tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20213892.post3228948024969916230..comments2023-12-22T08:29:29.230-08:00Comments on WHAT IS TRUTH: The Debate over the Prohibition of Alcoholic Beverage part fiveKent Brandenburghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13419354741455959191noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20213892.post-68326257843985810672009-08-22T10:44:32.310-07:002009-08-22T10:44:32.310-07:00Pastor Brandenburger,
Thank you for the emphasis ...Pastor Brandenburger,<br /><br />Thank you for the emphasis in this post on the holiness aspect of the service of the ministry. I especially liked the statement from Barnes,<br /><br />"Why should it then be any more proper for a Christian minister to drink wine than for a Jewish or a heathen priest? Shall a minister of the gospel be less holy than they? Shall he have a feebler sense of the purity of his vocation?"<br /><br />So true, and strikes at the core of why - I believe - there is this great move in Evangelicalism and "Young Fundamentalism" towards the "dumbing down" of holiness, since as we all have been told, holiness is "legalism." <br /><br />Let us not forget the point that the Levitical priests could not use wine when preparing to minister before God - and the two reasons given were that they'd be able to discern the holy from the unholy, and that they'd be able to teach the Law to the people (Lev. 10:9-11). <br /><br />It's interesting, then, to see the juxtaposition of this with I Peter 2:5 and 2:9. In the Christian context, we all are priests ministering before God, offering up the spiritual sacrifice of service, as well as that of praise and good works (cf. Hebr. 13:15:16). I think we can all agree that Christians have the duty to both discern the holy from the unholy, and teach the Law to the people around us. Further, we are all always "on duty", which makes it incumbent that we be prepared to minister before the Lord at all times (e.g. I Peter 3:15 says "be ALWAYS ready to given an answer", etc.). Further yet, since I Peter 2:9 says we are a ROYAL priesthood, because we will (and in a sense already do) partake in Christ's authority of rulership, and we know (Prov. 31:4) that it is not for kings to drink wine or strong drink, there seems to be a DOUBLE reason for the Christian to avoid alcohol. As kingly priests, we should stay as far from it as possible - it's not a "liberty" issue.<br /><br />And let us all consider what happened to Nadab and Abihu. Considering the close proximity of the "no wine for priests" commandment to the report of their demise, we can perhaps surmise that the reason they foolishly offered strange fire before the LORD was because they had drank wine and weren't fully aware of what they were doing because of some stage of drunkenness. We ought to consider that a strong warning.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20213892.post-37466288760329990862009-08-21T16:23:14.902-07:002009-08-21T16:23:14.902-07:00Kent,
Thank you for this piece. I think that I&#...Kent,<br /><br />Thank you for this piece. I think that I'm going to have to take a closer look at 1 Timothy 3:8. I understand that the deacon should try to have the same standard as the bishop. So your statement makes sense.<br /><br />Gary Webb,<br /><br />I agree with the end of your last statement. My thoughts are that even if a person could prove that God allows us to drink alcohol, it is just poor judgement. Why take a chance on causing a brother to stumble in this area?Garynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20213892.post-27271735706332758222009-08-21T04:54:34.686-07:002009-08-21T04:54:34.686-07:00Brother Brandenburg,
When I read your blog this mo...Brother Brandenburg,<br />When I read your blog this morning & thought about the possible responses that might be given, I was reminded of Philippians 1:9-11: "And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; that ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ; being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God."<br />I thought about how unusual it seems to be today to find Christians & even pastors who are "abounding more and more in knowledge and all judgment." <br />Here you have given a clear explanation that fits with all the information of Scripture - an explanation that agrees both with the very strong prohibitions against alcohol as well as the passages that speak of the blessings of "wine" (the juice of grapes). Yet, there will no doubt still be many who outright reject it on the basis of "scholarship" which lacks both knowledge & discernment, OR on the basis of making provision for their own flesh. It thrills my soul to find teaching that begins with "the fear of the Lord" & then builds its understanding based upon careful exposition of the whole counsel of God. Thank you. Those who promote the "one wine theory" - need to remember that the Lord had severe words for those who put a stumbling block before His people.Gary Webbnoreply@blogger.com