Twisted Tuesday – Liberty or Sin? Christians Drinking

My friends, I hope this post has found you all doing well. My prayer, before writing this, was that it edifies and encourages rather than tears down unity. I do covet your prayers, brethren, as I deal with difficult subjects, that I not over step any bounds. Today we’re going to discuss the popularity of Christians, mostly, I surmise, in the neo-reformed camps, taking to social media and posting pictures of themselves drinking. This trend took me off guard, as these photos were being posted by those whose accounts seemed not even to be personal, but for the purpose of ministry. Often times, between posts with Scriptures or quotes from Reformed men, there are memes with fowl language, pictures of them and company smoking, or drinking. We’ll talk about smoking next week, this week I just want to deal with the alcohol.

To be frank with you all, I have a level sensitivity towards drunkenness. With both parents having trouble with addiction, my childhood was rocked by outbursts of violence and frequent poverty due to drugs and alcohol. The sight, or smell, of strong drink tends to bring back memories I’d rather forget. So it will come as no surprise to you all that my husband and I do not drink. It didn’t come up all that often, as we were mostly in Pentecostal churches which pattern themselves after the Weslian Holiness movement, not even allowing dancing, much less drinking. That being said, while the Bible clearly calls drunkenness a sin in multiple verses, drinking in general is not. Do you have liberty to drink, so long as you don’t get drunk? I suppose so, until that liberty offends a brother or sister. Remember, dear ones, that our liberty in Christ begins and ends with love for the brethren. That we would do anything to cause another to stumble is unimaginable, it should be the furthest from or mind. That’s what I actually want to discuss, not having the drink, but the mindset about boasting in it.

Now all the cards are on the table, I have personal reasons why I don’t drink. Drunkenness is clearly a sin, and we also have to mind the image we put out to the world, that we in no ways offend one another or cause Gods name to be blasphemed. Unlike last week, where it was obviously a sin to use course language, drinking a glass of wine with dinner is not. We also need to take into account that we all have different maturity levels, so as to be careful not to cause one another to stumble. I could never drink in faith, or hold up a glass of alcohol and thank God for it, therefor to me it is a sin to drink. All that aside, why are there so many posting photos of themselves drinking? In what way does that glorify God, or edify and encourage the brethren? Sola Dio Gloria? All for the glory of God! We have liberty in Christ, should we not rather be boasting in our weakness and His strength, rather than in our ability to drink?

As far as I can see, these posts are for the pure purpose of boasting in liberty. That, dear ones, is not Biblical behavior, we do not flaunt our freedom in Christ before our weaker brethren. I’m not sure if this is being driven by immaturity, or pragmatism, but I am sure that it is in no way being driven by love. There are many ways where social media can be a wonderful place to minister, uplift, encourage, and even share the Gospel with the lost. On the other hand, there seems to be a unique opportunity to build the flesh with boastful and egotistical posts. We need to mortify that flesh! Am I missing something here, friends? I’d love to hear from you all on this, as many of you are far more mature, wise, and discerning than I am. Next Tuesday we’ll talk about the cigar photos, so stay tuned. As always, beloved brethren, be good Berean’s and study to show yourselves approved.

*Update* For further insight into this area, our brother in Christ, Tom, over at ExCatholicforChrist has written an opinion here. I highly recommend it!