LIBERTY OR LIBERTARIAN?

Bill Fitzhenry's Thoughts For Today…

Understanding important truths from the Bible….

Jeremiah 9:23-24  ESV

²³ Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, 

²⁴ but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.”

I CORINTHIANS 1:30-31

³⁰ And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, 

³¹ so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

Boast – Old Testament and New Testament – An expression of pride

In 1979 I attended a PCA General Assembly in Charlotte, N.C.  One night I went to eat with a friend who was well known among the more Reformed Brethren for his use of his Christian liberty.  He was reported to drink bourbon and smoke good cigars.  I never witnessed either of these and he certainly never boasted of the practice mentioned above.

As we were having our meal our attention was drawn to a table of young men near us.  It became evident that they were also PCA ministers.  They had finished their meal and were drinking pitchers of beer.  In time, as usual with the repeated renewing of the pitchers, they became loud and very noticeable.  They were demonstrating their Christian liberty. They embarrassed us and we left never identifying ourselves to them or to anyone else.

The consumption of alcoholic beverages has long been a subject of debate in the Christian church.  Having heard both sides and studied the issue in the Bible, there are some things about this that are very clear.  It is clear that wine in the Scriptures is not grape juice, but it is the fermented beverage the name itself indicates - and it contains alcohol.  It is clear that drinking of fermented alcoholic beverages of different kinds is not forbidden although it is not in every circumstance permissible.

The prohibition of the use of alcohol always applies to drunkenness and extends to encouraging over- indulging in other persons.  Paul writing to Timothy in I Timothy 5:23 encourages the use of wine for medicinal purpose.  A Puritan in some place wrote, “Nature needs a little, grace less.”

But the use of “spirits” socially or privately isn’t the issue.  The issue is that about which one boasts.  When the use of alcohol is the boast of a Christian minister it is indicative of what is important, or that in which he takes pride where he glories.  It must be noted that Jeremiah limits man’s boasting.

Man cannot boast in his wisdom.  He is not allowed to understand his use of the grace of God and the law of God is to be the reason for his pride.  This places the wisdom that understand Christian liberty and the privileges this brings under a very narrow limit.  The privilege itself is nothing, as the mighty man has prohibition applied to any victory he might win for himself.  The station to which one may ascend is not by personal might but it is a gift of God.  Riches is often a great source of human pride and boasting but that which is important to man has no particular favor with God.

“But” – the Divine adversative is stated.  There is a personal knowledge of God.  The personal nature of this is, “he understands (he has a Biblical knowledge of God, he worships God “in truth”,) and knows Me.”  This knowledge can be nothing less than that which derives from faith and extends to love for the true God.

The application is no less than the true character of God.  The believer rejoices in God’s loving kindness, judgment, and righteousness.  Because the Lord delights in them.  His delight is not in him who boasts in drinking dangerous drink, but His curse is.

Isaiah 5:22 NKJV

Woe to men mighty at drinking wine,
Woe to men valiant for mixing intoxicating drink,