A Beer, Anyone?
Posted June 30th, 2006by Derek Sloan
So, what’s wrong with the occasional beer? Even among Christians there is no consistent answer to that question. Some proudly proclaim their abstinence, while others lobby for their right to drink. Why the divergence of opinion?
It is clear that drunkenness is not approved by God. In Galatians 5:19-21, Paul declares:
The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, and debauchery, idolatry and witchcraft, hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy, drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
But does one drink qualify as drunkenness? Excluding those whose weight is under 90 pounds, realistically it does not. Solomon did utter this strong indictment: "Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has strife? Who has complaints? Who has needless bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes? Those who linger over wine, who go to sample bowls of mixed wine" (Proverbs 23:31). But some may say this is still not a definitive case for complete abstinence.
The Bible may not contain a specific verse to prove claims one way or the other. But the Bible is remarkably cohesive, and what is not directly stated in one verse is often implicit in the general spirit of the Word. What we can do is allow the balance of the evidence to reveal the answer.
We sometimes treat a moral prohibition as if it were a criminal being tried. We require definitive proof, but if no explicit proof is produced, we conclude that the practice is allowed—innocent until proven guilty. But this may be faulty reasoning. While there may not be definitive proof in one scripture text for abstaining from alcohol, is there scriptural proof in favor of using it? In which way does the balance tip?
There are pertinent issues beyond Scripture as well. Millions become addicted to alcohol. Millions of murders and rapes have been perpetrated under the mists of intoxication. The carnage caused by drunk drivers on our highways continues to mount beyond all reason. Let us also examine the underlying reasons for alcohol use. Many are attracted by the allure of alcohol as portrayed in magazines, television, and films. They may suffer from low self-esteem, and are buying into the view that alcohol will somehow enhance their image.
Let's consider this question: Even if you don’t know for certain, if you had to guess what God’s position on alcohol use is, what would you guess?
In my own walk with God, I have been led to avoid alcohol. For quite a while my mind battled with the issue beneath the level of my consciousness. Then one day a clear conviction settled into my soul as naturally as if it had always been there. Though no conscious decision had been made, I had settled that drinking alcohol was not consistent with my walk with Christ.
The Bible does not always give its view blatantly; perhaps that is for the best. As we delve beneath the surface of God’s word, we will learn to look behind the letter of the law and be able to comprehend its spirit. In Romans, Paul explains the process of conviction:
Offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – His good, pleasing and perfect will (Romans 12:1, 2).
Conviction is the process of Scripture and the Spirit of God working on an individual heart. It is important that we follow conviction, and also refrain from attacks on those who may not have arrived at the same convictions we have. The Christian walk challenges us to offer our bodies as sacrifices to God, to search the Scriptures, and to allow His Spirit to lead us.
Canadian born and bred, Derek Sloan is student body president at Pacific Union College in California's Napa Valley. In his spare time he enjoys reading, writing, learning, tennis, and snowboarding.
July 2nd, 2006 at 10:15 pm
This article is so right. I struggled with this problem for a while too. It's funny. I said, "I don't see anything wrong with having a beer with lunch occasionally," but after living for Christ for a while, I sort of just began thinking differently without even realizing it. Now, I think that it would hurt my witness to drink. Therefore, I have made a commitment not to drink any more.
It was a bit of a hard decision, but it will be worth it in eternity. I think I need to live a Holy life before the Lord. I was told once by my pastor's wife that it would be wrong for her to drink, but that it might be OK for someone else, she wasn't going to judge. She quoted a scripture that Paul wrote in Philippians. It was, "Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. (Php 2:12-13)." So we must all work out our own salvation. We must ask the Lord to show us what He would have us to do. As for me, I have been convicted that it is more important for me to live holy than to drink a little alcohol once in a while.
Here are some scriptures I stand on:
1 Thessalonians 5:22,23: Abstain from all appearance of evil. And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Galatians 5:21: Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
Romans 12:1,2: I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
2 Timothy 2:21,22: If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work. Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
My heart's desire is nothing more than to be used the way God would have me to be used. I wish to be set apart for His service. I can't do that if I am living like the world. I'm certainly not perfect, but that is one way I can become more so by getting rid of all of the worldly junk. I appreciate this article. It helped crystalize some thoughts I'd been having for a while now.
In Christ, mergandore
July 22nd, 2006 at 12:55 pm
I would say one thing you could think of when asking if one beer is bad would be to ask yourself if you would take a steak out of the refrigerator and place it out in the sun to cure for a week or so, then bring it in and eat it. If you did that, what would be the result? Chances are there would be maggots all in it and the smell would be horrid. And if you ate it, you would be getting food poisoning, and it may even kill you.
Now think of how alcohol is made. It is put in a big vat and let cure or ferment for a while and then filtered and made into the drink you so crave. It may taste good, but is it really good for you? Just like the steak that was left out, it may taste great but then comes the real effect.
I used to enjoy a non-alcoholic brew from time to time, and was severely admonished by those that drank the real thing that the O’douls I had, with one half of one percent alcohol content, was indeed alcohol so why was I drinking that but telling others they should not drink alcohol. When you think that simple mouthwash is up to 28% alcohol and you get more from rinsing with that than you get from a can of O’douls, you can see the ridiculousness of that argument. I have also been told that they don’t like the O’douls because it has no alcohol and they really like the alcohol. I found it is not the taste so much as the fact that it does not have the alcohol content that makes it so distasteful. And the fact that the alcoholic stuff is far cheaper to get than any of the non-alcoholic drinks, makes it far more appealing to those that want to indulge.
Many that are alcoholic will be affected by even the one half of the one percent of the alcohol content, which legally is non-alcoholic. So it is still best even with that, not to indulge, as it can give the wrong impression or get someone back into something that they had a terrible time getting rid of.
So I have said good-bye to even the non-alcoholic beverages, and do not really miss them.
September 7th, 2006 at 7:12 pm
I don't see anything wrong with having an occasional beer, but you have to cut down! I mean, I'm reminded that my body is a "temple of the Holy Spirit." Yours in Christ, Eric Calhoun