sokin's devotional 34
"woe to those who are heroes at drinking wine and champions at mixing drinks..."
Isaiah 5:22
"beware of the teachers of the law. they like to walk around in flowing robes and love to be greeted in the marketplaces and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. They devour widows' houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. such men will be punished most severely."
Luke 20:46-47
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I've been asked about the biblical stance on drinking a couple of times in the past couple of weeks. And I take this to mean that for many believers, the issue of drinking is one that they would like to reconcile.
For one thing though, I see this as a sign that people are trying to reconcile an overindulgent drinking lifestyle, rather than one that seeks to just enjoy a beer or wine.
More often than not, a person would ask me this question not because they are casual drinkers, but they (by the conviction of the Holy Spirit), just have a sense that their drinking is not in tune with God.
And rightly so.
In my college years, and I this playing out even now, people tended to glorify people that can drink. We praise their gift at consuming mass quantities of alcohol and we naturally see it as a cool thing.
Every drinking game follows this desire to consume a lot of alcohol and almost always, the person that can drink the most is a god amongst peers.
Maybe not literally.. (no one is worshiping these people outrightly)...but on a deeper heart level, there is a sense of awe and praise we delight to give people like this.
On the flip side, Jesus warns us about the pharisees and those that chose to worship themselves. Peopel that sought the praises of men for their religiousness and piety were just as much sinners and worthy of condemnation. So much so that Jesus says, "such men will be punished most severely."
In either case, we must remember that like in the prodigal son story, both the elder "good" son and the prodigal "sinful" son BOTH needed redemption.
Drinking, in and of itself is not evil, but it can become evil. (drinking excessively, debauchery, drinking without adherence to the law of the land, etc.)
But in the same way, "religion" or a "religious spirit" is not evil, but it can become evil.
Isaiah 5:22
"beware of the teachers of the law. they like to walk around in flowing robes and love to be greeted in the marketplaces and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. They devour widows' houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. such men will be punished most severely."
Luke 20:46-47
---
I've been asked about the biblical stance on drinking a couple of times in the past couple of weeks. And I take this to mean that for many believers, the issue of drinking is one that they would like to reconcile.
For one thing though, I see this as a sign that people are trying to reconcile an overindulgent drinking lifestyle, rather than one that seeks to just enjoy a beer or wine.
More often than not, a person would ask me this question not because they are casual drinkers, but they (by the conviction of the Holy Spirit), just have a sense that their drinking is not in tune with God.
And rightly so.
In my college years, and I this playing out even now, people tended to glorify people that can drink. We praise their gift at consuming mass quantities of alcohol and we naturally see it as a cool thing.
Every drinking game follows this desire to consume a lot of alcohol and almost always, the person that can drink the most is a god amongst peers.
Maybe not literally.. (no one is worshiping these people outrightly)...but on a deeper heart level, there is a sense of awe and praise we delight to give people like this.
On the flip side, Jesus warns us about the pharisees and those that chose to worship themselves. Peopel that sought the praises of men for their religiousness and piety were just as much sinners and worthy of condemnation. So much so that Jesus says, "such men will be punished most severely."
In either case, we must remember that like in the prodigal son story, both the elder "good" son and the prodigal "sinful" son BOTH needed redemption.
Drinking, in and of itself is not evil, but it can become evil. (drinking excessively, debauchery, drinking without adherence to the law of the land, etc.)
But in the same way, "religion" or a "religious spirit" is not evil, but it can become evil.
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