I grew up, was trained in ministry, and have served in a denomination that tends to frown on alcohol intake. I’ve only had four sips of alcohol in my life. All of them were just that — sips. Three of those four instances were in cases where I felt like my witness was at stake. This passage makes me think about that. As Paul talks about food, he seems to say we should eat whatever unbelievers put in front of us — not letting conscience get in our way. I wonder if we can apply this to alcohol use. If an unbeliever puts a glass of alcohol in front of us, are we obligated by the Gospel to try it instead of using our beliefs as an excuse? I don’t know. I’m just thinking.
September 7, 2008 at 7:25 pm
Interesting thought. I’d say God gave us our conscience, so we must use it. The issue then comes down to is it really your conscience or a social thing. I’m not going to answer it for you, but I’ll tell you this. When it comes to Christian standars, unbelievers can often be understanding and defensive of your choice.