No thanks! I don't like the bitter taste of alcohol. And remember, if a Christian imbibes it must be only if the following two conditions hold:
- One drinks in moderation (never drunk).
- You don't drink around a weaker brother if it will cause him to stumble.
Actually, it is a "weaker brother." Too often I have seen deacons and Christians who have been saved for 20 years "get offended" at someone drinking alcohol. Those people don't fit in the category of "weaker brothers."
ReplyDelete@Doug Yes, sorry if that was ambiguous. It was implied that they are a weaker brother if they are susceptible to that thing, but I should have made that clear.
ReplyDeleteI both drink in moderation (very sparingly) and don't drink in front of weaker brothers, because I don't want them to be offended or be tempted to drink if they think it is wrong.
ReplyDeleteBut there is definitely a place for alcohol, drank sparingly. Some drinks such as red wine, for example, have been recently found to have health benefits if one has a glass or two a day.
Psalm 104:14-15. "He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth;
And wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and oil to make his face to shine, and bread which strengtheneth man's heart."
So I believe wine has a purpose; it can make us joyful, but to drink any more than that is a sin. We should not take any substance to the degree that it renders our reason impaired. In this area, I believe in moderation, not abstinence. Wine is a gift of God, and like so many other gifts, can be abused horribly if one does not enjoy it with wisdom.