Alcohol::::::

Driscoll:  Repenting of his sin of abstinence from alcohol?

“After I entered the ministry as a man of legal drinking age, the drum was again repeatedly beaten for me by well-meaning older pastors.  So I never drank alcohol until I was thirty years of age.  About that time, I was studying the Scriptures for a sermon about Jesus’ first miracle of turning water into wine, as reported in John’s gospel, a miracle that Jesus performed when he was about my age.  My Bible study convicted me of my sin of abstinence from alcohol.  So in repentance I drank a hard cider over lunch with our worship pastor.”  (Radical Reformission, p.146)

Driscoll is clear on alcohol:  If abstinence is a “sin,” then beer-brewing lessons at church for the men of the church is a logical end result of such thinking.  But in light of Driscoll’s admitted problems with “cussing,” “anger,” “stealing,” etc., is it logical to think that he and the men of his church will be faithful in avoiding drunkenness by always drinking in “moderation?”  Below, Driscoll rightly identifies the problems associated with drinking too much alcohol.  However, because “self control” will always be a serious problem for sinful humanity, why would any responsible Christian pastor/leader entice the people of God toward such destructive, addictive behavior as alcohol, especially with its long, devastating history?  One failure at “moderation,” and any of the below Biblical examples of drunkenness (with the right circumstances) can become an unwanted personal reality.    

“Biblical Problems Caused by Drunkenness

·   Incest (Gen. 19:32-35)

·   Violence (Prov. 4:17)

·   Adultery (Rev. 17:2)

·   Mockery and brawling (Prov. 20:1)

·   Poverty (Prov. 21:17)

·   Late night and early morning drinking (Isa. 5:11-12)

·   Hallucinations (Isa. 28:7)

·   Legendary antics (Isa. 5:22)

·   Murder (2 Sam. 11:13-15)

·   Gluttony and poverty (Prov. 23:20-21)

·   Vomiting (Jer. 25:27; 48:26; Isa. 19:14)

·   Staggering (Jer. 25:27; Ps. 107:27; Job 12:25)

·   Madness (Jer. 51:7)

·   Loudness combined with laughter and then prolonged sleep (Jer. 51:39)

·   Nakedness (Hab. 2:15; Lam. 4:21)

·   Sloth (Joel 1:5)

·   Escapism (Hos. 4:11)

·   Depression (Luke 24:34)

·   Staying up to party all night (1 Thess. 5:7)” 

(Radical Reformission, p.148.  Reprinted as it appeared.).

WELL....WHEN YOU PUT IT LIKE THAT.... 

I HAVE THE URGE TO DRINK. I DO OFTEN. BUT AFTER SEEING THIS...WOW! ITS LIKE DRINKING IN AND OF ITSELF ISN'T A SIN...BUT EVERY SINGLE THING THAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU PARTAKE...IS DEFINITELY A SIN. WHAT AN AWESOME PERSPECTIVE!!!!