Thread: To Drink or Not to Drink?

Originally Posted by fuego

God forbid, I am not trying to talk you out of not drinking. I certainly don't want to do that with what I am saying. Like I said I don't drink myself. I mean there was a time I would have agreed with him wholeheartedly. But I just need a more scriptural argument than that these days, even though I am against Christians drinking myself. I mean they could be insights. But I just don't see the hard scriptural proof.

I think this is a good one...

"All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not." 1 Corinthians‬ *10:23‬ *

Originally Posted by fuego

Actually it isn't. Why is marijuana different than any other drug to reduce pain? Would he make the same comment about any legal prescribed drug (and medicinal MJ is legal in many places). And some of these opioids are probably more harmful and dangerous than MJ. It is kind of flippant when you dig a little deeper. And I'm not one for legalizing it myself either for pleasure. But many legal drugs come from plants. And what reduces pain in MJ (I assume it's THC but don't know), can be extracted and taken orally without smoking it.

How was it flippant? Because he responded to a question in a way that “seems” rude. He expressed that he feels about medical marijuana the same as he feels about alcohol (medicinal or not).

I see nothing wrong or flippant about his answer. I feel the same as he does about it. So maybe that’s why I don’t find fault with it and its a good answer to me.

Originally Posted by fuego

There you go. I can get behind that since it's scriptural (but still not make an argument using it that nobody should drink). But not saying things like 'you'll walk in more power if you don't' and statements like that that can't be proven scripturally.

Fuego, I don’t believe scripture has to be exact on things like this. I think we can infer some things (like drinking alcohol, or eating pork) by looking at other scriptures that refer to them.

We know we’re free to eat pork, crab, shrimp, and other foods considered unclean in the O.T. But is it expedient?

If they were not good back then, are they still not good, or did they somehow become good in the N.T.?

There are many examples in the Bible where drinking alcohol is not favorable.

The references to drinking wine in the N.T. Is another debate, but since folk can get drunk drinking wine, I wouldn’t advocate it. Not even during a meal.

Originally Posted by Bookman

A friend asked me if he would get to heaven if he still smoked. I said, "Sure. In fact, you'll get there sooner."

I remember Jesse Duplantis saying the same thing when someone asked him about smoking.

As I was listening to a healing message by brother Hagin recently, he intimated that in one of his visitations, Jesus told him that He judges spiritual sins more seriously than physical sins.

Originally Posted by fuego

See, to me it even becomes more 'religious' trying to expand 'expediency' to those things when the scripture is clear:

1 Timothy 4

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.

That totally contradicts an 'expediency' argument for those things. Not to mention those foods were a type of sin and uncleanness in the NT. I'm not sure how much it really had to do with health per se. Not to mention Paul called Peter on the carpet about being a hypocrite in these things because he was eating with the Gentiles but going back 'kosher' when he ate with the Jews. Apparently the apostles thought it was all right too to eat those things. Also Jesus said it's not what goes into the belly that makes a person unclean, but what's in their heart and comes out. And not to mention Peter's vision on the rooftop. 'Expediency' just doesn't hold water in those things. This is scriptural basis for it being ok and not coming under the heading of 'expediency'.

But to each his own.

I confess that I need more revelation on verses 3-5, but just recently, bishop Butler referenced this scripture in his message “Live Long and Prosper”...

It’s excellent teaching, and he related that vss. 3-5 doesn’t mean what most Christians think it means, and are always referring to them as an excuse to eat foods that aren’t good for human consumption.

I won’t go into what he said because I like to get the revelation before I present it to others. But I now agree with him. It was the first time someone explained those passages to my understanding and satisfied my soul, because I was torn about the foods I thought was ok to eat. But as you said...


“teach his own.”