Is Drinking a sin?

[robert derrick]

Mature knowledge is not knowing whether or not you can taste alcohol. Mature knowledge is knowing not to destroy another person by what you consider good. That's true spiritual maturity. That's what matters.

Mature knowledge is not knowing whether or not you can taste alcohol.

Really? Whatever.

 

[Ferris Bueller]

And so far as your topic about wounding the 'babes' in Christ:

How many times have you seen the strong in Christ defile the conscience of the weaker, by trying to force their liberty upon them?

Specific examples please.

I think I shared my example in this forum under this screen name. I'll do a quick search, later. If I have not I will for your sake.

 

[Ferris Bueller]

Mature knowledge is not knowing whether or not you can taste alcohol.

Really? Whatever.

Really. Loving others, doing them no harm, is the supreme knowledge of God.

 

[Grailhunter]

What good does alcohol lead to in the end? It's a dead end. No good comes of it. The best you can hope for is that nothing comes of it.

We can apply this to most anything....including ice cream. A lot of calories in that ice cream and we may be tempting someone that has issues with calories or sugar or lactose.
Listening to conservative radio a lady was saying that eating chocolate chip cookies was a sin.
As far as drinking alcohol there can be a lot of benefits. The medical benefits of wine and beer you can lookup yourself. Then there is relaxation, merriment, beer, barbeque, friends and baseball....hoo-ra! The early Christian in house churches drank wine and sang hymns to the Lord.

I know that there are people that think that to be a good Christian that you have to be miserable. That Christ does not want us to be happy or enjoy life...that is just sad. Be good....do good....and have a good time doing it.

It is true that too much of anything can be bad for you....it is like Paul said...1st Corinthians 6:12 All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.

Too much of a good thing....alcohol, smoking, gambling, sex, sunshine, food, sweets, games, smart phones, television, etc
Do not let any of them rule over your life nor be brought under the power of any.

 

[robert derrick]

Really. Loving others, doing them no harm, is the supreme knowledge of God.

Another topic again.

Your problem is your human reasoning in the things of God. You think you know something, but you don't, because you don't think like Scripture.

'Loving others' is meaningless. The world loves others, but not as God would have us love our neighbors as ourselves, according to His Word.

'Do no harm' is the mantra of the Satanist.

There is no 'supreme' knowledge of God. There is the knowledge of God which is all holy, good, and true altogether.

We don't think the same, because I have learned to let Scripture do my thinking for me.

 

[Grailhunter]

I just don't see that as a problem in the (real) church anymore. It may have been 40 years ago, but it's not now.

Well it depends on what denomination or church you go to. The don't doers religion is very common. Even here on this forum if you speak of doing good there will be some that rise up in arms....a Christian forum where doing good is not liked? Seems a little sad.

 

[Grailhunter]

The point is, you don't need a crystal ball to see that many, many people have a weakness for alcohol. Romans 14 tells us we are acting in love when we don't let our freedoms destroy another person, particularly people in the church. Given that so many people struggle with alcohol these days, the counsel of Romans 14 is all the more relevant and applicable.

Again you will never know. It isn't just alcohol that people have problems with. If you tried to accommodate everyone over every possible issue, you would end up living in a closet....and then you have people like me being offended because you are not doing the Lord's will.

 

[robert derrick]

Ever see how fast a beach party comes to an end when there's no alcohol around to fuel those fornications?


You must have me confused with someone who has stated that drinking alcohol is a sin. You should be careful to address your posts to whom they apply.

Truly friend. You must learn to know the difference between sharing a personal opinion, conscience, and judgment on a matter of God, and then going on to make that opinion a matter that is 'best' for all others to conform to:

"...and so pervasively, it is best for Christians to not take a stand for it...I think it best for the Christian who wants to drink alcohol to keep it a secret"

The former is simply your opinion and practice in your own life, they others are free to adopt or ignore. No harm, no foul. None the better, none the worse. The latter is the problem of self-righteousness in the body of Christ, declaring their personal judgment of a matter of liberty to be the 'best' for all to do.

Your posts are sprinkled throughout with such judgment of others based on your own conscience.

And so, as I said, if you want to offer your opinion, in a place where opinion is not being called for, then that's your choice. Just don't do so and then try to make it necessary for others to adopt, that they may too be 'loving others, and not doing them harm', like you.

Since being a disciple is being disciplined, then putting forth as a minister to others must be most disciplined of all.

 

[Ferris Bueller]

The latter is the problem of self-righteousness in the body of Christ, declaring their personal judgment of a matter of liberty to be the 'best' for all to do.

