Cigars and Whiskey
Actor Kirk Cameron, who played the rebellious, loveable teenage Mike Seaver on "Growing Pains" fame, recently revealed that a popular trend among Christian men is holding Bible studies where participants drink whiskey or beer, and smoke cigars.
Aside from any legalistic teaching, let me comment on this popular trend, and reveal three character principles that I believe are totally being assassinated:
- First, grace and Christian liberty are not the same issue. Holiness (without which no man shall see the Lord) has been circumvented by a teaching on Christian liberty that calls into question changed lives. I expect ungodly, unsaved people to drink and smoke cigars; however, when Christians emulate culture and jeopardize their testimony, then liberty overrides grace and discredits Christian values. One may be able to drink in private but taking alcohol into a group or public arena is a sad miscalculation.
- Personal testimonies are called into question when we act like the world, do what the world does, think like the world, and defend our right to be uniquely who we are, all in the name of Christian liberty. What we spend hours defending may be our rebellion scratching its own religious itch!
- When I was a junior at Evangel University, my room mate and I lived across the street from the university. One morning, in a moment of gross stupidity, and frankly rebellion, we filled shot glasses with whiskey, and as our college professors and staff were entering the grounds we toasted them, lifting our glasses high in the air. We laughed and laughed! Later, one of my professors called me into his office and sternly rebuked me. "I could have you dismissed and banned from the school for such a rebellious act," he said.
Of course, he was right and I repented for my rebellion. I was going to show them a thing or two, but never weighed any potential consequences for my actions. I could have lost three years of study and hundreds of dollars for my stupidity. I've committed other acts driven by rebellion throughout my years but none so ridiculous. I wonder. When men get together to study the Bible with whiskey and cigars in hand, are they in short expressing their rebellious nature? I understand little boys being boys, but not Christian men who should guard their Christian witness at all costs instead of trying to defend their Christian liberties. Kirk Cameron, whom God has raised up to challenge godly men to live above the pull of sin, the flesh and the devil in today's America, expressed concerns about such doings, and frankly I join his bandwagon!