I came across an article on Facebook a few years back titled “Can a Christian drink alcohol?” It did an excellent job of warning people of the very real dangers of alcohol. It’s important. People need to hear those dangers loud and clear.
Alcohol, when abused, causes much pain. My grandfather was an alcoholic and was part of AA his whole life. I understand.
The Problem With Our Current Debate
But here’s the issue: every person I have heard preach against alcohol has stopped short of the real problem alcohol represents.
In stopping short, they make alcohol out to be evil when there is nothing in Scripture or in 2,000 years of church writing that would show alcohol as evil.
- Alcohol is not evil
- The abuse of it is
- The excessive reliance on it is
Alcohol doesn’t ruin marriages as many claim. It’s something far more sinister that ruins marriages. Just talking about the adverse side effects of alcohol isn’t even intellectually honest.
My Experience With Church Culture
I grew up in a church culture that, through proof-texting and liberal interpretation of Scripture, taught that Jesus never drank wine—he only drank grape juice.
I have also been in situations where I have been teased by Christians because I was not drinking alcohol.
Both approaches are wrong.
The Real Issue We’re Missing
We stop short in the debate over alcohol consumption when we fail to communicate that the problem is not fermented grapes; the problem is you and me.
We hammer on the symptom but fail to address the cancer far below.
Tim Keller’s Insight on Heart Idols
I love how Tim Keller, in his commentary on Romans, addresses the idols of our hearts:
In the book of Romans, Paul develops a profound anatomy of sin. He shows us that sin goes much deeper than mere behavioral violations; it begins at the motivational level. This is why, as he will go on to explain in Romans 8, sin cannot be resisted through mere willpower. The only cure to sin through the application of gospel truth by the Holy Spirit, at the motivational level.
Keller’s Six-Point Framework:
1. Our Root Problem
Our unwillingness to glorify God, to give Him the centrality that is His due.
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2. We Create False Gods
Therefore, we choose to create things to be our “gods.” In order to deny God control of our lives, each of us chooses a created thing (or things) to live for and worship instead.
3. We Live by Life Lies
Therefore, each life is distorted by a life lie. At the base of all our life choices, our emotional structure, and our personality is a false belief system centered on an idol—the belief that something besides God can give us the life and joy that only God can give.
