Daniel Akin starts his fine article in support of abstinence with several personal and painful family anecdotes ... always hard lessons, not easily dismissed.
He then continues ...I am an alcoholic, always will be! Hate even the smell of the stuff now but I am still an alcoholic.This year at our [SBC] convention we again passed a resolution calling for abstinence from alcohol. The resolution passed overwhelmingly, but it did generate significant debate both during and after the annual meeting.
Some have accused those supporting the resolution of being pharisaical and legalistic, traditionalist and anti-biblical, that we fail to understand Christian liberty and freedom, and that we even stand against Jesus.These are strong accusations from fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. However, are they correct? Are those like myself who believe abstinence to be the best lifestyle choice actually guilty of these charges?
Those who argue "Jesus had wine, ergo I can have wine" have an eisegetical hermaneutic. Jesus was also celibate and abstained from marriage ... their logic would have them likewise celibate and unmarried.
James says ...But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing.Eisegesis is out of the wisdom of this world; those who argue against abstinence are susceptible to earthly, natural, and demonic reasoning.James 3:14-16
Paul says ...All things are lawful, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful, but not all things edify.Enough said ... go read Akin's piece ... it's better than this one!1 Corinthians 10:23
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HT: Moore to the Point
Saturday, July 01, 2006
SBC ABSTINENCE: Is it a Case Of or the Case Against?
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