Have a Beer?
So I was reading 1 Corinthians 10 this morning and a question jumped into my head as I read this passage. And I wondered this: based upon what Paul says here, if you happen to be a Christian who believes that drinking alcohol is wrong, then what do you do if a neighbor offers you a beer?
My thinking is that the apostle Paul would say, “you drink it.”
What say ye?
The “this passage” link doesn’t work here.
I can’t image why someone who doesn’t drink alcohol would drink it regardless if someone offered it or not. If you don’t drink alcohol, you don’t drink alcohol.
the link works now…but just in case…I’m looking at 1 Corinthians 10:23 and following…and especially v.27.
You’re a trouble maker - but I’ll play. I think its fine to say I don’t drink, but I’d still like to hang out. I think for most non-believers whether a person drinks or not is not a big issue - you may not be invited to certain gatherings but I don’t know that a value judgement is placed on you. In my experience its been Christians who are primarily concerned about who does or doesn’t drink and the rules around drinking. I think for me the interesting question is why don’t you drink - this question and answer are the one’s that can be problematic. I don’t think there’s any real biblical reason not to drink (now getting drunk is different obviously) and I think the pressure many Christians feel to not drink is cultural. So as long as a person identifies it as a personal decision for whatever reason and not a kingdom value then I think you are fine passing on the drink.
I think that your application is tough. With this line of reasoning…
The vegetarian should eat a hamburger
The person not eating meat for lent should indulge
The person who has a milk allergy should drink milk if offered
I don’t think the point is that if you already have something that for some reason you abstain from that you should be inclined to take of it.
I think that the point is that if something is offered you and you would otherwise eat or drink it, their is no need to ask a lot of questions to make sure that it is OK.
Ex. - “Was this food offered to idols?” or for today “How were these cows killed?” or some other needed clarifications.
Just my thoughts, I could be wrong.
i say AMEN!
I could argue both sides. I won’t, though. I will say that I like what KG says. Where does this stop? At food? Beer? Wine? Pie?
My deep theological answer: I don’t think it is that important to spend time on this subject. Much bigger fish to fry…
Luke 13:22-29
Matthew 7:13-14
Consumption of alcoholic beverages has become the trendy argument, or perhaps, it used to be.
And in this passage, if we interpret it wrong, what are the consequences?
okay…forget the beer or wine if it’s just trendy…
yes…I think if I abstained from meat for Lent and my unbelieving friend offered me meat at dinner, I would eat meat.
maybe it does mean that a vegetarian eats meat and that a tee-totaller drinks a glass a wine…
In the context I wonder if that’s exactly what Paul’s talking about — lay down your personal issues and meeting people where they are.
And Chris, your point is exactly Paul’s point — that the fate of souls is more important than what I choose to eat or drink.
I say drink the beer if your neighbor offers…
it saves you the money of buying your own which is good stewardship…
But then I am from milwaukee and everyone knows how we are about beer.
just tell your neighbor you’re allergic to beer.
but now i’m advocating the use of untruthiness.
except, it’s ok because of romans 3:23 (everyone else is quoting scripture).
drinking is the same as lying.
so have a beer. have two. then have a smoke with your friend who’s in solitary now b/c he’s been relegated to at least 15 feet away from the entrance of any place of employment.
Chapman…That was the most insanely, idiotic thing I have ever read. At no point, during your rambling, incoherent response, did you come close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone that subscribes to this Blog is now dumber for having read it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul…
sorry… i had been drinking.
liquor before beer, you’re in the clear.
beer before liquor, never been sicker.
try finding THAT in the good book!
I don’t think what you threw out happens all too often but…..
key word…. “unbeliever” makes me sound like a witnessing opportunity, don’t break my rules, God can understand me intentionally being an up tight snob even if that means some one does not make it to the cross .
