Boaz, Beer, and a Late Night Visitor

I am gearing up for Sunday’s message, Ruth 3 is a very difficult chapter to exegete with any kind of contextual accuracy, and hits many hot button topics like sex, marriage, aggressive women, male/female communication, alcohol, parties, and salvation. Sunday is going to be fun! Pray for me as I prepare.

I know that I am conservative enough to make the Christian Hippies mad, and liberal enough to make the Wake Forest mascot mad. I want to be true to scripture and still care for my fellow man. I certainly can’t deeply cover all the topics in Ruth 3, but we will go below the surface on a couple of them including drinking alcohol.

Let me shoot a warning shot across the bow on the subject, by letting you know two facts about me.

Fact One – I grew up in an environment where I was taught that drinking at any level was a sin. I thought the Bible clearly stated that. Sadly, my pastor who taught so heavily on the subject was secretly losing his battle against alcoholism. Consequently, I have spent many hours thinking, praying, and seeking wisdom on this subject.

Fact Two – I don’t drink alcohol. My ministerial credentials are with the Assemblies of God and their stance is that no minister should drink alcohol (except Nyquil). I have made myself accountable to this fellowship, so I am under the same conviction as the students who are under 21 years old. The act of drinking for a 16 year old is full of sin because they are under the authority of the laws of this country and the law of their parents, and to willfully break either of these is sin. While my age allows me the choice to consume alcohol, my commitment to be accountable to the Assemblies of God for life and doctrine dictates that I remain abstinent on the subject. I am ok with this. I do not desire to drink, and if the Assemblies of God changed their stance, I would not be throwing a big kegger to celebrate.

This is an area of great debate, and I want to encourage you to be of gentle spirit as we enter areas that are uncomfortable for many and very personal for some.

If you want to get ready for Sunday, read Ruth 3 and then Romans 14.

On a completely random note: Happy International Pirate Day. Check out Dave Wilson’s Blog to learn more.