Just Start Serving

Some books teach to discover your spiritual gifts and then start serving. I say start serving to discover your spiritual gifts. Spiritual gifts assessments and tools have their place, but not the place you probably think. I believe the spiritual gift assessment tools are helpful on the back end more than the front end. Let me explain. I believe you start serving and THEN, only after you are already serving, you should take a spiritual gifts assessment to help you further understand how God made you and how that should influence where you belong serving in the church family.

Too often, people are needed NOW to help and serve, but they can’t because their waiting six months for the results of their assessment to come back. Or people start using the excuse “I don’t what gifts I have” as an excuse to never start serving.

Here’s where you should begin. FIND WHERE YOU ARE NEEDED! If you don’t know where you are needed, just ask your pastor. He or she will help you become aware of the available areas of service. Don’t assume that because you aren’t aware of any areas of service that they don’t exist. Go ahead and ask. I assure you that they do! Then, once you are serving where you are needed you can begin thinking about your sweet spot. You could think of your sweet spot as that role you ideally would like to play and your secondary role could be thought of as that spot that just needs filling and your willing to do because you are a part of the family. In a real family, no one wants to take out the trash or do the laundry - but these are still important things that need to get done.

Some Will, Some Won't

When you share your faith story with someone or invite someone to church, different people will respond in different ways. Jesus told us this in Mark 4:1-20. He taught us there are four basic responses people have when we talk to them about Jesus or invite them to church or try to win them over by the life we live, etc.

1. Some are closed-minded and will not even listen to you.
2. Some are impulsive, but not really committed. They show initial interest but it quickly fades away.
3. Some are preoccupied. These people have so much going on in their lives they have no room for Jesus.
4. But others will happily receive Jesus.

I put a sticky note on my office wall today. It says something like this on it: God, as I go out each day attempting to share your message of love and hope and reconciliation, help me to run into those people who are going to be receptive.

We can sometimes get discouraged as Christians when people reject the good news (that there is peace with God through the forgiveness of sins that Jesus offers) we try to share and this can lead us to give up and stop talking with others about Jesus and stop inviting others to church. Heck, no one likes to get rejected. But don’t forget that Jesus told us ahead of time that some won’t receive what we have to offer...BUT OTHERS WILL! The good news is that while some won’t receive, others WILL RECEIVE. And we’ve got to keep on talking about Jesus and inviting people to church for the sake of those who WILL receive what we have to say.

The major point of this story is not that most people will not accept Jesus. The point is that some will. So keep on spreading the good news through word of deed! And then trust God for the results!

I’m going to do it. Will you do it with me?

Have you shared your faith with anyone lately? How did they respond? Have you invited anyone to church lately? How did they respond. Drop me a line and let me know.

Why Worship?

Have you ever been to church and wondered why a portion of the service was dedicated to singing?

Psalm 28:6-7 gives us some insight. David writes: “Praise the Lord! For he has heard my cry for mercy. The Lord is my strength, my shield from every danger. I trust in him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving.”

David has been praying and God has responded. This makes David happy and gives him reason to “burst out in songs of thanksgiving.” In short, ONE of the reasons we sing (worship) is to say thank you to God for prayers he has answered, for the practical help he gives us in life.

Have you ever prayed to God and asked for help for something? Maybe you should try so that you too can say, like David, “He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving.” Why not give God the opportunity to give you a reason to worship him?

Reasons I have to worship God:

1. He fills the void I have on the inside when I don’t spend time with Him through Bible reading and prayer.
2. He has saved me from the penalty of my sin (eternal punishment in hell) and then graciously promised me heaven.
3. He has provided me with a wife (and best friend) and two wonderful children.
4. He helps me get through tough and stressful times in my life. He helps me through life’s troubles and problems.
5. He gives my life purpose: to bring pleasure to him by the way I live and to serve others.
6. I have someone to turn to at all times who is able and willing to help me.
7. He provides for all my needs and then goes above and beyond to give me some nice-ities as well.

I could go on.

Believe and Belong

God wants us to believe: in Jesus. But he also wants us to belong: to a church family. The focus of this blog is on “belonging”.

