Sunday Liquor Sales & the Sabbath

[katautumn]

This is an interesting topic that has been in our local headlines lately. Since the Georgia congress could not successfully reach a decision on Sunday alcohol sales, Governor Deal decided it should be up to the individual cities to put it up for a vote. Despite the clamoring of the Georgia Baptist Convention, Sunday alcohol sales passed by a landslide in nearly all of the cities that put the issue on yesterday's ballot.

My parents find the decision bothersome, saying alcohol sales on the Sabbath are disrespectful to God. I don't see what the huge issue is, so long as you aren't getting sloshed, which is bad regardless of what day of the week it is. So this begs two questions:

1. Is there anything inherently unholy about purchasing alcoholic beverages? I'm not talking about being a drunk or dressing provocatively and hanging out in night clubs. I'm speaking only about the act of purchasing, say, a bottle of rum or a six pack of beer.

2. Are we, as Christians, required to keep the Sabbath? Is being able to buy a bottle of wine on the Sabbath any more or less disrespectful to the Lord on the Lord's day than, say, going straight from church to a ball game or the mall?

 

[Merlinius]

This is an interesting topic that has been in our local headlines lately. Since the Georgia congress could not successfully reach a decision on Sunday alcohol sales, Governor Deal decided it should be up to the individual cities to put it up for a vote. Despite the clamoring of the Georgia Baptist Convention, Sunday alcohol sales passed by a landslide in nearly all of the cities that put the issue on yesterday's ballot.

My parents find the decision bothersome, saying alcohol sales on the Sabbath are disrespectful to God. I don't see what the huge issue is, so long as you aren't getting sloshed, which is bad regardless of what day of the week it is. So this begs two questions:

1. Is there anything inherently unholy about purchasing alcoholic beverages? I'm not talking about being a drunk or dressing provocatively and hanging out in night clubs. I'm speaking only about the act of purchasing, say, a bottle of rum or a six pack of beer.

2. Are we, as Christians, required to keep the Sabbath? Is being able to buy a bottle of wine on the Sabbath any more or less disrespectful to the Lord on the Lord's day than, say, going straight from church to a ball game or the mall?

Hi Kat

There is nothing "more" or "less" allowable in the sight of God from one day to the next, we know that from Holy Writ.

I live in the "Day of the Lord" regardless what it says on the calendar, and I Rest in Him Forever. I seldom ever drink, but I can drink whatever I want and whenever I want without being concerned about whether "God approves". He has other things going on than to be concerned about men and the days they open their stores lol.

Love in Christ,
Merlin

 

[ebia]

This is an interesting topic that has been in our local headlines lately. Since the Georgia congress could not successfully reach a decision on Sunday alcohol sales, Governor Deal decided it should be up to the individual cities to put it up for a vote. Despite the clamoring of the Georgia Baptist Convention, Sunday alcohol sales passed by a landslide in nearly all of the cities that put the issue on yesterday's ballot.

My parents find the decision bothersome, saying alcohol sales on the Sabbath are disrespectful to God. I don't see what the huge issue is, so long as you aren't getting sloshed, which is bad regardless of what day of the week it is. So this begs two questions:

1. Is there anything inherently unholy about purchasing alcoholic beverages? I'm not talking about being a drunk or dressing provocatively and hanging out in night clubs. I'm speaking only about the act of purchasing, say, a bottle of rum or a six pack of beer.

2. Are we, as Christians, required to keep the Sabbath? Is being able to buy a bottle of wine on the Sabbath any more or less disrespectful to the Lord on the Lord's day than, say, going straight from church to a ball game or the mall?

There's no good reason why alcohol should be singled out.

Ideally we should take a day of rest ourselves, ensure those we are responsible for can do likewise, and support a culture of doing likewise so far as practical. The best way we can help the last is by not engaging in thing that then require people to work on Sunday for them to happen.

 

[Jase]

Well, Sunday is not the Sabbath. So these laws are completely irrelevant anyway. There is no logical reason for forbidding alcohol purchases on Sunday.

 

[brightmorningstar]

Sunday isnt the Sabbath day really, Saturday is, but as Christians we are not to hold people to diet or Sabbath if they choose to honour them (Romans) For Christians Christ has become the Sabbath rest.
I dont see a problem myself with sales on a Sunday.

 

[lux et lex]

I used to live in a state that still has Blue Laws. Nothing opened until noon on Sundays. I worked at a bar/liquor store for several years, and it was only within the past 5 years that alcohol establishments were able to even be open at all on Sundays. If you were serving or selling alcohol at your establishment, you would just receive a fine. So we had one bar here that was open every Sunday, and gladly paid the fine, because the profits on Sundays were HUGE because they were the only place that took the fine hit and stayed open. Eventually other bars saw this and did the same. And now the stupid ordinance has been removed. If only this would spread to other establishments, perhaps we could get rid of the antiquated blue laws.