To many christians are hung up on drinking. drinking is not WRONG, show me the verse and I will show you 5 others that support the idea the bible makes it permissible. You want to know where people accept you and don’t care who you are or what you have done in your past, its not a church its a bar!
“People in America drink to get drunk” I am 26 have a case a beer in the house, have a mixed wine type drink that is some strong stuff when it is all said and mixed. I have never once been drunk
“It would hurt my witness” - God forbid that we get in the way of the holy spirt working in some one’s life, Lord know He is limited if some one sees me hold a beer
“I may cause some one to sin, there may be some one in the restaurant who is a recovering alcoholic”. If you KNOW some one will sin than yes, I agree 100%. But come on, they are drinking all around… will you be the ONE that makes them fall. And your wife having a fitness magazine sitting on the coffee table with some very hot lady on the front of it could cause me 1 out of 10 times to look to longer than I should, better throw it out.
“I don’t like it” I don’t like ginger ale but I have tried more than this one type of soda and there are some that are great - keep trying and wow, there is some good stuff out there that does not have a taste of alcohol in it. That one maybe a stretch if you don’t like it you don’t like it, i will give you that
“The wine in the Bible was a lot more like grape juice” Really? Interesting as it talks about being drunk in some of the same passages that talk about wine. If you really think this please explain it to me using bible verses. And if it was just because the had too too much before they got drunk when was the last time you sat down and drank 2 gal of anything in a short time frame? (out side of a heavy work out…etc)
“I may be an alcoholic, and drinking opens that door” My kid may be deathly allergic to nuts when I have one, I still an going to give them peanut butter, till I find out otherwise. Once I find out I will do every thing I have to keep him or her alive, like wise if you find out if you are an alcoholic you must do the same
“I have a family history of alcoholism” Okay, I buy that one
Here is the question….
When it comes to alcoholism, are you a pharisee - making more rules than need be to protect you from sinning?
Or do you simply follow the rules as the Bible states. I feel there are 4.
1.) Drinking to get drunk or getting drunk from drinking
2.) Knowing you will causes some one to sin (key word = knowing, not guessing)
3.) Being under the age of 21 here in the USA, or what ever the local law is if you live out side the states
4.) If you are in a leadership position where people honestly do think it is wrong and you are no longer above reproach, its a sad one but bible does support that in my mind
We need to pony up and stop being pharisees on this stuff. I once was like that. But when we were dating my wife’s parents would always offer me a drink or drink when we went out. I felt pressure to drink because I had no good reason, accept I needed to stay on my high an mighty horse. And as Charlie’s passage talks about, it may have been getting in the way as I am not sure of some of their salvation.
Thanks for reading, thats all I got. But look forward to any criticism or feed back
Mark
my take is that the passage has nothing to do with personal issues with not liking the food, but questions about the way it was prepared. If your host is a bit questionable and you suspect the hamburger you’re eating might from a cow slaughtered in the back yard while he was worshiping satan, paul says
just eat the “damn” hamburger
i just thought about it and need to revise my worthless answer.
isn’t it more about the knowledge of wrong getting in the way of doing something right (i.e. animal sacrifice). If drinking is wrong, it is always wrong regardless of who serves it to you.
Maybe the most appropriate parallel is if you feel led to give money to someone in need, but you know they won’t do anything good with it - just don’t ask and do what you feel led to to. Once you ask, and you know they are going to buy drugs with it, you can no longer in good conscience give.
And remember:
“Don’t be dumb and mix wine and rum.”
and my favorite
“Whiskey is risky but it makes the girls frisky.”
beer… the cause of, and solution to all of life’s problems.
