Comments on: Living “Under the Influence” http://www.sfpulpit.com/2007/08/22/living-under-the-influence/ A Ministry of Shepherds' Fellowship Sun, 01 Mar 2009 19:54:00 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Daniel http://www.sfpulpit.com/2007/08/22/living-under-the-influence/comment-page-1/#comment-55628 Daniel Fri, 07 Sep 2007 15:46:27 +0000 http://www.sfpulpit.com/2007/08/22/living-under-the-influence/#comment-55628 Before we discuse any doctrine at all we need to affirm that we are desiring to please God and not ourselves. Anything that will take our focus off of God and increase the strength and authority of our body over our mind is sin. When Noah became drunk he did something that he obviously should not have done. All throughout scripture we can see a clear pattern concerning those who were going to be in a leadership position: they were not to drink wine. This is true of bishops(elders), priests, deacons, etc. Those who were set appart to do a work for God were not to drink wine. Why should we desire to please ourselves so much that we would limit our ministry capabilities by poluting the temple of the Holy Ghost(1Co.6:19) and creating a bad testimony. The scriptures tell us to abstain from all appearance of evil(1Th.5:22). I Submit to you that even the world knows that drinking is evil. Even those who do not profess to be christians know that they should not drink. Proverbs 20:1 tells us that wine is a mocker and he that is decived thereby is not wise. We should desire to keep a clear mind at all times so that we can be an example of the believers in word AND in conduct. We are called to be different from the world. If the world sees that there is no difference between us and the world then we have created a wrong picture of Christ-likeness. We are not our own, have been called out from the world, let us as christians show the world that our God is a righteous God. Before we discuse any doctrine at all we need to affirm that we are desiring to please God and not ourselves. Anything that will take our focus off of God and increase the strength and authority of our body over our mind is sin. When Noah became drunk he did something that he obviously should not have done.

All throughout scripture we can see a clear pattern concerning those who were going to be in a leadership position: they were not to drink wine. This is true of bishops(elders), priests, deacons, etc. Those who were set appart to do a work for God were not to drink wine.

Why should we desire to please ourselves so much that we would limit our ministry capabilities by poluting the temple of the Holy Ghost(1Co.6:19) and creating a bad testimony. The scriptures tell us to abstain from all appearance of evil(1Th.5:22). I Submit to you that even the world knows that drinking is evil. Even those who do not profess to be christians know that they should not drink.

Proverbs 20:1 tells us that wine is a mocker and he that is decived thereby is not wise. We should desire to keep a clear mind at all times so that we can be an example of the believers in word AND in conduct. We are called to be different from the world. If the world sees that there is no difference between us and the world then we have created a wrong picture of Christ-likeness. We are not our own, have been called out from the world, let us as christians show the world that our God is a righteous God.

]]> By: gisela perez http://www.sfpulpit.com/2007/08/22/living-under-the-influence/comment-page-1/#comment-54844 gisela perez Wed, 05 Sep 2007 14:29:44 +0000 http://www.sfpulpit.com/2007/08/22/living-under-the-influence/#comment-54844 Question: I was trying to sign in in the shepherds' felloship but it says that you are not taking any new members. I am very confused about the topic: under the influence. Do not get me wrong, I completely agree with waht it says about be fill with the holy spirit. But my question is this: is drinking with control a sin? if you have a cup of wine once in a while or a beer in social occasions, am I commmiting a sin?When jesus converted the water into wine in a wedding was he wrong? because I imagine that people there for sure got drunk. It was wine or it was like a fruit juice (like adventists affirm?)and when noa got drunk when he got out from the ark, was he sinning against God? I am not trying to argue, I am looking for the truth from the bible. I am a new born christian, and I am eager to know what is the truth the bible teach. If you drink but you dont get drunk, is it still a sin? thanks. Question: I was trying to sign in in the shepherds’ felloship but it says that
you are not taking any new members. I am very confused about the topic: under
the influence. Do not get me wrong, I completely agree with waht it says about
be fill with the holy spirit. But my question is this: is drinking with control
a sin? if you have a cup of wine once in a while or a beer in social occasions,
am I commmiting a sin?When jesus converted the water into wine in a wedding was
he wrong? because I imagine that people there for sure got drunk. It was wine or
it was like a fruit juice (like adventists affirm?)and when noa got drunk when
he got out from the ark, was he sinning against God? I am not trying to argue, I
am looking for the truth from the bible. I am a new born christian, and I am
eager to know what is the truth the bible teach. If you drink but you dont get
drunk, is it still a sin? thanks.

