It's important for me not only to be able to agree to these things in my own life, but also to be able to affirm and promote them as necessary elements of fellowship in Jesus Christ.
In article IV of the constitution, under the heading Church Covenant, you require members of abstain from the use of intoxicating beverages. I understand this is a historic Baptist distinctive, and I understand the societal concerns that motivate it. however I don't think it does anything to really address those concerns, and I believe it erects an unnecessary barrier to accepting believing brothers and sisters into full fellowship - who in truth, commit no outward offense.
The passages cited in this document prohibit drunkenness, which is a sin of excess - like gluttony is an excess of eating, and avarice is a excess of possession. Yet because we can easily choose to do without it - we treat it differently than the other two, as something are at liberty to control.
In the New Testament you see the early church wrestling with what kind of expectations they should have of their members. There were some who felt that believers in Jesus should follow the customs of the Mosaic Law, this was such a strong faction church that in Galatians 2 Paul notes that Peter, who fully accepted the Gentiles - drew back from fellowship when some men had arrived from Jerusalem. Paul called him out on this, because Peter KNEW these were his brother's and sisters fully accepted by God, and he was denying them full fellowship. If the Law of Moses which was given by God himself, was not enough to deny someone fellowship, how can we deny it on our own grounds.
Several instances in the New Testament show that the use of alcoholic beverages was not prohibited in and of itself.
The Wedding at Canna, where Jesus (John 2:10)
At the Celebration of The Lord's Supper (1 Cor 11:20-22)
Paul's recommendation to Timothy that he take wine for his stomach (1 Timothy 5:23)
For the Apostle Paul our freedom in Christ is an important part of the Gospel. He insists on it. At times, it seems, this insistence gave rise to misunderstandings. People who took liberty and turned it into license. It would have been so easy for him, to try and secure believers righteousness by restricting their freedom. But for Paul this is a false start. The truth of the Gospel is freedom in Christ, and true righteousness that bears witness to the power of God can only emerge from discipleship that grows from that soil.
