"Hello Ociffer. I'm not as think as you drunk I am." -This is a random line Kevin quotes to me on occasion. But, that's besides the point ...
My dad and I disagree on precious little in life. I respect my dad a lot and would go to him for advice on any subject. One thing we do disagree on, however, is whether or not drinking alcohol is biblically sinful.
Here’s an interesting article I found yesterday by following a link on a local (conservative, but not necessarily “Christian”) news blog on this very topic:
“I like beer. No wait, that's not true. I love beer. I love lagers and pilsners and ales and stouts. As a Christian this begs the question: Is drinking a sin? In the words of Rev. Lovejoy, ‘Short answer No with an If, long answer Yes with a But.’” To read more, go here to The Wrong Blogger’s website.
I pretty much agree with the author of the above article, with two exceptions:
The one thing that really bothered me is that the author treats the issue of drunkenness entirely too lightly. (As a Christian, he admits: “As I get older I find myself actually getting drunk to be a rare occurrence,” but doesn’t make any apologies for this.) Although it’s not sinful to drink alcohol in moderation, the bible is very clear that it’s a sin to become drunk. In other words, while it may be okay to drink, it’s never okay to drink too much.
Another thing I disagree with the author about is the tastefulness of beer. (But this is obviously a matter of personal preference.) He likes it, while I personally think it’s the most vile-tasting concoction ever invented. I’d much rather drink something sweet, like Pepsi, for instance.
Probably because of my Baptist upbringing, once I accepted that drinking alcohol is not sinful by itself, I still clung to notions that it’s probably “better” to not drink at all or that it’s a “higher standard” to refrain from all drinking (vs. drinking in moderation). But then this guy I knew in my college and career group challenged me with this question: “If the bible doesn’t condemn drinking, aside from getting drunk or making a brother stumble, how can you possibly say it’s ‘better’ to not drink? Either a thing is sinful or it’s not. You can’t judge someone for something the bible doesn’t judge them for.” (i.e., You can’t say that a person who completely abstains from all alcohol is “better” than someone who drinks a glass of wine after dinner every night because neither of them is “sinning,” nor is anyone necessarily doing a “good work.”)
I found myself stupefied and didn’t have any good answer for him. This made me crazy since, at that age, I thought I knew everything.
So, I’ve had some history dealing with this issue. Maybe that’s why the above article caught my attention.
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9 comments:
Amy,
This is a subject Dan and I have discussed quite a bit since we got married. We both grew up with the supposition that for us to drink alcohol would be sinful. While our parents didn't condemn drinking per se, both Dan and I had at least one grandparent who is/was an acoholic and our parents' experiences with drinking were so negative they never wanted alcohol in our homes.
Since we've been married there has been a need to decide the question for ourselves and we have determined that we don't have any problem with drinking--in moderation of course. (I'm with you though: I can't stand beer, but I do like a nice glass of wine now and then.) I've seen people drunk before and it's not behavior I have any desire to emulate--not to mention, as you said, Scripture quite clearly condemns drunkeness.
That being said, I am going to play the "devil's advocate" for a moment ;) and ask the following question:
If drinking isn't a sin, is taking drugs a sin?
Is the problem with drugs simply excessiveness? Those who condemn drinking condemn drunkeness, and those who condemn drug-taking condemn "getting high" or being "stoned." But if you are going to excuse drinking in moderation, wouldn't you have to do the same for the occasional injection of heroin or smoking of marijuana? As long as you don't get high, it should be okay, right? (Obviously, illegal drugs carry a huge risk of addiction, but then again, so do computer games. ;))
Is the problem with drugs because they're "bad" for our bodies? If that is the main argument for their sinfulness, couldn't we condemn lots of things on the same grounds, like caffiene, sugar, or eating at McDonalds?