Rick Warren writes: There are many analogies for a Christian disconnected from a church: a football player without a team; a soldier without a platoon; a tuba player without an orchestra; a sheep without a flock. But the most understandable (and biblical) picture is that of a child without a family. First Timothy 3:15 (NCV) refers to the church as “...the family of God. That family is the church of the living God, the support and foundation of the truth.” God does not want his children growing up in isolation from each other, so he created a spiritual family on earth for us. Paul reminded us in Ephesians 2:19 (LB): “You are members of God’s very own family...and you belong in God’s household with every other Christian.” A Christian without a church family is an orphan.

Additionally, several biblical metaphors help us to understand that God’s purpose for every believer is to belong to a church family. First, the Bible refers to a Christian as a sheep (I Peter 5:2-3). A sheep belongs to a flock. And a flock is led by a shepherd. Second, the Bible refers to a Christian as a part of the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:14-21). Each part of our body is dependent on the other parts and cannot exist on their own. And the body is led by the head. Last, the Bible refers to believers as children of God (John 1:12-13). Children belong to a family. And a family is led by parents.

The point here is that just as sheep belong in a flock, just as each part of the body belongs to the whole, just as each child belongs in a family, so each Christian belongs in a church family. Just as sheep are led by a shepherd, just as the body is led by the head, just as a family is led by parents, so Christians are to be loved and led by the pastors of the church.

Imagine a charcoal fire on your grill. If you remove a single piece of charcoal and separate it from the rest of the charcoals it will soon die out. That’s how it is for a Christian who separates himself from his/her church family. He/she will soon die out.

Why does God want you to belong so badly? Because of all the benefits! Check this out:

We were created for five basic purposes and the local church helps you fulfill each of these purposes:

1. Worship: describes God’s purpose that we bring him pleasure. The local church gives you a weekly opportunity to refocus on God. That’s worship.
2. Fellowship: describes God’s purpose that we “belong” to a church family. The local church helps you connect with other believers. That’s fellowship.
3. Discipleship: describes God’s purpose that we grow spiritually. The local church helps you cultivate your relationship with God. That’s discipleship.
4. Ministry: describes God’s purpose that we use our talents in service in the context of the local church. The local church gives you an opportunity to contribute with your life. That’s ministry.
5. Evangelism: describes God’s purpose that we share his good news: there is peace with God through Jesus. The local church helps you communicate God’s love to others. That’s evangelism.

What Prayer Does

There are lots of things prayer does. I’m almost tempted not to blog on this for fear I would leave out something important about prayer and look foolish. However, I’m going to swallow my pride, admit I don’t know everything about prayer and just share one simple thing that prayer does....

When you pray you become more attuned to spiritual things. That is, you begin to see God (spiritual lessons) all around you. You see these God lessons in everyday life. For example, if a week goes by and you’ve spent no time in prayer you might walk past a plant and think “nice plant”, while if you spent time in prayer that week you might see that God gave us illustrations of the resurrection in everyday life. You see, a seed has to die and then be planted in the ground before it can become something totally different. In the same way, when we die, that’s not the end of the story. We will live again. And the bodies we will have in heaven are going to be totally different than the bodies we have here on earth, just like the body of a plant is different than the body of a seed, or how a butterfly is totally different from a caterpillar.

Or take for example something as simple as a banana (trust me, I know that sounds weird). If you’ve spent time in prayer you might see a spiritual lesson. For example, when the outside of a banana looks good, the inside usually tastes nasty (it’s not ripe yet). But if the outside looks kind of nasty (brown) it’s usually ripe and will taste delicious. What’s the lesson in that you ask? Don’t judge by external appearances. What does that have to do with Scripture? In the Old Testament (First Samuel I think) the Bible records that God doesn’t look at outside appearances, God looks at the heart. We as humans judge by external appearances (which is foolish) but God judges by looking at the heart.

Again, my point is that as you spend time in prayer you will begin to see God in everything. That is, you’ll begin to see spiritual lessons that teach you about God through nature, through object lessons, through people, through experiences, etc. I know I’ve felt at times like God doesn’t speak to me, but now I feel like God has always been speaking, but because of my prayerlessness I just couldn’t hear Him.

Again, prayer increases your spiritual acuity. That’s just one benefit of many when we pray.

Spiritual Growth & Bible Reading

Reading God’s Word

So why should you start reading your Bible? A great preacher named Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834-1892) summed it up nicely stating “A Bible that is falling apart usually belongs to someone whose life is not.” God’s Word is packed full of stuff that will not only help you in the next life, but also with the life you live today.

