In the last session, Ptr. Noel Espinosa showed how fundamentalism forced serious Christian people into a practice of abstinence. How abstinence robs a Christian of his enjoyment of his freedom/liberty in Christ

1. Abstinence

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Rudolf Bultmann
Karl Barth

3. The Fundamentals

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Reuben A. Torrey
Benjamin B.
Warfield
Arminian; Dispensationalist
Doctrines of Grace; Reformed

5. Errors
Unchallenge
d
Truths
Defended
Evangelical
Fundamentalis
m
Evangelism becomes Decisionism
Spirituality becomes Conservatism
Liberty becomes Abstinence

6. (1) For freedom Christ has set
us free; stand firm therefore,
and do not submit again to a
yoke of slavery.
(13) For you were called to
freedom, brothers. Only do not
use your freedom as an
opportunity for the flesh, but
Galatians 5:1,13
through love serve one another.

7. To be pious in the world
Pietism
Separation
from the
World
The “World” is contaminating
Contemplatio
n of Spiritual
Things
The spiritual has nothing of
the worldly

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Dispensational Eschatology
Return of Christ is “very near” = world to be destroyed

9. Trichotomous View: Three Parts
Constitutio
n of Man
Body = Physical
Earth
Soul = Internal Self
Spirit = Spiritual
God
To be spiritual takes the form of physical self-denial,
and separation from earthly things

10. King James Version
Original 1611 cover

11. World
Believers
Under
Christ
Unbeliever
s
Not under
Christ
Things of the World:
• Work
• Money
• Entertainment
• Religion

12. (13) "You are the salt of the earth, but if
salt has lost its taste,World its saltiness be
how shall
restored? It is no longer good for anything
except to be thrown out and trampled under
Unbeliever
Believers
people's feet.
s
Under
(14) "You are the light of the world. A city
Not under
Christ
set on a hill cannot be hidden.
Christ
(15) Nor do people light a lamp and put it
Things on a World:
under a basket, but of thestand, and it
gives light to • Work
all in the house.
• Money
(16) In the same way, let your light shine
• Entertainment
before others, so that they may see your good
Religion
works and give •glory to your Father who is in
Matthew 5:13-16
heaven.

13. For the time that is past suffices
for doing what the Gentiles
want to do, living in sensuality,
passions, drunkenness, orgies,
drinking parties, and lawless
idolatry.
With respect to this they
are surprised when you do
not join them in the same
flood of debauchery, and
1 Peter 4:3-4
they malign you;

14. I wrote to you in my letter not
to associate with sexually
immoral people-not at all meaning the sexually
immoral of this world, or the
greedy and swindlers, or
idolaters, since then you would
1 Corinthians 5:9-10
need to go out of the world.

15. Fundamentalist Separatism
Believer
Unbeliev
s
ers
Withdrawal from the World and the
things of the World
– Separation so as not to be
contaminated, rather than
engagement to influence
Abstain from all appearance of evil
–
1 Thessalonians 5:22 (KJV)

16. Do not love the world or the
things in the world. If anyone
loves the world, the love of the
Father is not in him.
For all that is in the
world--the desires of the flesh
and the desires of the eyes
and pride in possessions--is
not from the Father but is
from the world.
And 2:15-17
1Johnthe world is passing away

17. Biblical Moderation
Things of the
World
Moderation
and Restraint
Victory over
Indulgence
Use of mind in self-knowledge, while appreciating God’s gifts
Fundamentalist Prohibition
Things of the
World
Abstinence
Imposition of man-made rules, breeding legalist spirit
Legalistic
Rules

18. Biblical Moderation
Things of the
World
Moderation
and Restraint
Victory over
Indulgence
Use of mind in self-knowledge, while appreciating God’s gifts
Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times
some will depart from the faith by devoting
themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of
demons, through the insincerity of liars whose
consciences are seared, who forbid marriage and
require abstinence from foods that God
created to be received with thanksgiving by
those who believe and know the truth. For
everything created by God is good, and
1 Timothy 4:1-4
nothing is to be rejected if it is received with
thanksgiving,

19. Fundamentalist Prohibition
Things of the
World
Abstinence
Legalistic
Rules
Imposition of man-made rules, breeding legalist spirit
If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of
the world, why, as if you were still alive in the
world, do you submit to regulations-- "Do not
handle, Do not taste, Do not touch" (referring
to things that all perish as they are
used)--according to human precepts and
Colossians 2:20-22
teachings?

20. Drunkenne
ss
Should there be
prohibition of
wine to prevent
drunkenness?
Gluttony
Should we then
forbid food to
prevent
gluttony?

21. US constitution:
Amendment XVIII
After one
(1919) year from the
ratification of this article the
manufacture, sale, or
transportation of intoxicating
liquors within, the importation
thereof into, or the exportation
thereof from the United States
and all the territory subject to
the jurisdiction thereof for

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Al Capone
(1899-1947) The face of gangsterism in the period of Prohibition

23. US constitution:
Amendment XXI (1933)
The eighteenth article of
amendment to the Constitution
of the United States is hereby
repealed.

24. Christian Liberty
•
•
•
•
Deliverance from condemnation of Law
Free from guilt
Free to obey
God alone is Lord of the conscience
No man-made rules on the conscience
Free to Restrain for Higher
Reasons
Religious
Ethical
Context
Personal
Spiritual
Constraint
No
participation
in evil
No
exposure to
temptation
Weaker
Brother
No
stumbling-blo
ck to
conscience
Christian
Testimony
No
hindrance to
evangelism

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Fundamentalist “Holier-than-thou”
attitude
vs Humility of Christian Liberty

26. In the wake of 9/11

27. Rejoice in the Lord
always; again I will say,
Rejoice.
Philippians 4: 4