Originally posted by Nilsen
Not to start another jesus kinda topic, but is it ok for him that you enjoy your scotch and smokes from time to time, or do you have to say ooo-im sorry afterwards?
Do you get bells or famous over there btw?
Hi Nilsen,
We do get both Bell's and Famous Grouse here. Grouse is my favorite blend, but I prefer Islay single-malts like Oban and Lagavulin (when I can afford them).
While getting drunk certainly is sinful (Eph. 5:18, etc.) and would be behavior that would rapidly get me rightfully deposed from the ministry, drinking in moderation and smoking aren't actually sins. Keep in mind that Christ made wine
(Grk: Oinos) for the wedding in Canna and was falsely accused of being a "wine bibber" (aka drunkard) by his enemies because unlike John the Baptist who had taken the Nazirite vow, he drank wine.
Here is a brief synopsis on the biblical teaching on Alcohol:
A Quick synopsis of the Biblical teaching on AlcoholHe causes the grass to grow for the cattle, And vegetation for the service of man, That he may bring forth food from the earth, And wine that makes glad the heart of man, Oil to make his face shine, And bread which strengthens man's heart. (Psalm 104:14-15)There is no prohibition in the Bible against the making, selling, and consumption of alcoholic beverages. In fact, wine is spoken of as a good gift from God that makes the hearts of men glad (Psalm 104:15). There are prohibitions against becoming drunk (Eph. 5:18) but here the onus is upon the consumer, not the drink or the seller thereof.
In this issue those who disapprove of alcohol are what Paul called the weaker parties, as they happen to believe that something that is not implicitly sinful is. Now it would be sinful for them to go against their own consciences and drink, and it also would be an abuse of one’s own Christian liberty to flaunt it by say, insisting on drinking at the dinner table of a weaker brother or sister, but it would also be sinful for them to attempt to command you either not to drink or not to sell alcohol – this in fact is the critical dividing line between weaker party and the legalist. Here we should be guided by the Bible and our Confessional Standards. Here is what the Westminster Confession of Faith says on the issue of Christian Liberty:
"II. God alone is Lord of the conscience, and hath left it free from the doctrines and commandments of men, which are, in anything, contrary to his Word; or beside it, if matters of faith, or worship. So that, to believe such doctrines, or to obey such commands, out of conscience, is to betray true liberty of conscience: and the requiring of an implicit faith, and an absolute and blind obedience, is to destroy liberty of conscience, and reason also."
[Westminster Confession, Chapter 20, section 2]
The Bible is literally full of references that make it clear that Christ and the early Christians drank (or in the case of the wedding feast at Cana made) wine:
Here a contrast is drawn between Christ and John the Baptist:
"For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, `He has a demon.' The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, `Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and "sinners."'"
(Luke 7:33-34)
The Pharisees are shown to be hypocrites because they refuse to accept the man who didn't drink alcohol (John) and the man who did (Christ) – the analogy would have broken down if Christ didn't actually drink.
"Deacons, likewise, are to be men worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in much wine, and not pursuing dishonest gain." (1 Tim 3:8) Note the word "much" Paul could clearly have said "any" if he had wanted to.
"Stop drinking only water, and use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses." (1 Tim 5:23) Do we really believe that Paul would have encouraged Timothy to sin merely for the sake of a stronger constitution?
Many Christians have attempted to assert that these are references to "Grape juice". This is patently impossible.
1) Grape Juice spoils. In the heat of Palestine this process didn't take long.
2) The word used in the Greek is Oinos meaning "wine" (i.e. fermented) there is a word implying just juice, but it isn't used.
3) How odd that we would never be instructed that this sin is a sin.
4) "Neither do men pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst, the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved." (Matthew 9:17) Why do the wineskins burst? Because of the gasses produced because the new wine is fermenting.
"And no one after drinking old wine wants the new, for he says, `The old is better.'" (Luke 5:39) Old "Juice"? No. Only wine gets better with age. The church must be concerned with the abuse of alcohol and speak out against drunkeness, but to attempt to enforce a blanket prohibition against alcoholic beverages is actually to take a position in which one is in effect saying, "My standard needs to be higher than that of Paul and Jesus."
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For a much more in-depth theological analysis check out:
The Weak and the Strong