Just as food is essential to physical life, so reading God’s Word is essential to spiritual life. That’s why Jesus said in Matthew 4:4 that “man does not live by bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God. That is - bread sustains your physical life, but God’s Word sustains your spiritual life. Jesus knew that without reading our Bible’s we could not survive spiritually. That’s why he made reading the Bible a requirement for all his followers. In John 8:31 Jesus said “If you abide in my Word, then you are truly disciples of mine.” The opposite is also true! Part of abiding in God’s Word is reading your Bible!

As you read your Bible God will transform your character and conduct to reflect the character and conduct of Jesus. The character of Jesus is summarized in Galatians 5:22 - “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” When you read the Bible the Spirit of God uses the Word of God to make us like the Son of God. This doesn’t happen all at once, rather bit by bit. Sanctification, like I mentioned earlier, is a life long process.

Tips on Reading God’s Word

1. How often should I read God’s Word

How often should you eat? Don’t stress over missing a day here and there, but the goal is to read God’s Word every day. Your physical body needs food on a daily basis and that goes for your spiritual body too.

1. How much should I read?

How much do you want to grow? Generally speaking, if you read your Bible fifteen minutes a day, or just read four chapters a day, you’ll go through the Bible in one year. However, I recommend getting on a one-year-bible-reading program. This will help you stay on track, expose you to all of God’s Word and eliminate having to choose how much to read each day. To get the NDC one year Bible reading program email mike@newdaychurch.cc and request it.

1. Do I have the time?

On average the typical Christian watches about three hours of television each day. We definitely have time. The question is whether or not we are willing to give the time. The principle here is “we make time for what’s important to us.”

1. When should I read my Bible?

The most important thing is that you are reading your Bible consistently, not WHEN you are reading your Bible consistently. However, the Bible certainly supports reading your Bible first thing in the morning.

Matthew 6:33 says “seek FIRST the kingdom of God and his righteousness...”

Mark 1:35 reveals that Jesus went early in the morning to pray and spend time with God.

Here are some advantages of spending time with God first thing in the morning:

1. The first influence, input, voice, advice, etc. of your day is God’s.
2. It gives God the opportunity to prepare you for your day by giving you something in your reading time that will directly apply to your life that day.
3. It gives you the opportunity to think about what you read for the rest of the day (while you’re getting ready, while you’re driving to work, while you’re on break, at lunch, on the ride home, gives you something to talk about with your wife (or whoever) at dinner, etc. It’s not bad if you read at night, there’s just not as much time to think about what you read.

EIGHT REASONS TO READ YOUR BIBLE EVERY DAY

1. Through the Bible we can come to know Jesus and receive his free gift of salvation.
2. Jesus read the Bible. When tempted Jesus quoted Scripture. If he could quote Scripture then obviously he spent time listening to and/or reading Scripture and if he did it, so should we.
3. By reading and then living God’s Word we can grow spiritually.
4. By reading God’s Word we get principles to guide us in Christian living.
5. When we read God’s Word our minds and then our lives are transformed by God’s power. As we learn to think differently we begin to live differently.
6. In the Bible there is so much practical advice for daily living. If your dealing with temptation, need tips on parenting, need help making decisions, need to strengthen your marriage (or future marriage), need help dealing with stress, etc. the Bible has something to say about all these topics and many more.
7. The Bible is God’s revelation of himself to mankind. In the Bible we learn about who God is and what he wants with us. We learn his likes and dislikes, what he is for and against, what he requires of us and much more.
8. The Bible contains truth. If you want honest answers to life’s questions, the Bible’s got you covered. The Bible is full of TRUTH. Want to know where you go when you die? Want to know what happens if you live for yourself and ignore God all your life? If you want the truth, you need to read God’s Word.

