Alcohol and the believer: Abstinence or Moderation?

I get this question all the time: Is it okay for me to drink alcohol if I’m a Christian?

I hate this question for several reasons.

First of all, the question is normally asked in a self-centered plea for permission than a genuine desire to know what pleases God. In many cases the person is looking for justification of a specific action rather than sanctification (or growing in holiness).

I believe the question followers of Christ need to ask in ALL things should be far less self-centered and more Christ-focused. The question should be less about is this action RIGHT or WRONG and more about “Does this glorify God?”

I just had this conversation with some of the summer staffers this week as is what seems to be a typical conversation for college students following Christ. I remember  many times at my Baptist college having these discussions late into the night and listening to the emotional and sometimes abrasive responses. I am disappointed when I think back to my reactions to these discussion as a pompous know-it-all. My speech reeked with legalism and very rarely (if ever) compassion.

Can we not have a balanced perspective? Can we not learn to be sensitive to the Spirit’s conviction in our own lives on these issues while listening with grace to those who have a different, yet firm conviction, when neither conviction contradicts Scripture?

One of my greatest pet peeves at this point in my walk with Christ is that too many Christians (myself included)  are not willing to engage in theological and practical discussions on these issues. Even more, most believers are unable to even  have intelligent, wholistic reasoning behind their beliefs. We rip one Scripture out of context to apply to something totally unrelated and then celebrated that we “showed those people something”.

I was looking for a few different people’s opinion on the issue that I highly respect:

I found an article by John Piper in which he is dealing with a proposed change in the church’s constitution on the topic of alcohol and his Biblical reasons behind abstaining from alcohol. The change in the constitution was to replace the requirement of church membership as someone who will “abstain from the sale and use of intoxicating liquors as a beverage” to instead read  “We engage…. to seek God’s help in abstaining from all drugs, food, drink, and practices which harm the body or jeopardize our own or another’s  faith.”

I ask you to take a few minutes and read the WHOLE article here.

But for those of you who want a quick summary here are his four major reasons for totally abstaining from the use of alcohol they are:

1) First, I choose not to drink because of my conscience. I would feel uneasy and somewhat guilty if I were to purchase and use alcoholic beverages. The Biblical principle here is that we should not act against our conscience even if our conscience condemns us for actions that are morally neutral in themselves. Paul said in Romans 14:14, “I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself, but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean.” Then in verses 22, 23 he says, “Happy is he who has no reason to judge himself for what he approves. But he who has doubts is condemned, if he eats, for whatever does not proceed from faith is sin (cf. also 1 Cor. 8:7,12). The main point of Romans 14 and 1 Cor. 8 and 10:23ff. is that we should not tempt others to do what they feel qualms about doing; but that also means that we who have qualms about a thing should avoid it.

2) The second reason is that alcohol is a mind-altering drug.

In its effect upon the mind alcohol works most quickly as a depressant to eliminate restraints. The fine shades of moral restraint are among the first to become blurred. Further, split-second decisions and the quick neural reflexes leading to physical action become sluggish — as well as our judgment as to whether or not our critical faculties have been at all affected by our drinking” (Christianity Today, Sept. 18, 1981, p.13).

This inclines me toward total abstinence, first in relation to myself and then in relation to others. In relation to myself, what this says to me is that alcohol could hinder me in what I want most, namely to recognize and to do the will of God. The Bible says, “Be renewed in the spirit of your mind that you may prove what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect”(Rom. 12:2). And in another place, “Do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is” (Eph. 5:17). The mature believer does not ask: How many enjoyable things can I do and still not transgress God’s will?” But rather: Is there anything at all that I can do or stop doing which will refine my ability to recognize and do the will of God. In general, drinking alcoholic beverages does not increase one’s sensitivity to the will of God.3) The third reason why I choose total abstinence is that alcohol is addictive. I simply cannot see any reason why I should incorporate into my way of life a beverage which not only blurs the fine shades of moral restraints, but also could easily become habit- forming. I say with Paul, “All things are lawful for me, but I will not be enslaved by anything (1 Cor. 6:12). If someone laughs and says, “Why not prove you can hold your liquor. Why rule it out on the basis of a possible weakness?” my response is, “I’ve got nothing to prove. God forbid that I should boast in anything except the cross of Christ by which the world is crucified to me and I to the world (Gal. 6:14). I don’t have any inclination to prove to anybody that I’m not weak. I have values in my life that are infinitely more important than proving to myself or to someone else that I can drink and not be addicted.”

4) The fourth reason I choose total abstinence is to make a social statement. Some people rank alcoholism as our second greatest health problem in America (others say 3^rd or 4^th). There are about 10 million alcoholics and 20 million persons who consume an immoderate amount of alcohol. About 70% use alcohol as a beverage. As a result, alcohol contributes to 205,000 deaths each year. Life expectancy of the alcoholic is reduced by at least a decade. One-half of all traffic fatalities are the direct result of the abuse of alcohol. It is directly connected to one-half the homicides and one-third of the suicides. It costs business alone 19 billion dollars a year. And now one out of every twelve marriages comes apart over drinking.

For these four reasons, then, I am a very happy teetotaler and I think you should be too. But that brings us to our second question: Should total abstinence be a requirement for church membership? My answer is, No. The reason is this: the New Testament allows for a difference of conviction and practice on this issue in the church and therefore it is wrong not to allow for that same difference in the church today. Romans 14:20,21 puts wine-drinking in the category of eating meat and leaves the ethical judgment with the believer to grapple with whether his behavior will make the brother stumble.

So I want your opinion. Not because I think anyone can necessarily “settle” this debate once and for all, but because I value intelligent conversation from those who desire to please God with their lives.

No matter your position, what’s your reaction to Piper’s view?

Joining you on the pursuit of holiness…

~ by crosseyedministries on July 21, 2009.