Worst of all, there is the argument that doing drugs is sinful because it's illegal--drinking isn't. But then the question becomes (I'm sorry to bring law terms into it, but--for lack of a better description) "malum prohibitum" versus "malum in se". . . and then we've gotten away from Scripture entirely and are basing the "sinfulness" of the activity in question on whether it comports with man's laws versus whether it comports with God's.
No, living in Oregon hasn't contaminated my moral sensibilities *grin* and I don't think drugs should be legal or anything . . . I just like to occasionally ponder unimportant philosophical questions in my spare time. ;) Anyhow, food for thought. . . wondered what your take on this might be.
Here's my most recent theory on the topic, with the caveat that this is a moot point for us because alcohol would harm DOB's nerves and I, even if not pregnant or nursing, would have no interest in taking up something new that he couldn't do and that would require acquiring a taste for something that was expensive. :-P
In the abstract, I don't think there is a general moral rule that not drinking is better--or that drinking is, for that matter. In specific situations, though, I think it may be more clear-cut one way or the other. For instance, if you live and socialize in a community where the assumption, among Christians and non-Christians, is "good Christians don't drink," what are you accomplishing by publicly drinking? Offending the Christians and confusing the non-Christians, most likely. In a situation like that, it's better to defer to the common expectation than waste your time debating the finer points of Christian freedom when you could be talking about Christ.
On the other hand, I had a friend of general non-drinking convictions who wound up spending a while in Spain, where offering wine was part of standard hospitality, and no one would expect a Christian to have a different approach to it than anyone else. It would have been offensive to turn it down, so he accepted. I think that was the right thing to do, too.
I do kind of roll my eyes, though, when people who were brought up in non-drinking subcultures start making a big public deal about how they can go out and drink now, insinuating that those from their background who don't drink must still be hidebound legalists. (This is not aimed at you by any means.) I think they're still missing the big picture about what freedom in Christ is *for*--to bless and edify others, not to make us look cool. ;-)
Queen of Carrots:
You said: “[I]f you live and socialize in a community where the assumption, among Christians and non-Christians, is ‘good Christians don't drink,’ what are you accomplishing by publicly drinking? Offending the Christians and confusing the non-Christians, most likely. In a situation like that, it's better to defer to the common expectation …”
Bowing to inaccurate assumptions on what the bible teaches means you take an active part in giving a false impression of Christ and the scriptures. I would be tempted to run a crusade to educate my community on the Truth, rather than bow to erroneous views of scripture. It’s one thing to offend a weaker brother (which you must judge on a case by case basis), it’s another thing accept society’s wrongful interpretations of the Truth. I personally wouldn’t think it appropriate to “defer to the common expectation.” Because, how far do you go in this? Where do you draw the line? I don’t want the world to judge me to be a “good Christian” because I don’t drink. I want them to know me as a Christian by my love for others and my love for the Truth.
My dad has been to Spain on business and, according to him, they drink beer like they do water. They even serve it at McDonald’s! So, I agree: whether it’s okay, expected, or taboo to drink alcohol is largely a cultural thing. In think, in the States, drinking is more “taboo” for Christians in places like the South and the Midwest. In California (we live only sixty miles from Napa Valley), drinking isn’t as big of a deal to most Christians. Of course, there are exceptions.
-Amy
Angel:
You said: “If drinking isn't a sin, is taking drugs a sin?”
Drinking alcohol won’t alter your mind, unless it’s done in excess (or, from what I hear, if you’re really skinny and drink it on an empty stomach!). Drinking alcohol can be done responsibly so as to not cause an altered state (e.g. one glass of red wine with a large steak). With drugs, the whole point of taking them is to alter your mind and give you a high. So, I would argue that all drugs result in stupor and drunkenness, which is condemned in scripture. Drugs are also highly addictive, which would result in a person being hooked on “drunkenness.”
With something like smoking, while I think it’s nasty (gross) and unhealthful, I wouldn’t condemn a person as “sinning” for doing it. I just don’t see that as jiving with the bible.
