Of Baptists, alcohol, and the Bible

    Well, mostly of alcohol and the Bible, but hopefully I’ll be allowed to keep my Baptist Card™ after writing this post. For the record, I do not disapprove of alcohol consumption in moderation, though many, if not most, in my denomination (SBC) do.

    As a Reformed Baptist, I hold to the Reformation principle of Sola Scriptura – that Scripture is the sole source of written divine revelation, which alone can bind the conscience and is the standard by which all Christian behavior must be measured. So, I am correct in my understanding only to the extent that that understanding corresponds to Scripture. Likewise, those who would disagree are correct only to the extent that that disagreement corresponds to Scripture. I hope that makes sense.

    On to the point (which won’t be made by me, I just agree that it’s correct). A couple of months ago, through the miracle of the internet, I ran across a link to a Sunday evening bible study at Omaha Bible Church that I enjoyed listening to (Free Will: Fact or Fiction). Recently, while looking for new material for my iPod, I went back and found this series – Wine or Welch’s? It’s an examination of alcohol in the Bible with a sermon on Romans 14 between its two parts. I’ll share my notes from the series here and recommend the audio to all interested parties.

Notes:

1. Wine in the Bible is alcoholic: Gen 9:21, Num 6:3, Eph 5:18, Is 28:7
2. Wine in the Bible is seen as good: Gen 27:28-29, Deut 28:39, Matt 9:17, 21:33
3. Wine in the Bible is likened to marital sex: Song 1:2, 4:10, 5;1, 7:2, 8:2
4. Wine in the Bible is seen as a blessing from God: Deut 7:13, 15:14, 33:28-29, II Chr 31:4-10, Prov 3:9-10, Eccl 9:7, Is 24:7-11, Zech 9:15, 17 (some of these show God taking away this blessing)
5. Logical insertion: The possibility of abuse does not make the thing abused bad. Alcohol, sex, and food can all be abused, but no one (for the most part) would ban all food or marital sex. (The fact that abuse means to use improperly implies that the thing used wrongly actually has a proper use. That may be one of the reasons why some prohibitionists leap to the position that alcohol is in and of itself evil, so as to bypass the question of proper use.)
6. Wine in the Bible is given as a sacrifice that is pleasing to God: Ex 29:40, Lev 23:13, Num 15:5-10, 18:12, 28:14, I Chr 9:29
7. Wine in the Bible is enjoyed by Jesus and his followers: Matt 11:19, 26:26-29
8. Logical insertion: If one claims to be a prohibitionist because they live by a “higher standard,” think on this: Do you mean higher than Jesus? The implications of an affirmative answer are quite frightening.
9. Wine in the Bible is used for the Lords Supper: Matt 26:26-29
10. Historical insertion: Dr. Welch, a pietistic methodist, believed that no Christian should drink alcohol, and thus, developed an “unfermented sacramental wine” in 1869 (which is good – the juice, not the belief).
11. Wine in the Bible is to be enjoyed with Jesus in the Kingdom: Matt 26:29, Is 25:6
12. Wine in the Bible is made by Jesus: John 2:1-11
13. Wine in the Bible is given by God for gladdening hearts: Ps 104, I Chr 12:40, Prov 31:6
14. Wine in the Bible is a hindrance to success if loved: Prov 21:17
15. Wine in the Bible is not for drunkenness: Prov 20:1, 23:29-35, Is 5:11, Rom 13:13-14, I Cor 6:9-10, Gal 5:19-21, Eph 5:18, Is 28:7
16. Wine in the Bible is forbidden categorically by those who have fallen away from the faith and are promoting demonic doctrine: I Tim 4:1-5 (There may be room for disagreement here, but I agree that wine would fall under foods and that the prohibitionist position is, at the very least, advocating a type of righteousness other than the kind we need, which is the righteousness of Christ.)
17. Wine in the Bible is forbidden in unique instances and while preforming certain functions: Lev 10:9, Ezk 44:22, Num 6:3, Prov 31:4-5, Eccl 10:16-17, Is 28:1-7
18. Humorous insertion: Daniel didn’t drink the kings wine…but he didn’t eat the kings food either.
19. Wine in the Bible can be enjoyed by church leaders in moderation (just like everyone else): I Tim 3:1-8, Titus 1:7-9, 2:3
20. Wine in the Bible is not the only form of alcohol allowed in the Bible: Deut 14:24-26
21. Wine in the Bible is to be enjoyed thoughtfully: Romans 14

    That’s the meat of Pastor Abendroth’s presentation (with a few comments from me), and it’s far more thoughtful and exhaustive than anything I could put together. I’m hard pressed to find any serious disagreement with his presentation or citations. And so it is that when I look at this subject in the light of the whole of Scripture, I cannot help but conclude that alcohol is a gift from God, given with His wisely placed boundaries, and meant to be enjoyed within those boundaries by His people.

iTunesU at Reformed Theological Seminary

I am asked why feminists associate male chauvinism with Puritanism, and the short answer is that they are ignorant, that’s why.
~ Dr. J.I. Packer

I’ve added a new resource to the sidebar. Reformed Theological Seminary has audio from various classes available through their iTunes U website (hat tip: A Pilgrims Progress). Course audio from classes on the Old and New Testament, Apologetics, Systematic Theology, Church History and other areas of study are available free of charge. It does require iTunes, but iTunes is free too. And what Reformed Christian wouldn’t want to hear Dr. J.I. Packer lecture on the History and Theology of the Puritans?

