There is an age old controversy in Christianity waging over the issue of beverage alcohol.  Is it proper or allowable for Christians to drink socially, as long as they do not get drunk?  Does Scripture say anything against the drinking of beverage alcohol?  These are questions that are being asked by many Christians, and even Baptists Christians.

For many years Baptists have been known to be “Tea-totalers”.  Personally, I do not think that to be a bad thing.  In recent months and years the idea of Baptists being temperant concerning beverage alcohol has come into question.  It has been a source of controversy at the Southern Baptist Convention’s annual meeting and recently at the Missouri Baptist Convention’s annual meeting.

To my point of view it has become a question due to the fact that many younger pastors are saying that the Bible says nothing against a social drink of beverage alcohol.  There are several of us, young and old, who disagree with that assessment.  There is example after example in Scripture of the danger or the drink.  In articles I have written at Fire and Hammer I have written of two examples.  The first is of Noah who having come off the ark, grows a vineyard, drinks too heavily of its fruit, and becomes drunkened by it, and brings a curse on a member of the family.  The second is of Lot, after being delivered with his two daughters from the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, is given wine to make him drunk, by his daughers for the purpose of incestual impregnation; another evidence of moral decay, and Lot goes along by allowing himself to become drunk.

There are also verses which argue against the drink of beverage alcohol.  For example Proverbs 20:1; 23:29-35; and 31:1-6.  Every time these verses are presented the one’s who are in favor of “License” or “Freedom in Christ” as they want to call it, will run circles around these and do everything they can to explain them away.  There are also some New Testament Scriptures concerning a “sound mind” which needs to be taken into consideration concerning beverage alcohol (Ephesians 5:18; 2 Timothy 1:7; 1 Peter 1:13).  At what point does one become drunk?  At what point does the alcohol begin to take your mind?  Does anyone know the answer to these questions?  If the answer to these questions cannot be known, then, in my thinking that is another reason to remain abstinent from beverage alcohol.

I will agree with my brother in Christ David Tolliver who is the Interim Executive Director of the Missouri Baptist Convention; that there is no place in the Bible that says, “Thou shalt not drink beverage alcohol”, however, there are many which speak of its dangers.  It is my conviction when the Bible doesn’t say “Thou shalt not…”, but our tradition says “Let’s not…”, then, I will stand with the tradition rather than try to allow loose living and morality.  That is where this debate over the alcohol issue will lead us if we lower our standards.

Do we want to lower our standards to allow a few to come in?  I choose to remain faithful to the Bible and the tradition which does not allow loose living.  This is not a matter of salvation, but of sanctification and holiness.

edited the links given above on Noah and Lot because of the deletion of THE WATCHMAN’S TRUMPET. 01/09/10

T.A.