Honestly, I think any time a person lives according to a micro-set of rules (not found in scripture), they get in trouble. Live by what you read in the bible and let the H.S. guide you and you’ll be okay. (Not that I ever doubted you would, Angel!) ;-)
-Amy
Since when is Pepsi sweet?
Agree with your points. As to taste it's a personal thing, kinda like coffee. Some people love coffee to excess some hate it.
Since when is Pepsi sweet?
Agree with your points. As to taste it's a personal thing, kinda like coffee. Some people love coffee to excess some hate it.
Paul didn't encourage Jewish believers to go out and start barbecuing pigs to show their understanding of their new-found freedom from the law. The impression I get from what Paul says about this is that deference to cultural norms, when they don't require wrongdoing, *is* generally desirable for a Christian, in order to minimize offense and confusion. Loosely paraphrased: Do you have a clear conscience? Good! Keep it between you and God. Don't make a big deal about it.
It's one thing to quietly cooperate in order not to distract from the gospel; it's another to go around *enforcing* cultural norms and telling everybody "this is what Good Christians do."
Karen (QOC),
I didn’t mean to imply that I would “flaunt” my liberty. I would never intentionally do this. We agree – it’s not okay (i.e., loving, appropriate) to flaunt! But I also don’t think it’s right to encourage legalism, which is a works-based way to earn favor with God. Like you said, there are people who think “good Christians don’t drink.” This is legalism. Maybe you and I would just have different approaches to this problem. You would (from what I gather) stick it out and go with the flow. I would try to show my community they’re creating rules that aren’t in scripture. Even if I couldn’t change their minds, then at least I’d be satisfied that I stood for Truth. And maybe I’d be more encouraged to broaden my friendship base and find other, more likeminded, friends to hang with too.
If you’re happy with legalism, fine. It’s usually more “comfortable” to have a sub-set of rules, outside scripture. My problem is when legalistic people look down on others for not following their sub-set of rules. (Not saying you do this, BTW!)
-Amy
Amy,
I never said or implied that legalism was OK. Legalists need to be confronted with the Truth. But what Truth do they need to hear?
It’s not that “Drinking (Insert debated activity of choice) is OK.” Knock a thousand rules off a legalist and you’d still have a legalist. The problem is at the heart. They need to hear, “Our righteousness is all from Christ.” That’s what Paul does when confronting this type of problem in Galatians. Take care of the heart, and the rules take care of themselves. Attack the rules, and they just multiply and entrench themselves.
But most Christians who don’t drink aren’t in the category of those going around brow-beating others into conformity. They don’t drink for personal reasons, like health or past bad experiences, or because they weren’t brought up around it and aren’t comfortable with it. I think Romans 14 makes it crystal clear as to what our obligation is in these cases: Do not bring it up. Defer to the customs of those around you, lest you be a stumbling-block to them. Do not judge them as “legalists” because their practices are different from yours. Focus on what you have in common: faith in Christ.
If you define “legalism” as having a sub-set of “rules” outside of Scripture, then every Christian who ever lived has been a legalist, because we’ve all had to apply the general truths of Scripture to our day-to-day walk. And we tend to gather with those who apply them in similar ways, under the influence of a similar culture, without fully realizing that’s what we’re doing (often we don’t even see these customs as “rules,” but an outsider would). It’s sort of like an accent. If you think you’ve found people who don’t have an accent, it’s just because they have the same accent that you do.
There’s nothing wrong with this, as long as we don’t confuse the habits of our particular sub-culture with the core reality of Christianity. And the best way to realize this is not to seek out those who are like-minded, but to spend time around those who have different practices, yet still are resting in the Lord.
I think the Bible makes it clear that disputes over rules are not edifying things for Christians to pursue. False teachings must be contradicted, but that doesn’t require raising a ruckus over matters of personal conscience. They just take the focus away from where it belongs, on Christ.
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