I wrote this in response to a blog that I read giving ideas for revisions to allow for the drinking of "de-alcoholized wine." These would've been revisions for the manual in the Church of the Nazarene. If you're not Nazarene don't think that this can't apply to you. Many American Protestants hold on to the same beliefs about alcohol. This is really for all Christians who hold on to this stance.
This is all absolutely ridiculous. The stance held by the denomination (as well as other protestant denominations) is completely pharisaical. I'm sorry but as I read the Bible, the pedagogical nature of the law has been fulfilled in Christ and is no longer the way things operate. Protestant Christians, at least in America, have not caught on. We're afraid people may sin so we make new laws that prohibit them from doing something that is not a sin.
I think if God wanted us to not drink alcoholic beverages He would have told us not to partake. More importantly if He didn't want us to partake, then He most definitely would not have used it as an element for the sacrament, Eucharist. God is clearly okay with me drinking alcohol, why is the Church of the Nazarene (and so many other Protestant Denominations) against it? Aren't we supposed to be on the same side as God? Instead we're on the same side as the Pharisees. We tell people that they can't be a member of our "holy club" if they partake of alcoholic beverages. We make them feel as if they can't be part of God's church, as if they're not Christians or something. We make up our own laws, rules and regulations to try to "help" people live holy lives. Our intent may be good, but it is still wrong. Instead all we really do is alienate a world that can't understand why we won't let them in when our own Bible doesn't condemn it and when our own God doesn't have a problem with it.
I am reminded of the words of Jesus, "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in people's faces."
How do we think we know better than God?
I would conclude that we are the new Pharisees. The only problem with that is that they even saw no harm in drinking alcohol.
Wow! For those of you who followed the Derek Webb fiasco to the end... Congrats are in order. I did the best I could and was there compiling music at the very end of it. For those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about, it's ok. Please keep reading!
One of my favorite Singer Songwriters is Derek Webb. He recently released an album called The Stockholm Syndrome. There was a lot of controversy surrounding this album that delayed it's release and ultimately resulted in two separate albums to appease the more conservative crowd.
The main song of controversy is titled What Matters More? I'll include the lyrics here for you to read and the video of the song.
You say you always treat people like you like to be I guess you love being hated for your sexuality You love when people put words in your mouth 'Bout what you believe, make you sound like a freak
'Cause if you really believe what you say you believe You wouldn't be so damn reckless with the words you speak Wouldn't silently consent when the liars speak Denyin' all the dyin' of the remedy
Tell me, brother, what matters more to you? Tell me, sister, what matters more to you?
If I can tell what's in your heart by what comes out of your mouth Then it sure looks to me like being straight is all it's about It looks like being hated for all the wrong things Like chasin' the wind while the pendulum swings
'Cause we can talk and debate until we're blue in the face About the language and tradition that he's comin' to save Meanwhile we sit just like we don't give a shit About 50,000 people who are dyin' today
Tell me, brother, what matters more to you? Tell me, sister, what matters more to you?
So the question is... What Matters More?
I've thought about this a lot, even before Derek released this album I had been pressed with these questions. Several months before I heard word of this song, I was listening to an old podcast of Rob Bell. In this particular sermon Rob is talking about a conversation that Jesus had with the Pharisees. During this conversation Jesus says
"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness."
What is Jesus getting at? According to Rob, and I agree with him, Jesus is telling the Pharisees that they've gotten down the legal things. They know the do's and do not's of religion. Where they are lacking is in carrying out justice, showing mercy, having faith in God and His sovereignty. They've neglected the "weightier" issues. Some translations say that they've neglected the "more important" issues. Being agents of justice and showing people mercy are more important than tithing?!?! That seems to be what Jesus is saying. Justice, Mercy, and Faithfulness are more important than the legal side of things. In fact it's this legalism that gets the Pharisees in so much trouble with Jesus.
What's important to note is that Jesus does not say that tithing is not important. It is important, in fact he goes on to say that we should to the weightier things without neglecting the others. We should do justice, show mercy without neglecting to obey those personal things that God has placed on us.
So what's my point? What do these have in common? The question that Derek asks is, "What matters more?" What matters more, the fact that there are gay people in our world or that children are starving to death? What matters more? That a new state has allowed for homosexual union, or that 50,000 people died yesterday and you didn't even shed a tear? He's not asking which one matters at all. He's asking which one matters MORE? I think that Jesus would say that the justice and mercy issues matter more. Saving the starving and diseased children.
Is that what we Christians think is more important?
I don't think that it is. Almost without fail each week I get a new e-mail in my inbox telling me to take some action against homosexuality. I either need to boycott Ford because they're advertising during a show that shows to guys kissing, or I need to write my congressman about some new law or bill that prevents people from carrying out hate crimes against homosexuals (That's another post entirely). More time, effort and money from Christians goes into a fight against homosexuals that is a one sided fight.
When I want to take action that will help prevent the spread of malaria I go to Bill Gates. That's not a Christian organization. When I want to take action that would help get clean drinking water to literally millions of people who don't have it, then I go to One.org. That's not a Christian organization.
We Christians have forgotten to concern ourselves with the things of Christ! We are so caught up in our Pharisee attitudes and our legalism that we don't show justice or mercy to a world that is in misery! A world that God loves, a world that Christ died for! His message and His gospel is not just a ticket to Heaven, but a call for a lifestyle that fights on the side of justice and mercy.
We "Christians" don't act like Christ! Hollywood is concerning themselves with the "more important" issues and yet we think that we have the right to call ourselves righteous in God's site. We think we have the right to say that we are Holy and living Holy lives simply because we are obeying the rules.
If that's what Holiness is than I, along with the Fathers of the Church have seriously misread the Bible.
So what matter's more to you as a Christian? What are you going to do? Where is your time, effort and money going to go?
There is one more quote from Derek that I would like to share. There is a verse in his song called This Too Shall Be Made Right.
I don’t know the suffering of people outside my front door I join the oppressors of those who i choose to ignore I’m trading comfort for human life and that’s not just murder it’s suicide
Let's join together and concern oursleves with the more important matters, not neglecting the others.