-homer simpson
The most important thing to consider is what kind of beer it is. I mean, if it’s something like Keystone Light forget about it…
I agree with Ben…
If they offer you a tasty Belgian import… then Certainly it would be sinful not to drink it…
especially if it is an Abbey Ale… that is like Belgian for Holy Water…
my whole thing just got erased - anyway - love your questions charlie - we hang out w/ our un-believing friends all the time and they could care less that we don’t drink - they know we don’t think it is wrong for christians or non-christians to drink and it doesn’t offend them b/c we have a relationship with them - and they know we are there for them regardless of what their personal choices are w/ believing in God/not coke/pepsi, straight/gay or beer/water - - they know we love them - - and if they come to my house and choose to skip eating dessert it doesn’t offend me b/c i know it is not a personal thing against my dessert - - i think when we as christians take the time to actually have meaningful relationships w/ unbelievers we find the issues we think are a big deal really are not when the relationship is there…..
Cheers!
Mandy is right on the money… It ALWAYS comes back to relationships. I am a former drinker and would not partake, BUT only because I know where it could lead for me. I would not condemn my friends for partaking, but if I sensed they were on a path of destruction I would definitely seek God for guidance. I would also have a heart-to-heart with them and discuss where my former drunken stupors took me. If they were just social drinkers, I would not say a word and would just continue to build on our relationship (hoping and praying for them continually)…. Relationships and testimonies… That is the good stuff.
K
Let me give you a different look. Beer and drinking have totally changed my life. I have a son that will be turning 21 this month. 3 years ago he was hit by a drunk driver. He suffered a series brain injery when a piece of the car he was driving impelled into his brain. After coming out of acomma he now and will forever be disabled. If you make the decision to drank please be responable because when you injure someone like my son it is like a pebble being dropped into water, The ripple effect touches more lives then you will ever know. I praise God every day for him.
To me the issue of drinking alchohol is not about right and wrong, but what is best.
I do not think it is wrong for someone to drink a beer. I have sat with Christian friends while all had a beer and I did not. Many of them were very Godly brothers.
For me personally, it is a lot of other things that cause me to avoid it. It is the story of Micheal above and countless friends of mine who have had their lives turned around by drunk drivers. It is watching alchohol destroy many families and children in my community. It is about the social context of our culture that sees it as living on the edge, much different than many other places in the world. For many, drinking even socially comes with a spirit of rebellion that is wrong even though the drinking itself is not.
I choose to refrain personally to avoid any appearance of evil. I choose to refrain personally to not send mixed messages to my children who see how alchohol is destroying people around them. I choose to refrain personally because from a practical standpoint financially alchohol always costs more than other drinks. I choose to refrain personally because although everything is permissable, not everything is beneficial and for me there would be no benefit.
So for some of us, choosing to refrain is not a judgement on the rightness or wrongness of it, but a practical personal choice.
Its funny that a passage that does not have anything to do with beer, and a Pastor who purposely 16 posts up said “its not about the beer or wine” has created a whole “beer discussion”.
The passage is about the relationship of Christians, and other (notice I did not use the term trendy term “non-believers” because to do so is a clear jab at someone who, even if they believe in nothing, has a belief system in place…
So I feel that what we are really talking about is how we relate to those who are not walking with Christ. How through acts of fellowship with them we can bring that subtle message of Jesus into their lives…. (Someone will notice my having read McLaren’s “Secret Message of Jesus” in that comment) We as Christians are constantly judged by our actions - our perpetration of the hippocratic school of thought that has us in the position we are in today. Too often we think that OUR Christian community is the only community - which is equally as dangerous or more dangerous than the whole “its just about God and me” thinking.
This passage reminds me of a gym that I was a part of years ago that had a sign at the entrance that said ” We exist for the benefit of our member’s”….
Just think that God, Heaven is an organization that exists for the sheer benefit of its Non-Members…..For those who don’t belong.
write a blog post about ______ (fill in the blank with something of real importance) and maybe you’ll get two or three comments, but write a blog post about whether a Christian should drink alcohol and evangelical Christians will swarm to it like flies on, well, you get the picture
i have to wonder what the world would look like if we as Christians got this riled up over something that actually matters
Exactly Ben.
Amen brother Ben, you are right on