Positive rather than negative morality

How about "No drunkard shall enter the kingdom" ?

 

Scripture doesn't forbid use of alcohol. Man does. The guilt association, given to us by man, has caused us to ask questions about it, and has caused us to feel that we are right with God to some extent because we abstain.

 

Legalism is a horrible thing, but so is liberalism, and there is often a fine line between the two.

 

I think it's tough to do. When considering moral issues, it would be quite difficult to arrive at a stance by considering only the positive side. Moral issues, by definition have arguments both for and against. When there are strong arguments on each side, we tend to give more weight to some of the arguments than to others.

For example, how would you weight these arguments about alcohol? Which are decisive for you in arriving at your view?

Drinking is bad for your Christian witness.
The scriptures prohibit drunkenness, not drinking.
Wine has some medicinal uses.
If they didn't drink wine, winos wouldn't never be winos.
You can't get drunk if you don't ever drink.
Alcohol can be addictive.
The Bible says drinking alcohol produces a merry heart.

Add your own arguments to the list.

Which ones carry the most weight for you?

I certainly agree that we ought to seriously consider the positive side of any moral issue. But I'm not sure it's being responsible to ignore the negatives.

By the way, I don't drink alcohol.

But I do get a merry heart from Dr. Pepper.

 

"Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things."

I believe this is what Joseph Smith was talking about when he posted this thread.

 

To think that one who drinks on occasion is a drunkard is just like saying someone who eats is a automatically a glutton.

And besides that abstaining from alcohol didn't become in issue until the 1800's, whatever did the Church do about it for the first 1800 years of its existence? Not much actually.

Before Welch's came along with non-fermenting grape juice, wine was used for the Lords Supper (which is why Welch invented his product). This was in place well into the 20th Century for many Churches. My grandmother can remember using wine for it up until the 1960's at her Church.

Red wine in moderation has great health benefits, this is proven by hordes of doctors. But anything in excess is potentially harmful. Too much vitamin C can give you a urinary track infection for example.

Since all things are lawful, but not all things are profitable, all things are lawful but not all things edify. In whatever you do, eat , drink, do it all for the glory of God.

If you can benefit, go ahead, if not, refrain.

But place no restriction on me if God placed none !!!!

 

:thumbs::jesus:

 

1Th 5:22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.Eph 5:16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
Eph 5:17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.
Eph 5:18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;
Eph 5:19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; 1Co 6:9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
1Co 6:10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. Rom 14:19 Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another. 1Ti 5:23 Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and thine often infirmities. I will let you decide on what the scripture says. For me I have no desire to drink any wine or beer. For my stomach I drink grape juice. WORKS REAL GOOD AT CLEANING YOU OUT! If you do drink I hope that you will consider this that it can get you into a lot of trouble and we all know what it can do to you and what it has done to many.
For me I think it to be best to abstain from it. This being said !That is my opinion!

 

Eph 5:18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; ​

The "excess" part is the key!!!!

 

you having "red" or "white" ?
can't have none...diabetic....

 

I think that something I heard on the radio this morning just might go along with this discussion. God gives us liberty and God gives us love. Which is the most important?

 

:thumbs::thumbs::thumbs:

...Bob

 

Situation Ethics. Now there is a term I have not heard for several decades. Joseph Fletcher, wasn't he the guy who started all the situational ethics talk back in the 1960s.

45 years later, after a business career (talk about ethical places!), I have to say there is nothing like a solid policy and procedures manual full of shall(s) and shall not(s).

I am sorry, but my business career showed me how often good intentions takes the whole bus down the wrong road.

...Bob

 

Amen: There are other things then strong drink that should be on our Christian minds! (Jesus):godisgood:

 

Red wine all the way.