Life, God, Beer, and Hot Wings
Seems to me that the best conversations about anything important happen after 10pm. Is it because our mind is so worn out form the day's activities that we let down our guard and go for it? I'm not sure of the technicals but last night I had a great time with the fellas at a bar down town called Brothers. We scarffed 100 10 cent wings and talked about Christians drinking beer. What a great combination. It seems this is one of the great dilemmas of the Christians. I’m glad for the freedom grace allows so that our relationship with Jesus is not about dos and don’ts but I do with there was a clear way for me to decide what I should do on the issue of drinking alcohol. On one hand the bible does not deliberately discount drinking alcohol completely in fact there are several places were it would seem to advocate at least a little drinking of alcohol. But the Bible seems to be very clear about not acting like the world and not being a stumbling block to others. So what are we to do? I have wrestled with this so much. Truth is told I have no problem drinking for myself and my personal relationship with God. My concern is that since I do not live this life for me anymore. I live to server God, to love my family, and do what ever I can to get as many people to know God as I can. So since I don’t live for my self it’s hard for me to use that argument as a reason to drink. Sometimes I think that if I did drink I would be able to connect with the normal everyday American. I hate being seen as a “holier than thou” Christian and sometimes I just want to drink to show people that it is not about following some religious set of rules to get to heaven or to know God its just about knowing Him. I could go on and on with the debate. I want to hear from other on this one. Is it ok for Christians to drink, and not just ok, can Christians reach their full potential as servants of God with a beer in their hand?
posted by shane miller @ 12:21 PM
3 comments
3 Comments:
Read your blog...went through the same dilemma.
As far as alcohol being a stumbling block, this is the conclusion i have come to:
1. It is not a stumbling block to unbelievers.
2. It is not a stumbling block to Christians. Your liberty is not a stumbling block to another. Their misinterpretation of scripture is their own stumbling block and they need to gain the proper context of what scripture says about alcohol.
3. The stumbling block for the alcoholic would not be your liberty to have a beer. The stumbling block would come when you offer him a beer.
That's my 2 cents, take it for what it's worth.
By the way, I love a few beers or some wine, now and again...and I believe that if Jesus or Paul were here, they would have some with me.
Bro,
I do understand the dilema of drinking and still having the ability to impact the world, "with a beer in our hand." I think that as long as you continue to be salt and light, then a beer doesn't matter. To become drunk is obviously wrong because Peter and Paul wrote about being sober and not being drunk with wine (Eph 5:18, I Peter 5:8). But nothing is written to discourage alcohol. The only arguement for not drinking would be the side you stated with being a stumbling block. My thought on that is, if you are in doubt that it may make some one stumble, don't do it. But for you and I and a few of our friends to have a beer, glass of wine, etc. would not be "wrong." That's my story, hope you enjoyed. Continue to be a soldier in Lincoln!
West side soldeir
-Your ridiculously good looking brother
Ron,
I have been meaning to respond to this email for a while.
I totally agree with you on the drinking issue. The fact that it is even an issue bugs me to death. I know so many people who call them selves Christians that rant and rave over the evil of alcohol but are over weight or watch too much tv or they are in debt of to their ears. There are so many things, as sinners, we struggle with. I know that bible strictly tells us not to be addicted to anything. Not wine, and not Mountain Dew. I feel that people who condemn others for drinking beer are people who wouldn’t ever drink it even if they did feel like it was ok. They just never liked it or pleased them. But since food pleases them, and they are addicted to food and over eat they are not as quick to condemn the glutton.
With that in mind I can see in scripture there is never a case when being drunk is ok with God. Why would He think it was ok for our mind to be controlled by a substance rather than His spirit? Especially since being controlled to a substance usually cases harm and not good. Being controlled by His spirit is life!
So there’s just a few thoughts. Next time you come out I’ll by you a beer!
Shane
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