ABSTAIN, RESTRAIN, REFRAIN, WHAT DO THEY MEAN IN RESPECT TO CHRISTIANITY?
@WEPromote It should only matter to yourself. http://t.co/9fYxDSR7ET
— Robert Richard (@tripler5064) July 12, 2013
Abstinence is a word that is used in Christianity that does more to bringing harm in leading people to Christ than it does good. The reason probably is that when and where it is used it is not with the full understanding of what scripture actually says. As with many issues in life, a lot of Christians try to boil them down into passages that are taken out of context and then misinterpreted to fit their own agendas.
The definition of abstain from THE MIRIAM WEBSTER ONLINE DICTIONARY - abstain is; "to refrain deliberately and often with an effort of self-denial from an action or practice". To fully understand this definition, refrain needs to also be defined, it has a meaning to "keep under control" " to limit, restrict, or keep under control". The other word is "refrain" which means "To hold oneself back".
These definitions all dealing with abstaining do not infer the complete lack or absence of an action, they all infer control and moderation within the context of the situation. Sex and alcohol are two things that Christian doctrines come down heavy on. In the spirit of the scriptures and the word of God, the Bible does not condemn all sex and drinking as sin.
This position is untenable because the Bible does not teach this. Sex and alcohol themselves are not evil. The problem is they can and in a lot of situations involve abuse. These abuses lead to poverty, violence, and early death in the short term, but in the long term it leads everyone away from God which will ultimately result in eternal death. It is not the sex and the alcohol, it is the abuse of these and those who cannot restrain themselves from causing abuse of any type should abstain from any activity that could lead themselves to eternal death.
BIBLICAL OCCASIONS TO DRINK ALCOHOL IN MODERATION: (http://pastormark.tv/2011/09/14/faq-whats-your-stance-on-alcohol).
The definition of abstain from THE MIRIAM WEBSTER ONLINE DICTIONARY - abstain is; "to refrain deliberately and often with an effort of self-denial from an action or practice". To fully understand this definition, refrain needs to also be defined, it has a meaning to "keep under control" " to limit, restrict, or keep under control". The other word is "refrain" which means "To hold oneself back".
These definitions all dealing with abstaining do not infer the complete lack or absence of an action, they all infer control and moderation within the context of the situation. Sex and alcohol are two things that Christian doctrines come down heavy on. In the spirit of the scriptures and the word of God, the Bible does not condemn all sex and drinking as sin.
This position is untenable because the Bible does not teach this. Sex and alcohol themselves are not evil. The problem is they can and in a lot of situations involve abuse. These abuses lead to poverty, violence, and early death in the short term, but in the long term it leads everyone away from God which will ultimately result in eternal death. It is not the sex and the alcohol, it is the abuse of these and those who cannot restrain themselves from causing abuse of any type should abstain from any activity that could lead themselves to eternal death.
BIBLICAL OCCASIONS TO DRINK ALCOHOL IN MODERATION: (http://pastormark.tv/2011/09/14/faq-whats-your-stance-on-alcohol).
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Celebration (Genesis 14)
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The Lord’s Supper (Matthew 26:29; Mark 14:25; Luke 22:18)
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Medicinal purposes (Proverbs 31:6; 1 Timothy 5:23)
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Worship (Exodus 29:40; Numbers 28:14; Matthew 26:27; 1 Corinthians 11:25-26).
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Thanksgiving to God (Proverbs 3:9-10)
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Happiness (Deuteronomy 14:26)