 

[noroses4u2c]

Sunday isnt the Sabbath day really, Saturday is, but as Christians we are not to hold people to diet or Sabbath if they choose to honour them (Romans) For Christians Christ has become the Sabbath rest.
I dont see a problem myself with sales on a Sunday.

If that be the case, that the Sabbath is no longer binding, then why are the ten commandments posted in all of the churches?

 

[GQ Chris]

The Lord has given hard booze, wine, and beer as gifts. Yes, as GIFTS. It is drunkenness that is condemned.

 

[GQ Chris]

How do you tell the difference between a Presbyterian and a Southern Baptist?

 

[GQ Chris]

Answer: A Presbyterian will look you in the eye and say hi to you at the Liquor store.

 

[11822]

Im not not pushing commandments but love dictates that we honor our parents. And every law of man. So maybe we should respect our parents wishes and we can buy alcohol the day before anyways, if we need it for something.

 

[OzSpen]

If that be the case, that the Sabbath is no longer binding, then why are the ten commandments posted in all of the churches?

They are not posted in my church. I think that you are speaking of a cultural situation in your country.

Besides, Christians met on the first day of the week. All but the Sabbath commandment in the 10 commandments is affirmed in the NT.

Is Colossians 2:16 not in your Bible?

Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day (NIV)

Oz

 

[Spiritlight]

You guys should come to Australia Wine can be cheaper than water here and you can buy alcohol just about anytime. I cant remember it being much different.

i guess wht I am saying is the OP didnt disturb me as Its just normal here.

Havinga beer before church on sunday morning would shock me.

 

[miamited]

Hi Kat,

Agreed that Sunday is not the Sabbath. The Sabbath always was and has always been Friday evening to Saturday evening. If you read through the first chapter of Genesis you will find that God defined a 'day' as an evening and a morning and so the Jews have always maintained their definition of 'day' as beginning in the evening and carrying through to the following morning. Therefore, the seventh 'day' began in the evening and carried through to the following morning and what we define as Friday evening and Saturday morning are the correct understanding of the Sabbath.

Sunday is the day that the new believers in Christ began to gather to worship the Lord and his God and Spirit. Worship has nothing to do with the Sabbath. In fact, we should worship God every day of our lives. The law of the Sabbath was strictly for rest and it was to be taken in honor of God who created it, as Jesus said, for man and not man for the Sabbath. Consider that very carefully. God gave the law of the Sabbath so that man would rest from his work. While keeping it does honor God, the actual instructions of not working were for our benefit and not God's. The Sabbath was made for us, we weren't made for the Sabbath.

As far as alcohol sales, personally I wouldn't sell it all because God has instructed me to do nothing that might make another stumble and I've seen far too many coming out of bars that are obviously 'stumbling'. Now, many would say, "Well, each one is responsible for how much alcohol he drinks." Not according to what the Scrptures say about our not being responsible for causing another to stumble. We have, as children of God, a responsibility to do what is right for others. Now, if you were to operate a bar with a two drink maximum, then you might be Ok with this command, but you probably wouldn't stay in business long in a lost and dying world.

But to address the gut of your issue, sales of alcohol on Sunday, the world will do what the world will do. We are only responsible for our own actions. I don't find that God's word ever asks us to, or gives examples of, believers working against the government. Roman government wasn't very godly and yet not once do you find Jesus or any of the first disciples calling for action against the government. As a matter of fact, in the singular incident in which the Jewish leaders did ask Jesus if they should pay taxes to Rome, Jesus pretty much told them that yes they should.

They wanted to do exactly what many try to do to fight against governments today. They wanted Jesus to tell them that, NO! they shouldn't pay taxes to some evil, repressive government. You should stand up for what's right! Gather together and march against the Romans! I tell you you have God's supreme authority and power to overcome this evil government that has taken over! But no, Jesus calmly told them to give unto Caesar what it Caesar's and to give to God what is God's. Your heart belongs to God. You should do everything that you do to honor God and live righteously. For those for whom you have contact and instruction with you should quite honestly tell them to refrain from alcohol altogether if there purpose in using it is to get tipsy, drunk or wasted. But, understand that the lost world is always going to be pursuing the things of the lost world. Businessmen are always going to be seeking governments to do what is in the best interest to line their pockets with money no matter the incidental or collateral damage to society at large.

For me personally, I desire the same thing for alcohol as I do for guns. That they be wiped off the face of the earth.

