Scot McKnight (there’s no better God-blogger) has attacked the idea that we should go further to be purer in our “sin-avoidance” attempts, specifically with respect to alcohol:
“What I find every year in this conversation is a serious, but repeated mistake. The tack is this: If I take a stand more “biblical than the Bible,” then I can’t be wrong. That is, if I choose not to drink at all, I will keep myself from sin and all appearance of evil and will be safe. This is what I call the sin of “zealotry” — the belief that if we are more extreme than the Bible, then we can’t be wrong. Wrong.”
As someone who went along to a Christian school which in lots of ways leant pretty hard in this direction (generally, obviously not just alcohol), this is such a refreshing and freeing thing to hear. I think we’ve embraced this idea that we have to do things “just to be safe”, not recognising that it’s the same legalism we’re embracing for “safety” that Jesus railed against in the Pharisees.
And yet having said all that, I completely understand that there are very valid reasons why Christians would choose not to drink alcohol. But if the reason you’re doing it is to make yourself holier than Jesus, then maybe you’ve pushed “biblical” a bit far.
Love it.
and while they are trying to be holier than Jesus with the “Big Sins” (drinking, moral etc) we forget about the “minor sins” (jelously, greed etc) that is just as bad!!
Good post!
Great post by Scott…unfortunately a lot of the comments after his post just back up what he has just said about overzealous Christians.
Jermayn, while I hear the sentiment, I know how easily I start talking about the speck in the eye of my friends… Hopefully we can all take this on first and foremost about the log in our own eye.
Speak, logs??
mate I got forests…
Beck! Totally took me forever to work out where I knew the name from. Good to hear from you!
Mark you’re right. It’s actually quite interesting: was reading through the comments and the comments nearer the start were primarily in agreement with Scot, but as it got going it seems as if word got out to some people pretty determined to get negative and it went downhill from there.
Do you mean to say we agree on something? :p
Love it too.
Not alcohol, the post.
Well maybe alcohol a little, but not too much
… you know what I mean.
i’ll drink to that …
sorry … couldn’t resist …