Great article... To some drinking may be a sin, while others it may not be. However its dirty and WRONG for a church or para church ministry to dictate their convictions on others for its the work of the Holy Spirit that does the convicting! This is a reason why I have not joined my wife's church because they dictate their convictions on alcohol on their members and I will not live by their convictions. I have had MANY MANY MANY Mikes Hard Lemonade Lights and have NEVER NEVER NEVER been drunk. In fact I do not believe that I could hurt a fly after a drink, but then again I might be able too.
Those that disagree with RC will not question IGNORE his arguments and will IGNORE the millions that are able to drink and not beat their wives, or hurt someone else. Those that think Alcohol is sin always use the worst examples in society to make their arguments. After this post I am gonna send that link to some churches that that are very vocal and militant on their views on alcohol. I bet they will ignore me for I have silenced them.
I have no problem with a Christian taking a drink, just keep it scriptural, however I do have the same problem as you do but in the opposite direction. If you frequent the Puritanboard you will see an almost flaunting of alcohol. It is sometimes as bad as homosexuals who wear "loud & proud" t-shirts. Why do they do this? I feel this is very dangerously close to causing a brother to stumble. This argument can go both ways don't you think?
I hear there are some guys over there that even brag about having beer enemas (could you imagine). But only the Presbyterians who are a*** retentive anyway. :laugh:
Such an attitude among Reformed brethren why? My def of a drink would be an occasional Mikes Lemonade for the good taste, but thats it. I do agree with you and believe that alcohol can be very dangerous if not controlled.
Why?? Is this common with Reformed? I am not aware of any Reformed besides RC and James White. MacArthur is not Reformed as he is a mix between one and a Dispensationalist.
I was a member of the PCA for 25 years thank you very much.
I guess one could conclude from all of these posts that in order to believe TULIP, one must be drunk.
One beer would rate you a T.
Two a TU, etc.
The only remaining question is, does one pass out before reaching all five points.
I'm with you except on this "Holy Spirit does the convicting" stuff.
Now, on the surface, that statement is just fine and perfectly biblical.
But in this age it has been my experience that most people mean something oether than wha the Bible teaches about "Holy Spirit conviction."
What most people mean is that they are guided on whether something is right or wrong based upon some "feeling" they have about it.
They may not even know WHY they "feel" that way- a particular verse may not come to mind.
It is just a feeling.
And they say that this is the Holy Spirit.
I say- baloney!
There is no biblical precedent for being guided by one's feelings.
We are to be guided by biblically informed wisdom.
Not by feelings that we falsely attribute to the Holy Spirit.
I have heard many people say, "Well I will continue to do this until the Holy Spirit convicts me..."
Well, that's idiotic.
If the Bible says it is wrong, you don't need the Holy Spirit to make you feel a certain way to keep you from doing it.