SEVEN TIPS ON HOW TO READ YOUR BIBLE

1. Before you begin reading, say a prayer. Ask God the Holy Spirit to illuminate your understanding of His Word.
2. Remember that there are various ways to expose yourself to God’s Word. You can read it, listen to it on your iPod, download free sermons from great preachers on the internet, subscribe to podcasts of great preachers, etc.
3. Read the Bible humbly. When you come across a passage and learn that you need to change a certain area of your life, don’t get proud and resist God’s instruction. Instead, humble yourself by admitting to God your fault and need for change and then ask for his help.
4. Meditate on God’s Word. As you think about and ponder what you’ve read God will reprogram your mind. You will learn to think differently (i.e. about life, about right vs. wrong, about what’s really important, etc.) and then you’ll be ready to begin living differently.
5. Be open to change. The purpose of Scripture is to make us increasingly more like Jesus. Don’t be satisfied with the acquisition of information, rather seek life transformation. Be willing to change any thoughts or actions that are incongruent with Scripture.
6. Realize that some Scriptures are hard to understand. Even the apostle Peter, Jesus’ right hand man, had difficulty understanding some of Paul’s writings. If it was true for Peter, who walked and talked with Jesus for 3 and 1/2 years, then it is very likely we too will have difficulty understanding certain parts of the Bible. A Bible commentary is often helpful in understanding a difficult passage.
7. Eliminate distractions. Get away from people, email, cell phone, internet, etc. when you read your Bible. Go in your room and close the door, take a walk to a park and read at a bench or picnic table, etc. This will help you to really focus in on what you are reading.

Three Components of Spiritual Development

I read today something that Bill Hybels wrote in Who You Are (When No One’s Looking) related to spiritual growth. Certainly, spiritual growth involves more than three things - but I would say that if you have these three things in place, you’re in good shape - or at least moving the right direction.

To Grow Spiritually:

1. You need to participate regularly in worship services at your church (if you are not committed to a local church, find one you like and commit to regularly attending).
2. You need a daily time of personal interaction with the Lord (this time should include Bible reading and prayer).
3. You need fellowship with other believers in some type of Christian service (when you serve in some way at church you rub shoulders with other Christ followers of like faith - and this interaction is essential to your spiritual growth - and by serving you fulfill one of God’s purposes for your life).

If you don’t participate in some form of these three endeavors, you will wilt spiritually and probably feel spiritually frustrated.

Again - there are other components of spiritual growth such as financially supporting your church, living an evangelistic lifestyle by inviting your friends and family members to church, etc. But these three will jump start your spiritual life and get you heading in the right direction.

Next Steps

At New Day Church we end each message with “Next Steps”, several specific things people can begin doing to apply the message to their lives. Why do we do this?

Jesus said in Matthew 7:24-27, Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.

Jesus’ brother basically says the same thing in James 1:22 warning us to not just listen to God’s Word, but instead to go one step further by putting it into practice.

We develop Christlikeness as we learn AND APPLY God’s Word to our every day lives. We do not grow spiritually by increasing our KNOWLEDGE of God’s Word, but by increasing the parts of God’s Word that we PUT INTO PRACTICE in our lives.

By giving “Next Steps” we make it that much easier to honor what Jesus said in Matthew 7 and what James reiterates in James 1.

A Proper Attitude

I recently came across a great article from Focus on the Family that shared a perspective I totally agree with relating to how the Christian community should respond to the gay community. Here it is:

I (Dr. James Dobson) feel strongly that Christians have a scriptural mandate to love and care for all the people of the world. Everyone is entitled to be treated with respect and dignity, even those who are living in immoral circumstances. There is no place for hatred, hurtful jokes, or other forms of rejection toward those who are homosexual. We cannot hope to win others to Jesus Christ if we insult and wound them.

Remember, too, that Jesus was more compassionate toward the adulterous woman caught in the very act of intercourse — a capital offense in those days — than He was to hypocrites in the church. That is our model for how to respond to a person living in sin. Indeed, we should be trying to reach out to those who don't know Jesus Christ, which is impossible in an atmosphere of hostility and fear.

Also, it should be remembered that there are celibate homosexuals who are trying desperately to live godly lives. Many of them struggle every day to do what is right, fighting inner battles that rage like wildfires. These men and women need every ounce of compassion and support they can get from Christian people who know of their tendencies. Often, however, they are rejected and excluded from the church community because of fear and misunderstanding by those who find them repulsive. This is wrong! These individuals need the community of Christ and the fellowship it can provide. They must be embraced as fellow believers who are trying to please the Lord and conform to a standard of moral purity. How can we do less?

Secular Music in Church?

I was recently asked a great question by one of our regular attenders at NDC about why we play secular music before and after service. What a good question! Let’s answer it.