Lol, why is everything a matter of self-righteousness in the church these days? You'd probably think I was being self-righteous if I told you not to use a fork to get a piece of toast out of a toaster. It's just a sign of the times we're living in. Progressive Christianity has destroyed the church. Everything is legalistic and self-righteous now.

 

[robert derrick]

Again you will never know. It isn't just alcohol that people have problems with. If you tried to accommodate everyone over every possible issue, you would end up living in a closet....and then you have people like me being offended because you are not doing the Lord's will.

It's sort of like those hermits in the Qumran Caves. They were there to avoid partaking of the sins of the world, and keeping themselves unspotted by it.

This version would be avoid partaking our our liberty in Christ, to try and keep others unspotted by it.

Or at least keeping our liberty 'in secret'. Like we ought be ashamed of something:

For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. (Eph 5)

No, I don't do anything in secret anymore, like I used to. Now, I do keep some things private that belong in the bedroom only. (Or hotel room. Or even perhaps an isolated area in nature.)

 

[Ferris Bueller]

Again you will never know. It isn't just alcohol that people have problems with. If you tried to accommodate everyone over every possible issue, you would end up living in a closet....and then you have people like me being offended because you are not doing the Lord's will.

Dumb argument. Not every matter of liberty is on the level of alcohol abuse.

 

[Grailhunter]

It's sort of like those hermits in the Qumran Caves. They were there to avoid partaking of the sins of the world, and keeping themselves unspotted by it.

This version would be avoid partaking our our liberty in Christ, to try and keep others unspotted by it.

Or at least keeping our liberty 'in secret'. Like we ought be ashamed of something:

For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. (Eph 5)

No, I don't do anything in secret anymore, like I used to. Now, I do keep some things private that belong in the bedroom only. (Or hotel room. Or even perhaps an isolated area in nature.)

Do you chase girls through the woods too?

 

[Grailhunter]

Dumb argument. Not every matter of liberty is on the level of alcohol abuse.

No it is not a dumb argument. Sugar can kill a diabetic...usually faster than alcohol. The focus on one thing is narrow minded.
So many issues out there. And the topic here is not about alcohol abuse or any abuse.

The thing is if you do not want to drink...all good. If you want to give up peppermint for the Lord and call it your religion...fair enough.
But if you say that the Bible says that drinking in general is a sin....then I will object.

 

[robert derrick]

Lol, why is everything a matter of self-righteousness in the church these days? You'd probably think I was being self-righteous if I told you not to use a fork to get a piece of toast out of a toaster. It's just a sign of the times we're living in. Progressive Christianity has destroyed the church. Everything is legalistic and self-righteous now.

Ok, I'll try once more as with a friend:

If I have an opinion about a matter of personal judgment and practice as a Christian, that Scripture does not plainly confirm, and then tell you that it is best for you to do the same, so that we can be loving people, and not doing them harm together...what would you say.

 

[robert derrick]

Do you chase girls through the woods too?

My wife and daughters only.

I am a Christian. If other girls are running from me, then I probably need another shower. (If it's my face, then I can't really help that)

 

[robert derrick]

Romans 14 is best.

Agreed.

And so is (1 Cor 10:29).

Two edges of the same sword.

 

[Grailhunter]

My wife and daughters only.

I am a Christian. If other girls are running from me, then I probably need another shower. (If it's my face, then I can't really help that)

I love chasing women through the woods but at 64 most get away.

 

[robert derrick]

Sometimes it's a sin, sometimes it is not.

If you mean it is not a sin in itself, but it and any other liberty in christ can become a sin either by partaking without faith, or by offending the weaker conscience, then true.

If that is what you mean.

 

[Heart2Soul]

I heard a preacher say one time that drugs and alcohol is used by people who do not have the Holy Spirit in their life....the euphoria they get is like a replacement for the "high" one experiences when in His presence.
Now I am not saying this is accurate but I can say when I am walking with Him I don't want the other stuff....when I had backslidden in the past I wanted to drink.
In any case, the question is....
WHY are you drinking?

 

[Ferris Bueller]

No it is not a dumb argument. Sugar can kill a diabetic...usually faster than alcohol. The focus on one thing is narrow minded.
So many issues out there. And the topic here is not about alcohol abuse or any abuse.

It is a dumb argument because you are essentially saying to exclude all things from this matter of being considerate of other people simply because you say there are so many things to be considerate of! That's not a good reason to discard Paul's Romans 14 counsel.