Subject: did the wine from the water make you dr |
Bible Note: Greetings Tim! It is good to hear from you! Let me preface my comments by saying that by no means would I be dogmatic on this point! I'm not saying that my understanding is the only way. I simply layed out some of the thoughts I have had over the years as a pastor when I have had to deal with this issue. Having said that, let me address a couple of quick points. 1) Not every non-Christian thinks it is a sin for them to drink, but every non-Christian that I have asked thinks that it is a sin for a Christian to drink. This is obviously not binding upon our behavior, but it does make me consider the effect drinking will have on my testimony. 2) I fully agree that alcoholism is a sin! I only threw this point in to demonstrate that if it were true (which many believe) then telling someone it is okay to drink in moderation could be like giving them a loaded gun! 3) The rest of your comments basically deal with abuse of alcohol. You said: "If people drank alcohol according to biblical principles ther would not be any alcoholics." Here is my question: What are the Biblical principles? I know that Scripture says do not be drunk, but at what point is someone drunk? In my opinion, this is the fatal flaw of the view that allows drinking in moderation. Scripture never says one drink is okay but two is sin! So, at what point are we sinning? Is it different for every person? If so, how could it be fair of God to judge us on a sin that has no clear boundries? Again, these are simply my thoughts! I have never tried to force them on anyone. I have known Christians who drank moderately. When they asked me as their pastor, I gave them my opinion of what Scripture says and asked them to pray about it. Some changed their views and practice, while others did not. My personal opinion is that alcohol adds nothing to my life and is fraught with danger. Therefore, the best position for me is to simply abstain totally. I haven't touched a drop of alcohol in almost 20 years and I haven't missed it one bit! :-) Your Brother in Christ, Tim Moran |