New Christian

I need some advice here.
I recently met a guy at a friends house who said he was a christian.He said he came to the Lord within the year. I noticed he had a beer in his hand and after we began talking, he admitted to me that unless he has a beer, he doesnt socialize much and never has the "guts" to speak about Jesus. Now I didnt want to put him in condemnation and tell him that the Holy Spirit will not work through him in a state of drunkiness or even slightly intoxicated. Was I right in thinking this or can the Holy Spirit still help him witness with his "relaxed state" if you will? What advice can I give him regarding his alcohol intake.I have only met him once and do not know his whole story, but if I can be an influence to him,all the better.
GOD Bless

I am probably not the best person to help you with your friend here but I will say this, it took God six days to make the world and he is God, so just because we accept Jesus Christ into our lives don't mean were going to change "everything" overnight, give the Holy Spirit some time to work within him he will be molded into a different person on "Gods" timing , you know why I know this? I was just like your friend. :-)

Two words: no condemnation.

Jesus drank wine, plenty of devout Christians drink... if he feels the spirit leading him to give up drinking altogether than that is is peragotive. He isn't any less of a Christian if he chooses to drink or not. He should abstain from drunkeness.

CH Spurgeon had a drink every evening and would often discuss theology with his friends over a pint. CS Lewis continued to drink after his conversion. There is nothing in the bible or Christian history that should lead us to believe that giving up alchohal is a biblical mandate.

From my own testimony, my grandfather is an alchoholic and I know it is in my family's nature to be impulsive and compulsive. In my grandfather this comes out in drinking and gambling, in my mother eating, in my older brother TV and Music, in me eating... but I know that if I started to drink I might easily take it to excess and then find myself at the bottom of a hole.

I have thus been convicted to abstain from alchohal altogether, except for an occasional glass of wine with friends or family (maybe once a year). In which it would be more rude to refuse than to accept -especially when the others are Christians.

If he doesn't have a problem with drinking, don't make it one. Let the spirit convict him if it's something he needs to give up!

You have been given some good advice.

I would like to add:

Make yourself available to him. Let him know you are willing to answer questions and help him in his new life.

God bless

TJ

He said he came to the Lord

he admitted to me that unless he has a beer, he doesnt socialize much and never has the "guts" to speak about Jesus.

I knew someone like that (a 25 yo) - and every time I would come close to addressing the issue of his drinking, he quickly told me about alt the wonderful things God was doing in his life. Clearly he was in significant denial.

It is not the can of beer that is the problem as much as the reason for the need of it: to drown out a lot of shame, fear, and insecurity. It seems like he’s not ready to admit all that, or maybe it’s just that he doesn’t know you. It looks like he is trying to deny his troubles - hiding behind the beer, and his "non-socializing nature". Clearly he has some significant bondages.

If the Lord leads, you could try to build a relationship where he can feel safe to be honest about himself, without fearing rejection. And hopefully the Lord will open the door for you to address your concern about the apparent inconsistencies, and encourage him to trust in Christ.

Diane

This might not be the most popular stance on drinking, but I found this article and thought it was interesting.

http://www.sdarm.net/books/wine.html

Rom 14:21 [It is] good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor [any thing] whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.

It seems to me that we should abstain from all things that would give even the slightest possibility of having a brother fall. I never had a drinking problem, but know many that have had one. If your were to give them alcohol, it might lead them back into that lifestyle. For them to say that they can't drink, and for me to tell them its alright, wouldn't it be my fault if they fall?
Also, a lot of people say that Jesus drank wine. I'm not going to comment on that, there is plenty that article says about that, but they say that He drank wine and then sit down and have a beer. From my understanding, beer and wine and very different.
I personaly want to get away from anything that has to do with my old lifestlye, my flesh and the devil. I want to be totally given to God.
I minister at the city jail weekly in my city, and had a guy tell me that he couldn't find anything against smoking weed in the bible. Before I took him to scriptutes, I told him that if he was searching in Gods word to justify what he wanted to do, he probably shouldn't be doing it.

If the man is depending on the alcohol to do God's work, then it is not God's work the man is doing. God can only work through someone who has been abandoned to Christ. As such, a person needs to be completely dependent upon Christ in all ways so that Christ can work through him. However, if a man is drinking for support and dependence to carry through difficulty, then that man is putting "beer" before Jesus, and thus is worshiping an idol.

If this man truly loves Christ, he will give all things to Christ including his drinking. Beer will not help him to do God's work, it will only make him vulnerable to the enemy.

Would this man drink if he were driving? Would he drink as a fireman or a doctor or any other live saving activity? In a time of difficulty, will he turn to Jesus or beer? Would he allow a child to drink beer?

As a new follower in Christ, he needs to be discipled in matters of faith. How can he be discipled if the Church does not speak? The Lord has obviously put you in this situation. How can the Lord use you if you resist due to fear?

There is no need to condemn him for His actions. To condemn him is to question his salvation. However, you do need to hold him accountable. Do this in love and humility, as though you were counseling a close friend. Let him know that all he needs is Jesus and that beer cannot help.

If the Lord has put this matter on your heart, then you must also consider that the Lord may want to use you. Jesus may want to speak to this man through you. If that is the case, you must consider this as you could fall into sin. Will you obey?

Surrender this matter to Jesus and ask Him to give you the words to say. May Christ be the one to speak through you. Your friend may not heed the words immediately, but the seed needs to be planted.

In Christ,
Blake