In Defense Of Alcohol, God's Blessing To Man

[GraceSaved]

"Wikipedia" is not a reliable source.  As MissDaisy rightly pointed out, anyone can go on that site and add to or take away from whit is written.

That's why we have common sense to take anything we read and compare it to scripture no matter where it comes from.

[Standing Firm In Christ]

I already addressed the "look not" scripture.  I notice the only time people refer to nonalcoholic "wine" is when scripture refers to it in a positive sense, even though Biblical evidence shows a consistent reference that wine is an alcoholic beverage able to make someone drunk if abused.

You did address the "look not" issue.  Unfortunately, you addressed it in exactly the opposite way it should have been addressed.  You have Solomon telling someone who is already drunk not to get drunk. 

[heartstrings]

Proverbs 23:31Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright.

32At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder.

 

God also blessed us with serpents and adders, but I ain't gonna be pickin' 'em up.

Yes, It's alcoholic...what part of "look not" don't you understand?

[DaveW]

Several times people have rejected verses from Psalms and Proverbs because the are poetry or wisdom.

This is a ridiculous argument.
Are they the Word of God, or are they not?

They may not be commands, but they show the heart and attitude of God.

They are ENTIRELY relevant on any subject they cover.

[GraceSaved]

You did address the "look not" issue.  Unfortunately, you addressed it in exactly the opposite way it should have been addressed.  You have Solomon telling someone who is already drunk not to get drunk. 

Verse 29 is what happens when you do verse 30.  Verse 31 is advice to avoid verse 29.

 

Continuing to quote the same verses over and over doesn't change their meaning.  If God says "look not" then even that of itself is sin. It's a figure of speech not to be taken literally. 

 

Can't lead a horse to water...or wine.  Ha ha ha!

[GraceSaved]

Several times people have rejected verses from Psalms and Proverbs because the are poetry or wisdom.

This is a ridiculous argument.
Are they the Word of God, or are they not?

They may not be commands, but they show the heart and attitude of God.

They are ENTIRELY relevant on any subject they cover.

Proverbs is a collection of literature in making right choices.  They're not commandments but examples of applying wisdom with extensive use of imagery and figures of speech and a lot of the verses are unrelated.  To take a verse literally or figuratively has to be weighed against other scriptures in the Bible.  As I stated above in an earlier post, wine is always referred to in scripture as an intoxicant.  To say that it is not when scripture refers to wine in a positive sense is creating a man-made doctrine of abstinence versus what the Bible says about overuse and abuse.

[GraceSaved]

 

Proverbs 23:31Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright.

32At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder.

 

God also blessed us with serpents and adders, but I ain't gonna be pickin' 'em up.

Yes, It's alcoholic...what part of "look not" don't you understand?

 

Have you ever seen a bottle of wine while you were a Christian?  On a commercial, in the grocery store in line where the person ahead maybe be purchasing a bottle?  "Look not" is figure of speech.  Would you tell an alcoholic to go in a bar?  "Look not" means if you can't control yourself then don't even look at it.  Don't put yourself in that situation.  "Look not" is not a command for abstinence.

[LindaR]

It's simply amazing (but not surprising) how many "reasons" (excuses) professing Christians will come up with in order to "justify" drinking alcohol.

[GraceSaved]

It's simply amazing (but not surprising) how many "reasons" (excuses) professing Christians will come up with in order to "justify" drinking alcohol.

Because the Bible says we can.  We are not to abuse it.  Do you know the difference between moderation and overuse?  Are you telling me that every person that has ever had a glass of wine or occasional beer has become an alcoholic or drunkard?  If someone drinks one wine cooler at a BBQ is that going to make them a drunk?  Or have a glass of wine at a wedding for a toast?

[GraceSaved]

http://drbacchus.com/bible/alcohol.html

[Keith]

It's simply amazing how people can twist Scripture to justify whatever their favorite sin is.  It's no wonder that our country and our churches are in the shape they're in when people would rather attempt to make themselves feel less guilty for doing something God would not want us doing(and makes it quite clear in His Word) than to just live for God and tell others about Jesus Christ.  

 

Go try and hand someone a Gospel tract with a beer in your hand and see how serious someone will take you.  Go try and talk to someone about Christ while sipping on a Jack and Coke.  I'm sure they'll take you seriously....

The Bible has been quoted quite a bit about this topic, and people would rather wallow in their pet sins than to gain wisdom from God's Word.  But without those verses in play, these two should be enough to stay away from alcohol:
 

Abstain from all appearance of evil. 

(1 Thessalonians 5:22)

 

It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak. 

(Romans 14:21)

 

I can think of A LOT of evil things that are caused by the very existence of alcohol.  I've been a part of them, and I've seen them first hand.  There is a lot of evil surrounding the use of alcohol.  God is not a part of it, and God is certainly not glorified by it, and to assert as much is foolish.  So yes, we should abstain from alcohol just on the basis of the appearance of evil.

I know several alcoholics and several who are trying to stay away from drinking.  If they see another Christian man drinking...we're doing nothing but giving them the occasion to stumble.  

 

Again....for this to even be a question is silly, IMHO.

 

 

[Keith]

http://www.biblebelievers.com/billy_sunday_booze.html

[Keith]

http://www.biblebelievers.com/watkins_alcohol.html

[LindaR]

Because the Bible says we can.  We are not to abuse it.  Do you know the difference between moderation and overuse?  Are you telling me that every person that has ever had a glass of wine or occasional beer has become an alcoholic or drunkard?  If someone drinks one wine cooler at a BBQ is that going to make them a drunk?  Or have a glass of wine at a wedding for a toast.

I sure do know about drinking in moderation....it's a joke and comes from the pit of hell.  There is no such thing as "drinking in moderation".  I know two people (and that's not saying that there are hundreds more like those two) who began their "drinking career" by being told that lie of "drinking in moderation" is fine...just don't get drunk.  Well, it didn't work out that way...both of those persons are dead...and they both died from alcohol poisoning.    So don't tell me that "drinking in moderation" is fine...it's not. 

 

If you take heed to what the Bible says and "look not" (have no experience with alcohol) BEFORE you take that first drink of beverage alcohol, you will never run the risk of becoming drunk or become a habitual drunkard.
 

[GraceSaved]

All these examples are people's misuse of alcohol, having no self-control and unfortunately suffered the consequences just as with anything we misuse in life.

 

If drinking alcohol in moderation is an appearance of evil then why did God consider wine to be a blessing in scripture?  Why are those verses ignored?  If one think it's a sin then one shouldn't drink.  However, I choose to use my liberties in a way that is not dishonoring to myself, people around me or God.  Thank you very much.