February 20, 200719 yr I'm merely opening a thread to give outlet to those who want to debate the topic from the "Scripture Interpretation" thread. Run with it. My only addition is that in the Wedding at Canae, Jesus not only turned the water into wine (an awesome miracle), but the scripture says he turned it into the BEST wine. Its an important cultural distinction. Enjoy.
February 20, 200719 yr I personally do not think that merely drinking alcohol is a sin. That does not mean that I drink on a regular basis, however, I do occasionally consume alcohol. With that being said, I can see how drinking in public can hurt a Christians ability to minister to others, particularly in rural areas where drinking is a highly controversial topic. Social drinking can also lead to an addiction in persons with addictive personalities. I do not know of a verse in the Bible that says people are guilty of sin by consuming alcohol. The Bible does say that we should not be drunken with strong drink, I do not add to or take away from the verses, so I do not think merely drinking is a sin. I have heard the argument that wine in bible times was not the wine of today. However, there were obviously people who over indulged during Biblical times, so it was obviously a fermented drink. So, I do not make the distinction between the wine of the Bible verses the wine of modern times.
February 20, 200719 yr No it is not a sin and the verses in the other thread: Proverbs 23:31-32 Proverbs 20:1 Do not speak to drinking.
February 20, 200719 yr I can see how drinking in public can hurt a Christians ability to minister to others, particularly in rural areas where drinking is a highly controversial topic. Shouldn't this only be an issue for Christians? How would it hurt your ministry to non-Christians?
February 20, 200719 yr I personally do not think that merely drinking alcohol is a sin. That does not mean that I drink on a regular basis, however, I do occasionally consume alcohol. With that being said, I can see how drinking in public can hurt a Christians ability to minister to others, particularly in rural areas where drinking is a highly controversial topic. Social drinking can also lead to an addiction in persons with addictive personalities. The bible says that any stumbling block you put forth, is a sin, and to be a Christian is to be christ-like. I personally don't think drinking, in moderation, is a sin, but in moderation. Anytime you put anything before Christ, it is a "idolatry", could alcohol be? I think so.
February 20, 200719 yr Shouldn't this only be an issue for Christians? How would it hurt your ministry to non-Christians? We are all "fishers of men", so we are called to minister to non-Christians. People who hate organized religions love to find fault with Christians and use that fault to bash Christianity, thusly defaming our ministry. I do not think simply drinking is a sin, however, many non-born-again-Christians perceive that all Christians see it as a sin. Simply because of their lack of education of the Bible. So, if they see Christians sinning (that is sinning according to what the know about Christianity) then they see those Christians as hypocrites.
February 20, 200719 yr We are all "fishers of men", so we are called to minister to non-Christians. People who hate organized religions love to find fault with Christians and use that fault to bash Christianity, thusly defaming our ministry. I do not think simply drinking is a sin, however, many non-born-again-Christians perceive that all Christians see it as a sin. Simply because of their lack of education of the Bible. So, if they see Christians sinning (that is sinning according to what the know about Christianity) then they see those Christians as hypocrites. Or maybe it lets the non-Christian see the real person. Not some santized act. I think God wants us to be prudent in our actions, but if more Christians were as concerned about what comes out of their mouths (negativity, gossip, cutting words, etc.) as what goes in them, then the Kingdom would be bettered. Christians in big numbers tend to major on the minor. However, alcohol to me isn't even an example of this. To me alcohol is making an issue out of a non issue.
February 20, 200719 yr I think God wants us to be prudent in our actions, but if more Christians were as concerned about what comes out of their mouths (negativity, gossip, cutting words, etc.) as what goes in them, then the Kingdom would be bettered. I couldn't agree more.
February 20, 200719 yr The Bible makes it quite obvious that drinking of alcohol is not a sin, but getting drunk, "which leads to debauchery", is a sin. I believe that most churches that disapprove of alcohol do so based upon Romans 14:14-21 As one who is in the Lord Jesus, I am fully convinced that no food is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for him it is unclean. If your brother is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy your brother for whom Christ died. Do not allow what you consider good to be spoken of as evil. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men. Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a man to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble. It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother to fall.
February 20, 200719 yr My rather radical thoughts: If we are forgiven of out sins, and as long as we accept Jesus as the person who brought about that forgiveness, then what is sin? It means nothing to me. I'm forgiven so why consume myself with trying "not to sin?" I live my life the way I feel I should and I'm not going to lose sleep over having too many beers.
February 20, 200719 yr My rather radical thoughts: If we are forgiven of out sins, and as long as we accept Jesus as the person who brought about that forgiveness, then what is sin? It means nothing to me. I'm forgiven so why consume myself with trying "not to sin?" I live my life the way I feel I should and I'm not going to lose sleep over having too many beers. What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. I put this in human terms because you are weak in your natural selves. Just as you used to offer the parts of your body in slavery to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer them in slavery to righteousness leading to holiness. When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
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