Some hold the notion that Christianity is not about individual salvation, but is an ethical message that should be applied to the society at large.
From this single heretical error, the world has been plagued with unimaginably massive loads of dreamy utopian nonsense: abolition movements, state welfare programs, socialism, communism, worker’s rights, women’s rights, black-rights, child-rights, prisoner-rights, criminal rights, etc. etc.
The do-gooder followers of Cain’s religion ignored the individual mandate of Christianity (repent and get born-again) and pursued a national one instead (we must force everyone to be good, help the down-trodden, and save the environment). Thus a bunch of unsaved, church-going Victorian elite hypocrites imagined that they could save the world by passing laws against vice.
Thus eliminating all drunkenness from society became a growing obsession of the political and religious do-gooders in the 1800′s.
Massive campaigns for “temperance” began, often involving close cooperation between Protestants and Roman Catholics.
Many of the so-called temperance groups mimicked Freemasonry.
One was the “Order of Good Templars” who liked to set up tea pubs as an alternative to regular public houses. Another was the “Independent Order of Rechabites“. Many of the masonic-like “Orange Order” lodges in Northern Ireland also adopted total abstinence. Several more temperance groups were also organized as secret fraternal orders.
Temperance campaigners cajoled men into taking abstinence pledges – publicly affirming a “solemn promise” to never drink “intoxicating liquors“.
The temperance movement was bolstered by preachers who claimed that drinking alcohol sends a man to hell. Getting “saved” meant living a wholesome life, including avoiding alcohol.
All during the 1800′s the temperance movement grew in political power, eventually forcing prohibition as the law in Canada, Soviet Union, USA, Scandinavia, and many parts of Australia. The laws paved massive inroads of governmental policing into private affairs. Agencies like the FBI were given vast powers to go after Mafia bootleggers. The prohibition laws proved ineffective and unpopular and were eventually repealed – but not the powerful governmental agencies they spawned.
Christianity did just just fine for 1800 years prior to the advent of the strange, utopian doctrine of a total abstinence from alcohol. Isn’t it rather curious that the people who brought us this doctrine, also supported all the liberal causes that turned the world into a vast immoral babylonish hell-hole?
The Bible says:
“ 1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;
3 Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.
4 For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:
5 For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.“
To abstain from edible foods is clearly a doctrine of a devil. So why is it adopted by so many preachers?
Undoubtedly the devil appreciates legalism – it frustrates the grace of God. What better way to damn a man than to have him take a temperance pledge? If he keeps his pledge, the devil can stoke the fires of his self-pride. And if he fails his pledge, the devil can pound him into the dirt with condemnation. Either way, the man was fooled into giving the devil a foothold.
Consider AA for a moment. How is it that unsaved people join this secular organization and pray to their “higher power” and it magically delivers them from alcoholism?! Who is this “higher power” that delivers unsaved drunks from the bottle – without giving them the new birth?
What does the Bible say:
“Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts. Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more.” Proverbs 31:6-7.
So according to the Bible, it’s okay to give booze to miserable people who are depressed and suicidal. That’s what it says! Let him drink and forget his misery.
Of course, too much drinking is a sin called drunkenness. But that’s not the issue under discussion. The issue is the alleged Christian mandate of total abstinence from intoxicating liquors. That is a doctrine that does not exist in the Bible – but rather it originated with religious do-gooders since the 1800′s.
If it is a time of rejoicing before the Lord, go ahead and have a drink: “…bestow that money for whatsoever thy soul lusteth after, for oxen, or for sheep, or for wine, or for strong drink, or for whatsoever thy soul desireth: and thou shalt eat there before the LORD thy God, and thou shalt rejoice, thou, and thine household” Dt. 14:26.
But just don’t do it before engaging in ministry: “Do not drink wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die” Lev. 10:9.
Don’t drink in the morning and don’t drink all day and all night long to get drunk: “Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; that continue until night, till wine inflame them!” Isaiah 5:11.
Don’t engaging in drinking contests: “Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink:” Isaiah 5:22.
Don’t let food become your hobby – don’t become a wine ‘connoisseur’ (or beer snob, or a liquor expert) by sampling a wide variety:
“Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;” 1 Tim. 3:8;
“The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things;” Titus 2:3.
Don’t drink just water, have a little wine for your health: “Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach’s sake and thine often infirmities.” 1 Tim. 5:23.
” After all, it will cheer your heart: “He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth; And wine that maketh glad the heart of man…” Psalm 104:15; “Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works.” Eccl. 9:7.
And of course, don’t get drunk: “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;” Eph 5:18.
And don’t become addicted or let alcohol effect your life: “All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.” 1 Cor. 10:23.
“All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.” 1 Cor. 6:12.
It is common sense not to be a food fanatic, but to be moderate: “Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.” Phil. 4:5.
The whole doctrine of abstinence is designed to weaken the faith of Christians so that the devil gets them into condemnation in this life:
“And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.” Romans 14:21.
But many of the weak-minded abstainers devilishly judge stronger Christians who walk at liberty:
“1 Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations. 2 For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs. 3 Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him.” Romans 14:1-3.
Paul is saying that if a brother in the Lord wants to refrain from drinking liquor, that’s his own business. But such a brother CANNOT tell other Christians to stop drinking. That is wrong. However, neither is it charitable for brethern to drink alcohol or eat meat in front of a brother who is weak in faith (because he is a vegetarian or a teetotaler who doesn’t know any better) and thus tempt him and put him into the devil’s condemnation: “ 21 It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.” Rom 14:21.
The Bible makes this all very clear and it is all reasonable and sensible.
So can anybody explain why are there Christians today – who even claim to be King James Bible believers – repeating ad nausum the anti-liquor ravings of seducing spirits?!?
Posted on October 22, 2012