By Pastor Bruce Oyen
E-mail: bk_oyen@hotmail.com
The Southern Baptist Convention has an official statement promoting abstinence from alcoholic beverages:
On Alcohol Use In America
June 2006
June 2006
WHEREAS, Years of research confirm biblical warnings that alcohol use leads to physical, mental, and emotional damage (e.g., Proverbs 23:29-35); and
WHEREAS, Alcohol use has led to countless injuries and deaths on our nation's highways; and
WHEREAS, The breakup of families and homes can be directly and indirectly attributed to alcohol use by one or more members of a family; and
WHEREAS, The use of alcohol as a recreational beverage has been shown to lead individuals down a path of addiction to alcohol and toward the use of other kinds of drugs, both legal and illegal; and
WHEREAS, There are some religious leaders who are now advocating the consumption of alcoholic beverages based on a misinterpretation of the doctrine of "our freedom in Christ"; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the messengers to the Southern Baptist Convention meeting in Greensboro, North Carolina, June 13-14, 2006, express our total opposition to the manufacturing, advertising, distributing, and consuming of alcoholic beverages; and be it further
RESOLVED, That we urge that no one be elected to serve as a trustee or member of any entity or committee of the Southern Baptist Convention that is a user of alcoholic beverages.
RESOLVED, That we urge Southern Baptists to take an active role in supporting legislation that is intended to curb alcohol use in our communities and nation; and be it further
RESOLVED, That we urge Southern Baptists to be actively involved in educating students and adults concerning the destructive nature of alcoholic beverages; and be it finally
RESOLVED, That we commend organizations and ministries that treat alcohol-related problems from a biblical perspective and promote abstinence and encourage local churches to begin and/or support such biblically-based ministries.
WHEREAS, Alcohol use has led to countless injuries and deaths on our nation's highways; and
WHEREAS, The breakup of families and homes can be directly and indirectly attributed to alcohol use by one or more members of a family; and
WHEREAS, The use of alcohol as a recreational beverage has been shown to lead individuals down a path of addiction to alcohol and toward the use of other kinds of drugs, both legal and illegal; and
WHEREAS, There are some religious leaders who are now advocating the consumption of alcoholic beverages based on a misinterpretation of the doctrine of "our freedom in Christ"; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the messengers to the Southern Baptist Convention meeting in Greensboro, North Carolina, June 13-14, 2006, express our total opposition to the manufacturing, advertising, distributing, and consuming of alcoholic beverages; and be it further
RESOLVED, That we urge that no one be elected to serve as a trustee or member of any entity or committee of the Southern Baptist Convention that is a user of alcoholic beverages.
RESOLVED, That we urge Southern Baptists to take an active role in supporting legislation that is intended to curb alcohol use in our communities and nation; and be it further
RESOLVED, That we urge Southern Baptists to be actively involved in educating students and adults concerning the destructive nature of alcoholic beverages; and be it finally
RESOLVED, That we commend organizations and ministries that treat alcohol-related problems from a biblical perspective and promote abstinence and encourage local churches to begin and/or support such biblically-based ministries.
It was taken from their website: http://www.sbc.org/. Here is a direct link to the statement:
The General Association Of Regular Baptists also has an official statement promoting abstinence from alcoholic beverages. The quotes from scholars of New Testamant Greek make it especially helpful. Here is a link to the full statement: http://www.garbc.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Total-Abstinence-1978.pdf
Here is the conclusion to the statement:
WHEREAS most fundamental Baptist Churches historically have taken
the position of total abstinence from alcoholic beverages; and our own
GARBC fellowship on previous occasions has passed resolutions
favoring total abstinence from alcoholic beverages; and the majority of
the churches in fellowship with the GARBC have church covenants
which commit their members to “abstain from the sale and use of
intoxicating drink as a beverage” or words which carry a similar
meaning; and, due to changing ethical standards, there have been
mounting pressures on Christians to lower their standard of total
abstinence from alcoholic beverages to that of “moderation” only;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that we, the messengers of the churches
in fellowship with the General Association of Regular Baptist Churches,
meeting in annual session in Lakeland, Florida, June 26–30, 1978, for
all the foregoing reasons, reaffirm our historic position of total
abstinence from alcoholic beverages which we believe to be, both
specifically and in principle, not only a soundly Biblical position, but
also the only practical position for God's people; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution be published in
Baptist Bulletin
churches in fellowship with the General Association of Regular Baptist
Churches and our other brethren as well, for their mutual
encouragement in this “evil day” in which we “stand” (Eph. 6:11–14).
