Enjoy... But remember
"Don't give in to winning the argument
and losing one of your eternal crowns..."
|
Christian churches bear considerable responsibility for the inestimable human and economic costs of alcohol, because through their beliefs, teachings and preaching they are able to influence the moral values and practices of society, possibly more than does any other institution. For example, in the early part of this century evangelical churches played a major role in influencing the passing of the Eighteenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States on January 16, 1919, outlawing the "manufacture, sale or transportation" of alcoholic beverages.
Since the repeal of Prohibition in 1933, however, most churches have abandoned their stand for total abstinence, encouragin " moderation" instead. Unfortunately, moderation has led over 18 million Americans to become immoderate drinkers,5 because alcohol is a habit-forming narcotic which weakens one’s capacity for self-control. The moderationist position rests on the belief that Scripture condemns the immoderate use of alcohol but approves its moderate use. This belief is in turn based on the assumption that the Bible knows only of fermented wine ("one wine theory") which it considers as a divine blessing to be enjoyed with moderation. According to this theory, any condemnation of wine in the Bible refers not to the kind of wine, but to the amount consumed. Moral or Medical Issue? By maintaining that the Bible sanctions the moderate use of alcoholic beverages, moderationists have led people to believe that drinking alcohol is not a moral but a medical issue. It is not a transgression of a God-given principle, but a habit which can harm one’s health, if abused. The elimination of any sinful connotation from the use of alcohol has had an enormous influence on the drinking habits of millions of Christians. It has provided Christians with an alleged Biblical and moral justification for drinking alcohol, thus depriving them of a Biblical and moral conviction for abstaining from intoxicating beverages.
|
to:
Messages
Outline:
ABSTINENCE IS NOT THE SOLUTION, 2001, Apr 27
Celibacy vs Marriage and Wine are totally different matters by Yesuthass, 2001, Apr 28
So food can lead to gluttony, blame God for creating food and giving us stomuchs. eom by edmund, 2001, Apr 27
But... by Yesuthass, 2001, Apr 28
Perhaps this is only true in your case, it certainly isn't in mine, and alot of other Christians I know. by edmund, 2001, Apr 28
to: