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A Toast to John MacArthur

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I like beer. —Tom T. Hall

I like beer, too. What gourmet coffees and teas are to some folks, beer is to me. I enjoy tasting as many varieties as I can, and I collect the bottles. And, since there just isn’t enough variety in the world, I’ve recently taken up home brewing. How was my first batch? Not bad; thanks for asking.

The point of my “confession” is not to irritate or provoke. I tell you these things because I think knowing my perspective will be relevant to what I am about to write. I’m not a tea-totaler, nor do I think abstention is best, not even for church elders. But I’m also the guy (singular, it seems) who read John MacArthur’s post on Beer, Bohemianism, and True Christian Liberty, likes beer, and didn’t miss the point.

I do admit that I rolled my eyes a bit at his contention that

In biblical times, wine was necessary for health reasons. The risk of amoebae and parasites in drinking water could be significantly reduced or eliminated by mixing the water with a little wine (1 Timothy 5:23). The result was a greatly diluted wine that had virtually no potential for making anyone drunk. Purified tap water and refrigeration make even that use of wine unnecessary today.

This idea is no doubt the baggage of residual fundamentalism. I’ve never heard it supported in any substantive way, and don’t expect to. I don’t really know how to deal with this personally, except to admit that there are probably things I believe just because I’ve always believed them, because that’s what I’ve been taught to believe. It’s a frustrating thing to see in others, especially someone of MacArthur’s stature, but not so surprising. Publicly, I’ll just keep telling the truth about it when I have a positive reason to do so. I won’t (I hope) respond disrespectfully to my betters just because they get this wrong.

To the many who did, take heart. The generation that tends to hold this view is getting old, and soon will trouble us no more. Of course, we’ll lose the benefit of their wisdom then, but at least we’ll be able to drink to their memories, unencumbered by their scruples. It’s a fair trade, don’t you think? End sarcasm.

I do think it is unfortunate that MacArthur brought that into the discussion; it did distract from his point. Still, when I read the follow-up post, The Brouhaha over the Brew, I thought, “Yeah, I get it. I understand. It wasn’t that difficult. Can we move on now?”

So, moving on, this beer-lover didn’t miss the point: “It’s irresponsible and wrong for YRR leaders to make beer/wine-drinking one of the badges of the YRR movement.” In fact, I agree. Along with your tattoos, slovenly hair and dress, and “restless” affectation, many of you “young, restless, and Reformed” have elevated alcohol consumption to the level of a virtue. I am not calling you drunkards. You say you practice moderation (as every overweight Baptist at the pot-luck should), and I believe you. And I’m glad you are free to enjoy “wine which makes man’s heart glad” (Psalm 104:15). But I have, from reading several blogs, gotten the impression I might not fit in if I didn’t drink. I might not be cool enough to hang out with the boys if I don’t raise a pint. (By the way, in my opinion, all this “pub” and “pint” language in 21st century America only increases the evidence that your drinking is an affectation of wannabe coolness.) You might protest that that’s not you at all, but if I, lover of beer, has gotten that impression, what do you expect non-drinkers to think?

You object to this characterization. I think you protest too much. In any case, if MacArthur — and I — have got you all wrong on this, you have no one to blame but yourselves. If you talk enough about one thing, people will get the impression that it’s really important to you. At that point, crying “You don’t understand me!” only sounds like adolescent whining.

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