Prohibitionists:
Prohibitionists teach that all drinking is a sin and that alcohol itself is an evil. This position is untenable because the Bible teaches that God makes "wine that gladdens the heart of man" (Ps. 104:14-15), because Scripture is clear that Jesus first miracle was creating over one hundred gallons of wine at a wedding party, and because Jesus ate enough food and drank enough alcohol to be falsely accused of gluttony and drunkenness. So if alcohol is inherently evil, then God is evil because he makes it, and Jesus is sinful because he drank it. At the risk of pointing out the obvious, isn't it terrible thing for us to try to be holier than Jesus by not drinking?
Abstentionists:
Abstentionists teach that drinking is not sinful but that all Christians should avoid drinking out of love for others and a desire to not cause anyone to stumble. Yes, Christians should avoid drinking in the presence of others who are unable to practice moderation and self control. But it is unreasonable to demand that all Christians abstain from alcohol. The Bible teaches that God gave wine to his people even though they used it to worship the pagan god Baal. Jesus drank alcohol even though there were undoubtedly people in his day who were alcoholics. Paul says that only a demon would compel Bible teachers to forbid things that God made good and that drinking alcohol can be done in a way that glorifies God.
Moderationists:
Moderationists teach that drinking is not a sin and that each person must let Christian conscience guide them without judging others. This position is both reasonable and biblical because wine itself is neutral and can be used in both good and bad ways. When used in a right and redeemed way, alcohol is a gift from God to be drunk with gladness, particularly when feasting. When used in this way, feasting and drinking were foretastes of the kingdom, which will include new wine. This also explains why in Scripture a lack of wine reflects the absence of joy. To be fair alcohol can be used in bad ways. (I think anyone reading this can make a list without too much thought). However, just because wine can be used in a negative way does NOT mean that every person who partakes in wine is doing so sinfully.
When considering whether or not we may drink wine we should follow Romans 14 and allow our conscience to be our guide. If our conscience is "pricked" over the issue of alcohol than we should abstain; however, if our conscience is free (and you have not signed a document in the case of school or a ministry position saying you will abstain) than feel free to drink a glass of wine to the glory of God.
In conclusion, is it OK to drink wine?Drinking wine is not a sin and each person must let Christian conscience guide them (Romans 14) without judging others. Remember, whatever you do whether abstaining or drinking do it all for the glory of God.
I like it, makes perfectly good sense to me, though I probably imbibe a little more than your average moderationist... Which I think is another important point about drinking, it is humbling, and humanizing, capable of added self revelation, with built in shame if you over consume.
ReplyDeleteI've not ever put this in writing before and a public blog is probably not the smartest place to start, still.... Personally, I'm an abstentionist — I have never, to my knowledge, drunk an alcoholic beverage. I do not think it's a sin. I think, given the current level of alcohol use in our society (both in the US and in the African countries with which I'm familiar), it's best for Christians to abstain. I want the Holy Spirit to have complete control and I'm not willing to give up even a part of that to a substance nor am I willing to be subject to the temptation to overindulge. Finally, I think anything stronger than wine is very unwise (OK, a smart-alecky, possbily unsustainable, side comment: Jesus turned water into wine, not vodka, scotch, rum, whiskey, or mixed drinks). So, perhaps I'm a moderationist who chooses to abstain. (Intellectually, that's easy to say, emotionally it's difficult.)
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