In Acts 17 Paul is speaking with the unchurched Epicurean and Stoic philosophers. This lands him a speaking engagement with the Council of Philosophers. Paul begins his sermon with a reference to something in their culture; an altar to a pagan idol, with the inscription “To an Unknown God” written on it. Then, during his message, he quotes one of their pagan poets, to illustrate his point.

Paul is a missionary. And he uses culture to teach spiritual truths to unchurched people. At New Day Church, we consider ourselves missionaries to one of the biggest mission fields in the world - the United States of America. And we are all for following the biblical example of using culture to communicate spiritual truths to the unchurched.

Here’s an example...One week I was speaking on forgiveness and how bitterness will only eat away at you. So that week we played “Apologize” by One Republic before service started.

Here’s another example...In a series we recently did called 30 DAY TO LIVE we played the audio of an Eminem song called “Lose Yourself” and then quoted the chorus which talked about having only one shot and one chance at life and how you can’t miss your opportunity. This was done during the message, just like Paul did.

While we do play secular music before and after service, we DO NOT play music containing a message that is contrary to the gospel. We have found that unchurched guests are set at ease when they arrive and hear something familiar, something they can relate to. This then opens them up to hearing what we have to say about Jesus. Also, by using something they understand from culture to explain spiritual truths, people with no (or very little) Bible background can learn about Jesus.

Can Christians Lose Their Salvation

I had a great conversation the other day with someone about whether or not a believer can lose his/her salvation, fall away, back slide, etc. Here are some verses that have informed my own conclusion on the matter...

Exodus 32:31-32, "...Moses returned to the Lord and said, “Oh, what a terrible sin these people have committed. They have made gods of gold for themselves. But now, if you will only forgive their sin—but if not, erase my name from the record you have written!” But the Lord replied to Moses, “No, I will erase the name of everyone who has sinned against me." The record of who is saved and who isn't is kept in the Lamb's book of life (Revelation 21:7). That is what is being referred to here. Anyone whose name isn't found in the Lambs book of life doesn't go to heaven (Revelation 21:7).

1 Kings 11:1-3, "Now King Solomon loved many foreign women...The Lord had clearly instructed the people of Israel, 'You must not marry them, because they will turn your hearts to their gods.' Yet Solomon insisted on loving them anyway...And in fact, they did turn his heart away from the Lord." Solomon's heart couldn't turn away from the Lord, unless his heart already belonged to the Lord. It appears here that Solomon backslid.

Jeremiah 3:8, "I gave faithless Israel her certificate of divorce and sent her away because of all her adulteries." There came a point, due to unrepentant sin, where God rejected his people. One cannot live in perpetual unrepentant sin and think they are ok with God because they once said the sinners prayer.

Luke 8:13, "The rocky soil represents those who hear the message with joy. But like young plants in such soil, their roots don’t go very deep. They believe for a little while, but they wilt when the hot winds of testing blow." According to Jesus, people can believe for a little while but then stop believing.

Luke 13:6-9, Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it but did not find any. So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, ‘For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’ “ ‘Sir,’ the man replied, ‘leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it. If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.’ ” God expects us to bear fruit (see Galatians 5:22). If we don't, there comes a point where we are cut down. As Matthew 3:8-10 says "Produce fruit in keeping with repentance...The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire."

John 15:5-6, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned." Jesus says "...you ARE the branches." These are saved people Jesus is talking to. And Jesus says to these believers "If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned." Is this not a picture of hell?

I Corinthians 8:9-11, "But you must be careful with this freedom of yours. Do not cause a brother or sister with a weaker conscience to stumble. You see, this is what can happen: Weak Christians who think it is wrong to eat this food will see you eating in the temple of an idol. You know there’s nothing wrong with it, but they will be encouraged to violate their conscience by eating food that has been dedicated to the idol. So because of your superior knowledge, a weak Christian, for whom Christ died, will be destroyed." According to the apostle Paul, a Christian’s faith can be destroyed.

Galatians 5:4, "You who are trying to be justified by the law have been aliented from Christ; you have fallen away from grace." Paul was writing to Gentile (non-Jewish) Christians who accepted Christ and received the Spirit apart from knowledge of the law. After Paul came false teachers who were saying these Gentile Christians had to keep the Jewish law (i.e. circumcision, etc.) to be truly saved. Paul wrote Galatians to reinforce what he taught in the first place - that salvation is by God's grace through our faith in Jesus. To those Gentile Christians who were now trying to find right standing with God through keeping the law, he says "...you have fallen away from grace." According to this verse, Christians who stop trusting in God's salvation by faith in Jesus Christ can fall away (i.e. if they start trusting in earning their salvation by keeping the law).

