Take It Slow | Taking a Stroll on the Links

Getting By With a Little Help for My Friends - Taking a Stroll on the Links

Written by Douglas Wilson

Wednesday, 17 August 2011 08:12

John MacArthur recently wrote on the question of alcohol consumption, which you all can read here. Frankly, given his exegetical abilities and his dedication to the teaching of Scripture, this was profoundly disappointing. As it happened, a month or so ago, I read the manuscript of Joel McDurmon's latest book, What Would Jesus Drink?, in order to blurb it (which I happily did). And now this self-same Joel has answered John MacArthur's post here.

But as you follow such exchanges, remember that more things than alcohol can go to your head. Don't run to your keyboards to type heatedly. Open your Bibles, like you would pour a good pint, and take it slow.

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Melissa Lien

Wednesday, August 17, 2011 10:00 am

I was disappointed too when I read MacArthur's blog. Thought I would share a blog post of a YRR which I found interesting in response to MacArthur. You can read it here http://www.ordinarypastor.com/?p=8366&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Irishcalvinistcom+%28Irish+Calvinist%29.

William Truax

Wednesday, August 17, 2011 3:50 pm

Thank you, Pastor Wilson, for posting these two articles. I suppose we should encourage all the prohibitionists to apply the same logic to the sex act. One can never become an adulterer or fornicator if one takes a vow of chastity. In fact, there are so many biblical injunctions against the improper use of sex that I really don't see why they haven't made the broad, sweeping application to sex that they so readily use with alcohol.

morgan

Wednesday, August 17, 2011 5:18 pm

The feisty side of me always wants to leave a comment to teetotalers congratulating them on their soon and coming vow of celibacy.

Matt Robison

Wednesday, August 17, 2011 7:37 pm

Or their soon and coming vow to only subsist on breadcrumbs and water. Because, you know, its so easy to slip into gluttony.

Michael Slone

Thursday, August 18, 2011 2:16 am

(1) MacArthur lands some fair blows on the YRR. He is spot on about Calvinists adopting all the habits that their mothers deemed vices. When a pastor looks like a rebellious kid, it usually goes deeper than the clothes.

(2) Not that it's anything new, but JMac is ignorant of the church's historic teaching on alcohol consumption. He acts like drinking in the Church is a novel thing, which it ain't. And the thing about non-alcoholic wine in the New Testament - a kind of Biblical O'Douls - is just egregious.

(3) Maybe the pot's calling the kettle black, but he certainly mIntained his usual curmudgeonly tone. This goes amiably along with his lame arguments lifted off the prohibitionists of yesteryear. Those points aren't even worth refuting. They are as silly as they are impotent.

Gianni

Thursday, August 18, 2011 3:27 am

Ladies and gentlemen, at your left you can see a famous collection of Bible passages affirming that it's a sin to break God's specific commandments regarding sex, food and drink.

At your right you can see a collection of Bible passages saying it's a doctrine of devils to prohibit marriage and impose "touch not, taste not, handle not, marry not" policies as a matter of Christian ethics.

Please consider refraining from setting either collection on fire. Join me instead, and as we continue our tour to the next room, let's all walk right here in the middle of the aisle.

Rod Story - liberty and maturity

Thursday, August 18, 2011 5:13 am

Someone on "Grace to you" did publish a clarification (softening?) of MacArthur's blog post. http://www.gty.org/Blog/B110815#.Tk0NTWbR0op

Frankly, its both and issue of christian liberty and maturity. MacArthur's post should have couched it in those terms. http://www.ligonier.org/learn/devotionals/christian-liberty/

In Moscow, we have a term for those YRR's who have newly discovered beer~"fatheads"

(Thanks for the term, Yoost)
And then we quietly take them aside as brothers and encourage them to grow up!

Steve Reed - Tour de force in missing the point

Friday, August 19, 2011 9:49 am

Bro. Doug, I'm likely too late to this party for my comment to be read, but in case you look at old comments, here goes anyway: You missed MacArthur's point. I read his article, and he did a great job of skewering a certain yahoo-ism that has uglied up the Reformed movement. The obsessively casual, striving-to-be-hip, occasionally foul-mouthed stuff that comes from some in the the YRR crowd is immature and a poor reflection of Gospel-affected character. Take your quote from Stott today and place it beside your post on MacArthur's beer article, then try to reason your way across the chasm between them, and I think you'll see what I mean. You're about my favorite writer on the net (no kidding, and despite your prickly attitude toward us Baptists!), but on that particular issue, MacArthur's article was right on the money.

Bro. Steve

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