More Alcohol Perspective

(Stephen’s Note: I totally forgot I had this post in the queue, so I’ll use this to test a feature I’ve been wanting to use for a while. I’m going to see if setting the timestamp on the post will post it when the timestamp arrives. This post was originally intended for back in April, after I posted on Interesting Facts About Alcohol in February.)

Let’s hear from a confessed alcoholic on this issue before we start making the argument about “recovering alcoholics” in the whole alcohol debate. Over at Justin Taylor’s blog, J. K. Jones writes:

I attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings in my “spare time.” I have proved to myself over and over again that I cannot drink responsibly (!), so, for me, I cannot drink at all. That is the safest and best way for me to avoid the sin of drunkenness. This is the only prudent thing for me to do.

Does that make me a legalist? According to some it would. After all, I have added a rule that is not found in Scripture. I disagree, though. Establishing a rule for my own behavior that helps me avoid sin is not wrong in any way, shape or fashion. Why should I expose myself to temptations that I can avoid?

Would I try to enforce this rule upon others? Never in a million years. It wouldn’t even bother me if I went to dinner with someone who had a beer or two with their meal. My rule in this area is not their rule.

As to the issue for those who can drink responsibly, I like what one theologian said:

“Do you suppose that abuses are eliminated by destroying the object which is abused? Men can go wrong with wine and women. Shall we then prohibit and abolish women?” – Martin Luther

Looking forward to the day that I will be able to safely drink wine in the Kingdom (Luke 22:18, 30),

JK