Drinking and an issue of pride

[New_Wineskin]

I'm 33 and I've never had a drink of alcohol. In social situations, this often makes me stand out as weird. I typically have to explain my reasons; I don't want to become an alcoholic and my grandfather drunk himself to death.

Sometimes I feel pride about my choice not to drink. Being that pride is a sin, I sometimes wonder if I should just take a drink so I don't have this area of pride in my life.

Now, I actually think it's ok to drink as long as you can control yourself, my reasons for not drinking are a fear of becoming a drunk. Probably irrational, but, I just see way more negatives coming from drinking than not.

I have the same issue with swearing, as I haven't swore since 1988.

Should I swear too and free myself of this pride?

Since I don't think that you mean "swearing" in the Scriptural sense and only rude or crude language , I would say that it isn't a bad idea to just "do it" and so make it a choice and not a point of you are better than eeryone else or allow it to be a law .

Once , I was caught up in the law of " do not give under compulsion" . So , occassionally , I give under compulsion just to maintain a distance between myself and the Scriptures as Law .

 

[Alpine]

Hmm. Interesting view new wineskin.

 

[SUNSTONE]

Since I don't think that you mean "swearing" in the Scriptural sense and only rude or crude language , I would say that it isn't a bad idea to just "do it" and so make it a choice and not a point of you are better than eeryone else or allow it to be a law .

Once , I was caught up in the law of " do not give under compulsion" . So , occassionally , I give under compulsion just to maintain a distance between myself and the Scriptures as Law .

I think that's a bad idea, what if they like it?

Deciding not to drink isn't a bad idea, if you never drink you'll never have a chance at becoming an alcohalic, you'll never drive drunk.
"Law" has nothing to do with it, as if law or laws were a bad thing.

I don't understand this "law" thing you are talking about.

I mean, what if I fornicate once in awhile so that it doesn't become law?

 

[Jpark]

Well, Ephesians 5:18 says And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit. In context, dissipation here means wasteful use of time. Drinking is a waste of time and indulgence in drinking is for our physical pleasure. Galatians 5:16-17 says Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish."Walking in the Spirit" is an expression, which means living one's life in the power of the Spirit while being guided by the Spirit. To walk according to the flesh is to follow the sinful desires of one's old life. To walk according to the Spirit is to follow the desires of the Holy Spirit, to live in a way pleasing to Him. Galatians 5:19-21 Now the works of the flesh are evident which are: drunkenness, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

 

[New_Wineskin]

I think that's a bad idea, what if they like it?

Big deal . So , they like it .

Deciding not to drink isn't a bad idea, if you never drink you'll never have a chance at becoming an alcohalic, you'll never drive drunk.

It is a bad idea if the decision was based on wrong information .

"Law" has nothing to do with it,

You don't know that .

as if law or laws were a bad thing.

Paul discusses quite a bit on how it is used incorrectly .

I don't understand this "law" thing you are talking about.

Yet . you write about it as though you knew . You could have asked questions first .

I mean, what if I fornicate once in awhile so that it doesn't become law?

What if you do ?

It would be nice if people actually asked the Lord about things so that they would live by faith and not assumed works to obtain righteousness .

 

[New_Wineskin]

Hmm. Interesting view new wineskin.

 

[Cassidy]

New Wineskin - I agree with some of what you are saying BUT I think that if one has a conviction about not doing something and then goes out and does it 'once in a while' then you are perposely sinning. I know you won't go to hell for it...but that's not the point. It's just not what born again people do...or should do.

Alcohol is different from fornication because fornication is actually a sin...alcohol isn't. If someone has it on their heart to not drink alcohol...how is that lawful? If it's a heart felt conviction? Alpine isn't just not doing it because of a law...it's something that's on his heart...I think that's a bit different than being 'under the law'.

 

[SUNSTONE]

Big deal . So , they like it .

It is a bad idea if the decision was based on wrong information .

You don't know that .

Paul discusses quite a bit on how it is used incorrectly .

Yet . you write about it as though you knew . You could have asked questions first .


What if you do ?

It would be nice if people actually asked the Lord about things so that they would live by faith and not assumed works to obtain righteousness .

The person you encouraged to drink gave good reasons why not to drink, and none of those reasons were out of obtaining righteousness from works.

Nothing I do is based on trying to earn my way into heaven.
I follow moral rules because it is the wise thing to do, because I look at the big picture and see where a decision will take me, or atleast I try to.

Now I talk to God every day, and God talks to me every day.
God is constantly teaching me His ways.
And I can tell you that if I ask God "Hey God can I fornicate?" His answer will always be "no".
Then I'll be like "Oh whatever what do you know???" and go fornicate. J/K

The bible says "All things are lawful, but not everything edifys."
That means I can sin and God will still love me and except me, but there are spiritual laws of sowing and reaping envolved.
I can go fornicate, but it's not the wise thing to do. There are risks envolved, pregnancy, disease, emotional attachments.

 

[Cassidy]

Why Sunstone...I can't believe that I actually agree with you on a couple of points here...wow...wonders never cease

The bible says "All things are lawful, but not everything edifys."
That means I can sin and God will still love me and except me, but there are spiritual laws of sowing and reaping envolved.
I can go fornicate, but it's not the wise thing to do. There are risks envolved, pregnancy, disease, emotional attachments.

And in Alpine's case, although drinking isn't a sin, he does have a genetic pre-disposition for drunkeness and issues relating to that, through his father.

The person you encouraged to drink gave good reasons why not to drink, and none of those reasons were out of obtaining righteousness from works.

Yes he did...they were good and valid reasons and probably a very wise choice in his case - re: his father's alchohol problem.

 

[SUNSTONE]

Why Sunstone...I can't believe that I actually agree with you on a couple of points here...wow...wonders never cease



And in Alpine's case, although drinking isn't a sin, he does have a genetic pre-disposition for drunkeness and issues relating to that, through his father.



Yes he did...they were good and valid reasons and probably a very wise choice in his case - re: his father's alchohol problem.

This can't be!
I guess this means that I am wrong. j/k

 

[Cassidy]

This can't be!
I guess this means that I am wrong. j/k

Nope mate - quite the opposite in this case

Spiritual conviction is a powerful thing. Just because somebody has it on their heart that it's a sin FOR THEM don't mean that they are 'under the law'. Alpine had a very good reason for his conviction and even though alchohol isn't a sin...it is just something that's been put on Alpine's heart that it would be a sin 'for him' and it's not wrong for him to feel that way