Civics Quiz

You answered 56 out of 60 correctly — 93.33%
Average score for this quiz during September: 75.2%

I’m not a big fan of internet quizzes, especially those like “What Simpson’s Character are you?” or “What Mammal are you?” or some other such nonsense. You know the type. They give answers like “You are 87% Groundskeeper Willie” or “You are 98% Polecat.” These are pure time-sinks, nothing else.

But I eat up quizzes like this one from The National Civics Literacy Board. It’s a real quiz on a real topic that test one’s real knowledge. So if you have the time, take the quiz. And I suppose there’s no need to feel bad if you don’t score that well as it seems that even Americas top colleges can’t put together an average better than D+. It’s a shame, given the amount of money spent on education, both public and collegiate.

Brief thoughts upon finishing ‘The Dominion of Sin and Grace’

Sin will be in us; it will lust, fight, and entice us; but the great question, as unto our peace and comfort, is, whether it hath dominion over us or no. ~ John Owen

Although I’ve read bits and pieces of John Owen’s writing, this is the first that I’ve read all the way through, and I have to agree with those who say that Owen is “hard to read.” It’s not the Kings English or archaisms or extra long sentences that gave me trouble, but instead it’s what a few have referred to as his density. Owen’s writing is very dense. To clarify, I mean dense as in a large mass occupying a small volume. Just about every paragraph or two could stand on its own as a solemn warning or useful instruction. There is very little filler material here. So while reading I was alternately blown away by an insight or slapped in the face by reproof (I’m dense in the other meaning, so this is a good thing). The result is that I often lost sight of how the part fit in the whole and had to retrace the route in order to make the larger connection. And while I didn’t think of it until after finishing the piece, the solution to this problem is present in the piece itself. Owen writes in outline form (numbered sections, subsections, &c) so by keeping a notepad at your side and making an outline of your own, one could more easily see those larger connections. I intend to try this method for the next piece from Owen that I read.

As a parting shot, here’s a quote regarding an idea that I for one would do well to keep in mind.

Carefully inquire and try whether such things which you may do or approve of in yourselves do not promote the power of sin, and help on its rule in you. This method David prescribes, Ps. xix. 12, 13. “Secret sins,” such as are not known to be sins, it may be, to ourselves, make way for those that are “presumptuous.” Thus pride may seem to be nothing but a frame of mind belonging unto our wealth and dignity, or our parts and abilities; sensuality may seem to be but a lawful participation of the good things of this life; passion and peevishness, but a due sense of the want of that respect which we suppose due unto us; covetousness, a necessary care of our selves and our families. If the seeds of sin are covered with such pretences, they will in time spring up and bear biter fruit in the minds and lives of men. And the beginnings of all apostasy, both in religion and morality, lie in such pretences. Men plead they can do so and so lawfully, until they can do things openly unlawful.

John Owen on sensuality and uncleanness of life

It is said of some that they have “eyes full of adultery,” and that they “cannot cease from sin,” 2 Pet. ii. 14; that is their imaginations are continually working about the objects of their unclean lusts. These they think of night and day, immiring themselves in all filth continually. Jude calls them “filthy dreamers, defiling the flesh,” verse 8. They live as in a constant pleasing dream by their vile imaginations, even when they cannot accomplish their lustful desires; for such imaginations cannot be better expressed than by dreams, wherein men satisfy themselves with a supposed acting of what they do not. Hereby do many wallow in the mire of uncleanness all their days, and for the most part are never wanting unto the effects of it when they have opportunity and advantage; and by this means the most cloistered recluses may live in constant adulteries, whereby multitudes of them become actually the sinks of uncleanness. This is that which, in the root of it, is severely condemned by our Saviour, Matt. v. 28. (emphasis added)
~ John Owen, The Dominion of Sin and Grace

It hasn’t been all that long ago since I was lead to the exact same conclusion. And here, Owen’s writing reaches through the centuries to confirm that conclusion. This understanding has lead to other unanswered questions, but it’s the Lord who has brought me this far, and I’m content to wait on the Lord for those answers.

Bibliology CD from Bethlehem Bible Church

Primarily, [the opponents of Christianity] use our own scriptures as the greatest tool to the destruction of the faith of the saints.
~ Dr. James White

    Back in March James White put on a bibliology class at Bethlehem Bible Church in West Boylston Massachusetts. CD’s in mp3 format are available for $10 from the church. It’s not a highly produced affair, it’s just a recording of what went down during the class. It’s also more apologetic than technical. As an example, after listening to the 12+ hours of audio I still couldn’t tell you the difference between the UBS and NA27 critical texts, but the information presented is probably more useful to a layman than such tidbits.

