Charles Spurgeon was by far the most influential Christian preacher of the last 200 years. And today, Christians of all sorts pay attention to what he thought and said on any given topic. Given the nearly unparalleled length of his written works (almost every sermon recorded for us), and given the length of his ministry, one is apt to find Spurgeon statements that can be construed to support both sides of any given debate!
Wine, it seems is no exception. Among fundamentalist and conservative evangelicals, the prohibitionist movement is alive and well. Many claim not only that abstaining from wine and alcohol is the wisest course of action, but some even claim the Bible only supports a strictly tee-totaler’s view on the subject.
Spurgeon converted to the prohibitionist cause, but apparently never held that wine in Bible times was not fermented–at least the wine Jesus drank.
Doug Kutilek, at Sharper Iron, shared some interesting quotes on this topic recently. Here is an excerpt from the early Spurgeon (1877):
“˜UNFERMENTED wine’ is a non-existent liquid. Mr. Wilson [in his book The Wines of the Bible: an Examination and Refutation of the Unfermented Wine Theory, by A.M. Wilson (Hamilton, Adams & Co.)] has so fully proved this that it will require considerable hardihood to attempt a reply. The best of it is that he is a teetotalert of more than thirty years’ standing, and has reluctantly been driven “˜to conclude that, so far as the wines of the ancients are concerned, unfermented wine is a myth.’ While total abstainers are content to make no assault upon the cup used at the Lord’s table, they work harmoniously with all who seek the welfare of their fellow men; but when they commence warfare upon that point they usually become more factious than useful: everything is then made subordinate to their one idea, and the peace of the church is disregarded. [Read the whole quote at Sharper Iron]
10 years earlier (1857), Spurgeon had said:
I am no total abstainer. I do not think the cure of England’s drunkenness will come from that quarter. (Pg. 380, Spurgeon: Prince of Preachers, Lewis Drummond)
By 1887, however, Spurgeon had donned the blue ribbon of the Temperance Movement. It was not just his position change which could cause confusion, but even as an abstainer he acknowledged both sides of the issue, to some extent.
In the book Charles Spurgeon: Prince of Preachers, by Lewis Drummond (Kregel, Grand Rapids: 1992) one finds the following contradictory quotes from Spurgeon from his later years:
“I don’t need it for myself, but if it will strengthen and encourage a single soul among the 5,000 that are here, I will put it [a blue ribbon] on.”
“Next to the preaching of the Gospel, the most necessary thing to be done in England is to induce our people to become abstainers.” (Both quotes, pg. 440, Spurgeon: Prince of Preachers, Lewis Drummond)
So there you have it. Next time you are debating this topic, cite Spurgeon for support. No matter what side you’re advocating!
For further resources on the alcohol debate, check out my previous articles on wine:
- Welch’s Grape Juice, Worldly Wisdom, and Wine
- Will You Be Having Some Wine?
- “Wine to Gladden the Heart of Man” : Thoughts on God’s Good Gift of Wine
Pictures borrowed from Wikipedia articles on Charles Spurgeon and Wine.
I don’t drink, but I really don’t see any Biblical injunction against it (against drunkenness, yes; but the two aren’t the same).
I think that the whole argument is settled for me by one simple fact — Jesus made water into wine. If He really had a problem with drinking in an absolute way, he might have gone around turning wine into water. So, although I’m no drinker, I think it’s fine for others. It’s just not my thing.
Good to hear some factual quotations from Spurgeon by Doug Kutilek. Thanks for posting this, as it will be disquieting for some in the abstentionist/prohibitionist quarter of evangelicalism and fundamentalism. Although Spurgeon’s later support for abstention, it appears that he never was an abstentionist at heart, nor did he find that the Scriptures prohibit believers to drink. I will check out the article over at SharperIron, too. That should be a barn burner!
Hey, Bob, did you read my last comment on the thread about 07/08? Just curious to see if it was me whom you referred to……
Wickle,
I respect your viewpoint. It really is that simple. My reasons for moving beyond your position to partaking of wine are stated in my “Wine to Gladden the Heart of Man” post. But I certainly respect the many motivations for an abstentionist position such as yours.
Larry,
Sorry about not responding to your earlier comment. I was referring to you, and check out that post and I’ll respond further there. I thought you’d like this post.
Blessings to both of you brothers,
Bob
Bob,
Thanks for the comment. I haven’t yet read the other post but will do so shortly.
Speaking of wine, you should try ‘Gluhwein’ from Munich, Bavaria, Germany. It’s labeled as ‘glow wine’ here in the USA. Try it hot with a cinnamon stick…. it’s very good. It’s a sweet wine that’s not syrupy and doesn’t taste like alcoholic grape juice. I was quite impressed.
Larry
I’ll have to check it out. I really need to get around to packing a certain box around here, too! Got to replenish the stores…
Don’t forget to check out my response under “Looking Back, Looking Ahead: My Blog” to your comments about the tumble blog thing.
Later,
Bob
Having been a Christian since 1956 since the age of 6, and being a preacher’s son, I have always thought the notion that the wine of the bible was merely grape juice is stupid.
Why would the comment about most at weddings would serve the good wine first then as people got drunk would bring out the cheap stuff. And why did Jesus turn the water into wine on the same ocasion?.
I was denied being a deacon at a Baptist church because I refused to agree that the wine of the bible was juice only and my lack of a promise that I may at time to time drink some of it.
It concerns me that there are people today who claim to be Reformed yet teach that wine and other alcoholic beverages aren’t legitimate for Christians; this is neither a Biblical nor a Reformed view. The late Greg Bahnsen put it like this, I think: ‘Calvinists are not abstainers’.
I do wonder how these folk cope with the inconsistency of eating bread made with yeast, which can contain up to 2 per cent alcohol.
Spurgeon’s later position in donning the blue ribbon is one that can be respected, though. Surely, without reversing his own understanding of the legitimacy of wine, he was also taking into account the need to recognise and help the weakness of others, and to avoid giving offence. In this he was, surely, following the teaching of Romans 14.