Feb

Tuesday Town Hall 19…Fruit Of The Vine

Posted by: Sonny in Bible, Sin, Townhall Tuesday

tues-town-ha-2l It seems to me that maybe I have been a little bold lately in some of my posts. Commenting about controversial issues and even getting a little harsh is some responses. Some of this stems from a passion for Gods truth while some may just come from that confrontational part of me that I just wrote about and am truly trying to tame. But it is not tamed and there are good reasons for some of what I ask. I really am still learning myself. And one of the ways to learn what we believe is to bounce those beliefs off those that others hold. So the questions for today may spark more controversy. I hope not and I really do not want any heated arguments or words of offense. But I do want to know what you think.

We also touched on this topic a while back in some of the comments. That post was not about this exactly and really had another focus. So if you replied there about this topic you can fell free to comment again here.

The bible is pretty clear about Gods views on drunkenness. Most people do not see such clear lines about alcohol consumption though.

What do you think the bible says about consuming alcohol?

What do you personally think about consuming alcohol and why?

Please keep it civil but tell us what you think.

Love you all

Tags: alcohol, Belief, consumption, controversial issues, drunkenness, fruit of the vine, Personal, town hall, Truth, Tuesday

This entry was posted on Tuesday, February 17th, 2009 at 12:05 am and is filed under Bible, Sin, Townhall Tuesday. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

10 comments so far

Jason

I do not think drinking in and of itself is wrong. However, as you pointed out drunkenness is clearly wrong by God’s standards.

With that being said, do I drink? No.

Why would I not drink if I didn’t think it was wrong? There are a few reasons…

1. The culture I live in has a view of it being wrong, and I do not want to cause a brother to err.

2. The movement that I have my ministers licensing through had me make a commitment not to consume alcohol, so that would be dishonest of me.

3. Last, I ask myself “What good can come from this?”, but then I also ask “What bad could come from this?” It is just good old-fashioned wisdom for me not to drink.

So, while my brothers and sisters in Europe may have the common practice of drinking wine with their meals, I choose not to drink and also not to condemn them for drinking.

Last note: I do believe it was wine in the Bible and not grape juice (I figure this will get brought up).

February 17th, 2009 at 11:54 am

Julie

To answer this question, I think you have to look at why.
Do you drink to get drunk, because you like the flavor, because you’re in a particular social setting, …..?
I think in Biblical times, the grapes were being used in as many ways as possible, including wine. Sometimes it wasn’t necessarily alcoholic (fermented) wine.
I personally do not drink and have no desire for it. However, if someone enjoys the flavor with a meal or with cooking, I do not see anything wrong with it. If you are drinking to drown out reality, then there’s a problem. It has the potential of becoming addictive, destructive, and deadly.

February 17th, 2009 at 12:36 pm

Connie

Hi. I’m Connie and I’m and alcoholic.

I made that statement for many, many years before I finally came to realize that I was more than that. God delivered me from alcoholism and I am a “new creature with a new feature”. (Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 2 Corinthians 5:17). My body does not process alcohol like it is supposed to, hence the alcoholism. Please note that I did make the choice to take the first drink; also hence the alcoholism.

I am not saying that consuming alcohol is wrong; it is just wrong for me. Like Julie mentioned, I DID become addicted, destructive and was on my way to hell. I know that if I take a drink of alcohol that it will not be long before I am consumed again. For me personally….. I can not do it. I tried more than once and I can’t. PERSONALLY I can’t understand why anyone would drink without having the goal of getting drunk or “knocking the edge off” a bad day. What’s the point

My feeble mind tells me this……the Bible says don’t get drunk. So why drink the alcohol? I don’t know how much to drink without getting drunk until I am.

Peace, Love and Blessings to all.

February 17th, 2009 at 3:12 pm

TILLER

I to am not clear on the biblical view of drinking alcohol.
I don’t think that getting drunk helps anything for sure and like Connie said. What is the point if not getting drunk.

I don’t have a problem with someone drinking on occasion. I myself cook with it.

February 17th, 2009 at 10:17 pm

Heath

Jesus drank alcohol, his first miracle was making alcohol, and Paul told Timothy to drink alcohol to settle his stomach, so the act of drinking is not a sin. That is, unless God has specifically commanded an individual to not drink. Noah got drunk 4 verses after God established a covenant with him… Drunkenness is clearly condemned by scripture. Alcohol is clearly not.

Now, I personally do not drink for a number of reasons. First, I can’t stand it. So that makes it pretty easy. But second, I think that since the invention of machines that can go really fast and hurt people, alcohol has taken on a new form of deadliness that cannot be overlooked. True, it is drunkenness that leads to the danger, but 30-40,000 deaths per year from drunken driving is a statistic that is hard to ignore and argues against drinking alcohol. So because of the social impact of the drug, I feel it is best for me to entirely abstain. Third, the Church of the Nazarene prohibits ministers from drinking, so since I have promised not to, I stand by my word.

As far as other people consuming alcohol, so long as they do not put innocent people in danger it is a choice I believe they should have. And I do not believe drinking is a sin. However, I have seen a whole lot of lives ruined by it and have yet to meet a person who attributes their success in life to their drinking.

February 17th, 2009 at 10:27 pm

Sonny

Thanks for the responses so far.

Love you all

February 17th, 2009 at 11:58 pm

Tammy

I had a much longer post, but lost it.
The bottom line is what use is it?
Will it bring glory to God, your family, you?
I used to drink, but it was to come out of my shell and be bold.
Some of those who know me are saying “what shell”, but that is because now I am bold in Christ Jesus, since I have Him, I do not need no stinking alcohol!!!

13 Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.
Romans 13:13-14

February 18th, 2009 at 12:21 pm

Jason

Do you think alcohol in moderation is worse than overeating and being overweight?

This is something I have been thinking about lately, and it seems is a bit of a conviction for me.

Would love to hear everyones opinion on this matter.

February 18th, 2009 at 5:19 pm

Sonny

Jason,

I don’t think so. If we take scripture that clearly reveal gluttony and drunkeness, not alcohol consumption, equally we can ascertain that overeating must be worse. But all sin is the same. There just seems to be no declaration of alcohol consumption as sin in the first place.

Anyone else?

Love you all

February 19th, 2009 at 2:22 am

Anthony

The largest problem we have is that according to our society, it is frowned up on to drink as a Christian. Especially in this wonderful place we are in called the Bible Belt. There are many things that so many Christians frown upon only because they are told to, and many because they think by taking one scripture out of the bible is it. The bible was written in books, and most times if you read the whole book, most items that are confusing or seem to be contradicting, are revealed as usually a direct speaking by god to a certain type of people. If you read my response to today’s post on “Behind Closed Doors” you will find an example of that. There are way too many people that are convinced just because they think something everyone else has to believe the same. Every person has their own personal convictions. The bible clearly states the sins. It’s the reading and learning that teaches you more understanding that the gray area that most people argue about, isn’t as much gray area as god giving other people their personal convictions, or things that there isn’t enough to actually base a fact on. The Holy Trinity……Tribulation……..and many more I’m sure. There are many unanswered questions. I do not see where the issue of alcohol is answered as or has given the idea that it is a sin.

February 19th, 2009 at 4:08 pm