Colossians 2:18-19, “Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you. Such a person also goes into great detail about what they have seen; they are puffed up with idle notions by their unspiritual mind. They have lost connection with the head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow.” This verse teaches believers can lose connection with the head (who is Christ). A physical body disconnected from its head will die. In the same way, someone cut off from Christ is spiritually dead.

Hebrews 6:4-6, "For it is impossible to restore to repentance those who were once enlightened - those who have experienced the good things of heaven and shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tested the goodness of the word of God and the power of the age to come - and who then turn away from from God. It is impossible to bring such people to repentance again because they are nailing the Son of God to the cross again by rejecting him, holding him up to public shame." According this verse believers can repent, receive salvation (be enlightened), but then choose to “turn away from God.”

James 5:19, "My dear brothers and sisters, if anyone among you wanders away from the truth and is brought back again, you can be sure that the one who brings that person back will save that sinner from death and bring about the forgiveness of many sins." This verse speaks of the Christian who gradually moves away from the will of God. The Old Testament term for this is “backsliding.”

2 Peter 1:10 says, "So, dear brothers and sisters, work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen. Do these things, and you will never fall away." According to the apostle Peter, you can fall away from the faith.

2 Peter 3:17, "...be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure position." What does it mean to be carried away and to fall from a secure position? If you look at the context (i.e. v.15) salvation is what's being discussed.

Revelation 22:18-19, And I solemnly declare to everyone who hears the prophetic words of this book: If anyone adds anything to what is written here, God will add to that person the plagues described in this book. And if anyone removes any of the words of this prophetic book, God will remove that person’s share in the tree of life and in the holy city that are described in this book." According to this verse, a believer’s share in the tree of life and in the holy city (a reference to heaven) can be taken away.

In light of these verses I believe: As a Christian's salvation is received, not by an act of righteousness but by an act of faith, so the Christian's salvation is maintained, not by acts of righteousness but by a life of faith. Being a Christian then is not a matter of works; it is a matter of faith. While it is true that the Christian's salvation is not earned by his righteous deeds nor his salvation maintained by them, it is equally true that as the Christian obtains his salvation by faith, so he can lose it by unbelief. In other words: If “believers” stop believing, by definition they are no longer “believers”.

The Bible and Alcohol

At our Discover classes for new believers a common question is “What do you think about drinking alcohol?” My response is that it doesn’t matter what I think - only what the Bible says. So what DOES the Bible say about the consumption of alcohol? I’m going to share with you a blog I read by Mark Driscoll, pastor of Mars Hill Church in Seattle, that I edited and tweaked to apply to New Day Church.

HISTORICAL CONTEXT

Historically, God’s people have greatly enjoyed alcohol. In the European world one of the most Christian drinks was beer. Saint Gall was a missionary to the Celts and renowned brewer. After Charlemagne’s reign the church became Europe’s exclusive brewer. When a young woman was to get married, her church made special bridal ale for her, from which we derive our word bridal. Pastor John Calvin’s annual salary package included upwards of 250 gallons of wine to be enjoyed by he and his guests. Martin Luther explained the entire reformation as “…while I sat still and drank beer with Philip and Amsdorf, God dealt the papacy a mighty blow.” Luther’s wife Catherine was a skilled brewer and his love letters to her when they were apart lamented his inability to drink her beer. When the Puritan’s landed on Plymouth Rock the first permanent building they erected was the brewery.

In America at the turn of the 20th century some denominations began to condemn alcohol as sinful and the Methodist pastor Dr. Thomas Welch created the very “Christian” Welch’s grape juice to replace communion wine in 1869. While drunkenness is clearly prohibited in Scripture, drinking all together is not.

ALL BIBLE BELIEVING CHRISTIANS AGREE THAT DRUNKENNESS IS A SIN.

The Bible is abundantly clear that drunkenness is a sin (Deuteronomy 21:20; Ecclesiastes 10:17; Matthew 24:29; Luke 12:45; 21:34; Romans 13:13; 1 Corinthians 5:11; Ephesians 5:18; 1 Peter 4:3).

