Due to the decline in the morals of this nation and the world, many brethren have either completely lost, or are on the road to losing, their righteous indignation. I recently heard an excellent sermon in which the preacher stressed the fact that many are unwilling to accept God's word and the principles of truth contained therein as the absolute standard of authority. Therefore, they are not willing to base logical conclusions and decisions on Bible principles concerning a practice, but resort to using situation ethics to make their determinations.
Some of our so-called conservative brethren, who stand opposed to institutional issues, are rather liberal in their thinking and practices regarding moral issues. It has been reported that several gospel preachers in California have participated, publicly and privately, in the social consumption of alcoholic beverages, some even serving them in their own homes. One man told me that an elder of a local congregation advised the man's son that there was nothing wrong with drinking beer socially. Not so surprising is the fact that these brethren are often the proponents of error on marriage, divorce, and remarriage.
Some gospel preachers and brethren have resorted to what I call Loophole Logic to justify their immoral practices. Someone asked a gospel preacher in California the question, "At what point does it become sinful to drink alcohol?" In his answer he cited Romans 13:13; Ephesians 5:18; Galatians 5:21; Deuteronomy 21:18-21; and Proverbs 23:20-21, which specifically condemn drunkenness, and no one would disagree. However, he also cited Luke 21:34, implying that this is Christ's final word on the matter; he said, "The simple answer to the question, then, is, 'When the drinking becomes drunkenness, it is a sin." (Contender! January/February 1993, p. 5) He also taught that casting a stumbling block and causing a brother to fall would be sinful. Therefore, from his answer, we reach the conclusion that drinking strong drink is sinful only if one becomes drunk or if he offends a brother and causes him to stumble.
Nowhere in his answer does he mention the dangers of the brewers' art (strong drink); he only seeks to justify its use by implying the Scriptures condemn only drunkenness. The answers given are very dangerous in light of the blight the consumption of alcohol inflicts on society in general, and especially teen-agers. The California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) reported in the 1992 Driver Handbook (p.76), "In 1990, there were 4,600 fatal collisions in California, killing 5,173 persons. Alcohol was found to be the main cause of 46 percent of the accidents. "According to the web site: cacrash.org, since 1998 there has been a 33 percent increase in the number of alcohol-related fatalities in California.
More importantly, God's word warns of the danger of strong drink (Proverbs 20:1; 23:20-34; Isaiah 5:11). The gospel demands soberness, holiness, the presentation of our bodies as living sacrifices, and abstinence from every appearance of evil (1 Timothy 3:2-11; Titus 1:7,8; 2:11,12; Romans 12:1,2; 1 Corinthians 6:20; 1 Thessalonians 5:22; 1 Peter 1:13-10,22; 2:5-10; 4:1-7; 5:6-8). The warnings in the Scriptures, along with the debauchery, doom, and death caused by alcohol, should cause all accountable people of God to realize the dangers of this poison. When Christians, and especially gospel preachers, use Loophole Logic to attempt to justify the social consumption of alcohol, while neglecting to warn of the dangers of its use, it makes for a shameful disgrace. Such thinking is foolishness gone to seed, as a good friend of mine says.
This same preacher again used Loophole Logic when asked the question, "Does the teaching of Jesus in Matthew 5:27-32 and 19:3-12 prohibit the one put away for fornication from marrying again?" He answered:
"Dear reader and questioner, please turn now in your Bible and read the above cited passages. Does your Bible say such sinners cannot marry again? The 'putting away is the sin, not marrying ... .if these passages prohibit one from marrying, then the apostle Paul should have said in 1 Corinthians 7:2, 'Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man (except those the Catholics have determined cannot marry) have his own wife, and let every woman (same exception) have her own husband.'" (Contender! March/April, 1993, p. 5)
You will notice that his argument is based on what the Bible does not say. We could use the same sort of logic to attempt to justify instrumental music, social drinking, and a host of other practices that the Scriptures do not authorize. Where is the positive Divine authority that allows the one put away for fornication to marry again? When God specifies a thing in a class, does it not eliminate everything else in that class? Jesus specified, in Matthew 5:32 and 19:9, the one exception for putting away. He further stated that the one who marries the guilty one put away for that one lawful reason (fornication), commits adultery. According to Jesus' teaching, only the innocent party who puts away the guilty party is free to marry again.
Brethren, we need to respect and teach the principle of divine truth and sever all sinful relationships that place our souls in eternal jeopardy. Let us cease excusing sin; let us rid our minds of Loophole Logic; and let us strive with all diligence to "come to the knowledge of the truth." (1 Timothy 2:4)
Over the years, I've engaged in numerous discussions with brethren concerning the consumption of alcoholic beverages. Some try to use the miracle recorded in John 2, where Jesus turned water into wine, as a proof text to authorize social drinking. What, other than Loophole Logic, could lead to such thinking? Jesus came to "seek and save the lost" (Luke 19:10), not to send them further down the road to sin! Examine the context. Jesus would have made 180 gallons of wine! Who, knowing the character of our Lord and His hatred for sin, could ever think that He would provide that much alcohol to enable men and women to become drunk! Such thinking is nothing more than perverting the Scriptures.
What about 1 Peter 4:2-4? "That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles--when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries. In regard to these, they think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation, speaking evil of you."
Please note that this passage discusses the three DIFFERENT drinking levels--drunkenness, revelries and drinking parties. Drinking parties are defined as "the sipping of wine," in our own terms, social drinking. All three are said to be "the will of the Gentiles," the thinking of those who do not have God in their minds.
We need to remember another very important point--such conduct destroys the Christian's influence over sinners. Why is it that non-Christians are aware of the fact that those who profess to be God's children have no business drinking alcoholic beverages, but some of the brethren don't? The Scriptures condemn drinking alcohol unless it is for medical reasons (1 Timothy 5:23). Remember dear readers, we are to be different from the world-not just like them! (KMG)