]]> By: Brian (UK) http://www.sfpulpit.com/2007/08/22/living-under-the-influence/comment-page-1/#comment-50784 Brian (UK) Sun, 26 Aug 2007 14:27:51 +0000 http://www.sfpulpit.com/2007/08/22/living-under-the-influence/#comment-50784 I think we need to be very careful about even a single drink - as Doris emphasised from her own experience no-one sets out with a desire to abuse achohol, but it will ultimately start with the first drink. We have a choice to make, do we want our decisions influenced by alcohol or the Spirit of God. In the UK it is illegal to drive a car under the influence of alcohol, or it would be a sackable offence to attend work under the influence of any amount of alcohol. Dare we as Christians, when our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit, live under the controlling influence of any amount of alcohol? Avoid it! I think we need to be very careful about even a single drink – as Doris emphasised from her own experience no-one sets out with a desire to abuse achohol, but it will ultimately start with the first drink.

We have a choice to make, do we want our decisions influenced by alcohol or the Spirit of God. In the UK it is illegal to drive a car under the influence of alcohol, or it would be a sackable offence to attend work under the influence of any amount of alcohol. Dare we as Christians, when our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit, live under the controlling influence of any amount of alcohol? Avoid it!

]]> By: Doris Anderson http://www.sfpulpit.com/2007/08/22/living-under-the-influence/comment-page-1/#comment-49922 Doris Anderson Thu, 23 Aug 2007 19:15:47 +0000 http://www.sfpulpit.com/2007/08/22/living-under-the-influence/#comment-49922 I wanted to share the fact that no one starts out with the desire to abuse the drinking of alcohol. Howwever, many are the persons that eventually become addicted to the the alcohol imbibing. This addiction starts out slowly with moderate drinking at first, but then now and again there is a time that there is over indulgence. Our society has accepted the idea that daily drinking is okay, even if you get a DUI. In that case you just pay a little fine and hope you won't get caught again. I know, because some 30 years ago I was an alcoholic who got help, and have been kept from any influence that would cause me to take that 1st drink that leads to 1000,s more. Jesus is my sobriety and I benefit in so many ways that I didn't before, because His Holy Spirit dwells in me.I can testify that my joy and gratitude are so much more uplifting than anything I tried to get out of alcohol. PTL I wanted to share the fact that no one starts out with the desire to abuse the drinking of alcohol. Howwever, many are the persons that eventually become addicted to the the alcohol imbibing. This addiction starts out slowly with moderate drinking at first, but then now and again there is a time that there is over indulgence. Our society has accepted the idea that daily drinking is okay, even if you get a DUI. In that case you just pay a little fine and hope you won’t get caught again. I know, because some 30 years ago I was an alcoholic who got help, and have been kept from any influence that would cause me to take that 1st drink that leads to 1000,s more. Jesus is my sobriety and I benefit in so many ways that I didn’t before, because His Holy Spirit dwells in me.I can testify that my joy and gratitude are so much more uplifting than anything I tried to get out of alcohol. PTL

]]> By: Dale Thackrah http://www.sfpulpit.com/2007/08/22/living-under-the-influence/comment-page-1/#comment-49818 Dale Thackrah Thu, 23 Aug 2007 06:56:45 +0000 http://www.sfpulpit.com/2007/08/22/living-under-the-influence/#comment-49818 David, I totally understand your point...thanks for the insight.I agree with Victoria that the assumption was on the ABUSE of alcohol. David,

I totally understand your point…thanks for the insight.I agree with Victoria that the assumption was on the ABUSE of alcohol.

]]> By: Victoria Lynch http://www.sfpulpit.com/2007/08/22/living-under-the-influence/comment-page-1/#comment-49764 Victoria Lynch Wed, 22 Aug 2007 20:01:09 +0000 http://www.sfpulpit.com/2007/08/22/living-under-the-influence/#comment-49764 I am interpreting the article to be about the ABUSE of alcohol--- drunkenness. I believe that Dr. Macarthur would probably prefer that believers be teetotalers, but that doesn't seem to be the focus of the article. I believe that David is right in his view. We have to be carful not to go beyond scripture. No spirit filled believer will be abusing alcohol! I am interpreting the article to be about the ABUSE of alcohol— drunkenness. I believe that Dr. Macarthur would probably prefer that believers be teetotalers, but that doesn’t seem to be the focus of the article.
I believe that David is right in his view. We have to be carful not to go beyond scripture.
No spirit filled believer will be abusing alcohol!