The matter is so serious that in the Old Testament no priest was to drink alcohol while performing their duties (Leviticus 10:9; Ezekial 44:21) though they could consume while not working (Numbers 18:12, 27, 30) and no king was to drink while judging law (Proverbs 31:4-5). In the New Testament an elder/pastor cannot be a drunkard (1 Timothy 3:3; Titus 1:7), and no drunkard will inherit the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:10; Galatians 5:21).

Sins associated with drunkenness include incest (Genesis 19:32-35), violence (Proverbs 4:17); adultery (Revelation 17:2); mockery and brawling (Proverbs 20:1); poverty (Proverbs 21:17); late night and early morning drinking (Isaiah 5:11-12); hallucinations (Isaiah 28:7); legendary antics (Isaiah 5:22); murder (2 Samuel 11:13), gluttony and poverty (Proverbs 23:20-21); vomiting (Jeremiah 25:27, 48:26; Isaiah 19:14); staggering (Jeremiah 25:27; Psalm 107:27; Job 12:25); madness (Jeremiah 51:7), loudness combined with laughter and then prolonged sleep (Jeremiah 51:39; nakedness (Habbakuk 2:15; Lamentations 4:21); sloth (Joel 1:5); escapism (Hosea 4:11); depression (Luke 21:34); and staying up all night (1 Thessalonians 5:7).

PROHIBITIONISTS WRONGLY TEACH THAT ALL DRINKING IS A SIN AND THAT ALCOHOL ITSELF IS AN EVIL

Psalm 104:14-15 "He God makes grass grow for the cattle, and plants for man to cultivate-bringing forth food from the earth: wine that gladdens the heart of man, oil to make his face shine, and bread that sustains his heart.”

John 2:1-11 is clear that Jesus’ first miracle was turning over 100 gallons of water into wine at a wedding party.

Matthew 11:19 "The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and "sinners." ' But wisdom is proved right by her actions."

ABSTENTIONISTS WRONGLY TEACH THAT DRINKING IS NOT SINFUL BUT THAT ALL CHRISTIANS SHOULD AVOID DRINKING OUT OF LOVE FOR OTHERS AND A DESIRE TO NOT CAUSE ANYONE TO STUMBLE

Hosea 2:8 "She has not acknowledged that I [God] was the one who gave her the grain, the new wine and oil, who lavished on her the silver and gold-which they used for Baal."

1 Timothy 4:1-5 "The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron. They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth. For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer.

1 Corinthians 10:31 "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God."

MODERATIONISTS RIGHTLY TEACH THAT DRINKING IS NOT A SIN AND THAT CHRISTIAN CONSCIENCE MUST GUIDE EACH PERSON (Romans 14)

Wine is spoken of as both good and bad in the same verses (1 Samuel 1:14, 24; 25:18, 37; Joel 1:5,10).

Apart from good feasting, alcohol in Scripture is rightly used for communion (Matthew 26:29; Mark 14:25; Luke 22:18), medicinal purposes (Proverbs 31:6; 1 Timothy 5:23), and Old Testament worship (Numbers 28:14).

Proverbs 3:9-10 "Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine."

Ecclesiastes 9:7 "Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart."

Psalm 104:14-15 "He [God] makes grass grow for the cattle, and plants for man to cultivate-bringing forth food from the earth: wine that gladdens the heart of man, oil to make his face shine, and bread that sustains his heart."

Deuteronomy 14:26 The Old Testament tither was instructed by God: "Use the silver to buy whatever you like: cattle, sheep, wine or other fermented drink, or anything you wish. Then you and your household shall eat there in the presence of the Lord your God and rejoice."

THE CONCLUSION OF THE MATTER

At New Day Church, we ask that everyone act according to their conscience when it comes to alcohol consumption. Because of past sin, some who have had problems with alcohol may need to abstain for fear of stumbling into old sinful habits. For those who enjoy alcohol with biblical moderation, we recommend using discernment when providing hospitality for others who may have conscience or addiction issues. And in the future, we look forward to the day when our Lord and Savior will prepare for us a redeemed feast with wine:

"On this mountain the LORD of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine, of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined. And he will swallow up on this mountain the covering that is cast over all peoples, the veil that is spread over all nations. He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the LORD has spoken. It will be said on that day, "Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us. This is the LORD; we have waited for him; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation." - Isaiah 25:6-9