Put Down Your Beer and Open Up Your Bible

It is time to set the record straight.

On our way back from Polishing the Pulpit, my wife and I spent several hours listening to the radio, as we drove. It’s always fun to sing along with the songs we know, as we reminisce about old times and come to appreciate new music, too. We were almost home, when we heard a new country song that we hadn’t heard before. It’s called, “If I Could Have a Beer With Jesus”— that’s right, “If I Could Have a Beer With Jesus”—and it was written by Thomas Rhett Akins. At first, I laughed out loud at the very notion of a song about a good ole boy sitting down in a honky tonk to share a pitcher of brew with the Son of God. But, as the words of the song came pouring out of my radio speakers, my amusement turned into outrage. Songs like this one,—and there are many others—perpetuate a misrepresentation about our Lord that vexes the souls of faithful Christians everywhere. Once again, it is time to set the record straight.

Jesus would even join them in doing the same?

First of all, there is the notion that Jesus approves of our sinful behavior, and the assumption that He would gladly join us in it. Miranda Lambert sings a song about drinking wine with the Lord, called “A Heart Like Mine.” The chorus says, “I heard Jesus; He drank wine. And I bet we’d get along just fine. He could calm the storm and heal the bind. And I bet He’d understand a heart like mine.” Many people live their lives by the assumption that sinners are just misunderstood and that, as long as they don’t commit any of the “really big” sins, God understands, and forgives, and would even join them in doing the same. Back in the 1960’s and 70’s, this was the mantra of the “hippie generation.” Men grew out their hair, fornicated and abused drugs; arguing all the while that Jesus did the same things. It is infuriating to me to hear such vile slander leveled against the Lord of humanity! Jesus did not drink alcohol, He did not commit fornication, and He did not have long hair (Hebrews 4:15; 1 Corinthians 11:14)!

Learn to be ashamed and put down the burden of sin.

It’s about time that people learned to be ashamed of their sinful behavior and did something about their spiritual weakness, besides using it as an excuse (2 Peter 3:18). Like the people of Jeremiah’s day, we no longer blush, when sin is brought to light (Jeremiah 6:15; 8:12). When is somebody going to write a song about smoking a joint with Jesus, or going to the casino with Jesus, or going to a strip club with Jesus? When that day comes, will people think it is sentimental and cute, or will people be outraged by the idea that the Lord would ever engage in such behavior? Jesus wants us to put down the burden of sin, and not drag it around with us for the rest of our lives (Matthew 11:28-30).

Pick up your Bible to find the answers.

Another thing about the lyrics to “If I Could Have a Beer With Jesus” that I find astonishing is the quandary that Mr. Akins seems to be in over such questions as, “Do you hear the prayers I send? What happens when life ends? When you think you’re comin’ back again?” It seems to me that, if this guy would just put down his beer and pick up his Bible, he would be able to find the answers he seeks. The Word of God tells us all that we need to know about prayer, in passages like Matthew 6:5-15, among many others. The Bible tells us about what happens when life ends, in passages like Luke 16:19-31. As to the question of when Jesus will come back again, all that one needs to do is read Matthew 24:36.

Don’t delude yourself into thinking the Word of God is too hard to understand.

People like to think that spiritual questions like this are deep and the answers to them are elusive. But, the truth of the matter is that these questions are simple and the answers we seek may be found in the Bible. If you want to know about Jesus, just “Search the Scriptures” (John 5:39). You may not like what you find there, and maybe that’s why some people do not open their Bibles to begin with, but don’t delude yourself into thinking that the Word of God is just too hard for the common man to understand (Mark 12:37b).

We will be judged by the standard that Jesus set.

When I researched the lyrics of this song on the Internet, I was surprised to see so many comments about it that lauded it with praise. Some said that it was such a good song that it made them cry. I makes me cry to think of all the poor souls who are convinced that they don’t need to change their lives to be pleasing to the Lord. Let us never forget that we will be judged by the standard that He set, and not the standard that the world sets for us (John 12:48).

“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed…” – Romans 12:2