Chapel Messages
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Dr. Randy JaeggliListen:
Dr. Randy Jaeggli preached today, delving into the issue of whether or not we should drink alcoholic beverages. Dr. Jaeggli’s thesis is, “Abstinence from drinking alcoholic beverages is not legalistic; it is simply the only wise position to take.”
Not all faculty and staff members come from a Christian home or a Bible background. Dr. Jaeggli went to a secular university and joined Campus Crusade for Christ. He went to dinner with some of his Christian friends, and some of them ordered beer. Dr. Jaeggli had seen alcohol ruin the lives of many students on campus. As a saved man he did not want to be identified with the drinking culture, so he declined to drink with them. They accused him of being a legalist. Taking a stand for abstinence of alcoholic beverages is not legalism; it is simply wisdom.
- People drank alcoholic beverages in biblical times as a means of safe hydration (Psalm 104:10-15). In Psalm 104:15, man’s heart is glad that his physical provisions have been met. After battle, Abram needed food and hydration (Genesis 14:18). Drinking today is not equivalent to drinking in biblical times.
- When people, even during biblical times, viewed alcoholic beverages as a sensual experience, drunkenness and God’s judgment were the result. Solomon, under divine inspiration, gave a description of the danger of wine (Proverbs 23:29-35). If there was a danger of abusing wine, which was much less intoxicating during biblical times when wine was used for hydration, what about today? There is no good purpose for drinking alcoholic beverages today.
- Drunkenness is a unique sin. Some people have a genetic propensity toward alcohol. Alcohol is like any other drug – it alters your brain. When you experience euphoria from drinking alcohol, you are altering your neuro receptors which are producing an indelible memory of that euphoria. This alteration of the neuro receptors in the brain is extremely dangerous, because even when a former alcoholic stays “dry” for decades, that altered brain has still been conditioned bio-chemically to have a craving for alcohol.
Our spiritual forbearers fought some wonderful battles to establish abstinence in our country – men like Billy Sunday and Dr. Bob Jones Sr. These were men who were committed to a position of abstinence. We, as their spiritual successors, ought not to take a different position. In Jeremiah 35, the Rechabites refused to drink wine because their ancestor, Rechab, had made them promise to never drink wine. The Lord noted that these men were faithful to their promise to their ancestor. God brought permanent prosperity and success to the Rechabites because they followed the wise counsel of their forbearers.
Why would you who have godly parents who have warned you against drinking, break their hearts by going against the honor they’re due and violate their hopes for you? Why would you turn your back on a wise decision of abstinence? Nobody can make that choice for you. Make a choice for wisdom, security, safety and proper testimony, not just with your fellow believers, but with unbelievers as well.
Will you today bow your head and ask the Lord to give you the strength and courage never to drink alcohol?