"It is possible to tolerate a little elevation, when a man takes a drink or two too much after working hard and when he is feeling low. This must be called a frolic. But to sit day and night, pouring it in and pouring it out again, is piggish... all food is a matter of freedom, even a modest drink for one's pleasure. If you do not wish to conduct yourself this way, if you are going to go beyond this and be a born pig and guzzle beer and wine, then, if this cannot be stopped by the rulers, you must know that you cannot be saved. For God will not admit such piggish drinkers into the kingdom of heaven [cf. Gal. 5:19-21]... If you are tired and downhearted, take a drink; but this does not mean being a pig and doing nothing but gorging and swilling... You should be moderate and sober; this means that we should not be drunken, though we may be exhilarated." -Martin Luther
6 comments:
ML says some interesting things...I'm curious if he ever
brewed his own ale?
The Beers of Martin Luther:
http://home.earthlink.net/~ggsurplus/beersluther.html
I remember a pastor declaring that after being in the ministry for a number of years and seeing so many peoples' lives destroyed by alcohol he chose to abstain from it all together, not out of a legalistic compulsion, but out of a desire to not offend the weak.
The beauty of the gospel is the freedom for love to choose to do that, if love desires too.
I as a pastor too..have seen the same, as well as the abuse of a multitude of other blessings that in normal use are enjoyed but in abuse...kill or destroy.
It is sad that the beauty of things God has created often get molested by the depravity of humanity.
Our sinfulness seems to taint all things created by our Father for His children to enjoy in proper means and boundaries.
Whether it be nature, food, sex, creativity, music or even our bodies...it seems we humans love to slit our own throats with the things God meant for blessing.
Obviously the destruction of sin is prevalent in ALL spheres of human activity. To call something evil that God calls good is just as bad as doing something evil with something God calls good.
Both are not as God intended...which I feel is based on the whole of scripture and not opinion or experience, or selective passages both of which can be painfully directed by our own past or other peoples prejudices or pain.
Jesus summed it up best to me...if YOUR hand casues YOU to sin...cut it off. The only hands we have authority to cut off...are our own.
As usual your words are most thought provoking which is why I read your blog.
Maybe I oversimplify the issue do to my own past with abusing alcohol. I just wonder where one draws the line between celebrating their freedom in Christ verses "not eating meat sacrificed to idols" so as not to offend the weaker brother. Isn't it sort of a higher calling to abstain from certain activities (not neccessarily calling them evil) out of compassion for a weaker brother? An example might be the use of tobacco. I would love to enjoy a quality cigar on occasion. The problem is that my wife's dad died of lung cancer do to excessive tobacco use. My wife would be offended by my use of tobacco, therefore I abstain, not because it is evil but for the sake of my wife.(brother)
Perhaps it's not my place to say this but it's really hard not to imagine that new converts struggling to break free from alcohol abuse coming into a church where the pastor celebrates the use of it (in moderation) could very well stumble.
Just my thoughts on the issue. I don't want to be someone taking cheap shots from the sidelines because I believe in what you're doing with your life and ministry. I have tremedous respect for you as a brother and co-laborer in Christ. I just disagree with your perspective on this one.
Darin
Again, I would respond with scripture...to him that thinks it is sin, for him it is.
But obviously I am not going to try to scripturally argue an alcoholic into being able to drink...sheesh, that's nuts. I would never drink in front of you either...unless it was ROOTbeer. ;)
But...I won't surrender the truth of scripture either. I would surrender my rights to the truth of scripture for a situation or a person if I felt the call to do so...for I am free to do that out of love. As Paul circumcised some of his disciples and yet argued in the book of galatians that to hold to circumcision is to hold to the law and reject Christ...and yet he did a little snip snip when needed for missionary efforts among the jews. Preach against and do it...oh the crazy freedom of the gospel.
I do have a problem when we attach terms like "higher calling" to the discussion. Again, when you actually look at the topic as taught in scripture, you will find that the "weaker brother" is also the one that has to abstain because of his "weak" conscious.
A "weak" conscience is the product of a lack of biblical truth. But being weak or strong in ones understanding of the gospel still doesn't remove one from the duty of love...which calls us all to put others first. But we still have to teach the bible and teach it as truth no matter what someone's history may or may not contain.
I have a relative that had a heart attack from eating to many sweets...should we then refrain from eating brownies because he almost killed himself over eating them? I would say no...but I also wont be bringing brownies over for family meals either.
I love the biblical discussion on such subjects and I do believe that it is perfectly good to teach what the bible teaches on these subjects.
You say you "disagree" and I understand where you are coming from..feel free to disagree, it is your right.
I am proud of you and the changes you have made by God's rich grace. Keep pressing on and dont get entangled in anything that would hinder the fresh joy of walking in the joy of your new season.
Focus on what leads to life in you, your family and kids.
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