God bless you.
In Christ, Ted

 

[miamited]

Hi spiritlight,

You posted that having a beer before church would shock you. Why? Are you supposed to act or think differently before going to church than you do any other time of the week?

God bless you.
In Christ, Ted

 

[11822]

Hi Kat,


For me personally, I desire the same thing for alcohol as I do for guns. That they be wiped off the face of the earth.

God bless you.
In Christ, Ted

I like what you say, but Guns serve a good purpose. Some people actually use them to hunt with. Guns don't kill people. People do. Take away the guns and people will still hurt each other. But i would rather agree than disagree. The kingdom of heaven is not about Guns.

 

[miamited]

Hi 11822,

So what? People hunted long before there were guns. Yes, you are correct that people are still going to hurt one another, that's a given whether we have guns, knives, arrows or rocks, but the ability to kill at random and from far distances and with speed and power is greatly increased with a firearm. An arrow, at most, allows an accurate kill distance of only a few hundred yards. A knife or sword, not much longer than arms distance, although it is possible to throw a knife or sword the accuracy is not nearly as good. and once you've thrown it you're out of ammunition unless you have a few with you. Further, and I believe the most important for this discussion, is the speed at which one is able to accurately kill multiple targets with weapons other than firearms is greatly reduced with other weapons.

People are generally more able to overcome an attacker who wields a knife, bow or sword and at the very least are more able to run from the attack radius of the attacker. However, in either case I am not trying to create an understanding that if we didn't have firearms no one would ever die from an attacker, just the reduction of such cases.

Take any of the mass murders committed by firearms. Had the attackers had to resort to other methods of killing, discounting some detonation device, a lot less people would have been killed. My thinking is this: Are we really doing our fellow man any favor by supporting such weapons because they 'could' be used for useful purposes while we see so often that they are not? Is the tradeoff really justified to God? Not to you, but to God. For thousands of years of history men killed food to eat and yet not a one of them used a firearm. The bow and arrow were the most powerful individually used weapon with which to kill both food and man. One or two people couldn't do near the damage and destruction that we are proudly able to do today with firearms.

However, understand please, that this is just my feelings on the issue. I fully understand that others won't agree and so the ravages of firearms will be with us until the end that is to come. God isn't going to hold me responsible for changing the world, as I'm confident that that isn't going to happen according to the Scriptures, but He does ask me to be a shining light to those with whom I have contact or influence.

God bless you.
In Christ, Ted

 

[Amber the Duskbringer]

Answer: A Presbyterian will look you in the eye and say hi to you at the Liquor store.

I lol'ed :3

 

[11822]

Hi 11822,

So what? People hunted long before there were guns. Yes, you are correct that people are still going to hurt one another, that's a given whether we have guns, knives, arrows or rocks, but the ability to kill at random and from far distances and with speed and power is greatly increased with a firearm. An arrow, at most, allows an accurate kill distance of only a few hundred yards. A knife or sword, not much longer than arms distance, although it is possible to throw a knife or sword the accuracy is not nearly as good. and once you've thrown it you're out of ammunition unless you have a few with you. Further, and I believe the most important for this discussion, is the speed at which one is able to accurately kill multiple targets with weapons other than firearms is greatly reduced with other weapons.

People are generally more able to overcome an attacker who wields a knife, bow or sword and at the very least are more able to run from the attack radius of the attacker. However, in either case I am not trying to create an understanding that if we didn't have firearms no one would ever die from an attacker, just the reduction of such cases.

Take any of the mass murders committed by firearms. Had the attackers had to resort to other methods of killing, discounting some detonation device, a lot less people would have been killed. My thinking is this: Are we really doing our fellow man any favor by supporting such weapons because they 'could' be used for useful purposes while we see so often that they are not? Is the tradeoff really justified to God? Not to you, but to God. For thousands of years of history men killed food to eat and yet not a one of them used a firearm. The bow and arrow were the most powerful individually used weapon with which to kill both food and man. One or two people couldn't do near the damage and destruction that we are proudly able to do today with firearms.

However, understand please, that this is just my feelings on the issue. I fully understand that others won't agree and so the ravages of firearms will be with us until the end that is to come. God isn't going to hold me responsible for changing the world, as I'm confident that that isn't going to happen according to the Scriptures, but He does ask me to be a shining light to those with whom I have contact or influence.

God bless you.
In Christ, Ted

Like i said i would rather agree than not. Its cool. Guns are not worth debating

 

[Spiritlight]

Hi spiritlight,

You posted that having a beer before church would shock you. Why? Are you supposed to act or think differently before going to church than you do any other time of the week?

God bless you.
In Christ, Ted

Too early for having a beer lol.

Yuk,imagine drinking beer for breakfast on sunday or any morning. Thats for alcoholics. Thats what I meant