I begin with this familiar passage from Luke:For John the Baptist has come eating no bread and drinking no wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’
The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ -Luke 7:33-34, ESV
From these verses we should be able to deduce two things rather plainly; namely, that 1) God may very well call different ones of us to different walks, abstinence and liberty alike being valid convictions, and 2) regardless of what you do or don't do, it is a safe guarantee that someone somewhere will think you are wrong.
These observations may be comforting or discouraging, depending upon how we receive them. It is discouraging that we cannot formulate a watertight rule, but it is comforting to see that, apparently, we do not need one. It may be upsetting to realize one's inability to please everyone, but it is quite liberating to discover that this is not necessary, or even desirable.
This week saw the death of Ernest Gallo, a California wine country tycoon. The man was nearing 98 years of life, and had, with his brother, in the teeth of many challenges, developed a robust, family-oriented business.
Mr. Gallo and his brother Julio worked on separate floors of their headquarters, according to a Fortune magazine article. Julio, it said, strove to produce more than Mr. Gallo could sell, and Mr. Gallo aimed to sell more than his brother could produce. Mr. Gallo was said to be active in the business until he died.
That's a good old age and an admirable legacy by any standard. (Wikipedia has an overview of the complex and hotly debated relationship between Alcohol Consumption and Health; judge in yourselves, but do not skirt the question.)
Incidentally, Steve Scott has this morning a fine post on the subject:
Question #5: Is drinking wine potentially destructive?
Yes, but so is reading the bible.
Priceless.
Image courtesy of wineisgood.com
5 comments:
I've been watching this discussion from afar. :) The only two things that I would like to interject at this point:
1. The connotation of alcoholic beverages. If the connotation is honorable - then as ambassadors of the Lord- let's drink.
In our western culture, when you think of Vodka or Budlight- you don't necessarily associate that with Christians. Now, some might say that we should go ahead and revolutionize the Christian stereotype- but at what expense? Now in many different cultures wine doesn't have that connotation of the tipsy party life. Well, if you live in a culture like that- well, then burn your throat with some wine :).
2. Health benefits. There have been studies done that have systematically ;) and effectively proven that grape juice UN-fermented has the same benefit to your body as does wine.
I just think that sometimes because certain things have a "forbidden fruit" sense to them- we can draw attention to them - and even though the taste may be disgusting- we want to say that we do it. Maybe we should question not wine- but why?
Hi Jonathan!
A couple thoughts concerning your interjections:
Regarding point 1: Are you suggesting that we allow the cultural stereotype to dictate our freedoms? What about the teachings in Romans 14? "Do not allow what you consider good to be spoken of as evil." It, as I understand it, only makes room for abstinence if it is for a weaker brother. Even in that case, wine is not only kosher, but approved of by God and would be very difficult to be considered unclean.
As for Vodka or Bud... I'm not sure it's fruitful to take the discussion there. While I think you could make a very good case for "hard liquor" being acceptable in appropriate contexts, wine is a chosen drink and therefore a far more worthy debate.
Regarding point 2: I don't want to sound as though I am a health expert, but wine is, from my study a completely different substance from grape juice, scientifically.
The biggest difference is that grape juice contains mostly sugar, no alcohol, and is devoid of the nutrients found in the skin and seeds. Wine on the other hand, has much less sugar (largely eaten by the yeast), contains alcohol at varying densities, and is high in anti-oxidants and other vitamins contained in the grape. The only other way to get the same nutrition is to eat a bunch of grapes (which actually ferment in your stomach to some degree... producing alcohol).
I could probably talk much longer on why wine is a very different drink from grape-juice and wholly more natural, but, really, I think we are more concerned with the Christian application.
Forgive me if you have already, but I highly suggest reading the article Aaron linked to in the original post. Although I would not be as dogmatic as the author in his conclusions, it seems obvious to me that the real problem here is the Christian divergence from God's drink (I have no trouble calling it that because I know Jesus is just itching to drink it with us again). Should we dare to call evil what God has called good? If not, then should we be hypocrites and avoid it for the sake of peers and the world? As in the case of Peter... I think we know what Paul would say to that!
Hi Garrett!
You bring up some interesting points. I would like to answer your questions and objections as precisely as possible.
1: "Are you suggesting that we allow the cultural stereotype to dictate our freedoms?"
No, actually the opposite- I am saying that we are ambassadors in worldly culture. The cultural stereotype obviously has no problem with drinking alcoholic beverages. My point wasn't that total abstinence was right because of the culture - but because we are pilgrims, ambassadors- we represent the Lord. We are the face of the Lord to the culture around us. Again, my reason is not culture- it is connotation.
2:"...but wine is, from my study a completely different substance from grape juice, scientifically."
I've included some brief quotes here from a study done in Universite Louis Pasteur de Strasbourg.
"Grape juice can have a similar effect (against heart disease) as red wine but without the alcohol. That is a very important message." -Dr Valerie Schini-Kerth
"Red wine and certain types of grape juice have high levels of polyphenols, which block the production of a protein linked to cardiovascular disease -- the number one killer in many Western countries.
Heart and vascular problems develop when endothelial cells that make up blood vessels do not work properly.
Schini-Kerth and her team found that polyphenols in Concord grape juice activate endothelial cells to produce nitric oxide which helps to protect against cardiovascular disease and to maintain healthy blood vessels and blood pressure."
Just a closing thought, would Jesus have openly drank wine if it had a wrong connotation?
1John 4:17b "...because as He is, so are we in this world."
Just a few thoughts...
Jesus was harshly criticized for drinking wine; but He did it anyway. It had the "wrong connotation;" for the Pharisees, at least. See the scripture quoted in the post.
The main issue here is what the Bible says, and how to walk in love and consideration toward our brother. (It seems we will tie ourselves in knots in short order if we allow cultural perceptions to dictate the nuances of our orthopraxy.) All things in moderation, of course, and it is imperative that we be led by the Spirit, in this and in every other issue.
Oh, and the mere fact that grape juice is good does not mean that wine is bad.
"Oh, and the mere fact that grape juice is good does not mean that wine is bad."
Just to add to that point... it also doesn't put it on par with wine nutritionally. Actually, I'm not trying to suggest there's anything wrong with grape-juice... other than the fact that it is unnatural and usually excludes the benefits of skins and seeds.
"No, actually the opposite- I am saying that we are ambassadors in worldly culture. The cultural stereotype obviously has no problem with drinking alcoholic beverages. My point wasn't that total abstinence was right because of the culture - but because we are pilgrims, ambassadors- we represent the Lord. We are the face of the Lord to the culture around us. Again, my reason is not culture- it is connotation."
I think Aaron replied to this adequately, that wine definitely carried a negative connotation in Jesus case, but I also wanted to add what I heard the other day... I forget where I heard or read it: We need not move with or against the current of the world, but rather towards God, letting the current to do as it will.
As Aaron reminded me again today though... the Kingdom is not of food and drink :). Still, when confronted with an apparent truth in scripture such as this, what do we do? If I ever figure it out, I guess I'll blog about it or something!
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