Is it right for a Christian to drink alcohol? I was taking a bus to Kawangware which is a surburb west of Nairobi City. The book I was reading on King David must have caught the eye of a young man seated next to me, and he posed the aforementioned question. The question of alcohol was bugging the youth in his church. There is no text in the bible which clearly spells out that alcohol is sin, but the bible dicourages people from drinking alcohol.
The late political satirist Wahome Mutahi alias Whispers wrote about his drinking escapedes many times. He would document how he enterd a pub, ordered his first drink then go ahead and describe the entire setting. Then he would write how the bar maid is not physically endowed just falling short of calling her ugly. However on his fourth drink, the said lady starts to look beautiful, he flirts with her and buys her a drink. The rest I will hand over to your imagination.
In the book 'Art of War' we are told to be very careful not to venture into the enemy's teritory, because you will be exposing yourself to attacks. Our culture does not encourage responsible drinking, so going out for a drink has many other activities attached to it. I would rather be safe than sorry. With time, if you do not end up with a drinking problem you become tolerant; where you can spend so much money and time on alcohol with little effect on you but with a heavy damage to your internal organs.
To look cool in our times alcohol is one component you must factor in. It is about a choice to appear cool or play safe. If you havent started, keep off, if you are in, reduce intake with the sole purpose of quiting completely.
Passy this question has been bugging me. I don't believe that drinking is wrong so long as it's done within limits. Even Paul in his letter to Timothy he advices him to drink a little wine for the sake of his stomach. (1tim 4:23). We all know that Jesus turned water into wine as his 1st miracle. Surely wine was created for our enjoyment so how can it be wrong to drink it? Shaddie.
ReplyDeleteThanks Shadie, I said that the bible discourages but does not condemn. Apart from those two points you have mentioned, the rest condemn it. We always hear of and every man would want a Proverbs 31 woman. The first 10 verses of that chapter are to a man who is worth of the woman described by the remaining 21 verses. It says he should not waste his strength on women and friends who are prone to destroy or rebel from authority.
ReplyDeleteVerse four says Kings (the man who deserves a Prov. 31 woman is a King) should not drink wine. It says alcohol is for people who are dying and wine for sad people. There are other verse on the same in the proverbs as well.
Hi Mchungaji. Great writing. A reason that stood out for me and encouraged my desire to stop drinking was where Paul teaches that if something is causing your brother to fall, you should stop doing it. Since alcohol adds nothing to my health, body or life, I did not see any reason to debate use of something that may one day cause someone I am praying for or ministering to (eg family members) misunderstand or question my salvation.
ReplyDeleteThere is no rule about running the Olympic 100M sprint in gumboots...
ReplyDeleteBut chances are these gumboots will not help you attain your goal - and here I am assuming your goal must be speed...
And that is my view on drinking; it is not right or wrong; it just does not add value to my goal...