]]> By: David McCrory http://www.sfpulpit.com/2007/08/22/living-under-the-influence/comment-page-1/#comment-49740 David McCrory Wed, 22 Aug 2007 18:58:20 +0000 http://www.sfpulpit.com/2007/08/22/living-under-the-influence/#comment-49740 The Psalmist tells us God gave wine to make men's hearts glad. And like with all things that come to us from the hand of a benelovent God, our abuse of them quickly becomes sin. It was the wisdom and inspiration of the Holy Spirit that placed the warnings against the abuses of wine in Holy Writ, not the abstience of it altogether. And while this is often reluctantly recognized, we are tempted to add our own, "Yea but..." to the Words of the Spirit. So despite our personal preferences regarding the use of wine (the use of which in and of itself is adiaphorous) may we guard ourselves against the greater sin of going beyond what is written in the Word of God and binding our fellow Christians where the Lord has left them free. And may we judge them based not upon our own standards (as did the Pharisees) but rather on God's Word alone. The Psalmist tells us God gave wine to make men’s hearts glad. And like with all things that come to us from the hand of a benelovent God, our abuse of them quickly becomes sin. It was the wisdom and inspiration of the Holy Spirit that placed the warnings against the abuses of wine in Holy Writ, not the abstience of it altogether. And while this is often reluctantly recognized, we are tempted to add our own, “Yea but…” to the Words of the Spirit.

So despite our personal preferences regarding the use of wine (the use of which in and of itself is adiaphorous) may we guard ourselves against the greater sin of going beyond what is written in the Word of God and binding our fellow Christians where the Lord has left them free. And may we judge them based not upon our own standards (as did the Pharisees) but rather on God’s Word alone.

]]> By: Ken http://www.sfpulpit.com/2007/08/22/living-under-the-influence/comment-page-1/#comment-49684 Ken Wed, 22 Aug 2007 17:15:28 +0000 http://www.sfpulpit.com/2007/08/22/living-under-the-influence/#comment-49684 Thanks for this article. Alcohol has been a huge issue among my christian friends...they would rather walk the like than stay as far away from as possible. They are missing out on "being filled with the Holy Spirit"...having the fruits of the spirit and having the boldness and courage to change this world in God's Strength. Thank you again, Ken Thanks for this article. Alcohol has been a huge issue among my christian friends…they would rather walk the like than stay as far away from as possible. They are missing out on “being filled with the Holy Spirit”…having the fruits of the spirit and having the boldness and courage to change this world in God’s Strength.

Thank you again,
Ken

]]> By: John Heart http://www.sfpulpit.com/2007/08/22/living-under-the-influence/comment-page-1/#comment-49651 John Heart Wed, 22 Aug 2007 16:14:19 +0000 http://www.sfpulpit.com/2007/08/22/living-under-the-influence/#comment-49651 If you would like to study further, this article was adapted by John's book titled, "The Keys to Spiritual Growth". It's found at http://www.gty.org/product.php?productcode=451117 Enjoy the Blog! John H. If you would like to study further, this article was adapted by John’s book titled, “The Keys to Spiritual Growth”. It’s found at http://www.gty.org/product.php?productcode=451117

Enjoy the Blog!

John H.

]]> By: Victoria Lynch http://www.sfpulpit.com/2007/08/22/living-under-the-influence/comment-page-1/#comment-49590 Victoria Lynch Wed, 22 Aug 2007 12:42:37 +0000 http://www.sfpulpit.com/2007/08/22/living-under-the-influence/#comment-49590 What a timely article. Thanks I wonder Nate if we have permission to copy these articles? Many of them are worth passing on to people that I know. I am especially thinking about the articles on prayer. Thanks again for Pulpit magazine-- it's so helpful. What a timely article. Thanks
I wonder Nate if we have permission to copy these articles? Many of them are worth passing on to people that I know. I am especially thinking about the articles on prayer.
Thanks again for Pulpit magazine– it’s so helpful.

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