(If this seems to be in violation of my last point, it’s not. It’s their culture, and this is between them and God. I’ve never seen them drunk, nor have I felt they were doing something wrong. The lesson here is that we should put greater emphasis on helping weaker brothers and sisters than on enjoying our liberty.įifth, I minister in many different church cultures, some of which also practice total abstaining, therefore I take the more stringent road as a way of life.įor example, I’ve ministered in Italy and England on 40 different trips, and on my occasions, I’ve had meals with other Christian leaders who enjoy a glass of wine or beer with their meals. Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble” (1 Cor. Thus, sinning against your brothers and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. Paul addressed this in the context of food sacrificed to idols, but the principle is the same: “And so by your knowledge this weak person is destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died. So, your liberty, which might be totally fine between you and the Lord, ends up destroying a precious brother or sister. They then think to themselves, “Well, if it’s OK for them, I guess it’s OK for me,” and they have one drink – just one – and quickly find themselves enslaved again, sometimes for years. Why put another stumbling block before them?įourth, I have heard the same sad story many times over the decades, and it gives me real pause.Ī former alcoholic sees another brother or sister have a glass of wine with their meal, or they visit your house and see that you have beer in your refrigerator. What kind of example was I setting? If others followed my lead, would they be helped or hurt?įor me, this was another good reason not to drink socially, since so many believers struggled with drinking before they saved, and some continued to struggle after they were saved.
Third, I began preaching in 1973 at the age of 18, so I was quickly looked to as a leader on some level. For them, too, it was quite natural to cut that cord of attachment with the world. Instead, we learned it from the other believers, some of whom used to be heavy drinkers before they were saved as well. I honestly don’t remember the pastor teaching on it in those early, formative years. Second, the church in which Nancy and I came to faith practiced total abstinence, so this became our practice as well. Why play with fire? Drinking only had sinful connections in her life. So, for her, there was no question at all that she should avoid even the taste of alcohol once she was in the Lord. She really enjoyed the taste of alcohol and also got drunk before she was saved. Things were very different for my wife Nancy, who was born again in 1974. Once I gave up getting drunk, I had no interest in drinking at all. I simply want to share with you why I have totally abstained from alcohol for the last 46 years, since I’ve often been asked this question over the years.įirst, although I loved getting high on drugs and getting drunk before I was saved, I did not enjoy the taste of alcohol. So, I am not here as anyone’s judge or jury, nor am I trying to force my convictions on anyone else.
From that day until today, I have never abused drugs again or had a sip of alcohol, other than taking communion with a taste of wine when that was the only option.ĭo I believe that the Scriptures require total abstinence for all believers? No, I do not.ĭo I believe that Jesus literally turned water into wine in John 2, even if the wine was not as fermented as today? Yes, I do.ĭo I believe that some Christians can drink some alcoholic beverages in moderation without sinning before God? I certainly do. Forty-six years ago, in 1971, the Lord graciously saved me from a life from sinful destruction, which included very serious drug abuse and some heavy drinking as well.
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