About six years ago I took my future wife out on our first OCD (off campus date). We were at Olive Garden and at our own table (which was a big deal back then ) and this suave waiter walks on up and presents us with a bottle of wine. He asks, “Will you be having some wine?” I quickly replied to my wife’s chagrin, “I’m not old enough but she is!” Flustered, Carolyn declined the wine and gave me a look. It was her 21st birthday, and drinking wine was the farthest thing from either of our minds.These days, I am still not much of a wine drinker. I am slowly developing a taste for it and experimenting with all the options. But at times it still shocks me to think that I am actually allowing alcohol to pass through my lips. Any such drink was the biggest taboo, growing up. It was just assumed that the only Biblical position was absolute and total abstinence.During a period of a few years, while I was beginning to slowly register conflicting opinions and doubts concerning my fundamentalist beliefs, I began coming across verses concerning wine which amazed me. I kept a running list, even before we made our break with fundamentalism. A professor at college had even argued that alcohol for medicinal purposes was clearly condoned by Prov. 31:6-7 and 1 Tim. 5:23.

After changing our positions on many of the extreme fundamentalist beliefs I was raised with, I was even more open to the potential (which at that point seemed likely based on my ever growing list) that the Bible allowed for the moderate use of wine and alcoholic beverages. But still several months went by without a determination to even give alcohol a sip. I say this to reitirate that drinking alcohol was no special desire of mine. Tee-totalism was just normal, as both of our families and extended families for the most part do not drink.Two events moved me to have some wine, however. First, I came across some blogposts written by a blog friend of mine, Matt Fitzsimmons. They were well written, and adequately defended in the comments (check them out here & here). That discussion brought my list back to mind. By this time I was completely convinced (having been quite familiar with tee-totaller arguments for some time) that the Bible not only permitted but encouraged the moderate use and enjoyment of wine and alcoholic beverages. Further I had been convinced that many of the “wisdom” arguments against liquor had equally convincing counter arguments and further “wisdom” arguments levied against them.Still I remained dry. But a month or so later I was asked what I thought about alcohol by a cousin of mine. He actually married into the family as I did, and we both went to the same college (even sang on a men’s quintet together). Our discussion was overheard and the fundamentalist in-laws grew livid! Well not exactly, but there was quite a commotion for a usually soft-spoken bunch. Further conversations with Nathan led to my being given some flavored beer. He also gave me some research he had compiled–a list of all the verses referring to alcoholic beverages in Scripture, along with a few articles. Reading the articles made me even more convinced that wine is to be viewed as a good gift from God. Who was I to snub my nose at God’s gift and say, “No, thanks, God. I am better off without that.”So, I determined to partake of alcoholic beverages to God’s glory. And to this day I conscientiously seek to honor God and thank Him for the wonderful gift of alcohol. By no means am I an experienced drinker yet. But I have experienced the joy God intends for us through this refreshing means.Enough about me, what about you? Will you be having some wine?

I am writing this because of stumbling onto several blogposts on this very subject. The Southern Baptist Convention just recently passed another resolution condemning the “use” of alcohol. Not the “abuse” but its “use”. This has sparked several blog objections and a few have caught my eye. Below I am listing some links for you to peruse. I also mention a few things I have learned recently through these blogposts. But before I send you to these links, take the time to read my first post defending wine entitled “‘Wine to Gladden the Heart of Man’: Thoughts on God’s Good Gift of Wine”.

Cheers!

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞

Links:

• Don Fields of The World From Our Window first brought my attention to this with his brief post mentioning the issue and giving his tentative opinion. UPDATE: in his second post, Don mentions he is leaning toward my position on alcohol. He also links to this and my other recent post on the issue.
• Don pointed me to The Thirsty Theologian’s (David Kjos) recent series of posts on the issue entitled “God Gave C₂H₆O”. I was not aware of this blog, but it looks very good. Below are the links to his posts with some comments.
  • Introductory Comments.
  • Sola Scriptura and the SBC — This post highlights that regulations forbidding alcohol go beyond the scope of Scripture: isn’t Scripture supposed to be sufficient?
  • What Does Scripture Say? — This is a good summary of the Scriptural case for the moderate enjoyment of alcoholic beverages.
  • Abstinence in Scripture — This post shows that Scriptural examples of abstinence serve to illustrate that the Biblical norm is the moderate consumption of alcohol.
  • To Abstain or not to Abstain — This post looks more closely at the “weaker brother” argument; and, no, the possibility that someone else might see you drinking does not constitute offending your weaker brother.
  • Answering Objections — This post answers many objections and questions relating to the above articles, a definite must read.
• In the first post at The Thirsty Theologian, David Kjos recommended a few other blog posts on the subject. They are worth reading and I list them below without coment.
  • How Does It Feel to Exclude Jesus from Your Denomination? by Brent Thomas
  • The Sword and Spirits by Joe Thorn
  • Drinking with Jesus by Joe Thorn
  • Akin on Alcohol by Joe Thorn
  • David also recommended buying Kenneth L. Gentry’s book God Gave Wine.
• In the comments of one of David’s post, Centuri0n (aka Frank Turk) showed up. So, I went over to his blog and found a couple worthy posts on the topic, which I will comment on below.
  • The Use of Alcohol (1) — This post points out the statistical difference between drinkers in NY and TX, and what that should mean for “wisdom” arguments in reference to alcohol.
  • Beer Plus Wine (Rabbit Trail) — That only 25% of alcoholic beverages sold in America are hard liquors (the kind unavailable in Bible times). Other interesting and pertinent statistics are available in the post and in the meta (check out this comment proving that 99% of drinkers drink responsibly, for instance).
• Lastly, my blogging friend John Chitty (aka Captain Headknowledge) has posted a series of excerpts from Keith Mathison’s book Given for You: Reclaiming Calvin’s Doctrine of the Lord’s Supper. The posts deal with whether alcohol should be used in Communion, and they provide an excellent discussion and overview of the debate at hand. Links to the posts are provided below with some comments.
  • The OT Witness to the Responsible Use of Wine
  • The NT Witness to the Responsible Use of Wine
  • The Church’s Witness to the Responsible Use of Wine — Here Mathison claims that for 1800 years the church unequivocally used alcoholic wine.
  • The Rejection of Wine
  • Objections to Wine Use Answered — This is an excellent excerpt that deals with several major theologian’s arguments for the use of grape juice in Communion.
• I may update this section with more current links in the next week or so. If you know of any good blog posts on the subject, let me know.

∼striving for the unity of the faith for the glory of God∼ Eph. 4:3,13 • Rom. 15:5-7

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