Don't Shoot the Messenger

Don’t Shoot the Messenger

Well I am going to really stick my neck out on a limb to address another area of concern that I believe is an increasing problem in the church today. This is a very difficult issue to discuss, but it is enough of a concern and problem that I feel that I need to weigh in on it with humility and love.

The topic? Social drinking. It is something that has taken the church by a storm and is becoming a very dangerous problem. We are finding more and more Christian men (and women) needing help because they have moved from casual drinking to being addicted to alcohol.

Before you write me off, would you allow me to share my heart with you, and then I encourage you to pray it through.

I have read all the articles and books that talk about alcohol and Christians. I can already hear the comments, “Come on Bill … you can’t prove total abstention from Scripture.  Jesus turned the water into wine and Paul said that ‘a little wine’ for the stomach’s sake” is ok, and an elder is not to be addicted “to much wine.”

Let me address those three statements:

1. While I can’t argue with any of those statements at face value, we do need to be familiar with the whole counsel of God. The Bible does address in great detail the dangerous effect of drinking and its harmful effects especially when done in excess.
   
2. The National Alcohol and Drug  council give information on their website about how much alcohol one can consume before considered being “under the influence.” Based on how I have observed my Christian friends who drink in a social setting, most of them, if pulled over by the police would be issued a citation for “driving under the influence.” I do think that it is important for us to look at the words “not much” and “a little.”

If you have a stomach ache and go to the pharmacy to get a bottle of Pepto-Bismol, you will observe when you read the back of the bottle that there is a prescribed dosage. You don’t drink the whole bottle! The same is true if you have a cough. Pick up a bottle of Robutussin and you will see a prescribed dosage. You don’t drink the entire bottle. By the way, people do drink the whole bottle a and then get highly addicted. It’s called “Robo-tripping.”

3. The greatest area of concern for me in this area is the biblical concept of the “weaker brother and sister.” I will continue this tomorrow
   
    I hope you will at least hear the rest of my comments before writing me off. – Bill Welte is President and CEO of America’s Keswick – home of the Colony of Mercy
   
   GPS – God’s Positioning System: Matthew 4; Psalm 83; Proverbs 29

Compass Pointers: The chains of habit are generally too small to be felt until they are too strong to be broken. Samuel Johnson

Navigation Rules to Memorize: Level 1: John 12:24-25; Level 2: John 12:24-27

Anchored to the Rock: He stands best who kneels most!