    Slides from the course (PDF format) and the first two of the eight audio files are available for free from their website. The heart of the class can be gotten from the slides alone, so if your not interested spending 10 bucks you can still pick up a lot of information free of charge. Topics covered include:

Transmission
Translation
Canonization
Sola Scriptura
Apocrypha
King James Only-ism
Watchtower Bible and Tract Society (Jehovah’s Whitenesses)

John Wycliff on the authority of Scripture

Even though there were a hundred popes and though every mendicant monk were a cardinal, they would be entitled to confidence only in so far as they accorded with the Bible.

“The Man of Sin” by Kim Riddlebarger

    From the Left Behind books to two hour specials on the History Channel, Antichrist sensationalism is wide spread. Hal Lindsey and like minded thinkers believe this emissary of Satan and harbinger of the end times is currently alive and well, living in Europe. And according to these adherents of the Dispensational school, soon the Church will be raptured from the earth leaving this embodiment of evil to unleash a reign of deception and terror on those left behind. But if you find the current and popular conceptions of Antichrist portrayed in film and fiction to be a little over the top, or are worried that such sources have informed your understanding of this figure to a greater degree than Scripture, then I have a book for you.

    Written by Dr. Kim Riddlebarger, pastor of Christ Reformed Church in Anaheim California and a visiting professor at Westminster Seminary California, The Man of Sin is a sober look at a topic that is often presented with something less than sobriety.

Pros:

    Riddlebarger spends a good bit of time on the Dispensational view of this figure and and its impact on pop culture. From my reading, he presents this school of thought fairly while arguing strongly against it. He covers the various points of view regarding topics such as “the mark of the beast”, the 70 weeks in Daniel and the different identifications of the pronouns used in that portion of Scripture, proto-antichrists of the Old Testament, the abomination of desolation, &c; basically everything one would expect to see in such a book.

    The section on the doctrine of Antichrist throughout church history was quite informative, dealing with the Church Fathers, the Reformers and Catholic thought. An appendix deals briefly but convincingly with the dating of the book of Revelation.  And I particularly liked the discussion of antichrist in the epistles of John, where Riddlebarger reiterates the biblical teaching that “many antichrists have come” already.

Cons:

    Riddlebarger frequently uses words like ‘obvious’ and ‘clearly’ and at a few of these points I would have preferred ‘probable’ or ‘possible’, but Riddlebarger is writing as a convinced Amillennialist, a position I am sympathetic to but not yet fully on board with. I suspect that those in other millennial camps will react in a similar manner.

Conclusion:

    Written on a very specific and narrow topic, Riddlebarger’s book is informative on historical, scriptural and cultural levels. I would recommend it to any layman seeking to gain a broader understanding of the topic in these areas.

______________

Perspective: Amillennial
Pages: 191 text, 236 total
Documentation: end-notes, selected bibliography
Index: Scripture and subject indexes

Excerpts from The Treasury of David: Psalm 1:4-6

4 THE ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.

We now come the the second head of the Psalm. In this verse the contrast of the ill estate of the wicked is employed to heighten the colouring of that fair and pleasant picture which precedes it. The more forcible translation of the Vulgate and of the Septuagint version is–”Not so the ungodly, not so.” And we are hereby to understand that whatever good thing is said of the righteous is not true in the case of the ungodly. Oh! how terrible is it to have a double negative put upon the promise! And yet this is just the condition of the ungodly.

5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

They shall stand there to be judged, but not to be acquitted. Fear shall lay hold upon them there: They shall not stand their ground; they shall flee away; they shall not stand in their own defence; for they shall blush and be covered with eternal contempt… Sinners cannot live in heaven. They would be out of their element. Sooner could a fish live upon a tree than the wicked in Paradise. Heaven would be an intolerable hell to an impenitent man, even if he could be allowed to enter; but such a privilege shall never be granted to the man who perseveres in his iniquities. May God grant that we may have a name and a place in his courts above!

6 For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous; but the way of the ungodly shall perish.

Or, as the Hebrew hath it yet more fully, “The Lord is knowing the way of the righteous.” He is constantly looking on their way, and though it may be often in mist and darkness, yet the Lord knoweth it. If it be in the clouds and tempest of affliction, he understandeth it… “But the way of the ungodly shall perish.” Not only shall they perish themselves, but their way shall perish too… May the Lord cleanse our hearts and our ways, that we may escape the dooms of the ungodly, and enjoy the blessedness of the righteous!

~ Charles H. Spurgeon

______________________

Excerpts from The Treasury of David, Pilgrim Publications, vol. 1

Ones answer is important.

Can any spiritual eye behold Christ dying for sin, and continue to live in sin? Shall we keep that alive in us which he died for, that it might not eternally destroy us? Can we behold him bleeding for our sins and not endeavour to give them their death-wound?

~ John Owen, The Dominion of Sin and Grace