Tag Archives: Sobriety

Practice Sobriety

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Wine has the power to make you talk rough and alcohol makes you walk tough, causing you to argue and fight people (Proverbs 20:1). Remember, I told you that in an earlier post. And this is the case whether you’re a Christian or not. Alcohol doesn’t discriminate. To curb illicit behavior, the world says to drink responsibly by not drinking and driving and limiting the number of drinks you have. But with Christianity, being responsible with alcohol means don’t get drunk or don’t drink at all because in either case you promote spiritual development. Practicing sobriety for some may not be easy, but it is necessary. Here are some points to help you:

1. Remember how consuming alcohol

    a. Affects you—In addition to talking rough and walking tough, drinking alcohol may destroy your Christian testimony (See ‘b’ below), cause emotional, relational and physical anxiety, cause memory lost, and cloud your judgment (Proverbs 23:29-35, 31:1-9).

    b. Affects others—If non-Christians and Christians who aren’t as mature in the faith see you drink, they may get the wrong impression about your walk with Christ and Christianity. One, non-Christians may think that Christians aren’t any different from non-Christians. Two, if you get drunk, non-Christians may think that drunkenness is an acceptable part of Christianity. Three, non- and immature Christians are likely to dismiss anything you try to teach them about Christianity; you’re no longer credible in their eyes. Four, immature Christians may think your drinking gives them license to drink and they are unaware of the parameters, like not getting drunk and not drinking at all so they won’t cause a person younger in the faith to stumble.

    c. Affects God—God showed great wrath to the Israelites for getting drunk (Isaiah 5:11-16, 22-25, 28:7). Scripture doesn’t detail for us consequences of our alcohol abuse, but we are told the general consequences from God—that He will destroy our bodies (2 Corinthians 3:16-17).

2. Pray

    a. For God to help you remember items in #1.

    b. For strength to abstain.

    c. To want what God wants for your life more than what you want for your life (Matthew 26:42).

If you keep in mind the consequences of consuming alcohol and pray that God’s will be done in your life, expect a great outcome. “And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him” (1 John 5:14-15).

Copyright 2009 by Rhonda J. Smith

Understanding Sobriety

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The world tells us to drink responsibly: Don’t drink and drive and don’t let anyone younger than 21 purchase or consume alcohol. But for the Christian, handling alcohol properly goes beyond drinking and driving and being a certain age. We have to consider the spiritual implications for ourselves and others:

1) Being sober enables us to do what God wants. “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18). When you’re drunk with wine or any intoxicating drink, you’re under its power. Christians should always be under the power of the Holy Spirit so we can a) clearly hear from God; b) understand proper actions; and 3) have the strength to do what we have heard and know to be right. If you don’t do what’s right, you bring judgment upon yourself (1 Corinthians 3:16-17). And what good is being a Christian if you aren’t able to follow God’s commandments?

2) Not drinking helps others to do what God commands. “It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble” (Romans 14:21). Though we have freedom as Christians to consume fermented drinks, we are told that everything we do is not helpful (1 Corinthians 6:12). So if drinking in front of others causes them to disrespect you, misunderstand Christianity or drink more than they should, you should not drink. And if you do drink, you’ll have to be so much on the down low that they won’t find out because whether you drink in their presence is really not the issue. It’s just knowing that you drink that may cause them to make improper judgments. For me, being a down low drinker is not worth the hassle. I’ve just given up drinking altogether.

So can a Christian drink alcohol? Yes. Should a Christian drink alcohol? No, if 1) you will get drunk; 2) you want or need alcohol to control you; or 3) doing so causes others to make improper judgments about you, Christianity and how they can relate to alcohol. Truly, we are our brothers’ and sisters’ keeper, not just for physical safety but also for spiritual guidance, understanding and protection. This is a big job, but we are called and equipped to do it.

Copyright 2009 by Rhonda J. Smith