some, its likely.

You also wouldn't want to preach the Gospel of Christ with a Bud Light in your hand because you would likely cause a brother to stumble, what if someone was a recovering alcoholic and by Christ was slowly being freed from the gripes of this struggle and then they see you exhorting the Word with a beer in hand, if they are a baby Christian they may think its quite alright for Christians to drink and thus fall back into alcoholism.

Paul made it clear he gave up many rights for the sake of his brothers who were weaker in faith and understanding of Grace and "Christian Liberities"

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Matthew Guldner

Exactly, brother... instead of defending our liberties and enjoying the exercising thereof... the Biblical example is giving up your liberties for the sake of others. Sacrificing your liberties.

The prevailing attitude, even on this forum, is: Dont tell me what to do! I have liberty!

Thats a sinful and unbiblical attitude. It's rebellion, franky. It's not motivated by love, it's motivated by love of self.

Krispy

"I taught teenagers at church early Sunday mornings and they were sluggish and inattentive so I decided to invest in Nerf guns and spent the first few minutes warring it out to get the juices flowing which helped but it didn't take long for the question to arise whether it was appropriate to bring Nerf guns into church. I responded "there will be no need for Nerf guns when revival comes. Will you please pray for revival"?"


I really appreciated what you shared. Thanks.

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Christopher Joel Dandrow

Sobriety is sensible and Scriptural.

Nevertheless, at the wedding at Cana (John 2), Jesus turned water into wine and not into pasteurized, grape juice.

I believe Krispy has it right. The issue is not whether it is Biblically permissive for a Christian to consume a beverage that is alcoholic. How many have used nyquil or the equivalent when you had a really bad cold? The issue is sacrificial love for our brothers. Perhaps it is permissible but for me I will never knowingly partake. Why? I don't ever want to be the reason for a weaker brother stumbling and falling or for a man rejecting Christ because he sees what he perceives to be a Christian partaking of a sinful thing. I would rather not partake. I have studied this issue in depth several times. One cannot make a Biblical case that it is forbidden. I do believe though that one can ABSOLUTELY make a Biblical case as well as a culturally significant case (for those in the USA) that a Christian should abstain in the light of our witness and our love for our brethren.

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Travis