Don’t Shoot the Messenger (Part 3)
I want to suggest to you that as brothers and sisters in Christ, we need to think carefully when it comes to the area of social drinking.
Suppose Dr. Charles Stanley were to announce on his radio and TV programs that he has now decided from Scripture that because he does not struggle with an addiction to alcohol, he is free to drink to the glory of God?
There would be several things that would happen. First, there would be people who would be offended by his position and stop supporting his ministry. But there would be another group who would say, “if it is ok for Charles Stanley, it must be ok for me!” In that crowd would be people with a pre-disposition to alcoholism which could lead them into a life of disaster. Talk to any struggling alcoholic and their story is the same: “my addictions started with the first drink!”
There would be several things that would happen. First, there would be people who would be offended by his position and stop supporting his ministry. But there would be another group who would say, “if it is ok for Charles Stanley, it must be ok for me!” In that crowd would be people with a pre-disposition to alcoholism which could lead them into a life of disaster. Talk to any struggling alcoholic and their story is the same: “my addictions started with the first drink!”
I want to encourage you to think about how what you do can impact a weaker brother or sister. Paul addressed this issue in 1 Corinthians 8:1-13. The passage is too long to post here, but I encourage you to study it in detail. The illustration that Paul used was whether or not it was ok to eat food that was sacrificed to idols. While he clearly states that there is not a problem to do so, he makes it very clear that we need to take the high road and not become a stumbling block to those who are weak in the faith.
He says, “But take care lest this liberty of yours somehow becomes a stumbling block to the weak. For if someone sees you, who have no knowledge, dining in an idol’s temple will not his conscience, if he is weak, be strengthened to eat things sacrificed to idols? For through your knowledge he who is weak is ruined, the brother for whose sake Christ died. And thus, by sinning against the brethren and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if food causes my brother to stumble, I will never eat meat again, that I might not cause my brother to stumble.” (1 Corinthians 8:9-13)
Can I make several suggestions?
1. Be sure that we don’t selfishly use our liberties to willfully offend and hurt weaker brothers and sisters.
2. If there are others who don’t hold your position, don’t make others feel guilty if they don’t hold your same position. In the same way, those of us who are “total abstainers,” we need to be respectful of those who see liberty from a different perspective.
3. Be mindful of the fact there is a thin line to cross from social drinking to alcoholism. Don’t say it can’t happen to you. We have history of 114 years that validates the slippery slope.
For those of you who have been offended by my position, know that I share it with humility and love, and out of great concern for the body of Christ. Offended? Then be like the Berean’s and search the Scriptures. Before shooting me, ask the Holy Spirit to teach you HIS thoughts on this difficult topic. – Bill Welte is President and CEO of America’s Keswick
Compass Pointers: The best way to drop a habit is to drop it. D. S. Yoder
Anchored to the Rock: Prayers are the leeches of care.
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