Answering Questions

I have decided to take some time over the holidays and blog some answers to these questions that Ben has coming in from our church that are pressing on people's minds about their faith. Since I know that there are more people nationally and internationally that read my blog than my own church, I am not worried about messing up the sermons that we are going to do from these questions. Here we go: Is it okay to drink alcohol on occasion? The quick answer to that is "yes." Otherwise, Jesus sinned because we know he drank wine and we know that he was sinless. I am very open with my personal stance on this. I have an occasional glass of wine with a meal like authentic Italian chicken Marsala that just calls for the perfect wine to compliment. If you are eating chicken Marsala and not cooking a beautiful white wine into the sauce, you need to call it something else because that is just wrong. Flat out, a sip of an alcoholic beverage is not a sin.

Let's go just a little deeper though. The Bible states on multiple occasions though that drunkenness is a sin, and we are to put sin to death. Often, when people come to Christ, they continue drinking to the same degree that they drank before their regeneration. That is a problem. I believe that God teaches us that he wants us to be clear-minded for a couple of reasons. The first is that we are to be focused on Him. If Biblical Christianity is truly a call to 24/7 worship, how effective of worship can we engage if our mind is clouded by alcohol? We cannot pray without ceasing and make the Word of God a jewel of our mind if we have just knocked down a six pack. Have you ever tried to let the "Word of God dwell in you richly" after too much to drink. It cannot be done. We are to be clear-minded in our worship and sanctification. Alcohol limits our correct, intimate relationship with the Holy Spirit.

The second reason for have a clear mind is so that we make good judgment in avoiding sin. I am a little more likely to linger on the "Victoria Secret special" on TV after a little too much alcohol than not. That gives the devil a fertile playground. I am a little more likely to say things that do not honor Christ when drinking. Just think into your past and think how much you would have limited the major sin in your life if you had not drunk enough to fog your judgment and you had gone to bed (by yourself) at 10:00.

I, personally, do not drink in public because our slightly misguided western Church-world frowns so hard on anyone who drinks alcohol saying anything on behalf of God. Misguided or not, if someone grew up in a Baptist or Pentecostal background sees me drinking one glass of wine with my dinner in public, they have probably written me off as someone who can speak on the Gospel with them. I want to have voice so I respect their feelings and just make it a non-issue. I also do not want to cause a "little one to stumble." This stance is not hypocritical because I never say that all drinking is wrong and then have a glass of wine at home.

I do not believe that most church-goers do a good job with temperance on this issue. If they bring their pre-conversion attitudes about drinking with them into the new relationship, repentance is probably needed.